Edgar Harding August was born in 1905, writes Jane Hurst.

His father was a jobmaster and had a large number of horses and vehicles, which he hired out in and around London. Edgar worked with horses from an early age and later gained a jockey’s licence, although he grew too tall to compete. He then had several occupations but always retained his love of horses.

In 1951, the Courage brewery company had a team of 14 Clydesdale dray horses at Horsleydown (near London Bridge) in London. They decided that horse-drawn vehicles were no longer viable and instead began using them for advertising at displays and competitions.

The lease on the London stables expired in the late 1950s, so it was decided to move everything to Alton.

The new stables were at the south-western end of Turk Street. Edgar had been recommended to Edward Courage of the Courage brewery as a man able to drive a team of dray horses, and he oversaw the move to Alton in 1959. These horses were Shire bay geldings and each stood at more than 17 hands.

As head horsekeeper in Alton, Edgar and his family lived opposite the stables, where he turned half the garden into a vegetable patch. The quality produce was greatly helped during the growing process by the readily available manure. His granddaughter remembered wheeling wheelbarrow loads of it across the road.

Meanwhile, Edgar became a familiar sight in Alton as the horses were exercised around the town. During the year, they and a dray in the Courage livery of maroon and gold would be loaded onto motor transport and taken to parades and show events all over the country – about 30 a year.

The Trophy Room and Tack Room in Turk Street were filled with rosettes and awards won by "Guv’nor" Edgar, including about 300 first prizes.

The horses were shown as singles, pairs, a four-horse team and even a six-horse team in competitions, and appeared at the Horse of the Year Show at Wembley.

Locally, many people will probably remember seeing them dressed up for the Alton Show and the town's carnivals. Courage also used them as often as possible for publicity, such as the opening of a new pub.

Edgar even found time to be the driver in charge of the Lord Mayor’s coach in the Lord Mayor’s Parade in London.

For this he had to wear a wig and formal costume. He retired at the age of 65 but continued to be connected with horses as a judge and took part in several films where horsemanship was needed – such as driving a horse-drawn fire engine in Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines and a hansom cab in The Lady in White.

He also appeared in the TV sitcom 'Allo 'Allo.

Sadly, the beloved horses were also retired. In 1973, it was announced that they would be leaving Alton as their "present stables in Turk-street are coming down to make way for a new service road". This was, of course, Draymans Way.

The horses were to go to the new Shire Horse Centre, which was being built in Maidenhead.

A newspaper account at the time reported that "Mr Peter Riseborough, man in charge of the eight Shires in Alton" would also be moving with them.

Over the following years, many local people travelled to see these gentle giants, which had become such an iconic part of Alton’s history.

Sadly, the Shire Horse Centre closed in the 1990s but, if you go to London, why not visit Horsleydown?

The site of the Courage stables became a development known as The Circle and there you can see the bronze statue of Jacob, the Circle Dray Horse by Shirley Pace, which was lowered into position using a helicopter.

Thanks to Edgar’s granddaughter for sharing these memories.