Anthony Thres OBE, DL, died peacefully on July 13th aged 92 at Lucerne House in Exeter. Following a distinguished military career Anthony retrained as a chartered surveyor, and became Devon’s longest serving regional secretary for the County Landowners Association and on retirement after eighteen years, he was awarded both an OBE for services to landowners, and a Prince of Wales award of Honour for services to agriculture, forestry and conservation. Pictured right at the Devon County Show, for which he was on the council for nine years, as well as representing landowners in negotiations of Afforestation Agreements with the forestry Commission and Dartmoor National Park, he was substantially involved in representing landowner’s interests during drafting and passage of the Dartmoor Commons Bill through Parliament, and initiated fundraising within the CLA for the appointment of a FWAG adviser (Farming Wildlife Advisory Group) in Devon.
Anthony also served on the Exeter’s glebe lands sub committee, as a trustee for the Dyke trust (awarding grants to less well off south west students attending education courses), and was both vice chair and a Governor of the Exeter’s West of England school for children of little or no sight for many years, his first son Douglas having had eye problems when small. Anthony was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for Devon by then Lord Lieutenant the Earl of Morley in 1991 and is survived by his wife Ros, son Jeremy and Grandson Ishka.
(A service of thanksgiving for his life will be held at St Michael’s Church Chagford Wednesday 28th July 11.30 am.)