▁lay ▁the ▁foundation ▁stone ▁that ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁the ▁Le ather head ▁and ▁D ork ing ▁advert iser ▁records ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁planned ▁to ▁build ▁more ▁properties ▁in ▁the ▁grounds , ▁for ▁example ▁a ▁mus icians ' ▁or phan age , ▁not ing ▁that ▁it ▁had ▁taken ▁ 1 0 ▁years ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁to ▁raise ▁the ▁funds ▁for ▁the ▁site ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁home ▁there . ▁ ▁The ▁planning ▁portal ▁of ▁M ole ▁Valley ▁District ▁Council ▁records ▁that ▁permission ▁was ▁applied ▁for ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁for ▁ 3 ▁more ▁homes ▁on ▁the ▁site . ▁Later , ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁performance ▁there ▁of ▁Baron ▁Fr éd éric ' s ▁opera , ▁T ess ., ▁and ▁various ▁other ▁musical ▁performances ▁as ▁recorded ▁in ▁the ▁arch ives ▁of ▁D ork ing ▁museum . ▁ ▁Ralph ▁V aug han - Will iams ▁spent ▁time ▁at ▁Le ith ▁Hill ▁House , ▁ 2 ▁miles ▁away , ▁but ▁no ▁record ▁has ▁yet ▁been ▁un cover ed ▁of ▁his ▁visit ing ▁the ▁house . ▁ ▁The ▁introduction ▁of ▁" t alk ie " ▁films ▁reduced ▁opportun ities ▁for ▁mus icians , ▁and ▁membership ▁fell ▁to ▁a ▁low ▁of ▁ 7 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁M ere bank ▁House ▁and ▁all ▁land ▁had ▁been ▁sold ▁to ▁D ork ing ▁and ▁Hor ley ▁R ural ▁District ▁Council ; ▁the ▁land ▁was ▁used