BLETCHLEY

 Dear Harry, 

I have been reading more about Bletchley Park, this time in a book called "The Secrets of Station X: How Bletchley Park Helped Win the War" by Michael Smith. As I read, I come across names thaqt sound familiar, names of people who were your friends during the war years and after. I'm sure you remember Hugh Trevor-Roper, for example, and Peter Calvocoressi who lived just a few yards down the road from us in Aspley House--a mansion that was reputed to be haunted by one of those "gray ladies" familiar to anyone who knows about ghosts in English country houses. This one was supposed to be seen walking occasionally down the wide main staircase that led to the front hall. It was Peter Calvocoressi, by the way, who was an editor at Chatto & Windus in the late 1950s when I was getting started as a writer. He was kind enough to read the manuscript of a very derivative first novel I had written and was arrogant enough to think deserved publication! He turned it down, of course, but was decent enough to write me a letter with some encouraging words--thanks, I'm sure, to his friendship with you and Peggy. There was also mention of another analyst named Hugh Foss who had a cottage in Aspley Guise--the book describes it as a horrible mess, with dishes stacked on the floor. I don't recall the name myself, but I wonder if you remember him?

No mention, yet, of any of the girls who lived with us at the Rectory. Would you recognize and of them from this contemporaneous image...

... or as they are today!

But it's fascinating to read about what was going on under our noses during those war years. You would love to have known about it all--and indeed tried quite improperly to pump our guests for information, as I've read. I'm trying to work out if you were still alive when the history of Bletchley started to be released, some fifty years after the war ended. Until then it was all a closely guarded secret. Since then, of course, there have been countless books, television programs, movies--the best know of the latter being "The Imitation Game" with Benedict Cumberbatch in the role of the ill-fated Alan Turing. 

I don't know, really, what got me started on this kick. Perhaps my curiosity was nudged by a couple of letters that are included in my "Dear Harry" book. It does feel like an important part of my childhood, as though I was at least close to some critical part of 20th century history. It's something I'd love to talk to you about, if you were still around...

Sent with love, as always, your son Peter