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. Attleborough Heritage Group Rose & Crown At the turn of the 19th century, Alice Jessup ran the Rose & Crown Public House together with her second husband William Jessup….
Author: Heather Etteridge
John & Henrietta Kerridge move into ‘High View’
‘High View’ Long Street the former home of the Kerridge family. Photograph taken February 2023 The charming house known as ‘High View’ stands on the western side at the southern end of Long Street. It was likely built c.1912. In 1921, the house was occupied by the Hall family. However by 1925, the Hall family…
Falcon & Monsie Bilham of Long Street
Falcon & Monsie Bilham. Courtesy Sue Gent Born in Long Street Falcon Harry Bilham was the only son of John William Bilham and his wife Kathleen (Kate). He was born in Great Ellingham (almost certainly in Long Street), on the 19th September, 1913. Falcon had an elder sister Alma and a younger sister Joy (Joyce)….
Lily fulfil’s her dream to be a Nurse
Poplar Farm, Long Street. Courtesy of Susan Fay Born at Poplar Farm Lily Mary Louise Lebbell was born on February 6th, 1914, in the southern annex of Poplar Farm in Long Street. She was the fourth of the five children of William Robert Lebbell and his wife Lily née Wigby. Lily was also her parents’…
Bricks wheelbarrowed across the fields for ‘High View’
‘High View’, Long Street. Photograph taken February 2023 Legend has it that the delightful house known as ‘High View’ in Long Street was built at the same time as the Wayland Infirmary in Attleborough. It has also been said that the builders carted the bricks across the fields from the Wayland Infirmary to Long Street…
The Creation of Great Ellingham Parish Council
Parish Administration Prior to 1894 Prior to the establishment of Parish Councils, the responsibility for the day to day administration of the parish fell to the rector and some of the more affluent landowners – particularly those who could read, write and keep accounts. In Great Ellingham, the parish ‘officers’ such as the churchwardens, the…
An ‘excellent tea’ served at the Baptist Chapel
Illustration by Christine Fuller A harvest thanksgiving tea was held at the Baptist Chapel in Great Ellingham during September, 1888. The Eastern Daily Press of the 14th September, 1883, reported that the chapel was ‘tastefully decorated for the occasion‘. The afternoon events included a sale of ‘useful and fancy articles’ to raise funds for chapel…
A Timely Passing through the Village
The Clock on the tower of St James’s Church, Great Ellingham. Photograph taken February 2023 ‘Smith of Derby’ writes to the Reverend Lavender Towards the end of November, 1968, the Reverend A R A Lavender received a letter from the Managing Director of the prestigious Clock Manufacturers ‘Smith of Derby’. J E Howard Smith informed…
Recollections of a Home Guard
Local Defence Volunteers to Home Guards Some of us will remember the sit-com ‘Dad’s Army‘ which was based on the Home Guard in World War 2. Dad’s Army was broadcast by the BBC from 1968 through to 1977. The Home Guard consisted of local volunteers (usually men) who were generally above or below the age…
More Recollections of a Home Guard
In a separate blog, I have mentioned the existence of the Home Guard in Great Ellingham during World War 2. What follows is another event which, Claude Lebbell (then a member of the village’s Home Guard), recounted to his daughter some years later. It is in the words of Sue Fay: My father, Claude Lebbell…