Extract from 1906 Ordnance Survey Map. Second Edition. Surveyed in 1881. Revised 1904
In 1862, 31 year old Joseph Warren inherited two farms in Great Ellingham. The farms had belonged to John Whittred, his late maternal grandfather.
The larger of the two farms, later known as Cemetery Farm (today Home Farm), was purchased by John Whittred from John Wiggett around 1812. In 1831, John Whittred purchased an adjoining farm which had been previously owned and occupied by the Brooke family. For ease of reference, I refer to each of these farms as either Cemetery Farm or Brooke’s Farm.
When he died in 1842, John Whittred left a life tenancy in his properties firstly to his wife Elizabeth and then to his married daughter, Elizabeth Warren. It was following the death of both Elizabeth Whittred and Elizabeth Warren that Joseph Warren inherited the properties. By then, several cottages and buildings had been built upon some of the land.
Early Life
Joseph Warren was the second son of William Kiddle Warren and his wife Elizabeth Whittred. He was born in Great Ellingham in 1831 and baptised in St James’s Church on the 14th August, 1831. His elder brother, Jeremiah, was around the age of 2 when Joseph was born. His sister, Elizabeth, was born around 1834.
Absent Father
By all accounts, the siblings spent their early life with their mother at the home of their maternal grandparents, John and Elizabeth Whittred at Cemetery Farm in Long Street. However, I do not know how much time their father spent with his wife and children. He seems to be living away from home at various times. Indeed in 1849, William Kiddle Warren was convicted of forgery and sentenced to 10 years transportation. In the event, he was not transported but granted early release in 1853.
Grandparents
Nevertheless, Joseph and his siblings would have often seen their paternal grandparents, Thomas and Frances Jane (Jane) Warren. They lived at the house in Church Street which later became known as Islay House (today Orchard Cottage). Thomas Warren also owned the farm in Long Street which later became known as Broadmarsh Farm.
After Jane Warren died on the last day of 1836, Thomas Warren remained living at Islay House. Nevertheless by 1845, Thomas Warren had moved to Norwich and remarried. However, Thomas Warren retained the ownership of Broadmarsh Farm.
Joseph’s maternal grandfather, John Whittred, died in 1841. However his mother and maternal grandmother continued to live in the farmhouse at Cemetery Farm, and then at the farmhouse of Brooke’s Farm.
1851 census
The national head-count of 1851 finds 20 year old Joseph Warren with his elder brother Jeremiah and sister Elizabeth at premises in Church Street, opposite the house once occupied by their paternal grandparents. Jeremiah also has his drapery and grocers shop at the premises. This shop would later become known as ‘Ye Olde Thatche Shoppe’.
Marriage & Death of Grandfather
On the 22nd March, 1858, Joseph Warren marries Sarah Wilson at the General Baptist Church in March, Cambridgeshire.
Just a week later, Joseph’s paternal grandfather Thomas Warren died. Joseph and his brother and sister, benefited from their grandfather’s will. Nevertheless, it is Jeremiah Warren who inherited Broadmarsh Farm from Thomas Warren.
However, Joseph stood to inherit his maternal grandfather John Whittred’s property, but only after the life tenancies in favour of his grandmother and mother.
First Child
Joseph and Sarah’s first child, Joseph John Wilson Warren was born in 1859. The birth was registered in the Wayland District. Many years later, Joseph confirmed his place of birth as Attleborough.
Move to East Dereham
Market Place, Dereham – Cowper Church with tower c.1900-1905
Courtesy Dereham Heritage Trust
The 1861 census captures 29 year old Joseph Warren with his 31 year old wife Sarah and one year old Joseph living in Market Place, East Dereham. Joseph has a drapery business. Also in the household are two apprentice drapers, 18 year old John Wilson and 16 year old Annie Askew. Sarah Warren’s brother, 26 year old draper Healey Wilson is also with the household. Joseph Warren also employs a general servant, 22 year old Sarah Goddard.
Warren Draper Milliner shop & Cowper House Market Place, Dereham. Courtesy Dereham Heritage Trust
Deaths of Elizabeth Whittred & Elizabeth Warren
Joseph’s maternal grandmother Elizabeth Whittred died on the 9th February, 1862. Her age is recorded as 89.
Sadly for Joseph, his mother Elizabeth Warren died at 57 in the April of the following year.
Both Elizabeth Whittred and Elizabeth Warren left wills. Nevertheless, the ownership of Cemetery Farm and Brooke’s Farm (together with all the cottages) passes to Joseph Warren in accordance with John Whittred’s will of 23rd March, 1841.
Joseph Warren Mortgages his Long Street Properties
On the 12th May, 1866, Joseph Warren borrows the sum of £2,000 from the Reverend John Bowman Turner of Barford. Today this sum equates to around £200,000. The debt is secured over Joseph’s properties in Great Ellingham and East Dereham.
The Great Ellingham properties are described in the mortgage deed as
An estate consisting of a farmhouse barn outbuildings and 13 cottages or tenements and 56 acres of land or thereabouts situate in Great Ellingham.....now or late in the several occupations of George Studd, Samuel Clarke, Widow Bridgman, John Tuthill, Widow Hazel, Edward Pitts, Robert Spencer, Rhoda Carter, Walter Skipper, Lydia Lock, Widow Brown, George Beales, Widow Fox, James Beales ..
Together, the rents amount to £160.
The mortgage deed also tells us that the estate is principally freehold and the residue is copyhold of the Manors of Ellingham Hall and Ellingham Rectory. It also confirms that the estate was acquired by Mr Joseph Warren under the will of John Whittred.
I have no doubt that Joseph Warren’s Great Ellingham mortgaged properties included both Cemetery Farm and the former Brooke’s Farm. Earlier in 1861, Joseph’s maternal grandmother dealt with the enfranchisement of the parts of Cemetery Farm and Brooke’s Farm which had previously been copyhold of the Manors of Buckenham Lathes and Buckenham Castle.
The mortgage also included an estate in Market Place, East Dereham comprised of two dwellings and shop with a pightle. Joseph had purchased these premises in 1865.
Joseph buys the Premises adjoining The Crown
On the 12th October, 1868, Joseph Warren buys the premises adjoining The Crown Public House in Great Ellingham. However, he continued to live in East Dereham and also let this property to tenants.
Cottages
We know from the description of Joseph Warren’s properties given in the 1866 Mortgage Deed that Joseph Warren owned 13 cottages as well as the farmhouse of Cemetery Farm. I feel sure that all these cottages are in Long Street. In addition, we have the names of the occupiers.
George Studd
The 1871 census finds 51 year old Pentney born George Studd living in Long Street. He is farming some 70 acres and an employer of two labourers. I have no doubt that he is at Cemetery Farm.
With George is his second wife Rosanna (Rose) whom he married in 1868. His first wife, the former Abigail Warren, died in Great Ellingham in 1867. She was a daughter of Samuel Warren who lived at Tanyard Farm.
Living with George and Rose are George’s children George 18, Emma 14, Arthur 11 and Kate 9.
However by 1881, the Studd family had moved back to East Dereham. The 1881 census finds the Studd family in Norwich Street, East Dereham.
George is described as a Temperance Hotel Keeper and wife Rose is working as a schoolteacher. Two of George Studd’s children from his first marriage – George 27 and Kate 19 are with the household along with George and Rose’s own child, Herbert aged 9, who was born in Great Ellingham. The household further includes Rose’s mother and brother as well as a general domestic servant.
Unfortunately I do not know who occupied Cemetery Farm following George Studd’s departure. However, Cemetery Farm together with the cottages and the land which was once Brooke’s Farm, continued to be owned by Joseph Warren.
Proposed Sale or Re-Letting of Cemetery Farm
In or before 1892, Joseph Warren decided to sell or re-let Cemetery Farm. Notice of an intended sale or re-let of the property appeared in the Norfolk News on the 27th August, 1892.
A further notice regarding the letting of Cemetery Farm appeared in the Norfolk Chronicle published on the 2nd July 1898. Cemetery Farm comprise a ‘convenient house and premises’ with 6½ acres of land. The Land Agent & Valuer is no other than Joseph Warren’s son, Thomas Healey Warren.
I am unclear as to whether Joseph Warren secured a tenant for Cemetery Farm at this time.
Death of Joseph Warren
Great Ellingham born Joseph Warren died in East Dereham at the age of 69 on the 9th January, 1900. By all accounts, Joseph had been a shrewd businessman and at the time of his death, owned properties in Great Ellingham and East Dereham.
However, this did not include the premises which adjoined The Crown Public House. In 1885, Joseph had conveyed this property to his son, Harry John Whittred Warren.
Joseph Warren’s Will
Joseph’s will is dated 1st June, 1896. He appoints his wife Sarah, his brother-in-law Healey Wilson and local bank manager Arthur Massingham, as his executors and trustees.
Numerous Properties
He gives “all those my messuage and farmhouse and arable and pasture land containing 56 acres and seven cottages all situate in Great Ellingham…” and “..all those my 25 messuages or dwellinghouses and land situate at the north east side of Park Road East Dereham..” to his trustees.
The net profits arising from the properties to be paid to his wife Sarah during her lifetime, or until such time as she remarries. The properties would then be sold and the proceeds to fall into Joseph’s residuary estate.
Building Land
Joseph directed his trustees to sell all his building land at Park Road East Dereham “on the opposite side of the road to the 25 houses..” and also to sell his cottage and land at Terrington St Clement as well as any other property or properties he may own. However this excludes his messuage, dwellinghouse, shop, premises and garden in Market Place, East Dereham.
Home & Business
With regard to Joseph’s home and business in Market Place, East Dereham, his trustees are to offer the dwellinghouse, shop, premises and garden together with the stock in trade, book debts and all other business assets to his son, Joseph John Wilson Warren. Joseph Jnr will have a period of three months in which to accept or decline the offer.
Should Joseph Jnr decline the offer, then the business and premises to be sold. In any event, any purchaser (including Joseph Jnr) may pay the purchase price by instalments (with interest) but this is limited to a period not exceeding 5 years from the death of Joseph Warren senior.
Further, should Joseph Jnr wish to purchase the business and business premises, he is entitled to retain £1,250 from the purchase price (to be agreed by valuation). This sum to be treated as on account of his ultimate share under his father’s will.
Gifts to Wife
Joseph Warren gives to his wife Sarah all his wearing apparel, jewellery & trinkets, plate, linen, china, glass, books, pictures, prints, furniture and other household effects for her absolute use and benefit. He also gives Sarah the sum of £100 for her immediate support.
Residuary Estate
As to Joseph’s residuary estate, this to be divided into four shares. One fourth share each to sons Joseph John Wilson Warren, Harry John Whittred Warren and Tom Healey Kiddle Warren.
The remaining fourth share to be invested by the trustees to provide an annual income for Joseph’s daughter Sarah Elizabeth Warren during her lifetime. However, in the event of Sarah marrying, the trustees have full discretion to pay over her share for her absolute benefit.
Joseph also provided for grandchildren to take a deceased parent’s share, but this is subject to each of them reaching 21 years – or, in the case of granddaughters, a marriage if this happens sooner than a granddaughter reaching the age of 21.
Joseph Warren’s will was proved by all three executors on the 10th April, 1900.
Cemetery Farm & Cottages
With regard to Cemetery Farm and the cottages in Great Ellingham, these would continue be held in trust by the trustees of the late Joseph Warren. Accordingly, they would continue to be let with the net rents benefiting Joseph Warren’s widow Sarah.
It would only be after Sarah’s death, that Cemetery Farm and all the cottages would be sold.
As it happens, Sarah Warren died the year after proving her late husband’s will.
Accordingly, after being owned by members of the same family for many years, Cemetery Farm and all the cottages will now be sold.
Sources:
Private Deeds Collection. David & Julia Matthews
Great Ellingham Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office PD 609. Also available via familysearch.org, www.ancestry.co.uk & other subscription websites
1799-1842 F W Horner, Records of the Surveyors to Commissioners for Inclosure in Parishes in Norfolk and Suffolk. Great Ellingham (Act 1799). Norfolk Record Office. Catalogue Ref: NRO, BR 90/2
1841 census HO107/781/8
1851 census HO107/1823/132
1861 census RG9/1242/35
1871 census RG10/1846/49, RG10/1841/91
1881 census RG11/1979/47, RG11/1979/104
1891 census RG12/1554/36
Will of John Whittred. Viewed on microfilm at The Heritage Centre, Millennium Library, The Forum, Norwich. Reference 1842-1844 fo.11 (1842 No.8) ANW ANF 1818-1857. MF 250. GS0167180
1845, 20th December. Conveyance. Thomas Warren & William Kiddle Warren to Benjamin Barnard. Bury Hall. Private Deeds Collection. Emma Wilson
1859 Probate & Will of Thomas Warren. Obtained and downloaded from Find a Will service. https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills 14.07.2020
GRO index via FreeBMD. Also available GRO online
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills & Administrations) 1858-1995. Joseph Warren died 9 January 1900. Probate Norwich 10 April 1900. Copy of will obtained from Find a Will website.
Notice of Marriage Joseph Warren & Sarah Wilson 26 June 1858 Cambridge Chronicle & Journal
27 August 1892 Norfolk News
2 July 1898 Norfolk Chronicle. Newspapers view via The British Newspaper Archive
Private Deeds Collection. Sue Simpson