The three pairs of semi-detached cottages with
the former Prince of Wales Inn to the right along the Watton to Attleborough Road. March 2026.
Courtesy Alison Crowter
The above photograph shows the former Prince of Wales Inn (on the far right) and the three pairs of semi-detached cottages. These may have been built at a similar time i.e. between 1843 and 1868.
By 1895, the Prince of Wales and the six cottages were all in the ownership of Bullard & Sons, held by trustees Samuel Gurney Buxton, a banker of Norwich, Walter Randolph Farquhar of Lombard Street, London, also a banker, and John Henry Fraser Walter of Drayton.
Each double cottage had a shed to the rear. There was a well between the two semi-detached cottages towards the Prince of Wales Inn. A pond abutted the boundary of the cottages.
It was not until 1920 (after the closure of the Prince of Wales Inn), that the cottages were sold off.
Here we look at some of the occupiers of the cottages using data from the ten yearly census returns of 1891 to 1921, the 1939 England & Wales Register and the 1942 Great Ellingham Invasion Committee Records.
Extract from 1906 Ordnance Survey Map. Second Edition. Surveyed in 1881. Revised 1904.
The blue arrow points to the Prinice of Wales Inn and the row of cottages.
1891
Saunders
Occupying the cottage nearest to the Prince of Wales Inn is 48 year old married woman Elizabeth Saunders with her 20 year old daughter Anna Maria. Elizabeth and Anna are working at home as dressmakers. Elizabeth’s husband 49 year old Shropham born Joseph Saunders is boarding at the home of silk weaver William Lapsley in St Benedict’s Alley, St Benedict’s Street, Norwich. Joseph is working as a gardener. He died in the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital in 1898.
Spencer
Occupying the adjoining property is 63 year old Robert Spencer and his wife Sarah Ann. Their 37 year old unmarried son Thomas is also with them. Robert is an agricultural labourer and his son is a bricklayer.
Cook
Next along is 29 year old Carbooke born Alfred Cook with his 36 year old wife Lois. They have two children 4 year old William and two year old Emma. Tragically in 1894, Alfred died of consumption (also known as tuberculosis). By then, the couple had five known children, the youngest being born just a year before Alfred’s death.
Beales
George Beales is 56 and working as an agricultural labourer. He is with his 57 year old wife Elizabeth (nèe Reeder). The couple married in St James’s Church on Christmas Eve 1855.
Next is 29 year old Robert Beales with his Attleborough born wife Ellen and children Henry Walter 7, Robert William 5, Charles Birt 3 and one year old Ellen Rosa. Robert Beales is a shoemaker.
Spurgeon
Living next door to Robert Beales is 38 year old shoemaker Albert Spurgeon and his wife Selina. At 27, Selina Spurgeon is working as a dressmaker, probably at home.
1901
In 1901, the 4-roomed semi-detached cottages are occupied by:
Spurgeon
49 year old agricultural labourer Albert Spurgeon and his wife Selina. Again the Spurgeons are occupying the cottage furthest away from the Prince of Wales Inn.
Saunders
Next to the Spurgeons is widow 58 year old Elizabeth Saunders. She has her granddaughter 5 year old Julia Goldsmith with her.
Beales
Next along is 66 year old agricultural labourer George Beales with and wife Elizabeth.
Beales
In the adjoining property is 68 year old Robert Beales and his wife Keziah who is 82.
Frost
77 year old Robert Frost and his 67 year old wife Elizabeth occupies the next cottage. Their 42 year old son Frederick is also with them. Frederick is an agricultural labourer. Robert Frost is ‘living on his own means’.
Lane
Next door is 70 year old widow Charlotte Lane and her 72 year old widower brother Thomas Adams. Thomas is an agricultural labourer but Charlotte is ‘living on her own means’.
1911
Spurgeon
Now in their late fifties, Albert & Selina Spurgeon are still occupying one of the cottages. Both born in Little Ellingham, the couple married in Rockland St Peter on the 6th April, 1876. They have no children. Albert is a farm labourer and Selina is working as a dressmaker at home. Albert is one of the original members of the Parish Council which was formed in 1894. He also preached at the Primitive Methodist Church.
Saunders
Caston born 69 year old widow Elizabeth Saunders is still living next door. She too is working as a dressmaker at home.
Fox
38 year old Henry Fox and his 28 year old wife Marian occupy one of the other semi-detached cottages. They married in St James’s Church, Great Ellingham on the 16th July, 1902. The couple have an 11 year old son Henry John who attends the Board School in Hingham Road. Henry and Marian (also found as Mary) are both from Great Ellingham families. Marian is a daughter of Robert & Martha Anderson Dungar and Henry a son of James & Emily Fox.
Frost
Frederick Frost occupies the cottage which he had earlier shared with his parents, Robert & Elizabeth Frost.
Some years earlier on the 9th November, 1887, 28 year old Frederick Charles Walker Frost had married 29 year old Rosella Maria Harvey in St James’s Church, Great Ellingham. Both lived in the village at the time of their marriage. I do not believe the couple had any children.
Some 20 years earlier, the 1891 census finds married man Frederick Frost living alone at Cades Hill, Attleborough. I have not been able to find Rosella on the census.
However, Frederick Frost’s wife may be the ‘Rosella Sunderland’ which I have found on the 1901 census. ‘Rosella Sunderland’ is with her husband George Sunderland and daughter 8 year old Marian Harvey at the home of her mother, East Harling born Harriet Harvey, at Keighley in Yorkshire.
Rayner
Rocklands born James and Florence Rayner occupy one part of the semi-detached cottage which is nearest to the Prince of Wales Public House. James Rayner is working as a labourer at a Cyder Factory – I have no doubt that this is William Gaymer & Son in Attleborough. Likely James cycles to work.
The couple had married in the Wayland District between October and December 1905. Their two children – Winifred Louisa (now aged 4) and 3 year old Frederick Charles were both born in Great Ellingham.
At the time of the 1911 census, Hingham born 80 year old widow Susan Chapman is boarding with the Rayner household. I have no doubt that Susan is related to Florence (formerly Florence Louisa Corley).
Lane
80 year old widow Charlotte Lane continues to live in the part of the double cottage adjoining the Rayner household. Her cottage is likely the one nearest to the Prince of Wales.
1921
Spurgeon
Albert and Selina Spurgeon are still living in one of the cottages. Albert is employed by local farmer Fred Rivett as a general agricultural labourer.
Saunders
Their immediate next door neighbour is widow Elizabeth Saunders. Elizabeth is still taking in dressmaking work.
Fox
Henry and Marian Fox are also still occupying one of the cottages. Henry is also a general agricultural labourer. He is working for local farmer J. Hall. 21 year old Henry J A Dungar is with the couple. He is also an agricultural labourer and is employed by Charles Jude at nearby Walnut Farm.
Hoy
63 year old Rocklands born John Hoy (aka John Lee) heads another household living in one of the semi-detached cottages. He is with his 64 year old wife Jane. Hoy is a general labourer for local man, Basil Jude.
The Hoy’s 21 year old son, Harry, is living with his parents. Harry is presently unemployed, but had enlisted with the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment in 1919.
Another son, 33 year old fish hawker Albert Morris Hoy is visiting his parents along with John and Charlotte Beal.
Filby
Another of the dwellings is occupied by 54 year old Alfred Filby and his 53 year old wife Caroline. Like Albert Spurgeon, Alfred Filby is also a general labourer for local farmer Frederick Rivett.
The couple’s married daughter, 29 year old Mabel Mace is living with them along with Mabel’s 5 month old son, George David Mace. Two other children of Alfred and Caroline – 23 year old Walter Filby and 15 year old Rose Mildred Filby, are also with their parents.
Newby
Frank and Estella Newby moved into the semi-detached cottage which had been formerly occupied by Charlotte Lane – the one nearest to the former Prince of Wales Public House.
Frank Newby with three of his children (facing the photograph from right to left sons Basil and Ben and next along one of his daughters. Thought to have been taken in the late 1930s at their home in Watton Road.
Photograph courtesy Sue Gent
The Newby’s home was a ‘two up-two down cottage’. When the Newby’s moved in, the cottage did not have electricity and the family obtained their water (including water for drinking) from a well, which they shared with their neighbours. The cottage likely had a privy (an outside toilet) in a small shed at the back of the house. It was not until 1930 that electricity arrived in the village.
Frank Newby married Estella Downes in 1912. The couple may well have moved into the cottage soon after their marriage.
They had 8 children between 1915 and 1931: Harry in 1913, Ethel two years later in 1915 followed by Doreen in 1919, Georgina in 1920, Gladys in 1921, Arthur B (Ben) in 1923, Basil in 1925 and, finally, Edith in 1931.
In addition to their own children, Frank and Estella cared for Pat who became very much part of the family.
The 1921 census confirms that Frank Newby is an engine driver working for corn merchants, Tyrrell & Byford in Attleborough.
Descendants of Frank and Estella Newby still live in Great Ellingham.
1939
The 1939 England & Wales Register provides a snapshot of the civilian population at the beginning of WWIII. Looking at the Register, I believe these families may be the occupiers of the 3 pairs of semi-detached dwellings along the Watton Road.
Spurgeon
Now widowed, 87 year old Albert Spurgeon is living alone. He is described as a retired agricultural labourer and ‘old age pensioner’.
Holmes
Nearby is 63 year old Alfred E Holmes and his wife Gertrude. They have 81 year old widow Ann Hillier living with them. Alfred is working as a farm labourer ‘assisting his son’.
Spink
Another of the dwellings may well be occupied by 45 year old Harold J Spink along with his wife Ruby. Harold is employed as a cellar labourer at a Cyder Factory – I have no doubt, William Gaymer & Son in Attleborough. 9 year old Derek Goldklang is living with the couple. I suspect that Derek is one of the many evacuees who came to the village from London. There were at least two other Goldclang or Goldklang children living with families in the village at this time.
Fox
Henry and Marian Fox are still living in one the cottages. Henry is now 66 and his wife is 57. The register states that Henry is an agricultural labourer but ‘incapacitated’. Their 40 year old son, Henry, is still with his parents. He is working as a roadman for the County Council.
Hoy
John and Jane Hoy are also still living in one of the cottages. With them is 35 year old Frank Hoy who is a bottler at a Cyder Factory (again, no doubt at William Gaymer & Son in Attleborough). John Hoy is a retired farm labourer.
Saunders
Herbert and Elsie Saunders may also be in one of the cottages. 25 year old Herbert Saunders is a coal hawker & cattle food Carter.
1942
The Great Ellingham Invasion Committee Records were compiled by parish clerk and local blacksmith, William Robert Lebbell.
If we can believe that William Lebbell listed the households as they are occupied along the road to Rocklands, we have a good idea of the names of the occupiers of the properties at that time.
Extract from the 1942 Great Ellingham Invasion Committee Records
Courtesy Sue Fay
The likely occupiers are Spurgeon, Matsell, Fox, Saunders, Lincoln and Lee.
The cottages have been updated and added to over the years. They are still very much family homes.
Sources:
1891 census RG12/1549/71, RG12/1528/86
1901 census RG13/1867/73
1911 census RG14/11473/44-49
1921 census RG15/9790 ED5. Sch. 29, 21, 22, 23, 71 & 72
1939 England & Wales Register. The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/6590HAncestry.com. 1939 England and Wales Register [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2018.
1942 Great Ellingham Invasion Committee Records. Sue Fay
Great Ellingham Parish Registers Norfolk Record Office PD 609. Also available www.familysearch.org, www.ancestry.co.uk & other subscription websites
GRO Index – also viewed via FreeBMD website