The name Raffety will be familiar to many residents of the district, mainly in the context of Hamnett, Raffety & Co, the well known auctioneers and estate agents.

In fact Raffety’s have been prominent in the affairs of the town of High Wycombe since the 1800s.

Furthermore one of the family, John Henry Raffety, achieved national fame by being the instigator of the famous military tattoo, the Royal Tournament.

His father was William Raffety, who was born in Loudwater in 1812, and married local girl Mary West in 1838. By the time of the 1851 census the couple had six sons, William born in 1839, Charles W in 1840, John Henry who was born on January 2, 1842, Robert in 1844, and Albert V in 1849.

The family lived in the High Street, High Wycombe, and William senior was a “china and glass dealer”.

The house where they were living was described some seventy years later as “the old house in the High Street, anciently the George Inn, since rebuilt and now occupied by Mr R T Wylie”.

William had a varied career. In 1861 he was a “House Decorator”, a “House Furnisher” employing 2 men and 2 boys in 1871, and finally in 1881 a “Senior partner Raffety & Son, upholsterers employing 7”.

Sometime in the 1860s the family moved from the High Street to live at No.63 Aveling Villas in Aveling Road, just off the London Road opposite the Rye.

An accident as a child resulted in John Henry being paralysed on one side, which made him lame. It was said that “against which disability he fought with courage, patience and fortitude all his life”.

He was educated by his uncle, Mr Benjamin Drewett, and because of his disability was unable to play sports, and so became a great reader.

He eventually qualified as an architect. For a while, possibly when he was studying to become an architect, he lived with his younger brother Robert, who worked as a lace merchant, in Finsbury. In the early 1870s he returned to Wycombe to live with his parents.

Despite being lame John Henry was fond of horses, being a “fearless rider and with his crony Sam Hobbs he was often seen in the hunting field”.

As well as being an architect he also worked as a horse and cattle auctioneer “from the yard behind the Swan Inn, seated on his pony he conducted the sales”. He also started the first agricultural stock sale in the town,

As an architect he was involved “in connection with enterprises for local development in the town”.

He assisted in the restoration of All Saints Parish Church, designed Shelburne Villas and other houses in North Town, and improvements to Wycombe Free Library for Mr J O Griffits. He initiated the “movement for a Water Company” in Wycombe and became Secretary and then Managing Director of the company, which provided the first fresh water supply to the town.

John Henry’s big opportunity came when he noticed that “London had no public auction for cattle”, Smithfield Market being controlled by private salesmen.

As the new Royal Agricultural Hall at Islington was practically unused he started negotiations to acquire it, strongly encouraged by Mr Alfred Gilbey of Wooburn House.” (Arthur Gilbey was the founder of the Gilbey’s gin business)

Before the lease was finalised the Smithfield authorities insisted that a clause be inserted which prohibited auction sales of agricultural stock.

Although this limited the potential uses for the hall John Henry decided to proceed. As Managing Director one of his earliest ventures was a Dairy Show, other events following such as Dog Shows, Trade Exhibitions, and a Sportsman’s Exhibition.

It is even said that John Henry organised a bull-fight at the Agricultural Hall, but this was not commercially successful.

It was the organisation of a military tattoo that was John Henry’s unique and more-lasting venture.

The military authorities at first opposed the idea, mainly because at that time the British army was unpopular and therefore preferred to keep a low profile.

They were eventually persuaded to provide their support, John Henry agreeing to provide all the manpower he needed to organise the event. H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge became particularly keen when it was agreed that 50% of the profits should go to the Duke’s Asylum for Soldiers’ Orphans, subject to a minimum of £500.

General Sir George Higginson, who lived in Marlow, also took an active part in the organisation of the first Tournament, which was held from June 21-26, 1880.

This was not a commercial success but John Henry persevered and the concept developed into the Royal Tournament. The Tournament continued to run for 199 years and was the “first, oldest and biggest military tattoo in the year”.

By the time of the first of John Henry’s tournaments he had moved to Worthing in West Sussex.

Here, still a batchelor, he lived in a bungalow called The Acre, which was described as “the smallest house in England”! Just as he had in Wycombe he was to make a big impact on the development of the town’s infrastructure.

He extended the promenade, helped to secure electric light, becoming Chairman of the Electric Light Committee, and was elected to the Town Council. He was also instrumental in much of the land development in West Worthing, it being stated that “his operations led to a good deal of profitable employment in the laying out of estates, the making of roads, and in building”.

Towards the end of his life and once again demonstrating his restless spirit, John Henry moved again, to live at No. 19 Dryden Road, Bush Hill Park in Enfield.

This was described at the time as a beautifully laid out “garden city”, which John Henry had been instrumental in designing. He died there on February 28, 1917 in his 76th year.

I have fond memories of attending the Royal Tournament, would readers like to share their memories.

If so, please email me at deweymiked@aol.com or telephone 014949 755070.