Talk:Berkhamsted

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[edit] Page move

(from WP:RM)

[edit] Berkhamstead → Berkhamsted

  • the article itself cites the latter as the correct spelling; however there is a REDIRECT at Berkhamsted with a non-trivial history so I can't do the move myself. --Phil | Talk 15:26, Oct 27, 2004 (UTC)
    • Hmm - I would do this now, but am a bit concerned that I should not breach the "four day" policy. In obvious cases like this, can I go ahead anyway? -- ALoan (Talk) 15:56, 27 Oct 2004 (UTC)
    • Does seem to be the correct name, so yeah, go for it. One fly in the oinment: some of the content came from older versions of that redirect page, so you can't just delete the redirect; you'll have to swap the two pages, or merge the histories, or something. Noel 17:25, 27 Oct 2004 (UTC)
      • Again, like José below, I would do it straight away, execpt I don't want to break anything... -- ALoan (Talk) 18:44, 27 Oct 2004 (UTC)

This all seems OK now.--MichaelMaggs 11:36, 2 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Ratings

More info than a stub, so re-rated as start. However, high importance not justified by criteria "...significant national impact/interest". Feeling generous, so re-rated as mid - "... of interest beyond local area". Folks at 137 (talk) 00:18, 12 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] De Gaulle

There is a reference to the presence of De Gaulle. Can someone tell us where he was based and perhaps provide some info about the Free French in B? Maybe a picture of the HQ?Mikeo1938 (talk) 06:54, 2 April 2008 (UTC)

Is there a local history society in B? Perhaps they have some info about the HQ and buildings of the Free French (?) Mikeo1938 (talk) 21:25, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
According to this reference | here De Gaulle is understood to have lived secretly for around a year at a house call 'Rodinghead' which is on the road out of Berkhamsted close to the edge of the Ashridge Estate. Tmol42 (talk) 21:55, 15 April 2008 (UTC)
VMT for the reply. I didn't realise it was only a private residence at B ... thought it was an HQ with lots of people. So the HQ must have been just in Carlton House Gardens in London. Perhaps I didn't read carefully enough but I got the impression from your site that the castle was used by CDG ... but it would already have been a ruin. I'll tell you if I find out more. Thanks again. Mikeo1938 (talk) 16:02, 16 April 2008 (UTC)
For a chronology of CDG's movements in GB, see: http://www.livresdeguerre.net/forum/contribution.php?index=37426.
There is possible more significance to De Gaulle's house although it could be just a series of coincidences. The house or hunting lodge was in the grounds (all be it a secluded part) of Ashridge House which served as a military hospital during the war. From other sources he had a largish staff as his entourage were quite often at nearby Pottten End's Catholic Church. Meanwhile was it a coincidence that the Polish Government in Exile we based just outside Wingrave 10 miles away as the crow flies with Chequers is just 15 miles away? Tmol42 (talk) 22:14, 16 April 2008 (UTC)
Interesting ... but, as you say, it's probably a coincidence. The main point must be their proximity to London. (On that latter tack, I wish Wiki Commons had some images of the Free French HQ at Carlton House Gardens). I'm doing a piece about Sir Edward Louis Spears and his liaison with De Gaulle and the FF. Mikeo1938 (talk) 19:08, 17 April 2008 (UTC)
I came across a book this afternoon called "Mon Père en Images" by Philippe de Gaulle, the son of CDG. On pages 84-85 there are some VG shots of M + Mme DG at the house in B. There's one of Mme DG in the kitchen, another of her in a drawing room. The best shot is of them on some steps going down to the garden. The book says that a photographer called Richard Temple persuaded them to have the pix taken ... they were against it because they were rather private people. In the end, they agreed to a once-and-for-all domestic shoot. The pix belong to Keystone France and so there's no way they could be made available on Wiki ... but perhaps the book might be of interest to your library or to the owners of the house ... (?) It was published by Michel Lafon in 2006 and costs €37.91 Mikeo1938 (talk) 16:26, 19 April 2008 (UTC)