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,…
Category: Low Common
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…
Samuel Warren – Convicted of Attempting to Defraud Railway Company
Possibly Wretham or Great Hockham Railway Station. Postcard Addison/Divita Family Collection Court Case At a Petty Sessions at East Harling held in May 1847, Samuel Warren of Great Ellingham was convicted of attempting to defraud the Norfolk Railway Company on the 6th May in that he had travelled in a carriage of a higher class…
Landed Proprietor William Mann of Great Ellingham
William Mann was buried in the churchyard at Great Ellingham on 31st August, 1869 aged 73 years Will & Codicil On reaching his mid-fifties, William Mann may well have thought it time to put his affairs in order. Accordingly he drew up his last Will and Testament (amounting to four pages) and executed this in…
A Father’s Promise to the Court to keep his son under Restraint
Court Case A special sitting of the Wymondham Petty Sessions took place on 13th April, 1869 to hear a case of the theft of three pistols at Wymondham on 8th April. Robert James Matthews aged 17 of Great Ellingham was charged with stealing three pistols the property of Wymondham ironmonger, Arthur West. The Court was…
December Wedding for John Penson and Ellen Downes in 1924
December 22nd, 1924 Wedding of John Penson and Ellen Downes at Rockland All Saints. Photograph courtesy of Lucinda Bell-Tye Jack Penson Although John Penson was born and raised in Willey, Shropshire, John’s maternal ancestors came from Norfolk. John, born in 1887, was one of four children of John Penson and his wife Lydia née Matthews….
A case of ‘Theft Most Fowl’
Illustration by Christine Fuller Charge of Stealing Four Fowls The Eastern Daily Press of Saturday March 2nd, 1907, reported on the appearance before the Magistrates at Wymondham of two labourers from Great Ellingham. John Lee and George Anderson were charged with stealing four live fowls from Charles Leverett of Hingham. The fowls had a value…
Charles Carter, Fishmonger at Town Green
Town Green Long Street approaching Town Green. Postcard courtesy of Carol Ewin In 1851, the inhabitants of Great Ellingham could buy their fish from Charles Carter living in an area known as Town Green. 32 year old Charles and his wife Lucy, were one of at least 37 households at Town Green at that time….
A Book Presentation to Lizzie Lincoln in 1898
Inscription in a Book Presented to Lizzie Lincoln by Great Ellingham Primitive Methodist Sunday School 1898. Courtesy of Cyril Edwards No doubt, 18 year old Lizzie Lincoln was not the only one to be presented with a book by the Primitive Methodist Sunday School but after some 120 years, I wonder where all the books…
A Perfect Attendance Medals Lost through Mumps in 1906
Great Ellingham School (Girls) possibly early 1900s. Are the boys in the adjacent classroom? Photograph courtesy of Ray Beales The 1906 annual prize distribution to scholars attending the Great Ellingham Board School took place during the middle of December. The Norfolk Chronicle & Norwich Gazette reported that the prizes were given out by Mr W…