Trees In Memory of Family

Three hazel trees in memory of a former Long Wittenham family have been planted at the Earth Trust’s nature reserve at Little Wittenham wood in the shadow of Wittenham Clumps.  The planting was organised by family member Edwin Heywood who lives in Adelaide, Australia.

The planting was in memory of Edwin’s late wife Elizabeth Wrench, known as Betty, who lived in Long Wittenham.  The trees were also in memory of Betty’s father Edward, his wife Caroline and their son Danny Wrench.  Mr Heywood added another tree for himself.

Mr Heywood, who is originally from Hyde, Greater Manchester, met his future wife while the pair was working at Vauxhall Barracks in Didcot.  Mr Heywood was in the army.  Betty and family moved out of Canning Town in London at the outbreak of World War Two and moved in with family members in Long Wittenham.

Earth Trust’s head of land management Chris Parker planted the trees with the help of family members Martin Wrench and his sister Karen Dodds who lives in Blewbury.

Martin Wrench, Karen Dodds and Gordon Rogers, Chairman of the Parish Council