This photo from 1972 is the architect's model of what was to become the Warnford Village Memorial Playground which we conceived to mark my father's love of Warnford. The notes on the back of the photograph describe the playground in very simple terms as "a place for children and adults to play and relax" and I am sure that my father would have shared our sense of the suitability of this lovely spot in the heart of the village, between the river, the trees and the watercress beds.
I remember the construction of the playground vividly; manipulating seemingly mountains of earth to create the landscape as the following photograph shows so clearly!
My father died in 1968 and we applied for planning consent for the playground in 1972. Re-reading the following cutting from the the Hampshire Chronicle in July of that year, I was amused to see the plans described as "quite ambitious". It certainly felt like it at times but I could not be more grateful to everyone who has served over the years as trustees of the charity we established (the RP Chester Memorial Trust Company) to make the playground such a vibrant and valued part of Warnford village life.
My father's work in farming was recognised by the award of a CBE.
He really was the most extraordinarily active man and when I think about all of public offices that he held over his lifetime, almost unimaginably so. I have included a list of these and some additional biographical notes in the Archive page which can be found by clicking the link below.