By the death of Mr G Pethard on Christmas Eve, Wickhamford has lost one of its oldest and most respected residents. Mr Pethard’s long connection with “The San-dys” (to give the name of the inn at Wickhamford its popular form and pronunciation) and his old-established business as wheelwright had made him a familiar figure to more than one generation, whilst his reputation as being about the best partridge-shot in the neighbourhood brought him more than merely local fame. He is, however, best entitled to remembrance in these columns as a former churchwarden of Wickhamford, and a staunch supporter of the church there at a time when there appear to have been few in the parish who took any particular interest in either the church or its services. During the past year he had experienced so much of what the Psalmist calls “labour and sorrow” that no one could have wished his life to be prolonged, but we may claim to speak on behalf of the whole parish in deploring the loss of one who was straightforward, honest and outspoken to a degree.
Published in the January 1912 Parish Magazine