On the 4th January, 1680, George Asty signed his last will and testament. John Lincoln, John Bush and Richard Pollards witnessed Asty’s signature. George Asty died between 1680 and 1681. House of Stuart It is a time when Charles II is the reigning monarch. Some 20 years earlier in 1660, the House of Stuart was…
Author: Heather Etteridge
Was Emma King a Deserted Wife?
A chance discovery of a newspaper notice of a marriage between a Great Ellingham shopkeeper and the daughter of a ‘gentleman’ from the nearby town of Attleborough, led to me to wonder whether the bride could later be described a ‘deserted wife’. From the Norfolk Chronicle of the 23rd May, 1868: MarriageKING-SPARROW on the 12th…
Ellis Beales’ working life begins at the age of 8!
The finding of a newspaper article relating to a Golden Wedding celebration, provides an insight into the life of Great Ellingham born Ellis Beales. Ellis recounts in much detail his working life, which began when he was just 8 years old. From the Yarmouth Independent dated 1st December, 1934: GOLDEN WEDDINGMR & MRS ELLIS BEALES…
Delightful Home Cottage Farm through Time
Home Cottage FarmPhotograph taken October 2023 Great Ellingham is fortunate to have some fantastic historical buildings. One such gem is a delightful farmhouse in Penhill Road. Today, this house is known as Home Cottage Farm. Situated at the far western end of Penhill Road, Home Cottage Farm is a stone’s throw from the parish boundary…
Joseph Saunders ‘on remand’ for stealing Three Hens
Illustration Christine Fuller The following appeared in the Norwich Mercury on the 13th December, 1884: ALLEGED FELONYAt the Occasional Court House – present Rev. J Spurgin, Jos. Saunders, Great Ellingham, labourer, was charged by P.C. Fisher with stealing three hens at Great Ellingham on the 28th November, the property of Mr Warren.Prisoner was remanded to…
Timeline of the History of The Crown
Church Street including the Old Thatche Shoppe to the left, Islay House to the right and the Crown Public House with adjoining shops in the centre. Date unknownAttleborough Heritage Group For centuries, the Crown Public House has been an integral part of Great Ellingham. It is one of five known pubs in Great Ellingham and…
Isaac Fincham Refuses to Quit The Crown at Little Ellingham
The former Crown Public House Little Ellingham. In the photograph is Bert Pestell a son of a former landlord, Henry D Pestell (landlord 1899-1908)Courtesy of Pauline Laing The following report from the Watton Petty Sessions was published in the Thetford & Watton Times on the 3rd October, 1896: William Kemp of Hingham farmer and Isaac…
First Occupants of the Hingham Road ‘Council Houses’
The first known ‘council houses’ or ‘houses for the working class’ were built in Mill Lane. Around 1928, Wayland Rural District Council (Wayland RDC) commissioned a terrace of four houses in Mill Lane. The Council also built a pair of semi-detached houses near to the terrace, which were either built at the same time or within…
18th Century Owners of ‘Daddocks’ later called Tanyard Farm
Tanyard Farm. Photograph Lucinda Bell-Tye Tanyard Farm is one of Great Ellingham’s wonderful historic buildings. Norfolk Heritage Explorer mentions that the origins of this Grade II listed property may well date back to the 14th or 15th century. It was built as an open hall house. It has a timber-frame with a rendered wattle and…
Edward Gaskin and his link to Tanyard Farm
Tanyard Farm. Photograph Lucinda Bell-Tye There is no doubt that a last will and testament can provide family historians with valuable information. However, it can throw up more questions than answers! Here we look at the content of the will of Edward Gaskin dated the 15th October, 1763. A time when George III occupies the…