Famous Names Linked to Thetford Thomas Paine, revered in the United States as an important influence on the Constitution, was born in the town and is honoured with a statue. His most important work was The Rights of Man. Another statue in the town commemorates a character much loved in this country – Captain Mainwaring of Dad’s Army fame. Arthur Lowe and the rest of the cast were based in the Bell Hotel in the town and the series was filmed in the surrounding area in the 1970s. Modern visitors to the town cannot resist sitting on the bench alongside Captain Mainwaring to have their photographs taken.
Keith Eldred, twice captain of the Club and a long-serving trustee, featured in the series as an extra and helped to entertain the cast on various social occasions. The reputation some of the elderly thespians had for imbibing was well earned as Keith and his wife Margo can attest! Duleep Singh was the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire. A revered figure in the Sikh religion, his grave at Elveden Church is still visited by pilgrims. He also has a statue in the town, on Butten Island. His son, Prince Frederick Duleep Singh, was a keen member of the Club and a generous benefactor between the wars. The golf club has links to many other renowned figures from various backgrounds.
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