The Sale

Bidding for the first lot which included the Lodge and 43 acres as well as the house started at £5,000 but only reached £7,500 and the house was withdrawn.
In addition to the rooms you can see largely unaltered today, there were 26 bedrooms.
As well as a kitchen there were two larders, a scullery, a game larder, a dairy, coal store, brushing room, strong room and two wine cellars.

The cover of the sale catalogue produced by Knight, Frank & Rutley

After the death of Lady Leon no members of the family wanted to live in the mansion, they all had their own homes, so the house, park and farm were put up for auction by Knight Frank and Rutley. Who still occupy the same address - 20, Hanover Square, London.

In addition to the rooms you can see today there were 15 principle bedrooms, and four bathrooms plus a nursery suite of three bedrooms, five secondary bedrooms and three servants bedrooms.

Next to the dining room was a SERVERY described in the 22 page catalogue as having 'a teak sink and draining boards and several cupboards'. The description continues:

'BUTLERS PANTRY, fitted sink with two teak draining boards, cupboards and stove; BUTLERS BEDROOM adjoining; MAID'S WORKROOM; KITCHEN, having tiled floor, glazed tiled walls, large and small double oven ranges (both by "Benham"), sink, dresser and several cupboards; TWO LARDERS, both with white glazed walls and slate shelves; SCULLERY having blue tiled walls and three fitted sinks and hot airing pipes; GAME LARDER with tiled walls and slate shelves; COOLING ROOM with glazed brick dado, fitted sink and marble shelf; OUTSIDE ENTRANCE; DAIRY or STILL ROOM with vaulted roof, tiled floor, glazed brick walls, marble shelves and ice box; SERVANTS' W.C.; COAL STORE; STOREROOM with STRONGROOM adjoining, door by "Samuel Withers"; SERVANTS' HALL; HOUSEKEEPER's ROOM; BRUSHING ROOM, fitted hot water coils and sink, SERVANTS' BATHROOM and separate W.C.; BACK ENTRANCE; separate Tradesmen's entrance, and ample CELLARAGE including two WINE CELLARS with a total of 30 bins; FURNACE ROOM with "Robin Hood" boiler; Coal bunkers with chute from yard.'

There was obviously a lot of interest locally in the sale but coming at the end or the 1930s economic depression there was not a lot of money about. The agricultural and property markets were especially hard hit. Some three bedroomed semi-detached houses were available for £600 - £750. Never-the-less it must have been quite a shock when bidding stopped at £7,500.

There was most interest in the Cricket Ground which sold for £3,495.

Bletchley Park before the war