Death of William Downes William Downes died on the 30th August, 1853 at the age of 79. He was buried in the churchyard at the Parish Church of St James a few days later on the 4th September. Just three weeks earlier, William had put his affairs in order. He signed his last Will and…
Category: Farmers
William Barnard in Financial Difficulties at Bury Hall
To be unable to meet the demands of creditors would have been bad enough for William Barnard and his family to endure, but it seems that this Barnard family suffered additional heartache. A son of James and Sarah Barnard (nee Rose), William Barnard was born in Great Ellingham (most likely at Bury Hall) around 1835….
A Marriage of 52 Years
William and Emily Houchen had completed 52 years of marriage when William died in 1934. The couple had lived for many years in Reymerston before retiring to Yaxham. Early Life in Great Ellingham However, both William Houchen and his wife Emily (neé Rivett) were born in Great Ellingham and spent their childhood and early married…
Great Ellingham ‘Born and Bred’
Mary Ann Rivett, the wife of Jonathan Rivett, was very much a ‘Great Ellingham girl’. She lived in the village for her entire life. Warren Family Baptised in the Church of St James on the 28th January 1810, Mary Ann was the eldest daughter of Great Ellingham born John Warren and his wife Mary (neé…
‘Bastardy Orders’ for Great Ellingham Men
Maintenance payments for children born out of wedlock is not a modern day provision. Reputed Father: Robert Downs of Great Ellingham When Mary Cable of Bunwell was delivered of a male child in the Parish of Bunwell on the 9th May, 1806, and was unable to (or chose not to) provide for her child, the…
James Beatson, Trustee & Farmer
James Beatson, one of the Overseers of the Poor for the Parish of Great Ellingham in 1873, was also one of the Trustees of the Fuel Allotment Charity. But who was James Beatson and was he a local man? The 1861 census finds 47 year old farmer, James Beatson and his 54 year old wife…
Auction of Charles Rivett’s Farmhouse
Trustee and Overseer An application to the Charity Comissioners of 1873 by the Trustees of the Great Ellingham Fuel Allotment Charity refers to Charles Rivett as being one of the Trustees of the Charity. Charles Rivett was also one of two Overseers of the Poor for the Parish. James Beatson being the other. Local Man…
‘Keen Agriculturalist’ dies aged 84
The Norwich Mercury of 21st October 1905 reported on the funeral which had taken place at the Parish Church in Great Ellingham of Mr Henry Colman. It was reported that Henry Colman was a keen agriculturalist and that he regularly attended Norwich Market. His last trip to the market was earlier in the month after…
A Fishy Tale
At the Petty Sessions held at East Harling in the May of 1880, labourer James Halls of Little Ellingham received a prison sentence of 14 days with hard labour for the theft of fish. The Norfolk Chronicle and Norwich Gazette of the 15th May, 1880 reported on the case. Halls was found guilty of stealing…
Robert Le Grice’s Effects For Auction
Auction The Norfolk News of 17th September, 1864, announced the forthcoming Auction taking place at twelve o’clock on Monday, September 26th, 1864 in Great Ellingham. The Auction would include the live and dead farming stock, household furniture and other effects belonging to the late Robert Le Grice. Amongst these items were two tumbrils, a road…