By the time that Charles and Jane Clarke secured sponsorship for their emigration to Tasmania in 1855, they likely knew what to expect ‘on the other side of the world’. Charles’s eldest brother Robert and his wife and family had emigrated to South Australia the previous year. Although this was a time before the telephone…
Category: Houchin
From Rocklands to South Australia – the Clarke & Barham Families
Passenger Ship Bound for Australia The emigrant passenger ship the Joseph Rowan left Liverpool on the 21st March, 1854, with around 376 ‘government passengers’ bound for South Australia. The passage for these emigrants may well have been covered by one of the assisted-government schemes. The Australian colonial governments particularly wanted skilled labourers and single women….
James & Ann Clarke of Great Ellingham & Rocklands
I am always thrilled to hear from descendants of people who once lived in Great Ellingham. I am also grateful for additional information – particularly photographs of past villagers who once walked along the very same streets as we do today. This is the story of James and Ann Clarke who began their life together…
Edward Howchen, Primitive Methodist Preacher
Church Street. Methodist Church. Postcard courtesy of Carol Ewin At the age of 75, Edward Howchen was laid to rest in the cemetery in Wymondham in the August of 1892. The 1891 census captures Edward Howchen with his wife Maria living in Middleton Street, Wymondham. The census tells us that Edward was a Primitive Methodist…
Disorderly Behaviour at the Prince of Wales
Illustration by Christine Fuller Court Case Edward Houchin, a blacksmith, of Great Ellingham was summoned to appear before the Magistrates at the East Harling Petty Sessions by the landlord of the Prince of Wales Public House, Benjamin Lane. Houchin was charged with being drunk and disorderly and failing to quit the Prince of Wales when…
Edmund Houchen signs his Last Will & Testament in 1853
The surname Houchen has appeared in the Great Ellingham Parish Registers for many, many years with variations such as Howchen, Houchin. These alternative spellings also occur in the census returns. However I will keep to the spelling as ‘Houchen’ whether or not the spelling appears as such in the documentation to which I have referred….
A Marriage Uniting Two Long-Established Families of the Village
The marriage of Francis Houchen and Matilda Dey at the Church of St James Great Ellingham on 5th January 1843, joined together two long- established families of the village of Great Ellingham. Houchen The name Houchen (also found as Howchin, Houchin) appears in the Great Ellingham parish registers from at least 1698, although no entries…
Death of Farmer George Newby of Long Street in 1874
The Norfolk News of 29th August 1874, reported the death at Great Ellingham of 59 year old George Newby. The report stated that George Newby was ‘greatly respected and deeply lamented by his family and friends’. I have not found a corresponding burial for George Newby in the Parish Registers for the Church of St…
Robert Beales, son of Philip and Sarah
Great Ellingham Parish Church Baptism Philip Beales and his wife Sarah brought their infant son Robert for baptism at Great Ellingham Parish Church on December 4th, 1831. 1841 at Bow Street Around 9 years later, the census of 1841 finds 9 year old Robert Bales (Beales) with his parents, elder siblings James aged 15, George…
Mr Robert Lebbell – Landlord of the Crown Inn for nearly 50 years!
Crown Inn with adjoining shops. Postcard courtesy of Carol Ewin An’ Old Correspondent’ of Great Ellingham sent a letter to the Editor of the Eastern Evening News which was subsequently published in the newspaper dated 13 February 1885. The ‘Old Correspondent’ reported the death of Mr Robert Lebbell, the landlord of the Crown Inn for…