The WILLS Family of Lustleigh
5 & 6. Thomas and Leslie Wills of the Eastwrey Family to New Zealand
6. Leslie to New Zealand in 1930.
After selling Eastwrey, William lived in "Caseley
Cottage" and had his family there. He then moved to Marlwood, Thornbury,
Glos., taking his stock and equipment by train from Lustleigh. Here he
had the Marlwood Herd of pedigree Large Black Pigs. After the farm sale
at Marlwood in 1930 his youngest son, Leslie Howard Drake, rode to Southampton
on his BSA motor bike and emigrated with it to New Zealand.
Leslie had three sons in New Zealand and they became
some of the first growers of Kiwi fruit.
This picture shows the packing and cooling warehouse on the kiwi farm which belonged to one of the brothers. The sign "Wills Car Parking" still showing on the side of the building in 2000. Reverse migration has brought younger members of this family back to England but they have not yet settled in Lustleigh.
Two of the brothers now have a more
traditional beef farm. But also avocado orchards as can be seen in this photograph taken in 2001.
Some of the Wills beef cattle in New Zealand.