William Chaplin and Sarah Bailey married in Great Ellingham Church on April 30th, 1767. Their first son, William, was baptised in the Parish Church on September 18th, 1768. William and Sarah had at least a further ten children. Where Did They Live? The Statement of Claims for the Great Ellingham Inclosure of 1800, reveal that…
Category: Places and Buildings
A Marriage Uniting Two Long-Established Families of the Village
The marriage of Francis Houchen and Matilda Dey at the Church of St James Great Ellingham on 5th January 1843, joined together two long- established families of the village of Great Ellingham. Houchen The name Houchen (also found as Howchin, Houchin) appears in the Great Ellingham parish registers from at least 1698, although no entries…
James Matthews – Gamekeeper to Farmer
Headstone for James Matthews in Great Ellingham Churchyard Memorial Inscription After 120 years, the inscription on the gravestone for James Matthews of Great Ellingham which lies in the churchyard of St James remains very clear. James Matthews was born on April 5th, 1817 and died on July 3rd, 1899. James was 82 years old when…
Auction of “Comfortable Farmhouse” in Long Street in 1883
Illustration by Christine Fuller An Auction held at the King’s Head Hotel, Wymondham on August 21st, 1883, by the Executors of the late Charles Watts, included property and land at Great Ellingham. Farmhouse Occupied by Thomas Caddy The property described as a “Comfortable Farmhouse, Outbuildings, Small Farm, containing about 35 acres” was in the occupation…
An ‘Interesting Lecture’ delivered at the Baptist Chapel in 1898
Forth Bridge. Photograph taken April 2012 (Author’s Collection) The Norfolk Chronicle and Norwich Gazette of 19th February 1898, reported that at Great Ellingham, “The Construction of the Forth Bridge” was the title of “an interesting lecture delivered at the Baptist Church” on the previous Tuesday evening by the Reverend J Miller Hamilton of Lowestoft. Mr…
Frederick Grice buried 16th August 1898, aged 62 years
Headstone for Frederick Grice in Great Ellingham Churchyard The Frederick Grice buried in the churchyard of St James on August 12th, 1898 lived in Long Street, Great Ellingham for over thirty years. However, it transpires that Frederick Grice was born in Wolferton, Norfolk, some 40 miles from Great Ellingham. 1891 census The 1891 census finds…
Fined for Allowing Horses to Stray on the Highway
Illustration by Christine Fuller 1883 Court Appearance The Norfolk Chronicle & Norwich Gazette of August 4th, 1883 reported on the case of James Carter, a farmer, of Great Ellingham. Carter appeared before the Magistrates at East Harling on July 30th. He was charged with allowing two horses to stray on the highway. He was found…
E E Everett, a seller of Horniman’s Tea in 1900
Ernest Everett’s shop in Church Street. Courtesy Horrie Harvey The Norwich Mercury of Wednesday July 11th 1900 included an advertisement for Horniman’s Tea. The advert included a list of traders in the Norfolk area who sold the tea in their stores. Amongst the traders was the name ‘Everett’ a grocer of Great Ellingham. 1901 census…
Death of Farmer George Newby of Long Street in 1874
The Norfolk News of 29th August 1874, reported the death at Great Ellingham of 59 year old George Newby. The report stated that George Newby was ‘greatly respected and deeply lamented by his family and friends’. I have not found a corresponding burial for George Newby in the Parish Registers for the Church of St…
Nathaniel Hawkes & Elizabeth Pitts and their Cottage on the Rocklands Road
Inclosure Statement of Claims Listed at No.7 of the Statement of Claims for the Great Ellingham Inclosure of c.1800, is Nathaniel Hawkes. Nathaniel claimed one cottage and one acre of land which he occupied. He also claimed various rights on the Commons and Waste Lands in Great Ellingham which included rights of Common and Pasture….