I am Joanna Raymond-Barker neé Wailes and have just seen a copy of your Local History Society’s book about the Wailes family. I thought perhaps I could flesh out the bones a little from my own experiences which might be of interest to your group.
I was born in 1937, in Cornwall, but my earliest memories are of living in Davidge, in Beaconsfield, my grandfather’s house (he was Reginald Percy Wailes and my parents were Phil and Jane). We had moved up to Beaconsfield when war broke out, because a) my granny had just died and b) my father felt we should do some kind of work – “doing your bit” as it was called. As an architect, he found a job inspecting bomb damage each day, to advise whether houses were worth saving, or should be completely demolished and made safe. So he went up to town each day – just a short train journey – and my mother kept house for R.P. as grandpa was known. It was quite difficult to feed the family when food was strictly rationed and grandpa required a proper pudding every night, although the rest of us didn’t get one. She also helped to run a canteen for children who had been evacuated from London to get away from the blitz. He was completely blind – another reason why he needed someone to live with him. I found him rather scary, as he groped his way round the house, feeling for familiar handholds. They had had the house built in about 1907, on a green field site of 4 acres! It was a very solid red brick house, built in Lutyen’s style, with hefty timbering and big gables, and sited in the middle of the plot. Around it, Granny had had the joy of planning the gardens: there were lots of fruit trees, particularly apples, but also plums, pears and cherries. The pears grew along an espalier tunnel. There was a greenhouse, hen run, soft fruit, potting shed and vegetables – the whole works! I might add that there was also a gardener, who lived in the lodge at the entrance to the drive. Uncle Rex also lived at the house, having sent his wife Enid and daughters Ursula and Anthea up to Scotland, to be out of harm’s way. Before the war there was also a tennis court and croquet lawn, but with the need to produce as much food as possible, these were pressed into service to keep geese. It was a house designed to run with servants, and there was the classic green baize door between the family part of the house and the kitchen, larder, pantry and scullery. There was a dear little housekeeper’s sitting room overlooking the drive, so that she could be ready to meet visiting tradesmen. In the back yard there was a washhouse with a big wooden mangle, a heap of coke and even an ice house. In the garage was a magnificent old Lanchester car, dark green, with brass lamps and proper running boards. It was never used because petrol was rationed just like food.
Happily my grandfather (Reginald P Wailes) re-married near the end of the war to Hilda Bailey in Amersham. I remember that my mother made the wedding cake, having saved up the rationed ingredients for some weeks. There was no icing sugar available, so she had made the icing with granulated sugar. It was so hard that it couldn’t be cut with a knife and my father had to resort to drilling a row of holes before it could be divided up!
When the war ended we were able to return to Cornwall, where my parents had built a café, the Bridge House. They still did the odd bit of architectural works, but were mainly occupied with running the café and taking in paying guests, as they had managed to buy a big house in addition to their original cottage (which I am happy to say is now occupied by my youngest son David and his family).
Sorry, I got a bit carried away with all these memories – but I hope you have found something of interest.
With my best wishes to your local history society J-R-B, 2023
Note - This fascinating letter from a relative of the Wailes family gives a good idea of what their life was like during WWII. Reginald Percy Wailes was the 4th child of George Wailes, who was born in Leeds but later retired to live at Beacon Banks and was buried at Birdforth. [The Wailes family lived in Husthwaite for many generations at The Old Lodge, Beacon Banks, Tenter Close etc. Copies of the book are out of print but if interested, a CD version is available].