George Saunders’ house & premises is in the centre of this postcard (the house side-ways) in Church Street, Great Ellingham
Kelly’s Directories of 1908 and 1912 lists the name ‘George Saunders’ under Great Ellingham. Saunders is described as a carpenter, builder and undertaker, with the added words ‘joinery a speciality‘.
Bill of G.Saunders for providing coffin for Jeremiah Edwards. Courtesy Jane Sayliss
Accordingly, it is no surprise to see that the above bill describes George Saunders of Great Ellingham as Carpenter & Builder, Shoeing and General Smith. It also indicates that Saunders carried out cycle repairs.
The bill is dated 6th May, 1901. It was issued to ‘Mrs J Edwards’ for the provision of an elm coffin, lining & plate for her late husband, Jeremiah Edwards, who had died at the age of 80.
Birth of George Saunders
George Saunders was born in Great Ellingham towards the end of 1859. I think it more than likely that he was born in Bow Street.
The 1861 census captures one year old George with his parents, Thomas and Sarah Saunders, living in Bow Street. Like many of the adult males of the village, 34 year old Thomas Saunders is working as an agricultural labourer.
Ten years later, the Saunders family is still in Bow Street. Thomas and Sarah Saunders now have four children, including 11 year old George.
However by 1881, Thomas and Sarah with three of their children, are living in Besthorpe.
Now aged 21, their eldest son George is lodging with widow Sarah Riches in the Parish of St Clement in Norwich. He is working as a carpenter. It may be that George had been apprenticed to a carpenter in Norwich. In any event, George would have completed any apprenticeship prior to his marriage.
Marriage & Children
In 1883, George married Hannah Leeder, who was also born in Great Ellingham. The couple may have made their first home in Lowestoft where their first child, Edith Mary, was born in 1884. Sadly within weeks (if not days) of the birth, George and Hannah buried Edith Mary.
The following year, the couple welcomed another daughter, Edith Maud. A son, William Barham Leeder, was born in Lowestoft in 1887.
Nevertheless George and Hannah moved their family to East Bergholt in Suffolk before Sidney was born in 1889.
The 1891 census captures George and Hannah Saunders (both aged 31), with their three children living in Clarence Villas, East Bergholt. George is working as a carpenter and joiner. 15 year old factory hand, John Garwood is lodging with the family.
George and Hannah’s family further increased with the arrival of Clara Elizabeth in 1891, and Ethel Mary in 1897.
Church Street Home & Premises
However by the time George and Hannah welcomed their youngest child, George Reginald Saunders, in 1899, the Saunders family had moved back to Great Ellingham.
The 1901 census finds George and Hannah Saunders with their six children in Church Street, Great Ellingham. 14 year old Amelia Halls is the family’s general domestic servant. I have no doubt that the Saunders’ home is one of the cottages opposite Mill Farmhouse. A later map (below) identifies the location of the Saunders’ family home.
George has his own business as a carpenter and builder, and is also an employer. It is at this time that George made and provides the coffin for the late Jeremiah Edwards.
Plan to 1928 Conveyance of cottages in Church Street. Courtesy Christine Fuller
The blue arrow on the above plan to a 1928 Conveyance shows the home and premises of George and Hannah Saunders.
Courtesy Sue Fay
The 1911 census shows the Saunders family still living in Church Street.
The census confirms that the 51 year old George Saunders, his wife Hannah and three of their children are occupying a dwelling house with six rooms.
The above postcard (possibly dating from around the 1960s), shows the Saunders’ family home to the far right.
Loss of Son
Tragically, George and Hannah’s youngest son, George Reginald Saunders, was was killed in action whilst serving in WWI. He died on the 29th August, 1918.
‘Roselands’
By 1921, George and Hannah Saunders and their daughter Ethel are living at ‘Roselands’ in Long Street.
‘Roselands’ was built by master carpenter and builder William Lebbell. Lebbell was a good friend of Hannah Saunders’ father, William Leeder. Hannah had not reached her first birthday when her father died at the age of 26 in 1860.
When William Lebbell died in 1897, Hannah Saunders inherited all his property, including ‘Roselands’. However, I do not believe that Hannah and her husband George Saunders lived at ‘Roselands’ during her ownership.
Nevertheless in later years, George and Hannah Saunders did occupy ‘Roselands’. Having mortgaged ‘Roselands’ and subsequently selling the property to one of her lenders in 1911, the couple’s son William Barham Saunders consequently bought back the property. It was then that George and Hannah lived there.
George Saunders continued to work as a builder during the 1920s.
Active Member of the Community
George Saunders was very much part of the community.
He was the leader of the Great Ellingham Temperance Band. Given the association between Temperance bands and the Methodist Church, it is no surprise to find that George Saunders was also a member of the Methodist Church. Indeed, in 1910 he is recorded as being a Junior Circuit Steward for the Methodist Church.
In 1904, George Saunders provided tea for over 80 members of the Great Ellingham Cricket Club and their guests.
In 1909, George was appointed as one of two ‘overseers of the poor’ for the parish. Some years later in 1930, George Saunders is listed as a parish councillor. He was also part of the newly formed recreation ground management committee.
George was also a member of the Great Ellingham Bowls Club.
Deaths of George & Hannah Saunders
George died towards the end of 1944 aged 84. His widow Hannah died the following year aged 85.
Sources:
1908 Kellys Directory, Norfolk Record Office
1912 Kellys Directory, Attleborough Heritage Group
GRO Index. Viewed via FreeBMD website
1861 census RG9/1237/84
1871 census RG10/1841/79
1881 census RG11/1938/113 & RG11/1974/74
1891 census RG12/1464/21
1901 census RG13/1867/80
1911 census RG14/11473/133
1921 census RG15. Registration District 231. Great Ellingham Schedule 75. Viewed via FindMyPast website www.findmypast.co.uk
Plan to 1928 Conveyance contained in Deeds to property in Church Street. Christine Fuller
Uk, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919. Military-Genealogy.com, comp. UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.Original data: British and Irish Military Databases. The Naval and Military Press Ltd. Viewed via www.ancestry.co.uk
Deeds & Documents relating to ‘Roselands’ and other land. Many thanks to Drs D & J Richards
England & Wales, Electoral Registers 1832-1932. Parliamentary County of Norfolk, Southern Division. Great Ellingham 1920, 1928 and 1931.
1860 Probate & Will of William Barham Leeder. Obtained via https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate
1897 Probate & Will of William Lebbell. Obtained https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate
1939 England & Wales Register. The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: Rg 101/6590h. Viewed via https://www.ancestry.co.uk
1942 Great Ellingham Invasion Committee Record. Thanks to Sue Fay
3 August 1907 Norfolk News
15 December 1933 Diss Express
9 July 1910 Lowestoft Journal
10 April 1909 Norfolk Chronicle
29 October 1934 Eastern Daily Press
3 December 1904 Norwich Mercury
Newspapers viewed via The British Newspaper Archive website
Great Ellingham Parish Council Records. Norfolk Record Office. Cat. Ref. PC116/46
Great Ellingham Parish Council Minutes 1894-1941. Norfolk Record Office Cat. Ref. PC116/10