Obituary of Edwin Wallis
DEATH OF MR. E. WALLIS 45 YEARS A GAMEKEEPER Mr. Edwin Wallis, of Wyfield, Chilbolton, died suddenly in Winchester Hospital on August 19th, two months after his 80th birthday. For 45 years, Mr. Wallis was well known as the head gamekeeper of Manor Farm Estate. Born at Kenner Farm, Dummer, near Basingstoke, he came to Chilbolton at six months old when his father became bailiff to Manor Farm. Affectionately known, as “Eddie’’ by all who knew him, he was educated at Chilbolton and Andover Grammar Schools, leaving at 15 to help his father. Then, with his brother- in-law he went into a greengrocery business at New Malden, Surrey, but a few years later returned to Chilbolton as head Keeper to the estate. He was very fond of wildlife and the estate at Manor Farm had one of the biggest and best partridge shoots in the country. Over 1500 birds were bagged in 1927, his first season, but due to the increase in mechanisation and pesticides, when he retired in 1972 the figure was as low as 30 brace a year. Eddie estimated he had killed nearly half a million rats in his time and had held 436 shoots at Manor Farm. Since 1930, Wyfield Cottage, opposite the Village Hall, had been his home. For a time, Eddie was both water and gamekeeper, and in the late fifties found the World War II bomb in the River Test, at the foot of the downs in the place where children had paddled and swam for many years in a favourite village picnic and beauty spot. Eddie was the last member of the Abbot’s Mitre Evergreen Club, and seven years ago 77-year-old Mr. Vincent Reiss, of May Cottage, Wherwell, Mr. Percy Trodd, 88, of Mountainview, Wherwell (who helped build the pub in 1921) and Mr. Cecil Tiller, 75, of Windmill Cottage, Gravel Hill Crossroads, met Eddie at the pub bar and swopped twice weekly reminiscences of by-gone Chilbolton days, to the hilarious entertainment of all their friends. Never in his 45 years at Manor Farm did he have a single day off through ill health and his long service was rewarded by the Country Land Owners’ Association with a silver medal displaying a shooting dog and gun. He was also active in the community, serving nine years as Chairman of the Parish Council. For 17 years he was Treasurer and Secretary of the Village Hall Committee and for many years he served on the committee of Wherwell Home Guards Club. Until 1971 he was a Special with the Hampshire Constabulary with 33 years’ service. He was one of the three bell ringers, who with Mr. Fred Eastman and Mr. Ted Smith, rang the church bells at many weddings over the years.
Date of coverage
1927-1982Place
Chilbolton, WyfieldLanguage
EnglishReference number
AQ23742.2Storage location
OneDriveFormat
Area
Subject
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