High Wycombe, Hughenden Manor 1906
Photo ref: 53684
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Photo ref: 53684
Photo of High Wycombe, Hughenden Manor 1906

More about this scene

Arthur Vernon, Architect and Mayor The career of Arthur Vernon, architect and JP, born in 1846, is a good example of Wycombe's new class of industrialists and professionals. In 1870, having finished his training with the architect E B Lamb, he succeeded his father as land agent to the Earl of Beaconsfield (the ennobled Benjamin Disraeli) at Hughenden, and was appointed JP in 1875. Elected a town councillor and alderman in 1870, he was elected to Buckinghamshire County Council at its inception in 1889 and appointed a magistrate for the county in 1895. Elected mayor for the first time in 1882, he was mayor again in 1883, 1891, 1905 and 1906. He was president of the Chamber of Commerce from 1899 to 1906, a captain of Wycombe Fire Brigade from its founding in 1868 until 1881, and President of the Surveyors Institution in 1902–03. In between all this he found time to design very many buildings in the town besides the Grammar School and Priory Road School. These included a temperance hall in Flackwell Heath, a lodge for Hughenden, schools, buildings in the town centre, churches, the former Conservative Club at No 28 High Street of 1897, and many houses.

A Selection of Memories from High Wycombe

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. Here are some from High Wycombe

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If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?

I was born in High Wycombe in 1938 and lived there till 1945. My school-time memories were of going to Godstowe with my sister, and winning the top spelling prize in the school - an achievement never since emulated! I remember my father taking me to the hilltop and pointing to a red glow in the distance, saying “That’s London burning”. We had a couple of doodlebugs which landed in nearby fields, and we ...see more
I was born in Amersham Hospital in 1956. It should have been the Shrubbery, but it was full on the day I decided I had had enough of the womb. Cut to the mid 60's and I'm a student at Crown House Primary in London Road opposite the Rye, a tiny private 6 class room, 11+cram school in an attractive Georgian residence. Happy memories there and yes, I passed what was really a glorified IQ test in 1967, ...see more
My maternal great grandmother (or possibly Great Aunt), Mrs Curtis, was of Romani (Gypsy) descent and lived in one of the row of cottages that fronted the Rye (Pann) Mill on London Road, High Wycombe, opposite the Trinity Church. The cottages have been demolished and the mill refurbished. According to family hearsay, Mrs Curtis was a master wicker basket weaver and wove a crib (cot) for a member of the royal ...see more
When I was at the High School my form was taken out to the beech woods to see Bodgers at work. I think that this was organised by the History Mistress. Miss Owen. They lived in a camp and hand made chair legs for thr Furniture makers in Town. I remember that we were shown how a Pole Lathe was used. I still have rolling pin made by one of the men, and sold to me. It would have ...see more