On this day in Wembury — 7 April 1880
The Western Times printed a letter from William Spurrell of New Barton, Wembury, defending Lieutenant-Colonel John Sterling, the local landowner and parliamentary candidate for East Devon, against criticism during the general election campaign. Writing “to the farmers and other electors of East Devon,” Spurrell praised Sterling as a considerate and fair landlord who treated his tenants with respect.
He noted that Sterling was “not a game preserver,” a pointed compliment in an age when many tenant farmers resented landlords who filled their fields with rabbits for sport while tenants suffered the crop damage. Instead, Sterling allowed his tenants to shoot rabbits freely and was described as “kind and considerate in all matters.” Spurrell declared that “any tenant of his estate will be glad to hear that Col. Sterling is elected,” adding that the farmers of East Devon would show their appreciation “by returning him with a triumphant majority.”
Though Sterling ultimately failed to secure the seat, the letter captures the atmosphere of that 1880 election, when politics and personal reputation were closely entwined. From his base at Wembury House, Sterling was seen as the archetype of the paternal country squire — benevolent, traditional, and protective of his tenants — a style of leadership soon to fade with the coming of modern democracy.
(Western Times, 7 April 1880)
Entries are summaries and interpretations of historical newspaper reports.