I was delighted to be contacted by a descendant of one of the Clarke families who lived in Great Ellingham from at least 1800 to 1902. Angela McCleery has studied the Clarke family for a number of years. She he is able to provide more information about William Clarke following his misdemeanour in the village…
The Tragic Greengrass Family
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…
Francis Parke’s 59 acre Farm in Long Street
Discovering House Histories Deeds Title Deeds are one of the best resources when researching the history of a property. Historical deeds will usually include conveyances, mortgages, agreements etc. They may also recite extracts from wills and earlier deeds. Accordingly, title deeds may provide an unbroken chain of ownership through many decades – or even centuries!…
Jeremiah Grice Buys a Long Street Farm from Henry Beevor
In this blog we continue the story of the history of a farm which lies at the southern end of Long Street in Great Ellingham. Long Street is identified by the purple arrows on the below map of 1802. Extract from 1802 Map of Great Ellingham. All rights reserved Norfolk Record Office. Cat. Ref. C/Ca…
Two Closely Connected Farms in Long Street
At the beginning of the 19th century, Francis Parke owned a farm (which included a farmhouse, barn, yard, garden, outbuildings and some 59 acres) in Long Street, Great Ellingham. Parke also owned an additional nearby barn. Extract from 1802 Map of Great Ellingham. All rights reserved Norfolk Record Office. Cat. Ref. C/Ca 1/84. With kind…
‘Sparrows Nest’ at the southern end of Long Street
Save for some of the larger farms and houses, very few of the dwellings in Great Ellingham were named (or even numbered) until at least the 21st century. Added to this, the various census schedules for each household in the village from 1841 to 1911, do not always follow the order as they appear along…
Morley St Botolph man Richard Jolly, an ‘Incorrigible Rogue & Vagabond’
Police Custody Between the 13th and 19th November, 1850, Richard Jolly (Jolley), found himself in Police custody in the Lock-Up at Wymondham’s Bridewell. From the Wymondham Police Charge Book 1850-1866 we know that Richard Jolly was a 66 year old labourer of Morley St Botolph. He stood 5 feet 3 inches tall and had ‘imperfect’…
Harriet Fisher brings charges for ‘Arrears of Bastardy’
Police Custody On the 1st March, 1854, James Denny of Honingham spent a night in Police custody at the Wymondham Lock-Up at the Bridewell in Wymondham. James Denny was a 19 years old labourer and stood around 5 feet 4 inches tall. The Lock-Up Records also tell us that Denny could read. He was charged…
Landlady Alice Jessup, formerly Leath née Clarke
Church Street including the Old Thatche Shoppe to the left, Islay House to the right and the Crown Public House with adjoining shops in the centre. Attleborough Heritage Group Rose & Crown At the turn of the 19th century, Alice Jessup ran the Rose & Crown Public House together with her second husband William Jessup….
John & Henrietta Kerridge move into ‘High View’
‘High View’ Long Street the former home of the Kerridge family. Photograph taken February 2023 The charming house known as ‘High View’ stands on the western side at the southern end of Long Street. It was likely built c.1912. In 1921, the house was occupied by the Hall family. However by 1925, the Hall family…