Leslie Buswell was born on December 3rd, 1887 to Charles Buswell and Caroline Buswell (formerly Croft) in Richmond, England. He studied chemistry, physiology, and zoology at Winchester and Caius College, and started his own company called the Lavola Soap Company. 

He then pursued acting, and in 1913, met Henry Davis Sleeper, A. Piatt Andrew and John Hays Hammond Jr. while performing in Boston. They would form an acronym with their last names, BASH, and were known to frequent “Dabsville” in Eastern Point, Massachusetts. They became lifelong friends, and certain relationships within the group became close. 

“I feel at times overwhelmed by my desire to see you, to hear you, to touch you. I miss you every hour, every minute, we must be together, you and I, or better dead.”

This collection includes many correspondences from Hammond to Buswell. A portion discuss their radio business and various technological endeavors, while others reflect the relationship that Hammond and Buswell had together. This letter is one of many instances where Hammond professes deep feelings for Buswell. Many of Hammond’s letters to Buswell open with endearing nicknames, such as “Boo” or “Boozey.”

Leslie Buswell worked with Johns Hays Hammond Jr. on radio communications, radio controlled guided missiles, and even incendiary bombs. In this document, the Federal Trade Commission demands through an executive order that Buswell and Hammond keep their inventions a secret because their inventions would be detrimental if they were to fall into enemy hands.

When World War I broke out in 1914, Buswell looked to enlist, but was turned away due to his health. Instead, Buswell’s friend, A. Piatt Andrew, founded the American Ambulance Field Service, and enlisted Buswell to drive ambulances in WWI. His participation earned him the honorable French Croix-de-Guerre. Many photographs show scenes of the AFS and their ambulance automobiles, such as this one.

The American Ambulance Field Service still exists today, although the US military absorbed the organization in 1917 and is now simply called the Ambulance Field Service. According to their website: “Between 1914 and 1917, AFS volunteers evacuated 500,000 casualties near the front lines in France, Belgium, and the Balkans, and drove trucks to the front with needed supplies.” Buswell was one of many that aided in this effort. 

To learn more, please go to the AFS’s website: https://afs.org/2017/08/21/a-new-exhibition-honors-afs-volunteer-efforts-during-wwi/ 

The Effects of War

“I have seen so much - so much excitement - so much blood - so much slaughter - so much misery - I feel I shall never really be the same person again.”

In this correspondence with Hammond, Buswell illustrates the horrors of WWI, and how he is forever changed by his participation. 

This example is one of many photographs of the rubble in France after periods of conflict. Buswell most likely took this photograph and many others in this collection while he was in France working for the AFS.

Influenza

“The influenza has killed 180 people in Gloucester, the epidemic has been terrible."

A major coinciding conflict to WWI was the influenza outbreak. Here, Hammond informs Buswell on the impact that the epidemic had on Gloucester.

Stillington Hall

In the 1920s, Leslie Buswell commissioned the making of his own home from scratch on thirty three acres of land in Gloucester. This home was about a thirty minute walk away from Hammond’s castle. Buswell named this building “Stillington Hall” after his mother’s family’s home town in Stillington, Yorkshire, England. 

Stillington Hall was designed by Harold B. Willis and was decorated by Henry Davis Sleeper. In this album, the writing “I WILL BUILD” shows the early stages of building. 

The building of the home required much planning, terraforming, and work. The writing under the photograph of Stillington Hall portrays the creator’s exasperation: “The house at last! 1923.”

As Buswell’s life progressed, he participated in many of the world’s events and earned honorifics for his contributions. He was commissioned in the US Air Force, became a liaison officer for the Royal Family, and joined the Military Order. He also started a family, marrying Mary Armstrong Robinson and had a son, Peter Croft Buswell. He would eventually pass away on October 13th, 1964.