This blog shows just how hard life could be for some of the people who once lived here in Great Ellingham. No doubt, many people in other towns and villages were affected in the same way. Church of St James, Great Ellingham Baptism of Gideon Greengrass On 14th April, 1839, George and Sarah Greengrass took…
Category: Low Common
Ownership of Land in the same Family for Generations
On the 5th June, 1837, Edward Wilkins purchased the former ‘Town House’ in Long Street. Since the erection of the Wayland Union Workhouse in nearby Rocklands, the ‘Town House’ was no longer needed to house the poor of Great Ellingham. Accordingly, it became surplus to requirements. I believe this property – or at least the…
Samuel & Catherine Hilling of Low Common
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…
Theft of Two Bushels of Wheat results in Prison Sentence
Norfolk Assizes 29-year-old Edward Long appeared at the Norfolk Assizes on the 31st July, 1841. Long stole two bushels of wheat in chaff from local farmer, Mary Mann. What’s more, Long had been working for Mary Mann at the time of the offence. He was found guilty and sentenced to two months’ imprisonment. Edward Long…
‘Golden Couple’ Joseph & Susanna Dye
Joseph & Susanna Dye with their family c.1941. Photograph courtesy of Bryan Dye The above photograph is a fabulous snapshot of a couple celebrating their Golden Wedding Anniversary, surrounded by generations of their family. Marriage Joseph Alfred Dye married Susanna Lincoln in 1891. They were both aged 21, and from long-established Great Ellingham families. Both…
William Harley
Auction A notice of sales by auction at Great Ellingham appeared in the Norfolk Chronicle of 21st September, 1833. “All the very superior Cart Horses, Colts, Pony, Cows, Young Stock, Agricultural Carriages, Implements, Harness &c and a part of the useful Furniture, the Dairy and Brewing Utensils, &c on the Farming Premises, in the occupation…
A ‘Counting Room’ at Tanyard Farm
Tanyard Farm. Date unknown. Photograph Lucinda Bell-Tye. Auction I came across a notice in the Norfolk News of the 14th May 1864 announcing the forthcoming auction on the 16th June of a ‘Desirable Small Farm’ in Great Ellingham. The farm (including a dwellinghouse, agricultural buildings and cottages), were being sold by the Executors of the…
Mary Ann, daughter of Jeremiah & Bridget Le Grice
Headstone of Mary Ann Le Grice in the churchyard of St James Great Ellingham Headstone Amongst other headstones hidden by branches, twigs and ivy in the churchyard at St James, Great Ellingham stands the memorial to Mary Ann Le Grice. The headstone inscription tells us that Mary Ann was the daughter of Jeremiah and Bridget…
Mary Ann Catling charged with Housebreaking
Illustration by Christine Fuller The Offence The Norwich Mercury of 20th December, 1873, reported on a court case concerning Mary Ann Catling. Mary Ann was the wife of drillman, Henry Catling, of Great Ellingham. The magistrates were told that on the 10th December, the dwellinghouse of James Chaplin, a farmer and dealer of Great Ellingham,…
Robert Love born in Carleton Rode dies in Great Ellingham
Headstone for Robert Love in the churchyard at Great Ellingham Marriages, baptisms, misdemeanours and the like all tend to leave a paper trail which, in years to come, is extremely useful to a family historian. In the case of Robert Love of Great Ellingham, we know from two census returns that Robert was living in…