Agnes Baroness Bateman (1831 – 1918)

Agnes Burrell was the youngest of three daughters of Lady Mary and General Sir Edward Kerrison.
Agnes married William, the 2nd Baron Bateman of Shobdon Court in Herefordshire. She inherited the Kerrison estates when her brother, Edward died in 1886.

Agnes was lady of the Manor of Eye from 1887 until 1918.

Submitted by: Frank Brooks



Charles Tacon (1833 – 1909), Mayor of Eye 1895 – 1905

He was a solicitor, living all his life in Eye and a member of the family who bought the Eye Brewery from Richard Cobbold.

He was mayor of Eye for nine successive years and held many public offices.

He was a wealthy and generous person and gave money to many deserving causes including a new clock and bell tower for the Town Hall in 1897.






Eye Worthies around the Market Cross

The scene is the Shambles (butchery) in Eye near the Old Market Cross. The names of the ‘worthies’ are known being set out in a ‘key’ written by Charles Rose in 1852.

The Cross was demolished in 1838/39 so that the square could be used as a cattle market.

Submitted by: Robert Mendham, 1827







General Sir Edward Kerrison Bart., KCB., GCH. (1774 – 1853)

Both this portrait and the full length portrait of the general show him in full uniform with all his decorations at the height of his career.

it was his son, Sir Edward Clarence, MP, who was the man responsible for the building of the present Town Hall and contributed £1000 towards its construction.

Submitted by: Robert Mendham





Kerrison and his Charger

This portrait originally hung in the banqueting hall of Oakley Park, the Kerrison family seat, which was demolished in the 1920s.

The general fought at Waterloo and later was Lord of the Honour of Eye and MP for Eye from 1824 to 1852.

Just in the picture is Kerrison’s batman, an important figure for Eye in one respect. As The History of Eye notes, “A house was built within the [imitation] castle shell for Sir Edward’s batman, who had saved his life at Waterloo”

Submitted by: Sir Martin Archer Shee




Lady Catherine Elizabeth Tacon (1846 – 1927)

Lady Tacon was the widow of Sir Thomas Henry Tacon (brother of Charles Tacon). Her youngest daughter Maude lived at Brome Hall and on her death in 1952 the hall was demolished and the lands sold.

The artist Mary Short was mayor of Eye eight times, lastly in 1947/48. She lived in Church Street, Eye all her life and was a JP and member of the County Council.

Submitted by: Mary Short





Portrait of a man in a red coat, about 1770

This may be a portrait of Edward Cornwallis (1713 -1776). He was MP for Eye from 1744 and fought at Culloden.

The other possible subject is Lieutenant General Richard Burton Phillipson (1722 – 1792) who was MP for Eye from 1762 to 1768.

Submitted by: Attributed to Nathaniel Dance







Samuel Peck (1812 – 1880)

He lived at Langton Grove, just north of Eye and was a prosperous farmer. This is the house shown in the painting.

He was Mayor of Eye seven times, lastly in 1875/76. By his death many public vacancies were caused. Business was suspended in Eye as members of the Corporation and a large number of the public attended his funeral service and burial at Eye Cemetery.

Submitted by: William Short