Mary Ann Rivett nee Warren. c.1810 to 1888. Photograph courtesy of Pauline Bezant 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…
Category: Farmers
‘Bastardy Orders’ against Great Ellingham Men
Illustration by Christine Fuller 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…
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’ Henry Colman dies aged 84
Great Ellingham Parish Church 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…
The Fishy Tale of James Halls
Illustration by Christine Fuller 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…
Robert Le Grice’s Effects to be Auctioned
Auction The Norfolk News of 17th September, 1864, announced a forthcoming Auction taking place in Great Ellingham on September 26th, 1864. 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 waggon, ploughs, harrows, luggage…
April Fool’s Prank by George Anderson?
Illustration by Christine Fuller The Norwich Mercury of April 12th, 1905 reported on the case of the theft of a hen heard recently at the East Harling Petty Sessions. George Anderson of Great Ellingham was charged with stealing a hen belonging to farmer Josiah Carter at Great Ellingham on the 1st April. Given the date…
WANTED: Respectable Housekeeper
Advertisement for Housekeeper An advertisement for a ‘housekeeper to a working man’ appeared in the ‘Wanted’ section of the Norwich Mercury of 25th February, 1905. It was stated that the housekeeper should be around the age of 30, respectable and preference would be given to applicant’s with small dairy experience. I wonder how many applications…
John Bartram Bound Over to Keep the Peace for Six Months
Court Case The Norfolk News of 1st April 1876, reported on a case heard at the East Harling Petty Sessions on the previous Tuesday. John Bartram described as a farmer of Great Ellingham was charged with using threatening language to William Myhill. Myhill was also a farmer of Great Ellingham. Bartram was bound over in…