He ran a coffee tavern at 3 High Street (now the Tutti Pole Restaurant), and was responsible for the running of the Town Hall and Corn Exchange. Amongst many other duties he was responsible for ringing the fire bell on the roof of the Town Hall in the event of a fire, for which he was paid 5s. 0d. – a considerable sum at the time.

He was succeeded in his role of Bellman and Town Crier by his son Sidney Bushnell, and later by the present Bellman, Robin Tubb, who is Edward Bushnell's great-grandson. The office of Bellman has therefore been held by the same family in Hungerford for well over a century, and the town celebrated Robin's 50 years as Bellman and Town Crier on 2nd June 2007

Edward Bushnell, Bellman, 1920