112:, near Salisbury, Wiltshire six months before the outbreak of the First World War. He was the son of a tenant farmer, the eldest of three children. His family name is noted on the first parish register in Pitton, where his family had been shepherds and farmers since the early 1600s. Whitlock was later to chronicle the history of his native village in
364:
Whitlock was also a
Methodist lay preacher. On retiring from farming in 1968, he took up the position of agricultural consultant to the Methodist Missionary Society. For the next five years he travelled extensively through East and Central Africa, West Africa, India, Indonesia, Haiti and Belize. His
302:
Whitlock began working in farming after leaving school in 1930, working with his father Edwin 'Ted'. The '30s was a tough decade for small-scale farmers. The
Whitlocks shed their sheep, diversifying into vegetables, flowers, and chickens. Despite further expansion into dairy farming, 'the struggle
200:(1947), charted his father's experience at farming; much of the book is a narrative devoted to his father's life as a farm labourer. Many titles were to follow, including books on species, history and folklore, textbooks, and series of children's books. His final title,
333:
and its aim to bring five million acres (approx. 2.02m hectares) into productive woodland over the next 50 years. The series covered the forests of
Thetford Chase, the New Forest, Kielder, Rheola Forest, and the Lake District.
226:. Scripted into 20 to 25-minute stories on the life of a farmer, the series ran from 1945 to 1962. In each episode Whitlock would take young listeners on a tour through the farm, accompanied by his dog Towser. In
139:
Whitlock began writing for local newspapers in 1930 when he spotted a gap in the market, as the local press did not include coverage of his home village. Two years later was given a column in the
124:, Salisbury, Whitlock had planned to attend university to study history but family circumstances during the Great Depression thwarted any such hopes and he followed his father into farming.
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and was evicted from the 50 acres he had farmed for 23 years. The land was divided up between neighbouring farms. Despite having a further 140 acres, he decided to retire from farming.
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wartime experience of bringing marginal land into cultivation was to stand him in good stead when advising peasant farmers, reclaiming land in Benin and the Gambia, while his
1308:'Agricultural Land Tribunal case between WCC and Ralph Whitlock, tenant of Pitton', reference F9/140/2, available at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, Chippenham.
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which could be heard during the month ahead. These programmes and other one-off talks and features presented by
Whitlock were produced in Bristol by the founder of the
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was never ending'. All the income
Whitlock earned from writing was ploughed into the farm yet the overdraft grew and, when his father died in 1963, he left nothing.
155:, invited Whitlock to submit a series of articles on farming. This resulted in his appointment as a farming correspondent, a position he held from 1946 to 1974.
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Whitlock's knowledge of farming, forestry and conservation is reflected in his broadcast output which dealt with the then ground-breaking issues of
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376:, a children's text book about producing food for increasing populations, which was part of Lutterworth's World Development Series.
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which he continued to write for the next 50 years. His local and regional newspaper writing led to further commissions. In 1944,
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On returning to the UK in 1973, Whitlock retired to
Somerset but returned to Wiltshire ten years later, settling in
329:. As two-thirds of Britain's woodlands had been felled to meet the war effort, Whitlock examined the work of the
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he played himself as Farmer
Whitlock, while the part of his wife was mainly played by Phyllis Smale, but also by
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1208:, ‘A visit to Cowleaze Farm', on 9 April 1945, and the final broadcast 'Avonchurch Fair' on 13 September 1962.
100:(1914–1995) was a Wiltshire farmer, broadcaster, conservationist, journalist and author of over 100 books.
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321:. For instance, in 1950, he presented a series of five weekly programmes on the BBC Home Service (now
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By the late 1940s
Whitlock's minor celebrity status resulted in a foray onto panel game shows such as
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Whitlock’s definitive UK book on water divining was first published by David & Charles in 1982.
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Grow your own: the step-by-step guide to successful vegetable and fruit cultivation
349:. The 665-hectare site had been acquired in 1983 through a bequest of Lady Colman.
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Whitlock's most lasting legacy is his prodigious output of books. His first book,
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Personal insights gained on his travels as agricultural consultant were used in
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Whitlock's collection of correspondence, diaries and papers is housed at the
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The great cattle plague: an account of the foot-and-mouth epidemic of 1967-8
68:
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Four years after his father's death, Whitlock lost in a court battle with
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skills secured a reliable water supply to a tribe in northern Ghana.
109:
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Whitlock occasionally wrote under the pseudonyms of Edwin Mould (in
1119:
NRA catalogue reference: NRA 44109 Whitlock, details available at:
1372:, Abingdon: Routledge (Methodist Studies Series), 2013, page 243.
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Birds at risk: a comprehensive world-survey of threatened species
1407:, Guildford: Lutterworth Press (World Development series), 1980.
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First broadcast on the West of
England Service, 4 June 1947 as
290:(1958–60), as well as the early regional TV magazine programme
259:. Each programme featured recordings of birds by ornithologist
494:
Gentle giants: the past, present and future of the heavy horse
1121:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/N14009912
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In 1988 Whitlock was awarded a certificate of merit from the
189:) and Madge Reynolds (in a column "Madge Reynolds' Diary" in
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Whitlock was a founder trustee and honorary warden of the
1297:
The village news: The truth behind
England's rural idyll
158:
Later regular newspaper commissions included columns in
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https://www.shortnorth.com/Whitlock/WhitlockEssays.html
204:, was published in February of the year of his death.
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From 1947 to 1949 Whitlock presented a series on the
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Methodists and their Missionary Societies 1900-1996
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March winds and April showers: country weather lore
608:
Water divining and other dowsing: a practical guide
560:
In search of lost gods: a guide to British folklore
87:
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286:on the radio (1954–5 and 1957), and television's
120:recounted 19th century life there. Educated at
638:Roots in the soil: an adventure in agriculture
212:As a broadcaster, Whitlock was best known for
650:The lost village: rural life between the wars
8:
870:Grasshoppers and Crickets (Observing nature)
242:books were published between 1948 and 1964.
1189:O who will marry me? A book of country love
894:Hyenas and jackals (Young naturalist books)
686:O who will marry me? a book of country love
458:Farming from the road. An illustrated guide
202:O Who Will Marry Me? A Book of Country Love
780:Rabbits and hares (Young naturalist books)
17:
1284:Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser
1191:, Bradford-on-Avon: Ex Libris Press, 1995
354:Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
888:Eating and being eaten (World of nature)
506:Wildlife in Wessex: a naturalists' guide
1262:records Whitlock’s first appearance on
1087:
1228:, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1951; and,
996:Exploring farming (Exploring the Past)
954:Landscape in history (Picture history)
900:Llamas and yaks (Animals of the World)
840:A closer look at butterflies and moths
786:Rats and mice (Young naturalist books)
174:articles were published in two books:
1299:, London: Simon & Schuster, 2017.
1002:Exploring people (Exploring the Past)
572:Rare breeds: the vulnerable survivors
452:A short history of farming in Britain
7:
948:Harvest and thanksgiving (festivals)
930:Farming in history (Picture history)
668:Letters from the English countryside
180:Letters from the English Countryside
129:Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre
83:Hilda Pearce (1939–1995) (his death)
347:Site of Special Scientific Interest
216:which was part of the long-running
942:Working on a farm (People at Work)
864:Wild cats (Young naturalist books)
828:Pond life (Young naturalist books)
816:Chimpanzees (Animals of the World)
792:Squirrels (Young naturalist books)
530:The warrior kings of Saxon England
488:Exploring rivers, lakes and canals
14:
1224:, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1951;
1161:articles is available online at:
602:The countryside: random gleanings
422:Rare and extinct birds of Britain
1220:, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1948;
834:Thinking about rural development
804:Spiders (Young naturalist books)
719:Co-author with Edgar Julian Sowe
590:Bird watch in an English village
1204:records the first broadcast of
1178:, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1947
822:Penguins (Animals of the World)
774:Project Earth: Feast or Famine?
768:Otters (Young naturalist books)
644:Letters from an English village
176:Letters from an English Village
852:Ducks (Young naturalist books)
846:Dragonflies (Observing Nature)
674:Wiltshire folklore and legends
566:The shaping of the countryside
410:Wiltshire (Visions of England)
345:, a nature reserve which is a
1:
1232:, London: Phoenix House 1964.
858:Eels (Young naturalist books)
762:Deer (Young naturalist books)
536:A calendar of country customs
339:Bentley Wood Charitable Trust
1385:, 13 November 1995, page 11.
1282:, 29 January 1956, page 36;
360:Methodist Missionary Society
1286:, 11 February 1956, page 6.
978:In the town (Use your eyes)
972:In the soil (Use your eyes)
966:In the park (Use your eyes)
706:Pseudonym of Madge Reynolds
554:Historic forests of England
416:The other side of the fence
383:, a few miles from Pitton.
356:for his conservation work.
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1419:, 2 November 1989, page 9.
1157:A selection of Whitlock’s
1097:, 2 November 1989, page 9.
1021:Co-author with Peggy Heeks
960:Weather (My First Library)
548:Growing unusual vegetables
298:Farmer and conservationist
122:Bishop Wordsworth's School
1381:Whitlock's obituary, the
1317:Whitlock's obituary, the
906:Dairy cows (Farm animals)
810:Everyday life of the Maya
626:Three-score-years-and-ten
500:The folklore of Wiltshire
249:and Home Service, titled
222:radio series slot on the
1468:English conservationists
1266:as 20 November 1954 and
1249:, 20 June 1947, page 20.
936:Insects (Colour library)
693:Pseudonym of Edwin Mould
308:Wiltshire County Council
265:BBC Natural History Unit
193:magazine in the 1960s).
104:Background and education
1433:Friends of Bentley Wood
1230:A year on Cowleaze Farm
1226:Cowleaze Farm in winter
756:A year on Cowleaze Farm
750:Cowleaze Farm in winter
1458:Writers from Wiltshire
1333:, 7 July 1950, page 8.
918:Poultry (Farm animals)
699:Round Roundbarrow Farm
518:Bulls through the ages
470:A family and a village
251:Bird Song of the Month
147:Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald
1355:Whitlock's obituary,
1342:Whitlock's obituary,
1144:Whitlock's obituary,
1131:Whitlock's obituary,
1106:Whitlock's obituary,
1051:Buildings on the farm
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725:Village life and work
524:The folklore of Devon
428:Wild life on the farm
170:. Collections of his
118:The Victorian Village
108:Whitlock was born in
1039:Tractors on the farm
1033:Potatoes on the farm
924:Sheep (Farm animals)
882:Clara's Country Year
798:My world of the past
404:Common British birds
343:West Dean, Wiltshire
1473:English journalists
1405:Thinking about Food
1346:, 30 November 1995.
1321:, 18 November 1995.
1222:Harvest at Cowleaze
1148:, 30 November 1995.
1110:, 30 November 1995.
1014:The seasons: Winter
1008:The seasons: Autumn
990:Exploring buildings
984:The seasons: Summer
912:Pigs (Farm animals)
876:Thinking about food
744:Harvest at Cowleaze
656:A Victorian village
446:Farming as a career
374:Thinking About Food
331:Forestry Commission
327:The Changing Forest
232:Vivienne Chatterton
167:the Guardian Weekly
161:the Daily Telegraph
1359:, 26 October 1995.
1268:Round Britain Quiz
1176:Peasant's heritage
1135:, 2 November 1995.
1075:Winter on the farm
1069:Autumn on the farm
1063:Summer on the farm
1057:Spring on the farm
398:Peasant's heritage
283:Round Britain Quiz
253:, a forerunner of
198:Peasant's Heritage
191:Farm & Country
1417:Salisbury Journal
1357:Salisbury Journal
1270:as 18 April 1957.
1264:What do you Know?
1243:Bird song in June
1095:Salisbury Journal
1045:Wheat on the farm
712:The farmer's wife
482:Whitlock's Wessex
392:Non-fiction books
277:What Do You Know?
236:Constance Chapman
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1448:1914 births
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261:Ludwig Koch
208:Broadcaster
178:(1988) and
1442:Categories
1295:Tom Fort,
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381:Winterslow
325:), titled
38:1914-02-07
1344:The Times
1146:The Times
1108:The Times
1028:series:
512:Wiltshire
187:The Field
152:The Field
69:Salisbury
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367:dowsing
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