Jeffrey Towler owned several properties in Great Ellingham at the end of the eighteenth century. He leased two dwellings together with 22 acres of land to Samuel Hilling. These properties were at the end of the lane which we know today as Swamp Lane. Swamp Lane The above extract a plan of c.1802 clearly shows…
Category: Places and Buildings
Sworn Statements Found in Cottages in Long Street
Two nineteenth century legal documents provide evidence of a shoemaker and his apprentice living in Great Ellingham. The documents were found in the home of Lily Lebbell, following her death in 1973. Lily was the widow of blacksmith, wheelwright and dairyman William Robert Lebbell. For many years, William Lebbell was also the parish clerk. Extract…
How many Villagers had the first name ‘Christmas’?
With Christmas fast approaching, I thought it would be interesting to see whether, in addition to Christmas Chaplin, there were any other villagers in days gone by with the name ‘Christmas’ – either as a first name or a family name. I have not discovered any family with the surname ‘Christmas’, but if you know…
A Mother’s Plea not to send her Son to ‘the Front’
Chequers Lane, Great Ellingham. Robert Beales and his family lived in one of the houses shown in the postcard. Courtesy of Carol Ewin Shoemaker Robert Beales & his Family in Chequers Lane Just over three years before the start of the Great War in 1914, shoemaker Robert Beales, his wife Ellen and seven of their…
Jacob Carter’s Apology for Speaking False & Malicious Words
On the 22nd May, 1780, Great Ellingham farmer Jacob Carter signed an apology to James Barnard junior of Bury Hall, Great Ellingham. Jacob signed the apology in the presence of local man, Daniel Lister. He then arranged for the publication of the apology in the Norwich newspapers. The apology appeared on page 3 of the…
Cornelius Carter in Financial Difficulties
On Saturday, 7th May, 1791, the Norfolk Chronicle published the following notice concerning the affairs of Cornelius Carter. May 3, 1791 WHEREAS CORNELIUS CARTER of Great Ellingham, in the County of Norfolk, Farmer, having put his affairs into the hands of James Boyce, of the city of Norwich, Attorney at Law, and William Peed, of…
Chelsea Pensioner’s Wife convicted of a Violent Assault
In the August of 1852, Rhoda Carter of Great Ellingham appeared before a special sitting of the Petty Sessions at Attleborough. She was charged with violently assaulting Elizabeth Fame of Hingham. However, the report in the Norfolk News of the 28th August, 1852, did not provide specific details of the offence. Was this just a…
Memories of the Lebbell family’s Blacksmith’s Smithy & Shop
Sue Fay spent her early life in the village of Great Ellingham and has connection to many Great Ellingham families, including her paternal line of Lebbell. Long Street with Lebbell’s Smithy to the right The Lebbell family had a smithy and shop in Long Street. Sue has a clear recollection of her family’s Smithy and…
John Robert’s Bill for Repairs to the Church
Parish Chests The Poor Law legislation of 1552 required every parish to have a strong chest, with three keys, in which to keep the alms for the poor. Earlier in the 16th century, it was mandatory that every parish had a locked parish chest for the safe keeping of the Parish Registers and other parish…
The ‘Witches’ of Penhill Road & ‘Dragon’s Blood’ at Downham Market
Witchcraft & Folklore Witchcraft is very much interwoven with Norfolk folklore. Traditionally ‘Witches’ were perceived to have supernatural powers to control people or events. Most villages and towns had ‘wise-men’ or ‘wise-women’ who were acquainted with the old mysterious ways. Although much-feared, it is claimed that these ‘cunning folk’ made sick people better, located lost…