Hedley Hope-Nicholson (1888-1969) was a barrister and eccentric – the only child of Alfred John Nicholson and Mary Cleghorn Nicholson. He married Jacqueline Hope in June 1916, when the two joined their names by deed poll to become the Hope-Nicholsons. They shared deep interst in heraldry, historical pageantry and genealogy, but their relationship dissolved and they were legally separated in 1938. They had three children – Lauretta, Felix, and Marie-Jacqueline. After their divorce, Felix stayed at More House with Jaqueline, while Lauretta and Marie-Jaqueline largely lived abroad with Hedley. Hedley attended Oxford University as a young man, and later returned there after his separation from his wife. His circle of friends at Oxford was heavily male-dominated, and included well-known characters such as ‘Colonel’ George Kolkhorst and writer John Betjeman. He was fascinated with heraldry, genealogy, and religious spectacle, and collected religious artifacts and relics. In addition to a long-standing fascination with King Charles I, he was also a great fan of the Russian ballet.