William Hall Eccles inherited Davenham Lodge (demolished in the 1970s and now the site of the four houses of Davenham Court on Church St) and its estates in 1847 when he was just 9 years old. His mother widow Cecilia took on the estate until William Hall was old enough to inherit at the age of 23.
In 1854, aged just 16, the heir apparent William Hall Eccles joined the Rifle Brigade. Then in the late 1855, now just 17, he fought as a Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion at the siege of Sebastopol in the Crimean war. He gained the nickname of “Redan Eccles” when, on 8 September 1855, he and his Colonel were the first two soldiers to gain entry to the fortress of Redan, a significant victory during the campaign. Unfortunately, on the 15 November 1855, he was then injured in an explosion of the magazine in the French siege train. He was to return to Davenham the following year as a hero, with the village laying on a great occasion and welcome parade, as reported in the Cheshire Observer on 5 Jul 1856.
Following further service during the Indian rebellion (1857) and Malta (1860) he left the army as a Captain. He married his cousin Emma Cornelia Curtis in Pimlico before settling in Hampshire. He was an excellent cricketer and even played for the MCC in 1866 and 1867. He was also a good musician and one of the early members of "The Wandering Minstrels", a renowned touring amateur orchestra, made up of from members of the aristocracy and military. This enterprise aimed to make money for charitable causes.