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A proud moment for Percy Wallis.
Duchess congratulates three local farmers on 127 years' service.
Duchess congratulates three local farmers on 127 years' service.
Down on the farm for a total of 127 years - that's the proud achievement of three Tamworth men.
And that achievement was recognised at the Royal Show, Stoneleigh, on Wednesday, when they each recieved the Royal Agricultural Society of England's long service medal for farmworkers from the Duchess of Kent.
Mr. Percy Wallis, 64, has worked at Manor Farm, Harlaston, for 45 years, and Mr. Francis Chapman, 55 of Rock Farm, Seckington, and Mr. William Wilcox, 57, of Edingale House Farm, Edingale, have both worked on farms for 41 years.
They were among more than 20 farmworkers receiving awards from the Duchess.
Thousands of people watched as they shook hands and chatted to her on the balcony of the show's Royal Pavillion, and after the ceremony, there were congratulations from showground officials, wives and families.
All three men have worked for their employer since leaving school, and have never changed their jobs. They were entered for the awards by their bosses- all members of the Royal Agricultural Society.
And all three have no intentions of leaving the land, "We will keep going until we drop", Mr. Wallis said, as he proudly showed his medal to his wife.
"Farming has changed a lot since we first began working"' said Mr. Wilcox. "It is much easier, and everything is a lot more mechanised- there was nowhere near the amount of machinary in the early days as there is today".
Mr William Wilcox receives his award. "It really should be our wives and families and employers who get these awards for putting up with us for so long".
Mr. Frank Chapman (Seckington)
"The Duchess congratulated us on our service, and it was a proud moment for us all", Mr Chapman added.
As the awards were announced, the commentator said it was a proud day for Tamworth - and added that there would be very little done on farms in the area on that day: everybody was at the Royal Show watching the medals presented.
As well as their medals, each of the men was presented with life membership of the Show. They are all keen supporters of the Show, and have visited most Royal Shows since 1945.
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