John K Pelly and his wife Frances likely arrived in Great Ellingham in January 1869, when they took up the respective positions of schoolmaster and schoolmistress at the British School. A report of a ‘Public Tea Meeting’ held in Great Ellingham for the benefit of the British School, which appeared in the Norwich Mercury of…
Category: Places and Buildings
The Rosher Family of ‘Near the Hall Gates’
The Rosher Family’s Home in Great Ellingham The 1911 census captures Alfred Rosher with his wife and children living in a three-roomed property in Town Green, Great Ellingham, which was said to be ‘Near the Hall Gates‘. Assuming that the position of the gates leading to Great Ellingham Hall has remained unchanged since at least…
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…
The Kemps of Dunromin’ in Long Street
Ernie Kemp with his mother and grandparents, Jonathan & Minnie Kemp, at ‘Dunromin’, Long Street. 1949-1950Photograph courtesy of Ernie Kemp The 1911 census captures 34 year old Norfolk born Jonathan Kemp with his wife, Minnie, living in Audenshaw, Lancashire. Jonathan, a bricklayer, was born in Scottow c.1876. Minnie (nee Paxton) was born c.1885 in Dunchurch,…
The Whittred Family of Long Street
A Particular Survey of the Parish of Great Ellingham 1817-1819, reveal that John Whittred was the owner and occupier of a House, Barn, Stable, Yard and Garden, as well as numerous parcels of land in Great Ellingham. I know from an earlier Particulars & Valuation undertaken by the Commissioners for the Great Ellingham Inclosures c.1800,…
A ‘very desirable small farm’ – The Cemetery Farm
Appearing in the edition of the Eastern Daily Press of the 7th September, 1948, was the notice of a forthcoming Auction of a ‘very desirable small farm’ in Great Ellingham. ‘The Cemetery Farm’ was said to comprise of a comfortable farmhouse which had two sitting rooms and five bedrooms. It also had a substantial range…
Rally of the Members of the Baptist Women’s Meeting
The Diss Express of the 16th September, 1955, reported on a rally held in Great Ellingham of members of the ‘Baptist Women’s Meeting’. The Baptist Chapel was ‘well filled’ with members from various parts of Norfolk, including those from the Diss Baptist Women’s Meeting. Mrs F Bartram of Diss was in the Chair and the…
Cromwell & the Destruction of St Andrew’s Church, Rocklands
The remains of the Parish Church of Saint Andrew, Rocklands. Photograph taken December 2019 Norfolk Heritage Explorer describes what remains of St Andrew’s Church, Rocklands as “the ruins of a 14th century church to the southeast of All Saints’ Church”. Ruins of Rockland St Andrew. Photograph taken December 2019 In his Essay Towards A Topographical…
Poplar Farmhouse – an Ancient Timber Framed Building
Poplar Farm, Long Street. Courtesy of Susan Fay In the informative booklet, A Little History of Great Ellingham, the authors describe ‘Poplar Farm’ as “an ancient timber framed building purporting to be made from reclaimed ship’s timber”. “This house has a long corridor down one side’”. The booklet also mentions that there is a spring…
Sixth Footpath called ‘Church Path’ discontinued in the early c18th
The Inclosures Map for Great Ellingham of 1802 shows four connecting footways weaving their way through various inclosures of land between Long Street and the road leading to the town of Attleborough. However, these four footpaths (together with ten others), were ‘put by and discontinued ‘ by the Inclosure (Great Ellingham) Act of 1799. Extract…