Leading farmer and magistrate dies at 89

Tributes have today been paid to a prominent councillor and magistrate from Shropshire who has died aged 89.

Farmer Edward Donald Stokes, a director of North Western Farmers, died on June 10 at his home, Haughton Farm, Ellesmere, following a short battle against cancer.

Mr Stokes' daughter, Liz, today paid tribute to her father who she said was a pillar of the community.

Mr Stokes was a Nuffield Foundation Scholar and had travelled to the United States for six months to learn different farming methods.

He was an Ellesmere councillor for six years, being instrumental in the planning for 60 council houses, which is now Berwyn View.

And in 1965 he became a magistrate and chairman of the Ellesmere and Oswestry District Benches.

As a director of North Western Farmers he helped it expand from a small firm that sold feed and fertilisers to a large company selling to much bigger concerns.

Mr Stokes also made 14 separate broadcasts for the BBC mainly about farming and common market issues.

She said: "His farm was the first to have the Carousel milking parlour in the 1970s. There was a viewing platform built so visitors could see it in action at milking time.

"In 1972 the farm was used in an episode of Doomwatch, a BBC science fiction programme, where they wanted a modern farm with latest equipment."

Mr Stokes leaves wife Mary, sons Jon and Nick and daughter Liz. Son Nick is carrying on with the farm.

His funeral is on Thursday from 2pm, at St Mary's Church, Ellesmere.

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