THESE days the name of Frank Willan has slipped from prominence but there was a time when this remarkable Southampton athlete was the toast of the nation.

Colonel Frank Willan, to give him his full title, who bought the imposing former residence of Thornhill Park in 1878, was a dynamic figure and a renowned Oxford University rower who went on to enjoy a distinguished career in the Army.

Col Willan never lost his love of rowing and between 1889 and 1902 he umpired the annual Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, was one of the founders of the Royal Yachting Association, and held the office of Deputy Lieutenant for Hampshire.

An enthusiastic participant in the early days of motoring, Col Willan also wrote a military history, which is still highly regarded as a definitive book on the subject.

During the First World War, although aged nearly 70, Col Willan was determined to do his bit and volunteered to drive Army lorries on the Western Front in France.

Only a rare handful of images remain of Col Willan, and no photographs of Thornhill Park have survived.

According to local historian Rosaleen Wilkinson, the Thornhill Park estate was formed in 1825 by rich local merchant Michael Hoy, who purchased land totalling 368 acres, of which 61 were pleasure gardens.

“The estate stretched from the modern Thornhill Park Road to Bursledon/Botley Road and from Upper Deacon Road to Kanes Hill,’’ said Rosaleen.

“The house stood between the present day Thornhill Avenue and Cowper Road, just south of Browning Avenue. “ Roy Andrews, of the West End History Society, has researched Col Willan’s life, discovering he had been educated at Eton and Oxford.

While at university Willan rowed in the winning Boat Race crew for four years in succession, 1866-69, and was president of the Oxford University Boat Club.

Commissioned as a lieutenant in the Oxfordshire Light Infantry in 1873, he eventually became Lieutenant Colonel Commanding and honorary Colonel of the Regiment.

“Col Willan bought land and extended the estate to 430 acres and improved and modernised the house, which became the family home for his four children.’’ said Roy. “The colonel was a keen innovator and not only obtained a generator to light the house with electricity, but he acquired one of the first steam-driven motor cars in 1903.

“He was involved in local affairs, becoming Deputy Lieutenant for Hampshire in 1904, as well as sitting on several hospital committees and was an alderman and magistrate.’’ After Willan retired to Burley in 1911, the estate began to go into decline as the new owner, Norman Campbell, a retired teaplanter, lived only until 1916.

The whole estate came up for sale in 28 lots in 1923.

Woodland was sold to a local timber merchant and then used for housing, and eventually, when Southampton extended its boundaries in 1954, all remaining land was acquired for council homes.