Arthur Pollard outside his shop Ye Olde Thatche Shoppe. Postcard Carol Ewin
The Pollard Family arrive in Great Ellingham
Arthur John Pollard and his wife Bessie (Ann Elizabeth) came to Great Ellingham with their 7 year old daughter Mary and son Cyril in 1926, and moved into the shop in Church Street from which Frederick Neeve had just retired.
Although Frederick Neeve retained the ownership of the shop and adjoininig house, Arthur rented the shop and part of the dwelling.
Headed Notepaper for A J Pollard courtesy Carol Ewin
It may have been at this time that the shop became known as ‘Ye Olde Thatche Shoppe’. The name would continue for several decades.
Arthur Pollard becomes the owner of Ye Olde Thatche Shoppe
It would appear that Frederick Neeve and his tenant, Arthur Pollard, were also good friends. In his will of the 5th October, 1940, Frederick William Neeve (described as a retired grocer), appointed grocer Arthur John Pollard of Church Street, Great Ellingham as his sole executor.
Frederick Neeve died on the 14th August, 1943. On the 1st December, 1943, the ownership of the shop (together with the adjoining dwellinghouse) was transferred to Arthur Pollard.
Mary Pollard outside her parent’s shop in Church Street
Pollard Family
The son of Arthur George and Mary Ann Pollard, Arthur was born in Catfield, Norfolk. The 1891 census finds the Pollard family living in Common Road, Brunstead (or Brumstead). The family are still in Brunstead at the time of the 1911 census.
Arthur and Bessie married in 1913.
Around 13 years later, and after living in St Faiths, they moved into ‘Ye Olde Thatche Shoppe’ in Great Ellingham. Their daughter and son attended the local school. The family attended the Methodist Church in the village.
Arthur’s parents were buried in the churchyard at Great Ellingham – Arthur George Pollard was buried on June 6th, 1934 aged 78 years and Mary Ann Pollard on June 6th, 1953 aged 89 yrs.
In 1952 Arthur J Pollard retired, and he sold the premises to Arthur George Cracknell.
Arthur retained some of the land adjacent to the dwelling and shop (and which stretched to the Attleborough to Watton Road). The couple’s retirement bungalow was built on this land.
Both Arthur and his wife Bessie are buried in the churchyard just a ‘stone’s throw’ from ‘Ye Olde Thatche Shoppe’.
Descendants of Arthur and Bessie Pollard still live in the village today.
[Updated 28th July 2022]
Sources:
1911 census RG14/11140/17
1901 census RG13/1821/69
1891 census RG12/1508/73
Postcards and Family Information: Carol Ewin
Great Ellingham Parish Registers Norfolk Record Office PD/609
FreeBMD website accessed 09/07/2019
Historical Deeds to Messuage, Cottages and Land in Church Street, Great Ellingham. Thanks to Erica Betts