Parish Administration Prior to 1894 Prior to the establishment of Parish Councils, the responsibility for the day to day administration of the parish fell to the rector and some of the more affluent landowners – particularly those who could read, write and keep accounts. In Great Ellingham, the parish ‘officers’ such as the churchwardens, the…
Category: Rushbrooke
‘Black Sheep’ in the Family
I am sure that many of us will find a few ‘black sheep’ amongst our ancestors. These ‘black sheep’ are usually individuals who are seen as troublemakers, failures or just people who do not fit in with the rest of the family. They may also bring disgrace or disrepute upon the family and, in consequence,…
Six of One and Half a Dozen of the Other
Guilty of Assault The Diss Express of Friday, 4th August, 1905, reported on proceedings at the East Harling Magistrates Court. This included the case concerning a fracas between two women in Great Ellingham. Widow Elvina M Rushbrooke of Great Ellingham was charged with assaulting her neighbour Maud Halls on the 23rd July. Halls was charged…
A Fall from Grace leads to Emigration
Bury Hall, Great Ellingham. Courtesy of Emma Wilson Towards the end of 1897, and, having fell into some disgrace, 38 year old Ernest Edwin Rushbrooke packed up the family’s belongings at Bury Hall, Great Ellingham, and headed off with his wife, six children and members of his wife’s family to New Zealand to begin a…
Widow Stebbins occupying ‘one messuage & 26 acres of land’
Today, Great Ellingham has two farms in Penhill Road which include ‘Penhill’ in the farm name – Penhill Farm and Penhill Farm West. As the name suggests, Penhill Farm West is situated near to the western boundary of the village with Rocklands. Penhill Farm lies nearer to the village along the same road. Penhill Farm…
The Barnard Family of Bury Hall
Bury Hall Bury Hall, Great Ellingham. Courtesy of Emma Wilson Bury (or Bury’s) Hall is one of the oldest properties in Great Ellingham. Members of the Barnard family have lived at Bury Hall since at least 1780, but possibly much earlier. There are entries for the Barnard family in the Great Ellingham Parish Registers from…
The Parish Coal House & Coal House Road
The Coal House that once stood in Long Street near to Town Green. Photograph taken in the 1990s 1901 census The 1901 census refers to an area near Town Green and Long Street as “Coal House Road”. Other census returns which provide the street/area names (1851-1911) do not refer to Coal House Road. Accordingly, the…