Charles Forjett was born in Madras of Anglo -Indian parentage. His father was wounded at the Battle of Seringapatam in 1799, which event became Symbolic of East India Company’s Domination in the Indian Subcontinent. Charles Forjett’s reputation grew out of Reforms in setting up a Professionalised Police Force & Fighting Corruption. Reforms that he initiated whilst working towards becoming 1st Deputy, then as Commissioner (Superintendent) of Police in Bombay in 1855, where his ‘capacity to disguise himself as a Native‘ and his proficiency in Languages greatly assisted him in seeking out grass roots Intelligence enabling him to suppress Crime & Illegality. In his own colourful description ‘every scoundrel in the Town was closely watched & kept in a state of Terror’! More significantly he acted upon seditious rumours of the spreading of the Indian Mutiny (also known as the Sepoy Rebellion or the Great Uprising) which had started in Meirut in Northern India in May 1857 and became a widespread uprising against British Rule in India. Having flushed out a Plot to stage an uprising at a Diwali Festival (the Hindu Festival of Lights) he Arrested & had Court-martialled 2 alleged Ringleaders, Drill Havaldar Sayed Hussein, and Sepoy Mangal Guddrea for Mutiny. They were then executed in Exemplary fashion in Public on the City’s Central Esplanade on the aforementioned Festival day of Diwali in the fashion of earlier Mughal Indian Tradition having been Trussed to the mouths of Cannons & blown to Pieces by the British Raj.
Wycombe Court was Built on a 26-acre Estate which enjoys a colourful History dating back to 1864. In that year a Civil Servant named Charles Forjett Purchased the Land after his Retirement from the Bombay Police. He then Designed & had built a Property which he named “Cowasjee Jehangir Hall” after the well-known Parsi Philanthropist, who gave generously to Educational & Charitable Institutions in Western India. The original Building was Designed with a strong influence from Indian Architecture to serve as homage to the Country where Forjett grew up & contributed so much to Public Safety. Forjett died in London on 27th January 1890 and is buried in Ladywell Cemetery, Lewishham. The Property was then re-named as Wycombe Court. For the next 40-yrs or so it was owned or occupied by a succession of Wealthy People.
These included Mr Henry William Cripps, QC, the grandfather of the Labour Politician Sir Stafford Cripps, who was known to be in Occupation in September 1891 when he gave Permission for a Fete to be held in the Grounds. The Publicity stated that “a Variety of Sports will be provided”. These included a Cricket Match, when the Prize for the Winner was a Cricket Ball! In January 1892 it was reported that “Captain Dyke-Acland, RN, has taken Wycombe Court, Bucks, for a term of years”, the word “Taken” indicating that he was Renting the Estate. In June 1895 it was “Offered for Sale at the London Auction Mart”, but then “withdrawn at £5,000, the Auctioneer stating that he believed that Close on £20,000 had been spent upon it”. The Property continued to be used by the Local Community, including in August 1895 “a Capital Show which included an Exhibition of Needlework, Lace etc” but “the proceedings of the day were marred by Rain”!
Eventually it seems to have been Purchased by a Mr Smithers, who in March 1908 Sold it to Mr Henry Worthington. He was “well-known in Hunting Circles & may be expected to take an interest in Local Hunts”. Although he was living in Uffculme, Devon when he died in March 1924, he still owned Wycombe Court, leaving it in his Will to his Wife for her use for Life. However it was soon on the Market, being offered for Auction in September 1924 at the St James Estate Rooms in London. It was described as a “singularly choice Freehold Property in a glorious position, 550-ft up, with lovely Views”. It had “Central Heating, Electric Light, a Passenger Lift & good Drainage; a Garage, Stabling, Lodge & 2-Cottages, Beautiful Gardens & Parkland, in all over 61-acres”.
It was Purchased by Katherine Emma Adams for £10,000, “£2,000 of which she raised & the remainder was left on Mortgage”. She “took Wycombe Court with the object of running a Dairy Business there and also making it a Holiday Resort for Visitors from the North”. However she had to file for Bankruptcy in April 1926, resulting in Wycombe Court coming back onto the Market. It was then Purchased by The Garden School of Gt Missenden, who moved to their New Home “of much larger Premises” in December 1927. The Garden School, which then took the name of Wycombe Court Garden School, were to occupy the Estate for nearly 40-yrs. This was a Boarding & Day School for girls, one of its most famous Pupils being the Film star Julie Christie (also born in India). The School Educated 100s of girls over the years, until its Closure in 1965. Once again the Estate came up for Auction, when it was Advertised as having 3 very Large Reception Rooms, Reception Hall, 4-Cloakrooms, 8-Bathrooms, 27-Bedrooms & Extensive & Adaptable Offices. But it was difficult to Sell & at one Auction in early-1968 had to be withdrawn when the bidding stopped at £23,500 – below the Reserve Price.
Wycombe District Council were becoming concerned at the way the Property was Deteriorating & Rumours were abounding about its Fate. One was even that it was to be used as a Nudist Camp! Local Villagers were concerned when they saw the Building going up in Flames in February 1969. However this was part of a controlled Demolition process after the Estate had been acquired by Hotel & Transport Services Ltd for their New Management Training Centre. The Owner & founder of HTS, Professor William Barry, Purchased the Estate in 1968 & Opened the UK’s 1st purpose-built Conference Centre in November 1969. Following the Success of the 1970’s & with growing demand from Organisations across the World the Venue expanded and opened a 3rd Residential Building in 1979, known as Wycombe Lodge. In the 1980’s the Owners invested in various Amenities including a 9-hole Golf Course & a Sport Complex complete with Squash Courts & a Swimming Pool.
Aston Rowant & Chilterns Spring Line Villages 