Upton House and Barney Adler

Reminders of the war time experiences of my mother and father flooded back yesterday on our visit to Upton House near Banbury in Oxfordshire. 

Upton House was where my father spent time during the war when the bank at which he worked was evacuated to the country house of the owner, Viscount Bearsted.  Upton House now belongs to the National Trust and they decided to recreate the house to depict this period in its history, when the owners moved out, the best pictures went into store in the Welsh mines and the house was turned into a bank. 

We visited Upton House about 3 years ago and left information about this war time period, as did the offspring of one of the other bank employees.  I provided them with an extract from my father's memoires and photographs, around which they have built the exhibition and reconstruction.    It was a strange experience to go round the house and see my photographs of my parents and see my father's words in print.

My father would have been mightily amused that Peter and I were invited to a champagne reception for the opening of the exhibition, along with the current Lord Bearsted, and all the guides knew the name of Barney Adler.  The guides and the staff were so enthusiastic.  They have clearly had a great deal of fun recreating the war time atmosphere, the graphics and the props - even down to some beautiful 40s clothes in the wardrobe and a knitted swimming costume. 

In the pub for lunch on our way to Upton House

At the entrance to the grounds on a cold and windy day

Upton House

Waiting in the kitchen for the others to arrive

The three themes of the exhibition

Great war time graphics

A framed picture of my father

In the kitchen

With the oral history volunteer (c) and the Director of the National Trust (r)

With Ann Thomas who has been corresponding with me

My father wrote about rook pie and so they created one!

Dad's words

The pie

My father's 'desk'.  Mr H Bluglass's son was also there and remembered 'Uncle Barney'

My father's boots!!

My father's bed with his 'diary' and a photo of my mother on the bedside table

Not actually his writing, but his words, approximately!

My father's 'diary'

The bedside table with my mother's photo

Standing by my father's bed

The slide show at the end of the tour

A star!

More or less true!

More star billing!

My father on page three of the brochure.  He's 3rd from the left with the walking stick.