Edwin Boston

Edwin Richard Boston (20 August 1924 – 1 April 1986 ), known as Teddy Boston, was a Church of England clergyman and author. He built a narrow gauge railway in the grounds of his Rectory at Cadeby, Leicestershire, and was immortalised as the "Fat Clergyman" in The Railway Series children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry.

Education Boston was educated at Gresham's School, Holt, and Jesus College, Cambridge, before training for the ministry of the Church of England at Lincoln Theological College.

Career From 1949, Boston served as curate of Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. Sutton Cheney 545.

Steam enthusiast

In the words of Peter Scott, "The story of the Cadeby Light Railway is really the story of one man - 'Teddy' Boston". In 2017, 'the Fat Clergyman' was rendered in CGI for Thomas and Friends' twentieth series. He and 'the Thin Clergyman' appeared in the adaptation of Tit for Tat. They also appeared together in Series 21's Confused Coaches. 'The Fat Clergyman' also made cameos in The Great Race and Big World! Big Adventures!

Of his visits to Cadeby, Awdry wrote:

Boston's love of railways and collection of steam locomotives and rolling stock are celebrated in Susanna Johnston and Tim Beddow's book Collecting: The Passionate Pastime, together with Lady Diana Cooper's love of unicorns.

Market Bosworth Steam Rally Boston liked to attend steam rallies, but found transporting heavy equipment expensive, and in 1963 he founded a new annual 'Market Bosworth Steam Rally'. He wrote:

At home Boston has been described as "a short, round, jolly man, much given to Anglo-Saxon language in times of stress, such as a close run race with his traction engine Fiery Elias". In his foreword to Font to Footplate, W. V. Awdry wrote: "In thinking of our Teddy it is important to realise that despite the impression that this book may seem to give, he was a Parish Priest first and a steam enthusiast second. He never forced religion on anyone; but his sincere faith and devotion was there for all to see, coupled with his impish sense of humour."

Grass grew in the gutters of the Rectory, which was full of Boston's railway collections. The walls were covered with shelves bearing model railway locomotives and rolling stock. In every room, the collection overflowed onto the floor, and it continued up the stairs, including a comprehensive collection of railway films on celluloid.

When Boston died, he left a widow, Audrey, who was still living in 2015. She shared her husband's enthusiasm for steam and for many years continued to co-organize the Market Bosworth Steam Rally.

Publications Boston, Rev. E. R., Rails Round the Rectory - The story of the Cadeby Light Railway (Loughborough: The Book House, 1973) . Boston, Rev. E. R., Font to Footplate (Line One Publishing, 1986)