1960s Long Street. The old thatched farmhouse of Broadmarsh Farm is visible to the top of the photograph. Fir Tree Farm is the white cottage to the right (as facing the photograph) Courtesy Michelle Baron
Jeremiah Warren was born in Great Ellingham. He was the eldest of three children of William Kiddle Warren and his wife Elizabeth (nèe Whittred).
On the 1st February, 1829, Jeremiah was baptised in St James’s Church. The church is near to the home of Jeremiah’s paternal grandparents, Thomas and Jane Warren. Much later, this property became known as Islay House (today, Orchard Cottage).
Jeremiah’s maternal grandparents, John and Elizabeth Whittred, lived in Long Street. They occupied the farm which later became known as Cemetery Farm (today, Home Farm).
I think it more than likely that Jeremiah and his siblings, Joseph and Elizabeth, spent most (if not all) of their early childhood at the home of their maternal grandparents.
1841 census
Nevertheless, at the time of the 1841 census, 12 year old Jeremiah is one of four boys in the household of schoolmaster, Goodwin Kilburn in Hackford with Reepham.
His mother, Elizabeth, along with Jeremiah’s 9 year old brother, Joseph, is with her parents, John and Elizabeth Whittred in Long Street. However, I do not know the whereabouts of Jeremiah’s 7 year old sister, Elizabeth.
Nevertheless, Jeremiah’s father, Willliam Kiddle Warren, appears to be in Diss. I wonder how much time William Kiddle Warren actually spent with his family in Great Ellingham.
A Conveyance Deed of 1845 gives William Kiddle Warren’s abode as ‘late of Roydon but now of the City of Norwich’. I have no doubt that Jeremiah’s mother Elizabeth remained living in Great Ellingham with her parents.
Father Convicted of Forgery
In 1849 Jeremiah’s father, William Kiddle Warren, was convicted of forgery. He received a sentence of 10 years transportation. As it happens, he was not transported. On the 1st December, 1853, he was granted a licence for early release.
1851 census
Be that as it may, at the time of the 1851 census, Jeremiah’s father was still in prison. His mother, Elizabeth, is with her widowed mother in Long Street.
(Far left), St James’s Church, next ‘Islay House’, once the home of Thomas & Jane Warren, (right) ‘Ye Olde Thatche Shoppe’, part of which was once the home of siblings Jeremiah, Joseph & Elizabeth Warren
Courtesy Ewin Family
22 year old linen draper, Jeremiah Warren, his 20 year old brother Joseph and 17 year old sister Elizabeth are all living together at a property in Church Street. The property also included Jeremiah Warren’s draper’s and general shop. Much later, this property became known as ‘Ye Olde Thatche Shoppe’. However, Jeremiah did not own the premises. The premises were leased from Daniel William Cocking Warren.
Marriage
Holy Trinity Church, Great Hockham
Photograph taken February 2023
On the 29th July, 1852, grocer Jeremiah Warren married Jane Boyce, the daughter of Hockham glazier Robert Boyce. The marriage took place in the parish church of Great & Little Hockham. Following the marriage, Jeremiah continued to run his shop in Great Ellingham.
The next year, Jeremiah and Jane welcomed their son, Robert William Warren (also found as William Robert Warren). The child was baptised in St James’s Church on the 5th May, 1853.
In 1854, the couple welcomed a daughter, Emma Jane. A year later, Jane Warren gave birth to another son, Joseph John. Sadly, Jeremiah and Jane buried Joseph John within two weeks of his baptism.
Financial Difficulties
It was around this time that Jeremiah found himself in financial difficulties. Although his father had been released from prison, I am unclear as to William Kiddle Warren’s whereabouts at this time. Accordingly, I do not know whether Jeremiah consulted his father with regard to his predicament.
Loan from Grandfather
Nevertheless, Jeremiah did turn to his paternal grandfather, Thomas Warren, for support. Thomas Warren lent Jeremiah the sum of £200. However, this did not resolve Jeremiah’s situation.
On the 4th June, 1856, Jeremiah ‘gave up the possession of the drapery premises’ to his grandfather, and took himself off to London to pursue ‘a situation’.
Nonetheless, he then ‘landed himself in hot water‘. Having ‘given up’ the premises (and presumably his stock and trade) to his grandfather, on the 17th June, Jeremiah entered into an assignment with Stephen Hudbud. He authorised Hudbud to sell all his property by auction or private contract in order to satisfy his creditors.
Court Case
A court case followed as Hudbud employed a bailiff, John Minns, to take possession of Warren’s property. However, the instructions given to Minns were merely ‘to have an eye’ to the goods. He did not authorise him to remove or take anything away – which apparently he did, and was the nub of the case.
Minns of Cowgate Street in Norwich was charged with stealing a quantity of cloth, drapery, caps, gloves and other wearing apparel from Jeremiah Warren’s shop in Great Ellingham. Minns’ son-in-law, a man called Fish, was also implicated.
As it happens, Minns is acquitted.
Fanny Elizabeth
Not long after relocating his family to the Shoreditch area of London, Jeremiah and Jane Warren welcomed Fanny Elizabeth Warren in 1857. Sadly, the child died within a few months.
Death of Thomas Warren
On the 30th March, 1858, Jeremiah’s paternal grandfather, Thomas Warren, died in Norwich.
Thomas left a life interest in his ‘messuage or farmhouse and lands situate and being in Great Ellingham and now in the occupation of John Day …’. to his grandson, Jeremiah Warren. This was subject to Jeremiah keeping the building in good and tenantable repair and insured from fire.
On Jeremiah’s death, Thomas directed that the ownership of the farm would pass to Jeremiah’s eldest son, Robert William Warren (William Robert Warren).
Accordingly in 1858, Jeremiah Warren became the new owner of Broadmarsh Farm.
Later the same year, Jeremiah and Jane welcomed another daughter, Maria. Thomas Henry followed in 1859 and Martha Ann in 1861. Within months of Martha Ann’s birth, Jeremiah and Jane buried one year old Thomas Henry.
1861 census
The national head-count undertaken on the 7th April, 1861 captures 32 year old commercial traveller Jeremiah Warren living at 4 Pearse Street, Hoxton, London. With Jeremiah is his 30 year old wife Jane and children Robert William 7, Emma Jane 6, Maria 2 and three month old Martha Ann. Jeremiah employs 18 year old Hoxton born Matilda Deaken as a servant.
Living next door is 33 year old Hockham born William Boyce, his wife Martha and children Robert 4 and Arthur 1. I am assuming that William Boyce is Jane Warren’s brother, or some other relative.
Death of Jane Warren
Tragically within a few months, Jane Warren is dead. However, Jane was in Hockham (perhaps with her parents) when she died. On the 15th August, 1861, Jane is buried in the churchyard at Hockham.
New Tenant at Broadmarsh Farm
In October, 1863, Jeremiah Warren let Broadmarsh Farm to Francis Houchen.
Two years earlier, the 1861 census finds 41 year old thatcher Francis Houchen with his 40 year old wife Matilda (nèe Dey) living at the north side of Long Street. With them is their children Sarah 17, James 15, Jane 13 and 4 year old William. I do not think they were then at Broadmarsh Farm.
However, Francis Houchen entered into an Agreement with Jeremiah Warren on the 23rd December, 1863. The Agreement provided for a tenancy of 8 years (from 11 October 1863) at an annual rent of £66.
Jeremiah Remarries
On the 17th October, 1864, widower Jeremiah Warren marries spinster Mary Smith at St Pancras Parish Church, Euston Road, London. It seems that Jeremiah’s father, William Kiddle Warren, and Mary’s father, George Smith, are both deceased.
Mortgage
5 September 1865 Mortgage of Life Interest with Policy. Jeremiah Warren to Robert J H Harvey & Others.
Courtesy David & Julia Matthews
A year later, on the 5th September, 1865, Jeremiah Warren borrows £500 plus interest from Robert John H Harvey Esq., William John Utten Browne Esq., James Cockburn, a Colonel in her Majesty’s Army (all of the City of Norwich), and Robert Blake Humfrey Esq., of Wroxham.
Jeremiah is then living at Malvern Terrace, Park Lane in the parish of Tottenham, Middlesex. His occupation is ‘traveller’. I have no doubt that Jeremiah is still working as a commercial traveller.
The loan is secured over Jeremiah’s life interest in Broadmarsh Farm AND a life policy of assurance with the Norwich Union Life Insurance Society. The policy provides for an assured sum of £550. It has an annual premium of £15 16s 3d.
The mortgage deed also refers to the tenancy agreement in favour of Francis Houchen.
1871 census
The national census of 1871 finds 50 year old Francis Houchen in Long Street. He is a farmer of some 59 acres and employs one labourer and two boys. With him is his wife Matilda, daughter Sarah aged 26 and 14 year old son William.
The same census captures 42 year old commercial traveller Jeremiah Warren at 14 Malvern Terrace, Tottenham. With him is his (second) wife 36 year old Windsor born Mary and Jeremiah’s children, Robert 17, Emma 16, Maria 12 and Martha 10. Robert Warren is now working as a clerk to a merchant.
1881 census
Ten years later, Francis and Matilda Houchen are still farming in Long Street. I have no doubt that they are still at Broadmarsh Farm. Francis is now farming 76 acres and employs two labourers and one boy. 24 year old William is their only child still ‘living at home’.
Now 50 years old, Jeremiah Warren is still working as a commercial traveller and living at 14 Malvern Terrace, Tottenham. His wife Mary is now 44 and Jeremiah’s daughters, Maria and Martha are still ‘living at home’.
Death of Francis Houchen
Francis Houchen died on the 21st November, 1890. I do not know whether Francis Houchen died at Broadmarsh Farm. Nevertheless, his death brought any remaining tenancy of the farm to an end.
By 1891, Francis Houchen’s widow Matilda had moved in with her son and daughter-in-law, carpenter James and Hannah Houchen who also lived in Long Street.
Unfortunately I do not know who occupied the farm immediately after the tenure of Francis Houchen. Of course, it may have then been unoccupied.
Move to East Dereham
Nevertheless by 1891, Jeremiah and Mary Warren had moved from Tottenham to East Dereham.
The 1891 census captures 61 year old Jeremiah with Mary and his 25 year old unmarried daughter Martha living at No.7 Park Villa, Park Road in East Dereham. Jeremiah’s nephew, Joseph J W Warren and his wife are living at No.1 Park Road with their family. Jeremiah is no longer working as a commercial traveller. The census indicates that he left work because of sciatica.
Death of Jeremiah Warren
Great Ellingham born Jeremiah Warren died at East Dereham on the 30th November, 1896.
After some 38 years, Broadmarsh Farm would have a new owner.
Nevertheless, in accordance with the last will and testament of Thomas Warren, the ownership of Broadmarsh would now pass to the eldest son of Jeremiah Warren, Robert William Warren.
Sources:
Private Property Deeds. Thanks to David & Julia Matthews
Great Ellingham Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office PD 609. Also available via familysearch.org, www.ancestry.co.uk & other subscription websites
1849 31 March. Northern Star. “Assize Intelligence.” Northern Star [1838], 31 Mar. 1849. British Library Newspapers, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/Y3207547869/BNCN?u=nl_earl&sid=BNCN&xid=54e29cb8. Accessed 3 July 2020.
1853 Licence number 206: William Kiddle Warren. Licence Granted 1 December 1853, for early release from Stirling Castle hulk prison. The National Archives, Kew. Ref: PCOM 3/3/206
1845, 20th December. Conveyance. Thomas Warren & William Kiddle Warren to Benjamin Barnard. Bury Hall Deeds Collection. Emma Wilson
Hockham, Great & Little. Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office. PD 486. Viewed via www.ancestry.co.uk
2 July 1856. Norwich Mercury. Viewed on microfilm at the Norfolk Heritage Centre, 2nd floor Millennium Library, The Forum, Norwich.
GRO Index
GRO Index via FreeBMD website
1841 census HO107/781/8, HO107/781/11, HO107/763/12, HO107/758/5
1851 census HO107/1823/132, HO107/1823/130
1861 census RG9/243/39, RG9/1237/78
1871 census RG10/1338/149, RG10/1841/91
1881 census RG11/1380/87, RG11/1974/90
1891 census RG12/1555/14, RG/1549/78
Marriage. Jeremiah Warren & Mary Smith. 17 Oct. 1864. Saint Pancras Parish Church. London, England. Church of England Marriages & Banns 1754-1940. London Metropolitan Archives; London, England, UK; London Church of England Parish Registers. Ancestry.com. London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1940 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.
Norfolk, England, Register of Electors 1832-1915. Ancestry.com. Norfolk, England, Register of Electors, 1832-1915 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016. Original data: England, Norfolk Register of Electors, 1844-1952. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.
Jeremiah Warren. England & Wales National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills & Administrations), 1858-1995. Principal Probate Registry; London, England; Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration made in the Probate Registries of the High Court of Justice in England. Ancestry.com. England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.