David Sox: The Man Who Knew Too Much- An Investigation by William Cross, FSA Scot

 

Highclere Insider - David Sox

The Man Who Knew Too Much

         An Investigation  

 By William Cross, FSA Scot

 

         New Book - Highclere Insider-David Sox : The Man Who Knew Too Much

In the 1990s, in the aftermath of being snubbed for unprofessional conduct by his colleagues in the Turin Shroud Community, Rev. H. David Sox, author and part time clergyman, took a job as a visitor guide at Highclere Castle (the backdrop to ʻDownton Abbey’).

Sox, an American by birth, soon had his feet under the table and proved a popular figure with tourists and the 7th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon.

The new guide soon saw an opportunity to endear himself to his employers by suggesting a biography of Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon, the 7th Earl’s beloved ʻgranny’ and the widow of the 5th Earl, of ʻOld King Tut’ fame.

Sox’s research went ahead and with access to the Highclere Archives he collected information and interviewed a dozen people who knew Almina. There were skeletons in Almina’s closet, Sox found himself the man who knew too much. One controversy arose around tales of Almina’s only son, Porchey later the 6th Earl of Carnarvon, that his true father was Prince Victor Duleep Singh, a close friend of the 5th Earl and son of the last Maharaja of Lahore.

In a letter written by Sox he confided the paternity issue to Almina’s godson, Tony Leadbetter, implying he had found something in the Highclere Archives about it. But had he? The Carnarvons dithered about what they should do next. In a clever stroke, in order to provoke a result, Sox sent his manuscript around the world to would be publishers. What happened thereafter and the bizarre events ever since, has given rise to decades of leaks, questions and prevarication.

William Cross, FSA Scot, author of several books on the Carnarvons, investigates and reveals a trail of lies, deceit and hypocrisy.

ISBN 10 1905914741 ISBN 13 9781905914746

ENQUIRIES : PLEASE EMAIL WILLIAM CROSS

williecross@aol.com

                      Highclere Insider -David Sox : The Man Who Knew Too Much

David Sox : Highclere Guide : Some Secrets Are NO Secrets At All

 

                          

                              Highclere Castle, Berkshire : Seat of the Carnarvon/Herbert family

Highclere Castle Guide :  David Sox

Some Secrets Are No Secrets At All

 

David Sox ( 1936-2016) – full name  Rev. Harold David Sox  was a guide at Highclere Castle for close on  3 years.

 

Highclere is,  of course,  the Carnarvon– Herbert family seat near Newbury, in Berkshire. Now-a-days the backdrop to TV and Movieland’s  famous Downton Abbey.

                                                           Prince Victor Duleep Singh

In the 1990s and the decades that followed :

It was NO SECRET amongst some of Highclere’s  senior staff  that Prince Victor Duleep Singh  was the father of Henry,  the 6^th Earl of Carnarvon (Almina’s only son)

It was NO SECRET amongst tenants  living on the Highclere Estate that Prince Victor Duleep Singh  was the father of Henry,  the 6^th Earl of Carnarvon (Almina’s only son)

It was NO SECRET amongst many in the ranks of the British Aristocracy that Prince Victor Duleep Singh  was the father of Henry,  the 6^th Earl of Carnarvon, (only son of the 5^th Countess, Almina).

 

Henry, 6th Earl of Carnarvon

                                       In Short

      Some Secrets Are NO SECRETS At All

 

More in a New Book In 2022

“ David Sox: Highclere Insider

The Man Who Knew Too Much”

 An Investigation by William  Cross, FSA Scot

                        ISBN 13 9781905914746

ENQUIRIES : PLEASE CONTACT  THE AUTHOR WILLIAM CROSS, FSA SCOT 

BY EMAIL

 

williecross@aol.com 

 

William Cross is the Author of several books on the Carnarvons of Highclere Castle including   the best selling  " The Life and Secrets of Almina Carnarvon" -from 2011 - the first published biography of the Countess. 

 

David Sox : Highclere Guide : A Snake In The Grass

                                                                                                        

                                         David Sox

A Snake In The Grass

                                

Rev H. David Sox  was  a part-time clergyman,  author of books on the Shroud of Turin. 

In the 1990s, in the shadow of being snubbed for unprofessional antics by his former colleagues in the Shroud Community, Sox took a job as a visitor guide at Highclere Castle (the backdrop to TV's "Downton Abbey").   

During his long association with  Shroud history Sox was charged with deceit,  of underhand methods of research and leaking secret data to the press. He scored a big success with one of his books on the authenticity of the  Shroud  by including classified information that was not to be published.   

Sox was the ultimate snake in the grass. Always waiting, but ready to pounce.

Yet, he was an engaging, dapper,  and convincing character and popular with everyone at Highclere Castle working for the 7th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon.  

That was David Sox's style, to "look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it". 

He very soon had his feet under the dining room table sitting pretty like  King Charles I on his horse.

Highclere clearly knew nothing about Sox's chequered past. 

Before too long Sox saw an opportunity to  write a biography of  Almina, 5th Countess of Carnarvon, the Earl’s beloved ‘granny’ – the widow of the 5th Earl of Old King Tut fame.

The idea of Sox’s biography received the green light. He was given unfettered access to Highclere Archives, and although Almina had died aged 93, in 1969, there were many people still alive who knew her  and numerous sources to tap into about her extraordinary life and times.

Sox's research went ahead and he interviewed many of Almina's family, friends and deadly enemies. 

Almina had many skeletons in the closet.

The material supplied to Sox by Almina's godson, the late Tony Leadbetter, was highly controversial, laced with details of Almina's  colourful life that Highclere could never let enter the public domain. 

To dwarf  that,  several people told Sox of  the rumours around one issue that was the most damning and damaging - that Almina's only son was illegitimate. 

Sox claimed he'd found in Highclere Archives details of this  a scandal relating to the paternity of the 6th Earl of Carnarvon.

The Rev. H. David Sox had his big headline grab for a book and knew it was a money spinner. 

But  Sox  was the " The Man Who Knew Too Much"

Did Sox - an expert on forgery and fakers- really find anything incriminating in Highclere Archives?

Who knows the truth? Who is willing to tell what they know? Who is too scared ?

It is time to settle this part of Highclere’s history once and for all.

NB : A new book in 2022 will provide the answers. 

"Highclere Insider - David Sox : The Man Who Knew Too Much"

ISBN 9781905914746

https://highclere-truths.yolasite.com/

MORE INFORMATION WANTED

Enquiries about this article contact williecross@aol.com