Edwin Charles Adlam was a gamekeeper aged 25 at Cowcroft Farm, Hardington, in 1891.

Edwin was born at Tollard Royal in 1866. His father, George Adlam, was a farm labourer, and his mother, Mary, was the daughter of James Sharp, a labourer. His parents married at Ashmore on 28 April 1860.

In April 1881, Edwin was a farm labourer living in his parents’ home at Tollard Royal.

By April 1891, Edwin was a gamekeeper boarding with Rhoda Baker at Cowcroft Farm. In late May or early June 1891, he married Rhoda’s daughter, Elizabeth Baker, at Hardington.[1] After Elizabeth died in about 1893, he remained in the area long enough to form an attachment to Emma Wensley. The daughter of a gardener, Emma, was born in Huntsham, Devon, and was probably in service at Misterton.

Edwin and Emma were married at Misterton on 16 May 1894. However, by then, Edwin had returned to his native village of Tollard Royal, probably staying with his parents temporarily.

From 1896 to at least 1901, Edwin was a gamekeeper at Shillingstone. In 1901, he and Emma lived at Eastcombe Cottage, Shillingstone Hill. In 1911, they lived in a three-roomed house at Tadden, Pamphill, and Edwin was an estate labourer.

Emma died at Tadden in 1913, aged 44. Her body was laid to rest at Wimborne.

In June 1921, Edwin and his daughter, Olive, lived at Old Down Cottages near Winchester. There, Mr Schwerdt of Longwood House, Owslebury, a farmer, employed Edwin as an estate woodman by

Edwin died in 1943, aged 74, and his body was laid to rest at Sixpenny Handley. However, he has not been found in the 1939 Register.

References

[1] Hardington Banns Book.