THE LATE MR. E. N. BUXTON.
13
they had run away and that the two men had been killed or
taken prisoners. This Action proved the right-of-way. After
that my father supported the Willingale case, relating to lopping
rights on the Loughton Manor. The entry of the Corporation
of London into the arena, the subsequent victory in the Courts,
and the purchase of the Lords of the Manors' rights are now
matters of history
Elected as Verderer by the Commoners at the first election
after the passing of the Epping Forest Act, my father for forty
years guided the policy of the conservators on the maintenance
and treatment of the Forest. His knowledge of trees and his
foresight have had a great deal to do with its present condition.
He and his brother added considerably to the area of the Forest
by the purchase of Oak Hill, at Theydon Bois, and of Yardley
Hill, at Sewardstone.
His love of the Forest was very great, and nothing gave
him more pleasure than to show people its various features
and also to see visitors of all sorts, especially children, enjoying
their holiday in it.
About 21 years ago he undertook the very arduous work of
restoring Hainault Forest to the public and he spent an enormous
amount of time and energy in acquiring it. He planted various
plantations on the open fields, many of the trees with his own
hands, and many acorns and other tree-seeds were sown by him.
He used to tell me, 20 years ago, that he wanted to live to see two
things—one, what would become of the German Emperor,
and the other, to see his plantations at Hainault grow up. He
may not have lived long enough to see the end of the German
Emperor, but at any rate he was as satisfied with his present
position, as he was with the progress of his beloved trees. When
he began to collect funds for the purchase of Hainault, he was
told by many that it was too much out of the way to be of use
to the public, but in a very few years this was proved to be
anything but the case.
The same objection might be raised of the third Forest,
Hatfield, which he secured for the public, but the fact that it
was ancient Forest land, with much of its original character
left, was enough for him. He was quite certain that people would
find out its beauty and visit it in increasing numbers as the
facilities of transport improved. The knowledge that he could