Trent Park Museum
Description
Home of the Secret Listeners the highly secretive, yet fascinating role this mansion played in WWII is what really sets it apart. Its role was so secret in WWII that the official files have only been released in the last few years.
Trent Park was requisitioned by the War Office (and run by MI19, a branch of MI6) to be used as a very special prisoner of war camp for some of the most senior captured German officers – including 59 German Generals. It’s widely believed that Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess was held there for a short time.
Highly sophisticated room-bugging, eavesdropping and passive manipulation techniques were used for the very first time to gain vital intelligence to assist the war effort.
The results of this clandestine operation were highly successful and intelligence gained included valuable information on German U-boat tactics, bombing raid radar system technology and some of the first evidence of war crimes and atrocities, including the mass killing of Jews. Intelligence discovered for the first time changed the course of the war when the German generals discussed amongst themselves Hitler’s “secret weapons” programme – the V1, V2 rocket, and his atomic bomb programme. Little did they know that the secret listeners were recording their conversations.
Much of the historical significance of Trent Park has only recently come to light with the declassification of documents as recent as 2004 – the importance of this site is only going to grow over time as the nation realises its significance for winning the war alongside Bletchley Park.
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RECENT FACEBOOK POSTS
facebook.comIt is with sadness that our veteran secret listener Fritz Lustig has passed away. He touched many people's lives, and will be missed. Dont miss his interview with Sir David Jason tomorrow on More4 at 9pm, filmed earlier this year at Trent Park
Final episode of David Jason's Secret Service, this Tuesday More4, honours spymaster Kendrick at Trent Park
This Tuesday 9pm on More4, Trent Park appears in David Jason's Secret Service!! Dont miss!
Not to be missed!
Coming soon! NEW 3-part series on spies: starts Tuesday 5th December 9pm on More4: ht//www.channel4.com/programmes/david-jasons-secret-service
Today, we remember the brave heroes. And we also honour the men and women whose secret work at Trent Park in WWII could never be spoken about until now....
Tribute to extraordinary veteran: ttps://uk.yahoo.com/news/britains-last-surviving-listener-nazi-war-messages-dies-aged-97-134125010.html
Come and support our trustee Helen Fry for her talk at Forty Hall next Sunday on how we bugged the German Generals at Trent Park in WW2. Proceeds from tickets go to Forty Hall: www.list.co.uk/event/20973650-a-very-secret-war-trent-park-and-bugging-the-nazis-in-ww2/
We are delighted to announce that Enfield Council granted planning consent for the redevelopment of the Trent Park site (including the Museum) at its planning committee meeting last night. The application still needs the approval of the Mayor of London, but providing that is granted, then the project moves to its next phase and the construction and renovation works begin! Thank you to all our supporters so far - and keep an eye on this page and our website for frequent updates as our plans progress!
In spite of the relative silence on facebook, the team of trustees is still working very hard behind the scenes towards the museum and making excellent breakthroughs. Update: now awaiting the granting of planning consent by Enfield Council to Berkeley Homes on site.... hopefully before the summer holidays. Then the starting gun fires in earnest for the museum becoming a physical reality
Have you read about Trent Park's extraordinary history in this month's The Enfield Society Magazine? Attached is a copy of the article written by our Chairman Jason Charalambous for Islington South & Finsbury - and visit our website for more information: www.trentparkmuseum.org.uk.
Check out the website for updates and join our contact page: trentparkmuseum.org.uk/
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