During the early to mid-nineteenth century, Wymondham born Barnaby Ezekiel Barnard (also known as Barnabas Ezekiel Barnard), a yeoman, of Rockland St Peter, owned several properties in Great Ellingham. In his last will and testament, he appointed the Reverend William Bird (also of Rockland St Peter), and Ellis Turner, a farmer of Caston, as his…
Category: Attleborough to Rocklands Road
Thomas Margetson’s Cottage in Watton Road
We are fortunate that the Norfolk Record Office holds an abundance of documentation relating to Great Ellingham. This includes paperwork from the ‘Great Ellingham Inclosures’ c.1799 and a map dated 1802. According to the Great Ellingham Inclosure Statement of Claims, Thomas Beales claimed: – One Cottage and Garden occupied by Thomas Margetson – One Barn…
The Rivetts at Pond Farm
Extract from 1906 Ordnance Survey Map. Second Edition. Surveyed in 1881. Author’s Collection The black dot on the above extract from a 1906 Ordnance Survey Map, shows the home of Leonard and Gertrude Rivett at Pond Farm in Watton Road, Great Ellingham. Pond Farm still exists. Further, there has been a dwelling on the site…
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…
Reginald & Alice Lincoln of The Cock Inn, Stanton
It can be difficult to ‘fill in the gaps’ between the birth or baptism of our ancestor, their marriage (if indeed one took place), and their ultimate death. All these ‘rights of passage’ are almost certainly recorded in the parish registers, which can date from as early as the sixteenth century. However in relatively recent…
Young Widow, Lois Cook née Drake
By the time Lois Cook (née Drake) had reached the age of 35, she had married, given birth to five children, suffered the heartache of the deaths of three of those children, and experienced the despair of widowhood, when her husband, Alfred Cook, died of tuberculosis in 1894. However, Lois was not the only woman…
Home of Lilian Clarke in Watton Road
Cottage at Currier’s Farm, Watton Road, Great Ellingham, at one time the home of Lilian Clarke. Photograph courtesy of Gerry Speck Gerry Speck recalls his grandmother, Lilian Clarke, living in the above cottage at Currier’s Farm situate along the Watton Road, towards Rocklands. The 1939 Register captures charwoman, Lilian E Clarke (with a birthdate of…
Timberhill also known as King’s Corner
Postcards: (left) courtesy of Joan Barnard; (middle) courtesy of Carol Ewin; (right) author’s own collection Despite some changes to the appearance, most of the buildings in the above postcards are recognisable today. Over the years, this area around the junction of the Atteborough Road with Church Street has been known as ‘Timberhill’ and ‘King’s Corner’….
National School built upon Pound Close
Formerly the National School built in 1865. Later used as a Reading Room and Village Hall. During the nineteenth century, National Schools were set up by the National Society for Promoting Religious Education, for the furtherance of Christian Education and church schools. The Society was a body of the Church of England. Poster announcing the…
The Newby’s Home in Watton Road
Frank Newby with three of his children. Thought to have been taken in the 1930s. Photograph courtesy of Sue Gent Frank Newby This is a lovely photograph capturing Great Ellingham born Frank Newby with three of his children – sons Arthur B (known to the family as Ben) born 1923, Basil born two years later…