Great Ellingham had at least one grocer and draper’s shop in 1715. A notice for the letting of a grocer and draper’s shop situate ‘near the Church’ appeared on page 3 of the Norfolk Chronicle of Saturday 3 September 1785. The shop had been a grocer and draper’s establishment for upwards of 70 years. The…
Author: Heather Etteridge
Blacksmith’s Shop occupied by John Steel & Others offered For Sale
Illustration by Christine Fuller A notice for the sale of a dwelling with Blacksmith’s shop in full trade appeared on page 3 of the Norfolk Chronicle dated 7 July 1787. The premises included yards, gardens and about five acres of land which was occupied by John Steel “and others”. The notice stated that the premises…
Burial of Robert Hurst aged 105 – or was he?
Great Ellingham Parish Church of St James The Burial Register for the Parish Church of Great Ellingham includes an entry for the burial of a Robert Hurst on August 9th, 1863. The deceased was stated to be 105 years of age! A life span of 105 years is extraordinary even by today’s standards. But was…
The Sudden Death of Pastor James Cragg
Great Ellingham Baptist Church 2019 The Norfolk Chronicle & Norwich Gazette of Saturday October 4th, 1856 referred to an Inquest held on the body of the Baptist Minister of Great Ellingham, forty year old James Cragg. It was reported that James Cragg had been “perfectly well in the course of the morning visiting some of…
“Pretty Wedding” at the Primitive Methodist Chapel
The Primitive Methodist Chapel at Great Ellingham Marriage Edwin Alfred Clarke of Deopham and Annie Elizabeth Downes of Great Ellingham married at the Primitive Methodist Chapel at Great Ellingham on Wednesday 18th September 1901. The Eastern Evening News of the following Saturday, reported that it was a “pretty wedding”. The bride was “tastefully dressed in…
James Long’s Cottage, Garden & Allotment
Extract from 18th Century Map. Town Green, Hyrne and Broad Commons in Great Ellingham held at Norfolk Record Office. Cat. Ref. MC2213/113, 941X7. With kind permission of NRO. The above extract from an 18th century map of Great Ellingham shows the position of the two parcels of land owned by James Long (at the top…
Decayed Mill on Premises belonging to John & Elizabeth Turner
Illustration by Christine Fuller John Turner’s Property including the Decayed Mill The Statement of the Claims for the Great Ellingham Inclosure (c.1800) included at No.13, John Turner and his wife Elizabeth. John and Elizabeth Turner owned and occupied one messuage (a dwelling house with land and associated buildings) and 40 acres of land. There was…
Auction Sale of Live and Dead Farming Stock of the late Mr William Green
The Norfolk News dated 20th September 1873, contained details of an Auction to take place at Great Ellingham on Monday 6th October, 1873. The Auctioneers, Salter & Simpson, would sell the valuable Live & Dead Farming Stock which was the property of the late Mr William Green. The stock included: 15 horses and colts, 5…
Disturbance at the Prince of Wales Inn resulting in a Court Appearance for Alban Bass
Illustration by Christine Fuller Appearance at Court Alban Bass, a labourer of Great Ellingham, appeared before the Magistrates at the East Harling Petty Sessions in August 1884. He was charged with being disorderly and failing to quit the Prince of Wales Inn at Great Ellingham when asked to do so by the Landlord, Benjamin Lane….
The Disappearance of Ann Margerson & the later Discovery of a Human Skeleton
Photograph taken from Hingham Road across fields towards Bow Street (2019) Discovery of Human Remains The Norfolk Chronicle of May 4th, 1861, reported the discovery of a human skeleton in the parish of Great Ellingham. The revelation was made by men engaged in throwing down a bank. The skull showed signs of a fracture. The…