The blaming of WWI for the decline of the Edwardian Shooting Set is overstated.

Yes many died, yes taxes made passing intact estates difficult to impossible.

However the demise of that class was economic and inevitable. Estates based on income derived from land. The farming/renting economic model changed and regardless of the war it was going to happen. While the War created other factors that accelerated it in the end it was the evolution of the agricultural economy and industrial economies that caused it.

Just as economic factors in the US have significantly altered the farming environment in my state of Kansas and massively reduced bird populations. You can argue decisions or a failure to coherently act earlier by our Wildlife and Parks has failed to cushion the decline; it is the market place in the end.

Michael Dittamo
Topeka, KS