Exhibition: The History of Walton Hall

Owners of Walton Hall: The Earles 

Walton Hall during the Second World War

At the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, Brigadier Earle was posted to Cairo and Diana went with him. When they returned, they moved into Walton Lodge Cottage for the remainder of the War because Walton Hall and the Rectory were then occupied by approximately 40 Wrens (WRNS) who were employed at Bletchley Park. The first photograph on this page shows two of the Wrens standing at the entrance to Walton Hall during this time. 

In an article written for OU staff magazine ‘Open House’ in 1987 Jo Field interviewed a former Wren, Alice Pitt, about her time at Walton Hall. Alice remembered the property as “…an austere, country house with farm buildings attached. The surrounding gardens must have been beautiful but regrettably not kept up during war time. Beyond there were far-reaching meadows. To the left of the entrance to the house there was a small church where, I think, occasional services were held… I think our mess was to the right of the hall, the Officers’ quarters and the foc’sle [forecastle/crew’s quarters] to the left and the galleys towards the back of the house. There was of course, no furniture other than that provided by the Navy. There was a wide, uncarpeted staircase leading to the first floor, a second floor and a back staircase. We slept in two-tiered bunks, six to a cabin.”

After the war the Earles moved back into Walton Hall. Like many of their class and generation at this time their lives were markedly different post-war. Their extensive pre-war staff which had consisted of a butler, pantry boy, housemaid, kitchen maid, lady’s maid, cook/housekeeper, groom, odd-job man, and gardeners was reduced to just one maid.

The four Earle boys all served in the military during World War II and afterwards. The second photograph on this page shows Brigadier Earle happily posing with his four sons during the War period, from left to right - Robin, Diccon (in uniform), Brigadier Earle, David and Peter.

In November 1945 the family was hit by tragedy. Their eldest son, Diccon had served in Italy between 1944 and 1945, gaining the rank of Captain in the Royal Horse Artillery. He had married Elizabeth Anne Sainsbury at Marylebone in 1943 and they had settled in Wiltshire. On 15 November 1945 he phoned his parents at the Hall and just half an hour later they received a second call informing them that he had been killed falling from a moving gun carriage during a training exercise at Larkhill Army Garrison in Wiltshire. He was 26 years old and was buried in a Commonwealth War Grave at Weston-Super-Mare. A memorial to Diccon was erected in St Michael's Church and can be viewed here. 

In 1985 one of the Earle sons, then aged 64 - Colonel David Earle - visited Walton Hall with his wife Betty. In a nostalgic visit to his former home he recalled with amusement, how he and his brothers would slide down the oak staircase in the Hall's entrance. During his visit, Colonel Earle generously donated the 1691 Gilpin Indenture to The Open University Archive. He also brought his father's war medals including the DSO, and is photographed showing these to OU staff in the third photograph on this page. Colonel David Earle died in 2005.