EDWIN WHITLOCK

Edwin Whitlock was born on the 30^th June 1900, in the village of Blisworth in Northamptonshire.  Ted, son of William (or "Witty" as he was known in Blisworth), was the third of four brothers. His father was the village undertaker and intended to train Ted to assist him in the business. He became a good carpenter and made many excellent coffins, but he couldn’t bear filling ‘em, and soon opted out. He tried several other jobs before finally settling in the motor trade, where he became an expert at fitting solid tyres on motor car wheels.

The seemingly minor incident which was to be instrumental in bringing him to Kent, and in fact which affected the rest of his life, occurred during the First World War.  At the age of 17, in 1917, he joined the Army in Northampton, and found himself in the Kings Royal Rifles. After some initial training he was transferred to Colchester, where he found that a new Colonel had just arrived to take over the battalion there. A few days later a notice appeared on the Battalion notice-board that volunteers were required for batman to the new CO. Ted put his name forward and soon found himself in a queue waiting to be interviewed.

At last, it was his turn – “SHUN”, screamed the Sergeant Major, “RIEEEGHT TURN - - QUICK MERCH
   EP IGHT EP IGHT EP IGHT ALT. RIGHT TURN, STAN STILL”.

“Where do you come from, boy?” bellowed the figure in front of him.
“Er – if you please Sir, Blisworth, Sir”, as if Blisworth was as big as London.

“Blisworth? Then you must know me. I live at Stoke Bruerne Park”
“Stoke Bruerne Park, Sir?” “Colonel Vernon Sir?”

At last Ted had nerve enough to lower his eyes and look at the man.
With the ghost of a smile he said, “Yes Sir, I remember, Sir”

“And are you prepared to be my batman?”
"Yes Sir, please Sir”

“Very well. Dismiss” And that was that.

So commenced an association between Ted and the Vernon family which persisted for decades.   Ted remained the Colonel’s batman until he was de-mobbed in 1921 and then went home to Blisworth. There he was found two days later by Mrs. Vernon.  She had driven over in a pony and trap, and asked Ted to drive her to Aldershot in, of all things, a Model T Ford. There he was met by the now General Vernon and agreed to become his chauffeur and valet for £1 a week.  From Aldershot they moved several times in the next few years, and whilst at an address in Englefield Green in Surrey, Ted, in true “Upstairs/Downstairs” fashion, fell in love with and married the housemaid, Miss Edith Mills.  Eventually General Vernon retired and in 1932 they came to Eyhorne Street. Ted, now a full-blown chauffeur since they had three cars, received £2-10-0 a week and lived in one of the cottages that now comprise Eyhorne Manor.

He joined the Territorial Army and was called up in 1939. He was off to France in 1940 and he spent a very unhappy couple of days on the beaches at Dunkirk.  He eventually arrived back safely, promoted by now to Staff Sergeant.  The division regrouped at Pontefract, thence to Africa, El Alamein, Tripoli, Tunis, Salerno and Naples. There they were pulled out of the line, rested and returned to Tripoli whence they made a very hazardous journey lasting two months to get home by troop-ship. And it weren’t ‘alf hot Mum!  Thereafter they regrouped at RASC, Godmersham Park, thence to Dereham, Norfolk and embarked at Tilbury for France on “D” plus 6.  Slowly they fought their way across Europe, until they reached Hamburg, where they were thankful to receive the news that hostilities had ceased.  Eventually, events taking their formal course, Ted found himself at Guildford where he was demobbed for a second time. Then he was back to Hollingbourne to find himself out of a job. General Vernon had died and Mrs. Vernon had moved to Winchester.

However, his earlier work stood him in good stead and he was able to get a very good job with Ansteys who were then the Austin Distributors for Kent which was where he stayed until he retired in 1967. He and his wife enjoyed 14 years of retirement until she died in 1981.  Edwin Whitlock was deeply involved in the local affairs over a considerable period.  He has been; Parish clerk for 26 years at Hollingbourne, Special Constable and Special Sergeant in the Kent County Constabulary for 15 years, member of the British Legion, successful exhibitor of the Garden Society and leader of the Darby and Joan Club from 1975 to 1983.  He died in 1990.

[The first part of this article is known in Blisworth.  The rest is based partly on a piece in the Hollingbourne Parish Magazine, Kent  - an attempt was made to contact the council for permission, as a courtesy, but no reply was received]