"Come and Hear My Story!

Presentation and talk on the impact of WW1 on the families at Donkey Lane Community Orchard

8th November 2022. 7:30 pm at Chinnor Community Pavilion
Tickets £5 to cover costs.

Anyone who has attended the Chinnor Remembrance Day ceremony will be familiar with the Roll of Honour.

As part of the continuing social history research of Donkey Lane Community Orchard, we have tracked down the poignant stories of the sons of two families; the Howletts, Alfred and Aubrey who lived in one of the Orchard cottages and Frank Eggleton, the son of the owner of the land where the cottages stood, who, along with many other young men, left their village to serve their Country in the Great War and did not return.

On Tuesday 8th November, we would like to share these stories with you. Delving deep into war diaries and other War Office records we have discovered some of the key battles and lives of the soldiers on the Front.

Perhaps like us you are baffled by some of the language used in the descriptions of the war or maybe thought ‘how did they do that?’ We will try to answer a few of these things. For example; how did they transport 700 horses to Alexandria in 1914?

Ticket are £5 per person to cover costs, available at the Parish Office or by calling 07973 788339 or 07764 452777. Cash only please. Alternatively you can book tickets at Eventbrite. Please note booking fee applies.

The Effect of WW1 on the families who lived at the orchard

Anyone who has attended the Chinnor Remembrance Day ceremony will be familiar with the Roll of Honour. The horrific thought of the repeated surnames that are called is disturbing, as is the massive loss of young men especially those from the same family. If like me you can almost recite the WW1 Roll of Honour, you will be aware that there were 4 young men from the Marriott family, 4 from the Witney family but the ones that stood out from the Orchard Cottages Census were 2 of the 4 young men called Howlett, Alfred and Aubrey. In addition, Frank Eggleton, the son of the owner of the land on which the cottages stood. 

The effect of the first world war was felt strongly amongst those who had lived in the immediate area. The Howlett family, Alfred and Mary, lost both of their sons, Alfred and Aubrey. In addition, Frank, the younger son of Henry and Annie Eggleton the landowners at Hill Farm also died. 3 young men from this very small area of Chinnor.

We will begin with Frank Eggleton as he is the eldest of the three and the first one to volunteer. At the time of the 1911 census the orchard land was part of Hill Farm which at that time was owned by Henry Eggleton and his wife Annie (nee Keene) and their two sons William and Frank. William, the elder son was involved in the family business of farming, but the younger son Frank was described as a Mercantile Clerk for Wheeler’s Brewery in High Wycombe. 

Frank was born 5th January 1886 and at 28 years old in 1914 was already quite mature with an already established a career in the brewing trade. He gained further qualifications from evening classes at The John Hampden Grammar School achieving the membership of ‘The Chartered Institute of Secretaries’ and became Company Secretary for Wheelers Brewery in High Wycombe in 1914. The company reported after his death that he had the potential for a very successful career in the company. They had lost quite a few of their key employees as a result of the war.  Read more ...