The Diss Express of the 16th September, 1955, reported on a rally held in Great Ellingham of members of the ‘Baptist Women’s Meeting’. The Baptist Chapel was ‘well filled’ with members from various parts of Norfolk, including those from the Diss Baptist Women’s Meeting. Mrs F Bartram of Diss was in the Chair and the…
Author: Heather Etteridge
Cromwell & the Destruction of St Andrew’s, Rocklands
The remains of the Parish Church of Saint Andrew, Rocklands. Photograph taken December 2019 Norfolk Heritage Explorer describes what remains of St Andrew’s Church, Rocklands as “the ruins of a 14th century church to the southeast of All Saints’ Church”. Ruins of Rockland St Andrew. Photograph taken December 2019 In his Essay Towards A Topographical…
George Lister marries Isabella Almond
Marriage Notice of the marriage of George Lister to Isabella Almond appeared in the Norfok News of the 3rd October, 1874. The marriage took place at the parish church of St Peter’s Southgate in Norwich, and was officiated by the Reverend Porter. George was reported to be the youngest son of the late Samuel Lister…
Poplar Farmhouse
In the informative booklet, A Little History of Great Ellingham, the authors describe ‘Poplar Farm’ as “an ancient timber framed building purporting to be made from reclaimed ship’s timber”. “This house has a long corridor down one side’”. The booklet also mentions that there is a spring to the rear of the property. British Listed…
Aircraftwoman Dora May Hudson
A daughter of Blomfield and Edith Hudson, Dora May Hudson is remembered with honour in the churchyard of St James in Great Ellingham. Private 459538 Aircraftwoman 2nd class Dora Hudson was a serving member of the Women’s Auxilliary Air Force (WAAF), when she died suddenly on the 21st August, 1943 at the aged of 24….
‘Mass Emigration’ in 1836
Illustration by Christine Fuller Borrowing to Fund the Emigration of the Poor Persons of the Parish One of the provisions of the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, was the legislation which enabled the rate payers of a parish to set up a fund to pay for the ‘emigration of the poor persons settled in the…
Church Path
Extract from 1802 Map of Great Ellingham. Original held at Norfolk Record Office. Russell James Colman Plans. Cat. Ref. C/Ca 1/84. With kind permission of NRO An 1802 Map of Great Ellingham reveals four connecting footways weaving their way through various inclosures of land between Long Street and the road leading to the town of…
Keeping in touch …
In their day, postcards were a very popular way of keeping in touch with family and friends, and also with traders. Picture postcards included portraits of the famous, images of events and scenes of towns and villages. There were also comic postcards and greeting cards. In a time where there were several postal collections and…
Death of Quaker, Ann Smith
Included in a list of interments (1687-1857) at the Friends’ Burial Ground at Hingham is ‘Ann Smith 1765, widow’. Some 13 years earlier, the remains of Ann Smith’s daughter Elizabeth had been interred in the same burial ground. On her death in 1752, Elizabeth had bequeathed her house and land in Great Ellingham to her…
Robert Barnard of Great Ellingham Hall
Around the time of the Act of Parliament for the dividing, allotting and inclosing the commons and waste grounds in Great Ellingham c.1800, Robert Barnard owned several properties as well as some 35 acres of land in the village. However save for 30 acres of land, the properties owned by Robert Barnard were let to…