Motoring Age of Powerand Elegance 
Anne Vansverry
The house — Higham Court, a beautiful mansion at Bridge
near Canterbury.   L  
The man — Count Louis Vorow Zborowski,_ a handsome
wealthy aristocrat. it M
The car -— Chitty Chitty Bang Bang — definitely ingredients for a story. The famous
author Ian Fleming thought so and imortalised the Chitties in his childrens' book which
was later adrapted into the film of the same name. Count Zborowski's Chitties didn't fly
(despite being fittedwith aeroaenginesl. although some of the local constabulary would
have disputed that as the monster cars with the Count at the wheel sped along the
country lanes. However, the narrative is a little ahead of itself.
There is evidence of alarge house, called
Higham, existing in the Parish of Patrixbourne
during the reign of Edward ll (1320). The
owners then were a family called De Hegham.
Since that time Higham Court has seen many notable
families come and go. ThomasCulpepper acquired the
house in 1543, during Henry Vlll's reign. The Aucher
family came next -~ Elizabeth Aucher married Thomas
Corbett and one of their daughters, Antonia, married
lgnatious Geoghegan, who in 1768 built the house
which we see today. _ 9

1781 heralded a long association with the Hallett
family, until 1901 lnfact, when Col. J. W. Hughes-
l-lallett of the Seaforth Highlanders put the house up for
sale, as he lived in Scotland. William Gay purchased
Higham and developed the gardens, grew orchids and
raised pedigree highland cattle. His wife lavished care
and attention on the house, with the decor and
furnishings reflecting her French ancestry. Mrs Gay
loved entertaining and one of her frequent visitors was
Countess Margaret Zborowsiki who lived with her son
locally atBridge Hill House. M A
  The first time Countess Zborowski saw Higham she
was enchanted and set her heart on owning it. Finally
the Gay's succumbed and Higlham Court passed into
the most colourful period of its history.
Count "William Elliott Morris Zborowski was of
Polish/ American stock, his family moved from Poland
in the 1800's. He inherited immense wealth from his
father, who owned prime real estate in New York
(including Broadway) and the Eastern United States.
Margaret Laura Zborowski was the very wealthy grand—
daughter of WilliamAstor. They were fun loving people
with a great zest for life, this with their wealth and
lineage moved them along in the very highest levels of
society.

Into this happy enrivonment was born Louis Vorow
Zborowski on 20th February 1895, his early childhood
was spent at Coventry House, Melton Mowbray, taking
holidays with Lord Limerick's two children, Viscount
Glentworth and Lady Victoria, at their ancestral home,
Dromore Castle in Ireland. A - 1
Count Elliott was an expert horseman and polo player
but when he became interested in cars, the stables at
Melton Mowbray were turned over to a different type of
horse-power. Elliott Zborowski's first car was a Daimler.
The young Louis grew up with cars and Elliott regaled
his son with stories of participation in the Great Paris to
Vienna motor race in June 1902, which he felt, he,
should have won but the French adjudicator decided
against him; Louis Zborowski's happy and carefree
childhood came to an end in 1903, he was eight years
old, when his father was killed at the La Turbine Hill
Climb on the Grand Corniche, Nice. lt was said that his
gold cuff-links caught in the throttle lever on the
steering column, the car accelerated and crashed down
the mountain side. Naturally Louis was distraught at the
loss of his father, their joint love of automobiles had
made them exceptionally close. As Louis grew up, his
close friends said that he continually tried to emulate
the deeds of his father and live in the style he would
have wished.
Melton Mowbray was sold, Louis and his mother
moved to London and then finally to Bridge Hill House,
Bridge, near Canterbury in 1909. Countess Zborowski's
purchase of Higham Court proceeded, she had grand
plans for refurbishing the whole house, but sadly just
before completion, she died of influenza. Once again
Louis's life did an-about-turn. He was just sixteen when
he buried his mother beside her husband at Burton
Lazars cemetery, the year was 1911. "