In the past, gravel and clay pits (together with water pits) may well have served much of the building needs in the village. A Particulars and Valuation c.1800 relating to the Inclosures of Great Ellingham, tells us where the village’s allotmnets for the gravel, clay and water pits were at this time: Where were the…
The Living Conditions in Robert Oldfield’s Church Street Cottage
Amongst other things, the provisions of the Housing of the Working Classes Act gave enforcement powers to local authorities, in relation to sanitary conditions and overcrowding in housing. 1901 census Wreningham born William Lane came to Great Ellingham with his wife and two children before the birth of their son William c.1896. The 1901 census…
A Link with the Past: The Poor’s Firing Land
In the informative booklet “A Little History of Great Ellingham“, the author, Mr William Robert Lebbell (1885-1965), mentions that (in the 1960s) the ‘Poor’s Firing Land’ was the only link from the time of the Great Ellingham Inclosures (c.1800) with modern Great Ellingham. Mr Lebbell describes the pieces of land as being untended and in…
Great Ellingham born Albert Reynolds dies in Hull
Albert Buchan Reynolds 1862-1928. Courtesy Ollie West Funeral Report The edition of the Hull Daily Mail of Tuesday, December 11th, 1928, included a brief report of the funeral of ‘The Late Mr A B Reynolds of Hull’. A married man with children, 66 year old Albert Reynolds was an insurance agent, and had worked for…
Church Farmhouse and Nearby Cottages
Accordingly to Historic England, Church Farmhouse, a Grade II Listed Building) was built in the early 17th century. However, the present owners believe it was built or evolved much earlier, as there are parts of the building which may date from the 14th or 15th century. Farmhouse owned and occupied by Benjamin Turner At the…
Schools’ Netball League
Great Ellingham Girls School Netball Team. Possibly early 1930s. Teacher Olive Summers. Back row: Joy Lee, Mary Pollard, Ada Saunders, Ethel Edwards Front row: Georgina Newby, Vera Catling, Elsie Leech. Photograph courtesy of Carol Ewin. At an annual meeting of the South Norfolk Schools’ Football League held in October, 1927, it was suggested that ‘something…
Auction of William Harley’s Belongings
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…
House with Barn, Yard and Garden at Bush Green
Extract from an 18th century Map. Stalland and Bush Green Commons, Great Ellingham. Original held at Norfolk Record Office. Catalgoue Ref NRO, MC 2213/116. With kind permission of NRO The above extract from an eighteenth century map, shows the position of a house (or rather a cottage) with a barn, yard and garden at Bush…
John Wilkins’ Home in Church Street
Whilst we can usually find the names of our ancestors in parish registers and, sometimes, reference to the place where they lived, the registers rarely tell us whereabouts in a town or village our ancestors actually lived. If our ancestors were sufficiently wealthy to own property, we may be fortunate to find surviving deeds and/or…
WWII and Deopham Green Airfield
The straight road across what would have been the airfield between Great Ellingham and Deopham. Photograph taken July 2019 Although I tend to concentrate my blogs on the events and people in the village of Great Ellingham in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, it would be remiss of me not to mention Deopham Green Airfield….