Aug 052011
We have been given rare access to Hannington Hall in Wiltshire.
Hannington was used during WW2 as the HQ for the Special Duties Section.
Coleshill (CIO) County Information Officer, Bill Ashby, was joined by Paula and I and the owner of the house, Mr.Wallace, very kindly gave up 2 hours of his time to give us a tour.
You can see a range of pictures below. (Full CART members can also view interior images if you email us for access)
Very little is still known about what went on at Hannington Hall so if anyone has any information then please contact us.
For your possible interest, I’ve come across an old record about Eric John Hussey FREKE, who on his employment with the White Star shipping company gave his address as Hannington Hall, Highworth, Wilts. His date of birth was given as 1883. Prior to joining White Star, he was educated at HMS CONWAY. He joined the White Star Line on the 31st of July 1899′ as a mid-shipman. The final note in this record states, “deserted at Sydney, Oct 1900″.
My aunt and uncle worked at Hannington Hall until the early 1980′s. The house then was owned by the Hussey Frekes. There were just two of them at the time and I use to help my aunt clean there during the summers I visited. It was all faded grandeur. I don’t remember my aunt or uncle mentioning anything about the hall being used during the war, but they weren’t living in Hannington then.
SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING ELSE ABOUT HANNINGTON I HAVE JUST COME ACROSS THE SITE,WHICH I FIND MOST INTERESTING AND ONLY WISHED MY DEAR DEPARTED MOTHER AND GRANDFATHER COULD HAVE SEEN.
I WAS BORN IN CORNWALL AFTER THE WAR & WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT OUR FAMILY CONNECTIONS WITH HANNINGTON,ESPECIALLY A GREAT UNCLE AMBROSE WILLIS WHO FARMED OVER 600 ACRES IN HANNINGTON (WHO IS BURIED WITH WIFE AND BROTHER EDWARD WILLIS IN THE CHURCHYARD) AN D A NUMBER OF FARMING RELATIVES INCLUDING THE EDDOLLS OF LYNT BRIDGE.IN THE FAMILY ALBUM HERE, IS A FAMILY PHOTO OF THE WHOLE OF THE HUSSEY-FREKE FAMILY OUTSIDE HANNINGTON HALL AT THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY.
ALTHOUGH MY CLOSE FAMILY WAS IN SWINDON THROUGHOUT THE WAR MY FATHER WORKED ON AIRCRAFT NEAR COLESHILL BUT DID NOT KNOW OF THE ACTIVITY IN HANNINGTON,MY GRANDFATHER WAS CLERK TO THE CHIEF MECHANICAL ENGINEER GWR &ALSO DIDNT MENTION IT,BUT IN THOSE DAYS EVERYONE WAS TAUGHT TO TAKE SECRETS TO THE GRAVE..THIS IS MOST INTERESTING AND I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE.IT WAS SO FASCINATING TO SEE THE HALL FROM CLOSE UP AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT IT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED I CAN ALWAYS E-MAIL A COPY OF THE PHOTO