And for more than 20 years, Rex Hancy devoted himself to the EDP's In the Countryside column, taking over from the late Ted Ellis who started the daily wildlife journal in the 1940s. 

He excelled in a teaching environment but, following a painful accident, he was inspired to follow a path as a wildlife and nature expert. 

An only child, Rex Clifford Hancy was born on September 18, 1929, into humble surroundings in the village of Ellingham in the Waveney valley. 

The late Rex Hancy (Image: Newsquest)

An eager and quick learner, he went on to pass the 11 plus exam and was awarded a scholarship at Bungay Grammar School.  

History, in particular, piqued Rex’s interest and after passing his GCEs, he went on to attain three A-Levels at sixth form. 

In 1948, Rex carried out his National Service with the Royal Air Force. 

While on leave he enrolled in a church youth club, where he would go on to meet his future wife, Barbara Hill. 

With his National Service coming to an end he visited the headmaster at his former school, who suggested he should apply to the Teacher Training College in Chelsea, London. 

Once qualified, he taught older children at a school in Wimbledon before moving on to teach at the John Milton Primary School in Battersea. 

The late Rex Hancy and his wife, Barbara (Image: Newsquest)

Barbara and Rex married in 1952 and within two years they moved to Taverham, near Norwich.

In May 1959 they welcomed their first child, Adrian, and daughter Claire was born two years later. 

Once settled in the area, Rex applied for a job with the Norwich Education Committee and began teaching at Thorpe Hamlet Junior School (later named Thorpe Hamlet Junior School) in 1954. 

Rex was greatly appreciated by students and parents alike, and eventually promoted to department head. 

He showed a particular aptitude for working with children with additional educational needs. Encouraging them to expand their horizons by producing school plays, he created much of the artwork and sets for those performances.

And with the school being so close to Lion Wood, Rex made the most of the green spaces.  

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In 1967, Rex was elected to serve on the education committee of Norwich City Council as the representative for middle schools. This was a key time as the government had decreed a reorganisation of secondary schools. 

During this time, he went on to be a school governor. 

In 1968, while attending a teachers’ training course in London, Rex had what he always referred to as his "lucky break" - a particularly bad fall that resulted in him breaking his right femur in 26 places.  

Ten weeks of being in traction, with only a small window to view the outside world, gave him the time to watch the ongoing battle between a nesting wood pigeon and a predatory grey squirrel.  

The late Rex Hancy (Image: Newsquest)

Having made these detailed observations he decided that, when he had fully recovered, he would give his children the opportunity to experience and learn more about the natural world than he had as a boy.  

And with the building of a bird hide on Mousehold Heath, Rex took on the new role of organising environmental projects for his school.  

His detailed sightings were submitted to Michael Seago, who was the editor of the annual Bird Report.

His many other records led to an invitation to compile the annual Mammal Report, which was published together with the much lengthier Bird Report. 

In 1977, the couple's son died. To occupy their minds after the tragedy, Rex and Barbara became members of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society (NNNS), where they regularly attended field meetings and embarked on frequent excursions into Thetford Forest. 

Norwich City Council had begun organising activities for retired people and Rex, along with half a dozen others, was asked to give a series of talks to test the waters.  

The late Rex Hancy (Image: Newsquest)

His presentation on mammals was well received, resulting in an invitation from Radio Norfolk for him to become a regular contributor on Keith Skipper’s lunchtime programme.  

A further opportunity arose when a Saturday lunchtime slot became vacant, with Rex going on to broadcast Nature Trail for many years.  

With a trusty tape recorder always on hand, Rex and Barbara travelled all over the country meeting well-known naturalists and gaining access to places of exceptional wildlife interest. 

With the passing of the esteemed naturalist Ted Ellis in 1986, the EDP were keen for his daily In the Countryside articles to continue. A team of four writers - Michael Seago, Percy Trett, Rosemary Tilbrook and Rex - were invited to take up the mantle.  

Other contributors came and went, but Rex continued the column until it was suspended after 32 years. 

He became a founding member and contributor to the British Plant Gall Society (BPGS) with the responsibility of organising studies on galls (abnormal plant growths) in East Anglia. His enthusiastic contributions led to him being made a vice chairman of the society. 

He was then honoured to be selected as president of the NNNS in their 125th anniversary year since foundation. 

For a while, on Rex’s retirement from teaching, his wildlife interests turned towards studying spiders and he became the county recorder.  

As chairman of the Wildlife 2000 campaign, he set about compiling a book on galls. Despite suffering a minor stroke in 1999, he published The Study of Plant Galls in Norfolk the following year. 

Now chairman of the BPGS, a further lifetime honour came when he was made a vice president of the NNNS and was bestowed honorary membership to the BPGS. 

He would go on to publish the book Notable Trees of Norwich in 2005, a best seller in Jarrolds for 10 weeks. 

The late Rex Hancy (Image: Newsquest) (Image: Newsquest)

In 2007, much to their astonishment, Rex and Barbara were made joint recipients of the Sydney Long Memorial Medal for their service to natural history in Norfolk and beyond.

Rex was particularly proud that his beloved wife, Barbara, had been recognised for her invaluable contributions. 

Following her passing in 2019, Rex set about continuing his life in a positive direction by taking part in regular excursions to Blickling Hall, where he soon became a firm favourite among staff and volunteers.  

Rex died on March 1 due to complications following surgery. He was aged 95.