Photograph taken December 2023
In Parts I and II of the ‘History of Glenfield House & Cottage”, we looked at the owners and occupiers of this delightful thatched and tiled house from around 1762 until 1865.
Here in Part III, we continue the story.
‘Glenfield’
It is only in relatively recent times that the thatched and tiled house along the Attleborough Road has been given the names ‘Glenfield House’ and ‘Glenfield Cottage’.
Glenfield House comprises the tiled roof building, together with a larger part of the thatched building. Glenfield Cottage is the far western part of the thatched building.
However for ease of reference, I will refer to the whole building as ‘Glenfield’.
Having said that, we discovered in Part II that by 1843, the thatched building had been converted to two dwellings, and the barn and outbuildings were now three tenements. Accordingly, it may be difficult to establish which of the occupiers actually lived in ‘Glenfield’
Owner Jeoffrey Warren
In 1834, Jeoffrey Warren inherited ‘Glenfield’ from his father, John Warren of Tanyard Farm. Jeoffrey Warren also owned other property in Great Ellingham, including a house in Church Street, near to the junction with what we today know as Chequers Lane.
For a time, Jeoffrey Warren lived in part of the Church Street house. However between 1836 and 1841, Jeoffrey and his wife Elizabeth moved to (Great) Hockham. Jeoffrey was in partnership with his son-in-law, William Nurse, and together they farmed over 220 acres. As far as I know, they were tenant farmers.
The censuses of 1851 and 1861 tell us that Jeoffrey was blind. We do not, of course, know the degree of his sight impairment, and how it affected his day to day life.
Mortgage
In 1843, Jeoffrey mortgaged his following Great Ellingham properties to widow Emily Cole of ‘Thorpe next Norwich’. The loan was for £400 plus interest.
- Five messuages or tenements with outbuildings, ground and yards in the occupation of William Leeder, Mary Lister widow, Robert Houchen, _____ Thompson widow and _____ Gould. These properties include ‘Glenfield’ which by 1843, had been converted to two dwellings, and a barn and outbuildings which had (also by 1843) been converted into three tenements
- A piece of arable land of around one acre
- The messuage (late of the tenement Bramptsone) in Church Street (near to the junction to what we today know as Chequers Lane)
We can but wonder the purpose of the loan. Was his farming business with his son-in-law William Nurse in trouble?
Death
Nevertheless, Jeoffrey Warren died at Hockham in the February of 1865. He had outlived his wife Elizabeth by around three years. The couple are both buried in the churchyard at Great Hockham.
Holy Trinity Church, Great Hockham
Photograph taken February 2023
At the time of his death, the debt of £400 plus interest secured against his Great Ellingham properties is still outstanding and due to Emily Cole.
Emily Cole
The 1861 census captures 75 year old Emily Cole boarding with 72 year old Ann Cole at Thorpe Road in Norwich. The household also comprises three servants – a cook, housemaid and coachman.
Emily Cole was either born in Brome or Eye, Suffolk. Ann Cole was born in Great Yarmouth. Both women are described as widows and ‘Land & House Proprietors’.
However, the census taken 10 years earlier describes the two women (who were also then sharing a house in Thorpe Road), as ‘unmarried’. This census describes Ann Cole as a ‘Proprietor of Estates’ and Emily Cole an ‘Annuitant’.
Death of Emily Cole
As it happens, Jeoffrey Warren’s lender 79 year old Emily Cole died on the 3rd May, 1865, barely three months after Jeoffrey’s demise.
In her will dated 5th May, 1858, Emily Cole appointed Ann Cole as her sole executrix. She also left her entire estate to Ann. In consequence, the late Jeoffrey Warren’s debt was now due to Ann Cole.
The 1843 Mortgage Deed between Jeoffrey Warren and Emily Cole contained a provision for redemption of the debt, and the subsequent re-conveyance of the properties in Great Ellingham to Warren. However, the deed also included the right for the lender (now Ann Cole) to sell the properties in default.
At the time of Jeoffrey Warren’s death, he still owed the principal sum of £400 plus ‘a considerable amount of interest’.
Notice to Tenants
Ann Cole proved Emily Cole’s will on the 29th June, 1865.
On the 31st August, 1865, each of the respective tenants of the late Jeoffrey Warren’s Great Ellingham properties received the following notice:
I the undersigned William Skipper of the City of Norwich Gentleman, as Agent for, and on behalf of Ann Cole of Thorpe Hamlet near Norwich Widow, the present Mortgagee of the Premises now in your occupation situate at Great Ellingham and late the property of Jeffrey Warren deceased DO hereby give you notice that the whole principal sum charged on the same premises and arrears of Interest are still due to the said Ann Cole and unpaid AND I hereby give you further notice not to pay any rent now due or hereafter to become due for the same premises to any person or persons except to the said Ann Cole or whom she shall appoint to receive the same otherwise you will be distrained for the same rent or rents Dated this Thirtieth day of August, one thousand eight hundred and sixty five (Signed) William Skipper
Subsequently, James Knights declared that on the 31st August, 1865, he had handed a copy of the Notice to:
Jane wife of James Chappell
Samuel Clark personally
Frederick Watson personally
Susan Pea, housekeeper of George Clarke
Mrs Mary Pea, personally
Mrs Mary Warren, personally
The wife of Percy [Perry] Yeomans
Jonathan Houchin personally
I am unclear as to which of the tenants actually lived in ‘Glenfield’. Nevertheless, an 1871 Conveyance of the properties provide further information.
In the meantime, it is clear that Ann Cole took over the management of the properties in her capacity as ‘mortgagee in possession’. The 1843 Mortgage Deed between Emily Cole and Jeoffrey Warren also gave her the right to sell the properties in order to recover the debt.
Ann Cole Sells
On the 16th January, 1871, Ann Cole sold the following properties to Thomas Leeder:
‘Glenfield’
ALL THAT Messuage or tenement and newly erected Wheelwright’s Shop with the yard and garden thereto belonging and adjoining situate and being in Great Ellingham in the County of Norfolk and now in the tenure or occupation of William Woor
AND ALSO all those four Messuages or tenements with the outbuildings, yards and ground thereto belonging and adjoining situate and being in Great Ellingham aforesaid as the same are now in the several tenures or occupations of Mary Warren, Edward Warren and Percy [Perry] Yeomans and the remaining one is unoccupied
AND WHICH said premises lie contiguous and are bounded by the Public Road from Watton to Attleburgh towards the north east by the Churchyard of Great Ellingham aforesaid towards the south and by premises formerly of Roger Yeomans and now late of ________ Hardyment and now of __________ Mason towards the east by lands of Jeremiah Warren towards the south and by the lands of Lord Walsingham towards the west as the same is now in the tenure or occupation of James Carter or howsoever otherwise the said premises are bounded tenanted or might so be described
I believe the ‘Messuage or tenement’ and the ‘newly erected Wheelwright’s shop’ is ‘Glenfield’, and is very much as we see it today i.e. the tiled roof building together with the thatched roof building. At the time of Leeder’s purchase in 1871, the occupier was William Woor.
The other four tenements are those which (by 1843), were converted from a barn and outbuildings. We have the names of the occupiers of three of the four dwellings – Mary Warren, Edward Warren and Perry Yeomans.
Messuage in Church Street
Leeder also purchased the late Jeoffrey Warren’s copyhold messuage with bakehouse in Church Street (near to the junction with Chequers Lane). By then, this property formed three tenements. Deeds refer to this house as being ‘formerly of the tenement Brampstone’.
The red arrow on the map below shows the position of the copyhold messuage with bakehouse in Church Street.
Extract from 1906 Ordnance Survey Map. Second Edition. Surveyed in 1881. Revised 1904.
Church Street Cottages, once owned by Jeoffrey Warren and, later, Thomas Leeder
Photograph taken December 2023
These dwellings were formerly occupied by William Brookes and John Fox, and late of William Warren and William Brookes, but then in the occupation of James Carter, Frederick Watson and [another].
1871 Households
Unfortunately, I have not been able to pinpoint William Woor on the 1871 census.
However, I have found the following households identified by the census as being in Church Street. I think it more than possible that ‘Glenfield’ and the additional dwellings were at that time considered to be part of Church Street. Although there is no guarantee that the census enumerator went ‘door to door’ to collect the census information, I think these were consecutive households.
Yeomans
Perry Yeomans is a 73 year old farm labourer. He was born in Attleborough. With Perry is his 65 year old wife Rebecca who was also born in Attleborough. Their 19 year old son, George, is with them. He is also working as a farm labourer.
Houchin
Next is Great Ellingham born blacksmith Edward Houchin aged 33. He is with his 27 year old wife Martha and five children, with ages ranging from 9 years down to 3. The couple had married in St James’s Church on the 27th December, 1851.
Thirty years previously, Edward (then aged 3) lived with his parents and siblings either in ‘Glenfield’ or nearby.
Empty Dwelling
Next is an unoccupied dwelling.
Widow Warren
81 year old widow Mary Warren is living in the next dwelling. She was born in Rockland St Andrew and is in receipt of an annuity.
Woor
Next is 30 year old master wheelwright David Woor who was born in Morley St Botolph. He is with his 29 year old Besthorpe born wife Maria. They married in Besthorpe on the 24th August, 1863. Boarding with the couple is 20 year old wheelwright, Robert Benseley.
I have no doubt that David Woor occupied the messuage with the newly erected wheelwright’s shop, i.e. ‘Glenfield’.
‘Glenfield’ to the far left of the photograph. ‘The Smithy’ is behind the horse & cart. Courtesy Joan Barnard
Harrods Directory of 1878 lists David Woor as a wheelwright and coach builder in Great Ellingham. However by 1881, David Woor had moved to Attleborough.
Owner Thomas Leeder
We have ‘met’ Thomas Leeder earlier in the history of ‘Glenfield’. He was born in Great Ellingham c.1827.
Some thirty years before his purchase of the properties from Ann Cole, Thomas Leeder lived either in ‘Glenfield’ or nearby with his parents, William and Maria Leeder.
The 1841 census captures 14 year old Thomas Leeder with his parents and siblings in Great Ellingham.
Police Officer
At some point, Thomas became a police officer. The 1851 census captures 23 year old Thomas Leeder ‘lodging’ with the household of 20 year old farm bailiff George Adams and his wife and daughter at Framingham Pigot, Norfolk.
Thomas is described as a police officer. Another person in the household, 18 year old Dennis Healey, is described as ‘prisoner’. Accordingly, it may well be the case that Dennis Healey is in Thomas’s charge.
Marriage
On 11th May, 1853, 24 year old police officer Thomas Leeder marries 30 year old spinster Ann Harvey Fox. They married in the Parish Church of St Mary Le Strand, Westminster. The couple had both been living at No.6 New Church Court before the marriage.
I do not believe there were any children of this marriage.
1861
The 1861 census finds 29 year old Thomas Leeder as a visitor in Great Ellingham. He is visiting his sister Charlotte and her husband James (also found as Jonas) Castleton. Blacksmith James Castleton is also the landlord of the Queen’s Head.
The former Beer House and Queen’s Head Public House. Photograph taken 2019
The same census reveals 38 year old Ann Leeder at 18 Mincing Lane, St Dunstan in the East, London. With Ann is her 68 year old mother-in-law Maria Leeder. The Leeders employ a 20 year old house servant, Rebecca Nash.
Death of Ann Leeder
The Norfolk News published the following notice on the 8th October, 1864:
On the 2nd inst., at East Wretham aged 42 Ann Harvey, the beloved wife of Mr Thomas Leeder of 7 Mincing Lane, London and eldest daughter of the late Mr Buscall Fox, late of Gayton, Norfolk
I do not know whether or not Ann was staying with friends or relatives at East Wretham when she died. However, her burial took place at East Wretham.
Marriage to Louisa
Barely three months later, Thomas Leeder married Louisa Emily Rayner in Hove, Sussex. By this time, Thomas Leeder was a ‘House Agent’ and living in Hove.
Their son Walter was born in the registration district of London City in 1866. Thomas Leeder was not far off 40 when Walter was born.
Purchase of ‘Glenfield’
Leeder paid £330 to Ann Cole for the messuage with the newly erected wheelwright’s shop, the four nearby tenements with outbuildings and the copyhold messuage in Church Street. The sum was some way short of Warren’s outstanding debt.
Nevertheless, it was also agreed that £200 of the purchase money would be applied to the ‘freehold hereditaments’ i.e. the messuage with wheelwright’s shop and four tenements. The remaining £130 to be applied for the copyhold messuage in Church Street.
Owner of Several Properties
With his purchase from Ann Cole, Thomas Leeder then owned several of the properties and land to the north of the churchyard. He also owned the house in Church Street, near to the junction with Chequers Lane.
I have no doubt that Thomas Leeder was a speculator.
The following notice was published in the Norfolk News of the 3rd July, 1875;
Tenders required for the erection of two cottages, shop and premises &c at Great Ellingham, Norfolk. Plans and specifications may be seen at Mr Lebbell’s, Crown Inn, Great Ellingham. Tenders to be sent to Mr T Leeder, 7 Mincing Lane, London before the 16th July next
Church Street Cottages. Photograph taken February 2019
Given that Thomas Leeder owned most of the property to the north and north east of the churchyard, I think it likely that the above cottages were the subject of the newspaper notice of 1875.
Accordingly by the 1870s, Thomas Leeder owned the extent of the property and land edged blue on the below map. He, of course, also owned the house at the other end of Church Street. It is perhaps possible that Leeder owned other property in the village.
Extract from 1906 Ordnance Survey Map. Second Edition. Surveyed in 1881. Revised 1904
Thomas Leeder died in 1883.
From the deeds relating to Leeder’s house in Church Street (near to the junction with Chequers Lane), I know that Thomas Leeder left a life interest in his Great Ellingham properties to his wife Louisa. I have no doubt that this included ‘Glenfield’.
I am sure that ‘Glenfield’ continued to be let during the period of Louisa Leeder’s life tenancy.
She died in 1893.
‘Glenfield’ after Louisa Leeder’s Death
On the 23rd May, 1894, the legal title to the house (by then a double cottage) in Church Street was conveyed to Thomas and Louisa’s son, Walter Leeder. I have no doubt that the legal titles to ‘Glenfield’, the nearby cottages and the shop (‘Supply Stores’) with an adjoining house, were also conveyed to Walter Leeder.
The following day, 24th May, 1894, Walter Leeder sold all the properties to George Henry de la Cour of Chatham, Kent. De la Cour also happens to be one of the executors of Walter’s father’s will.
I know that George de la Cour owned the house in Church Street (near to the junction with Chequers Lane) as well as the shop with adjoining house at the other end of Church Street, until his death in Chatham in 1914.
In 1920, de la Cour’s executor sold the house in Church Street to Henry Newby, and the Supply Stores with the adjoining house at the other end of Church Street, to Herbert Joseph Neave.
It was probably at this time that de la Cour’s executor also sold ‘Glenfield’ and the nearby cottages. However without evidence, this is little more than a guess.
Sources:
1802 Russell James Colman Plans. Great Ellingham. Norfolk Record Office. Catalogue Ref. C/Ca 1/84.
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
1800 Inclosure Commissioner’s Particulars and Valuation, Great Ellingham. Norfolk Record Office. Catalogue Ref: NRO, MC 2213/119
Great Ellingham Tithe Map 1843. Tithe Apportionments, 1836-1929 [database online]. TheGenealogist.co.uk 2023. Original data: “IR29 Tithe Commission and successors: Tithe Apportionments” The National Archives
Great Ellingham Parish Registers. Norfolk Record Office. PD609. Also available via www.familysearch.org and www.ancestry.co.uk
Private Deeds Collection. Adrian & Sue Carlton
Private Deeds Collection. Christine Fuller
Private Deeds Collection. Shirley Caston
Title Deeds and papers relating to Great Ellingham. 1795-1871 Norfolk Record Office. Ref: MC 2868/1/6.
Hockham, Great and Little. Archdeacon’s & Bishop’s Transcripts. Norfolk Record Office PD 486. Viewed via www.ancestry.co.uk
Transcript of Hockham, Burials 1721-1870. Norfolk Family History Society. Kirby Hall, 70 St Giles Street, Norwich NR2 1LS
1836 White’s Directory. Norfolk Record Office
1841 census HO107/781/10, HO107/781/8
1851 census HO107/1813/393, HO107/1823/218, HO107/1818/35
1861 census RG9/1213/140, RG9/1238/83, RG9/1237/95, RG9/226/74
1871 census RG10/1841/89
1878 Harrods Directory
7 January 1865 Norfolk News
8 October 1864 Norfolk News
3 July 1875 Norfolk News
viewed via The British Newspaper Archive website
15 March 1882. Will of Thomas Leeder. Copy obtained via https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/
Marriage 11 May 1853, Parish of St Mary Le Strand, Westminster. City of Westminster Archives Centre; London, England; Westminster Church of England Parish Registers; Reference: SML/PR/3/9. View via www.ancestry.co.uk