I find it fascinating (but I guess it’s not unusual) just how many ‘Great Ellingham families’ link. These connections are, of course, usually by marriage.
The following report was published in the Diss Express on Friday 12th May 1933:
DICKLEBURGH
DEATH
One of the most respected inhabitants of the village has passed away in the person of Mrs. Mary Louisa Limmer, who died at her residence, “Ivy House”, on Wednesday. Deceased, who was 64 years of age was the daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Thomas Wilby and widow of the late Mr William Limmer. She was a native of Great Ellingham and had resided in Dickleburgh for about 45 years. Mrs Limmer was connected with the Women’s Unionist Association and was secretary for some time. The funeral takes place on Monday at 2.30.
What piqued my particular interest is that Mary Limmer is said to be ‘a native of Great Ellingham’.
I decided to find out more about Mary Limmer. Who were her parents? Was she born in Great Ellingham? How long did she reside in the village and where?
The research took me on quite a journey. I discovered that Mary’s paternal step-great grandfather, Charles Chaplin (Chaplen) married Mary Cocking, the sister of Little Ellingham born Daniel William Cocking who for many years, owned the property later known as ‘Ye Olde Thatche Shoppe’, in Church Street, Great Ellingham.
I also found that this ‘Great Ellingham girl’ championed the Women’s Unionist Association.
We begin Mary’s story with her birth in Great Ellingham.
Great Ellingham Born
Mary Louisa Wilby was born in Great Ellingham on the 23rd February, 1869. She was the fourth of eleven known children of Thomas Wilby and his wife Harriet nèe Haws (also found as Hawes).
Thomas Wilby
Church of St Andrew Deopham
Mary’s father, Thomas Wilby, was born in nearby Deopham. The son of horse dealer James Wilby and his Welsh born wife Jane nèe Corbett, Thomas was baptised in the parish church of Deopham with Hackford on the 22nd September, 1844. Within a year or so, James Wilby was dead.
St Peter’s Church, Little Ellingham
On the 10th October, 1848, James Wilby’s widow, Jane, married dealer Daniel Chaplin in the parish church of Little Ellingham. Daniel’s parents are Charles Chaplin and Mary, late Mary Cocking.
The 1851 census captures Daniel and Jane Chaplin with their children living at Bush Green, Great Ellingham. The Chaplins employ 45 year old Rebecca Larance as a general servant.
The children include two of Jane’s children from her marriage to James Wilby. Martha Wilby aged 8 and Thomas aged 7. Daniel and Jane also have two children of their own. Joseph Chaplin aged 2 and 11 month old Mary Elizabeth Chaplin. Daniel Chaplin is farming some 25 acres.
Extract from an 18th century Map. Stalland and Bush Green Commons, Great Ellingham. All rights reserved Norfolk Record Office.
Catalogue Ref NRO, MC 2213/116. With kind permission of NRO
Unfortunately, I do not know exactly where the family were living at Bush Green. However I do not believe it was either of the farms later known as Haugh Farm or Hill House Farm.
Extract from 1906 Ordnance Survey Map. Second Edition. Surveyed in 1881. Revised 1904.
This Chaplin family (including siblings Martha and Thomas Wilby), is still at Bush Green in 1861.
Marriage of Mary Louisa’s Parents
On the 20th October, 1864, 20 year old Thomas Wilby married 20 year old Harriet Haws in Burston. At the time of the marriage, both Thomas and Harriet were living in Burston. Thomas is working as a baker.
Great Ellingham
Thomas Wilby returned to Great Ellingham with his wife prior to the birth of their first known child, Elizabeth, in 1865. Mildred Alice arrived in 1866, Florence Jane in 1867 and Mary Louisa in 1869. Thomas Walton Corbett arrived towards the end of the following year.
1871 census
The national headcount undertaken on the 2nd April, 1871, captures 26 year old farmer Thomas Wilby with his 27 year old wife Harriet and children at Bush Green, Great Ellingham. Thomas is farming some 25 acres.
Are they living in the very same property which Thomas had lived in with his mother Jane and step-father Daniel Chaplin? I think they most probably are as, like his step-father, Thomas is farming 25 acres.
Death of Two Children
Sadly, Thomas and Jane’s daughter Mildred Alice died aged 6 in 1872. In 1874, Edith Harriet died aged 2.
Further Children
Jane Wilby gave birth to James William in 1874. He was followed by David Morris in 1875, Annie Martha in 1877 and Edith Lorina in 1879. These children were all born in Great Ellingham.
School Board
In 1875, Thomas Wilby was elected to the School Board. This was the former ‘British School‘ in Long Street. In June 1879, Thomas was appointed Vice-Chairman with the Chairman being the Reverend J. Toll.
Move to Pulham St Mary
Nevertheless by the time of the 1881 census, Thomas and Harriet Wilby along with their surviving children (including their daughter Mary Louisa), moved to Pulham St Mary. It seems that Thomas Wilby had decided to give up farming.
Auction of Farming Stock
The Norfolk Chronicle of the 20th September, 1879, included a notice of a forthcoming auction in Great Ellingham of the ‘farming stock and other effects of Mr Thomas Wilby who is giving up farming’.
Specific details of the ‘farming stock and other effects’ appear in a similar notice published in the Norfolk Chronicle on the 27th September, 1879.
These include ‘two horses and a capital bay filly foal by “Drayman”, breeding sow and nine pigs, forty fowls, excellent one-horse tumbril, corn dressing machine, turnip cutters, roll, harrows, ploughs, horse hoe, harness and about 3000 clay lumps, stack of straw, dairy utensils and other effects..’
1881 census
The 1881 census finds 34 year old Thomas Wilby living in Pulham St Mary and working as a butcher. With him is his 37 year old wife Harriet and eight surviving children. Mary Louisa is listed as a scholar aged 12.
Baptism at 19
On the 17th June, 1888, Mary Louisa Wilby then aged 19, is baptised in the parish church at Dickleburgh. We can but wonder why Mary decided to be baptised at that time.
Perhaps Mary had already met William Limmer and in future plans being discussed (including marriage), it came to light that Mary had not been baptised. It may also have been an informed decision by Mary to commit to her faith.
Marriage
On the 26th November, 1890, 21 year old Mary Louisa Wilby marries 31 year old Dickleburgh builder William Limmer.
1891 census
Following the marriage, the couple’s first home together may well be at the Common, Dickleburgh where they are living at the time of the 1891 census.
1901 census
Ten years later, William and Mary Limmer are living at Harveys Lane in Dickleburgh. They now have three children Elizabeth 9, William 5 and Ada 3, as well as a 14 year old domestic servant, Ellen Bartrum.
1911 census
The couple are still living in Dickleburgh at the time of the 1911 census. At 52, William Limmer is still working as a builder. 13 year old daughter Ada is living with her parents. Although I do not know exactly where in Dickleburgh the Limmers were living, the census tells us that they occupied a six-roomed property.
1921
Ten years later, the 1921 census describes 62 year old William Limmer as a builder, well sinker, artisan, well borer and farmer.
Mary is now 52 and the couple have two of their three children living with them. 25 year old son William is carrying on similar work to his father. 24 year old Ada is employed as a civil servant for the Post Office Savings Bank.
Women’s Unionist Association
The report published in the Diss Express following Mary Limmer’s death in 1933, told us that Mary had (for several years), taken an active role in the Women’s Unionist Association.
Founded around 1918/1919, the Women’s Unionist Association strived to bring women into the political sphere.
The following report was published in the Diss Express on Friday 31st August, 1928:
DICKLEBURGH
PRESENTATION MEETING
An interesting presentation was made at Dickleburgh Schoolroom recently, to Mrs W Limmer sen., the retiring hon. secretary and treasurer of the Dickleburgh, Thelveton and Shrimpling Women’s Unionist Association. Mrs Limmer who retirement is occasioned through ill-health of her husband and who has filled the above offices for six years, was the recipient of a beautiful solid silver salver, suitably engraved, and subscribed for by the members of the three parishes.
In the unavoidable absence of the President, Mrs C D Tracy (Scole), the presentation was made by Mrs S Bye (chairman of the Association) who in doing so said the members were glad to have an opportunity of expressing in a tangible form their thanks and appreciation of Mrs Limmer’s work, which had resulted in a big increase in the membership to 221. They hoped there would soon be an improvement in the health of Mr Limmer. The recipient made suitable acknowledgement. To fill the vacancy, Mrs H Evans consented to serve as secretary, and Miss F Hart as treasurer.
Deaths of William & Mary Limmer
Mary’s husband, William Limmer, died in Dickleburgh on the 17th January, 1929.
Mary Louisa Limmer, a ‘native of Great Ellingham’, died at her home, Ivy House, in Dickleburgh on the 10th May, 1933.
Sources:
1851 census HO107/1823/122
1861 census RG9/1237/97
1871 census RG10/1841/94
1881 census RG11/1968/94
1891 census RG12/1544/109
1901 census RG13/1862/28
1911 census RG14/11430/12
1921 census RG15/9776 ED5 Sch.143
31 August 1928 Diss Express
12 May 1933 Diss Express
21 June 1879 Norfolk News
20 September 1879 Norfolk Chronicle
27 September 1879 Norfolk Chronicle
Newspapers viewed via The British Newspaper Archive website
Little Ellingham Parish Registers Norfolk Record Office PD 568
Great Ellingham Parish Registers Norfolk Record Office PD 609
Deopham with Hackford Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office PD 485
Dickleburgh Parish Registers Norfolk Record Office PD 704
Viewed via www.ancestry.co.uk. Some parish registers also available www.familysearch.org
1935 Mary Louisa Limmer. England & Wales National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills & Administration) 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.
William Limmer & Mary Louisa Limmer. Uk & Ireland Find a Grave Index. Ancestry.com. UK and Ireland, Find a Grave® Index, 1300s-Current [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Find a Grave. Find a Grave®. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi.
GRO Index via FreeBMD website and GRO