DSA VISIT TO HUGHENDEN MANOR – "HILLSIDE"

Link to the Flyer

The DSA has arranged a group visit to Hughenden Manor on 28 March 2024.

Hughenden, Buckinghamshire, is a Victorian mansion with earlier origins that served as the Prime Minister's country house, Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield. It is owned by the National Trust and open to the public. It sits on the brow of the hill west of the main A4128 road that links Hughenden to High Wycombe. HP14 4LA 

At the start of the war, there were few accurate maps of Germany, and early RAF bombing raids were ineffective, leading to the need to set up a map-making operation. Hughenden was requisitioned by the Air Ministry from 1941-46 and, code-named "Hillside", the home of Air Intelligence 1b, the Air Ministry branch responsible for producing the target maps to plan and carry out every mission During the war, it was equipped with small-format Roland printing machines responsible for producing foolscap size RAF Target Maps. It also produced lattice overlays for aeronautical charts. "Hillside" moved to Bushy Park shortly after the war and became No. 2 SPC.

PROGRAMME AND TIMINGS

1030 - Assemble at Hughenden. Manor.

1030 - 1100 – Coffee.

1100 - 1145 – Tour of Manor, former home of Disraeli, and outline welcoming talk on "Hillside" in World War Two by John Poules of National Trust, Hughenden.

1145 – 1230 – PowerPoint-illustrated talk on "Early RAF Aeronautical Charts 1914-1946" by Mike Nolan.

1230 - 1250 – Move to Polecat Inn, Prestwood, Gt Missenden, HA6 0HJ for lunch, perhaps sharing transport to

reduce the number of cars—estimated cost of lunch: £20 - £25 per head.

1250 -1420 – Lunch.

1420 - 1430 – Return to Hughenden Manor.

1430 – 1520 – PowerPoint illustrated talk on Target Maps 1914 - 1946 by Mike Nolan.

1520 - 1600 – Discussion/Questions, or a further free tour of Hughenden Manor, and disperse

ATTENDANCE AND COST

Cost

The event is a DSA visit to a historic World War II location associated with map making.

The cost per person is £20.

While Hughenden Manor is a National Trust Property, the visit arrangement will not discount National Trust members.

Lunch will be at The Pole Cat Arms. Payment for lunch and drinks is on an individual basis.

Registration to Attend

For those who would like to attend, please email the DSA Treasurer, giving your name and your guests' names. For Hughenden's benefit, please indicate whether you are an NT member – your number would assist the NT with their statistics.

Please email: chris@barringtonbrown.co.uk

Include in the email: Name, email, mobile phone number, NT member number if applicable, and state that £20 paid.

If you cannot pay by bank transfer, please email chris@barringtonbrown.co.uk for instructions (at present, DSA cannot take cheques).

Payment

Please make an advanced payment to the DSA by bank transfer (£20 per person).

Defence Surveyors Association

40-36-16 (HSBC)

10344184

Use name and 240328 as reference (e.g., BROWN_240328)

Closing Date

The closing date for registration and payment is 22 March 2024.