In summer 2024, we were incredibly grateful to have received a legacy gift from the late Mr Gerald William Goddard, a Life Member of the Trust, who kindly remembered us as a beneficiary in his will. This amazing gift will work hard to protect and preserve the Forest against the challenges it is facing now, and to ensure that Epping Forest is here to be enjoyed and loved by future generations.
However, we knew very little about Mr Goddard. So we asked our members in the Summer 2024 issue of Trust in the Forest members’ magazine. We are very grateful to have received responses. Below is from Jenny Johns, an EFHT member, and also a neighbour and friend of Mr Goddard’s.
Mr Gerald Goddard with his prize delphinium
Gerald William Goddard
by Jenny Johns
Gerald spent most of his childhood in Chingford growing up on King’s Head Hill within easy access to Pole Hill and attended St. Egbert’s College. In the early 1970s he moved with his parents to Mornington Road where he lived for the remainder of his long life continuing to live there after his parents had died. Gerald had no brothers or sisters and he never married. Gerald was very tall and his commanding presence and personality made him a well known and admired local character.
Living also in Mornington Road, Gerald was our neighbour and friend for over 50 years. The forest was on his doorstep and he visited it frequently. He taught at Heathcote school and also William Morris High school in Walthamstow and regularly took boys cross country running in the forest.
Gerald had a great interest and love of nature and horticulture. His garden was well known in the area and he won many cups at local society shows and also held a national collection of Pyrethrums (Tanacetum) for many years. During his long retirement he walked regularly up the road, onto Pole Hill and away across Hawkwood to other parts of the forest usually taking one of our various dogs with him. Connaught Waters was a favourite stopping point en route. He knew and loved this side of the forest in all seasons and would often comment on what he had seen. In his old age , he was 93 when he died, he sadly couldn’t continue to walk like this but would ask us about what we had seen, what state a particular tree was in etc.
We are not at all surprised that he left a legacy to Epping Forest. He would hope that it would help to ensure that the forest he loved continues to provide other people with the enjoyment and pleasure that he got from it throughout his long life.
About Gift in Wills:
Over the past 50 years, these kind gifts have played a vital role in standing up for the Forest, advocating on its behalf, undertaking practical habitat management work, and educating and inspiring others to do the same.
If you have already been kind enough to leave a gift in your will to Epping Forest Heritage Trust, we would love to know, so that we can thank you personally and share with you some ways in which your gift will leave a lasting legacy. Please contact Amy at: amy.liu@efht.org.uk
To find out more about leaving a gift in your will, please visit our website here.