BAHS Newsletter Number 34 www.history-blakeney-area.org.uk January 2013

The Time Team dig at Bran- and the Internet. Above is Time This is the blob of caster was broadcast on Sun- Team resident eccentric Phil shame: if you have day 6th January on Channel Harding explaining a geo-phys not yet renewed your 4. If you missed it there may readout using an,,, ice lolly. It membership there will still be time to catch it via 4oD was a hot day. be a mark in this box. News from the History Centre

he summer exhibition Tidal Lands, held in collabora- Ttion with the National Trust, proved a huge success for both organisations. It was well attended with just over 300 people visiting on each of the four days, many making return visits. Even then, there was not enough time to take it all in. A sincere thank you to all those who prepared exhibits, vol- unteered as stewards and visited the exhibition. Four months later the exhibi- tion is still being talked about and numerous requests have been made to ‘see it again’ or even present it as a book. Now there’s an idea! Meanwhile a selection of boards featured at the exhibi- tion, will be on view in Blakeney Church throughout the year ahead. These will be found in the BAHS window bay located in the north aisle.

Accessions We are now busy catching up with processing a backlog of acces- sions, all of which should have found their way onto the shelves in the Centre by the time it re- opens in February. New additions are: • Books including Captain Mar- ryat, Cley Marsh and its Birds, The origins of , Victo- rian North Norfolk Sailing Ships (reviewed in this Newsletter), Maritime Norfolk, The Story of a Blacksmith’s Forge at Cley, The Smiths of Ryburgh (with Morston connections) and RAF Langham 1940-1958. • Photographs including the Yan- kee (1947), Binham Priory, Blak- eney and Morston (1934), develop- ment of Samphire Close, Blakeney (2010/11) and 5 Judges postcards of Blakeney and Cley. • Particulars and conditions of Sale for Estates in Blakeney and Wiveton that include a brewery and a pub (1839), Manor Farm House Blakeney (1929), The Mor- ston Estate (1936), Ship Inn Blak- eney (1968) and Friary House, The Tidal Lands exhibition held at Blakeney Village Hall was a re- also Blakeney (2012). sounding success. Many visitors stayed for hours – and some even • Memories of a holiday in Mor- returned – as there was just so much to see and take in. ston, with photographs (1939); A (Top): Pamela Peake and Diana Cooke at bay. Norfolk Childhood written by Ma- ens-Hardy family and is expected Starling, Samuel and Ann Eliza of bel Kay, daughter of local GP, Dr shortly. Cley Kay from the Manor Farm House The Centre has also ordered Temple of Wells and Morston in Blakeney; Fair Waved the Corn, the four volumes of Mary Hardy’s Thorn of Gunthorpe and Cley Weybourne remembered 1920- Diary by Margaret Bird. These 1940. are due to be published in April. Pamela Peake • Board of Trade records for Together with the Parish Records, selected Ship Transcripts and all the censuses and numerous Transfers 1826-1838 (BT 107) other documents and photographs Making use of our website and Crew Lists, mostly 1837-1838 held by the Centre, our coverage www.history-blakeney-area.org.uk but some much later (BT 98). The of Letheringsett has now grown latter are invaluable for locating enormously. Do come and enjoy copy of each newsletter elusive masters, mariners and looking through it. since June 2005 is held early apprentices while the Ship Aon the website. Since July Transcripts and Transfers are reg- Roots and Branches 2011 the newsletters have been istrations for pre Victorian ships Several of the new folders pre- in colour – not something that and thus, extend Stammers list pared for the exhibition contain has found its way into the printed featured in Victorian North Nor- much that will be invaluable for edition. You might like to take a folk Sailing Ships. family history research: Blakeney look at Newsletter 31 to see the Also from the Board of Trade Pilots of the nineteenth cen- painted medieval panels at Ran- are the records of locally born tury together with their parents, worth Church in full colour. For sailors with their Register Ticket spouses and children and then an members, the website is a use- Numbers (BT 120, BT 113 and A to Z of nineteenth century north ful port of call particularly when BT 116). These Ticket Numbers Norfolk Coastguards. The latter you cannot lay your hands on the provide dates of birth for those also contains much information on society’s last newsletter. born before the advent of the GRO the Morston Coastguards includ- The synopsis of each article of in 1837 and even more tellingly ing baptisms of children as well every Glaven Historian may be reveal their height, colour of hair as family profiles of the Kings and found on the website. If you are and eyes, complexion, marks, Eales families. looking for information on a par- whether they had ever been in the Other new Family Folders cover ticular subject an online search navy and for how long, age when the Lee/Porritt, Pashley and Fox to find potentially relevant ar- they first went to sea and whether and families of Cley. John Lee, ticles may be easier that browsing they could write – fabulous infor- merchant and miller, was the through each Glaven Historian. mation for family historians. father-in-law of James William How to do this is described on the • Masters and Mates Ticket Porritt, merchant, shipowner and website. Numbers (1850-1927) for those farmer. He in turn was the great Details of our events pro- born in Langham, Morston, Sal- grandfather of Patrick Kearney, gramme may be found on the web- thouse, , Blakeney, Cley artist, who left a wonderful legacy site. If there are changes to the and Wiveton together with their of ship paintings. Many of these programme these are published place and date of birth. paintings were subsequently on the website. • Sundry Papers that include photographed at full size by his If you are thinking of visiting Blakeney School Return of Staff daughter at which time a small the History Centre the website 1903 and a catalogue of the Blak- selection was presented to the provides information about the eney Festival 1951. History Centre, where they may be Centre including details of when • The Letheringsett Deposit a viewed. it is open for members and visi- parish archive researched and as- tors. To avoid a wasted trip please sembled over many years by David Current family research and en- check before making plans to visit. Mayes that he wishes to be kept quiries includes; The society is often contacted locally, easily accessible by all. It Bishop, Rev Hugh Arthur and his to help with finding information is being deposited in two batches son of Cley on local families, houses and with the first deposit consisting Cooke and Brook of Blakeney other matters. These requests are of WI records; Village Notes 1937, Cubitt of Blakeney and Salthouse placed in our guest book. Again, Jubilee Year Scrapbook 1965, Durrants of Holt and Cley please take a look at our guest Minute Book 1920-1925 and Gidney, Spooner, Holmes of book as you may well be able to Birthday photographs 1940. Blakeney, Bale and Cley help with one of the queries – or Also included here are the Diaries Hudson of Quarles, Blakeney and you may have a query of your own. of A B Woodhouse, a Lethering- Wiveton Finally, if you have any sugges- sett Hall and Estate gardener, an Mallett of Blakeney tions on how the website may be estate map of 1800, Letheringsett Manns of Blakeney improved or if you find a problem and Little Thornage Cricket Club Nurse Richard and Sarah, latterly with it then please contact me via 1922-1952 and four Ordnance of Cley email at info@history-blakeney- Survey Maps, 2nd edition 1907, Pinchen of Cley area.org.uk or speak to me at one covering the local area. The sec- Riseborough of Morston of our events. ond deposit will feature the Coz- Russell of Blakeney Richard Daley A Brief History of G-ADKL: an Aeroplane Once Owned by Hubert Blount of Cley

his article started with an this time that the type A elliptical get back to Norfolk to collect it email from Peter Johnson wings were replaced with type B and fly it home to Tetbury. (from Twho is, with his wife, the square wings, as this corresponds a letter from Sarah Woodhouse current owner of this historic to the sequence of the undated en- (née Blount), Hubert Blount’s aeroplane. He wanted to be put try change in the CAA’s records. daughter, aged 4 in 1939) Sarah in touch with Sarah Woodhouse Charles Blount, Hubert Woodhouse continues: “The (née Blount), the daughter of the Blount’s son, although born after second vivid memory I have is of original owner. This I was able to the war, remembers cine films and the sadness and urgent hurrying do, and in return he provided me photographs of the Hornet being during those tense few days before with the above photo and a copy towed down the lane and flown my father left for France with his of a “non-technical” history of the from Byam’s Farm. regiment (13/18th Hussars). The plane which nevertheless runs to (Hornet) Moth was normally kept fourteen pages yet ends ten years 1939 in an open fronted shed in the ago. The day that war was declared yard and would be pushed down A section of the original CAA Hubert Blount was at Blakeney the road, wings folded, into the Registration is also shown togeth- Point, where he used the “cockle- one field flat enough to fly it from. er with a cockpit view of another sands” (beach) just to the west of Knowing that the chances of the Hornet Moth, also preserved. the Lifeboat House as a landing plane being requisitioned by the What follows is a few extracts from strip. War Ministry were very high, my the ‘History of G-ADKL’. “He had planned to stay the father ploughed up the “airfield”. night in a small wooden hut there Then I remember helping both my 1938 owned by the family, but that parents push the plane into the On 11th April the aircraft is regis- afternoon an urgent message very back of our big barn and pile tered to Hubert Blount, of Byams reached him that war had been hay in front of it right up to the roof Farm, Tetbury, Gloucestershire. declared. Being high tide by then, so that it was completely The aircraft is registered as based and no take off possible, my fa- hidden”. at Whitchurch, Bristol, but Blount ther had to peg down the aircraft The Certificate of Airworthiness also had an address at Blakeney amongst the sand dunes and left expired on 24th November and Point, Morston, Norfolk. The by boat. The aircraft remained at was not renewed until 1946. By- Certificate of Airworthiness was Blakeney Point for two or three am’s Farm is close to the Weston- renewed at Whitchurch on 25th weeks while he sorted out his call birt Arboretum and now houses November. It may have been at up papers and before he could the Willesley Equine Clinic. commute to Blakeney Point (Cley Plymouth on 9 July 1966 the pilot Windmill was then the family holi- muffed his take off and collided day home) before he moved per- with two other planes. G-ADKL manently to Cley in 1950. He also was badly damaged and the had a Miles Messenger in which remains were later cannibalised he taught his daughter Sarah to for spare parts, which ought to fly. His son Charles also became a have been the end of the story pilot and flew professionally with but in the 1980s the plane was the Army. The Auster was Hu- completely rebuilt and restored bert Blount’s last aircraft and he by Laurence Rice of Warminster, stopped flying in the early 1960s. Wiltshire, before being sold on to He died in 1982. Alain de Cadenet in 1989. The aircraft was recorded as De Cadenet used it to fly “surrendered” by H. Blount and around the Dordogne where he 1940 was delivered to N° 5 C.P.F., had a house, though it retained Sarah Woodhouse: “The feeling of Carew Cheriton, as G-ADKL on its British registration. As the anxiety and the idea in my mind of the 21 January and made its first result of a misjudged landing at evil intent by some unknown men Scarecrow anti-submarine patrol Bergerac, de Cadenet damaged was confirmed some months later, as W5750 on 19th March. the undercarriage which resulted when men did come with a in another period of disuse as he low loader and I watched the (Hor- After the war it was sold to West- searched for spare parts. After net) Moth winched up onto a lorry ern Airways at Weston-super- repairs it was little used and its C and driven off”. Mare in 1946 who in turn sold it of A expired in May 1995 and was The registration was cancelled on to Stefan Karpeles-Schenker. not renewed until 2002 by which as sold on 18th January 1940 and By 1947 it had been sold abroad time it was in the ownership of 8035 was formally impressed into to France and didn’t return to Peter Gould, though still based the RAF on 20th February. the British Register until 1959. in France. It was later repatri- Hubert Blount was badly From 1961 it was based at Luton ated and in 2012 was sold to the wounded at Alamein but started Airport and operated by a group Johnsons. flying again as soon as he got unofficially known as the Luton Will we see G-ADKL at Blak- home in 1945. He then had a Wildcats. eney again? Only time and Mr Taylorcraft Auster and used it to Flying back to Luton from Johnson can tell. Ploughboys or Clerks A copy of the Norfolk County rival. Cley was a ‘British’ school, Council survey of Blakeney Blakeney a ‘National’; both of Susanna Wade Martins, School conducted in 1903 at them pre-dated the 1870 Act. 27th November 2012 the times that councils were These earliest buildings many taking over responsibility for of which still exist had a single rom time to time the Histori- schools from the old School room with the children ranged in cal Society has lectures on Boards. This copy, and much several rows along the long side of Fsubjects of specialist inter- else besides, was shown to us the room with a generous space est which probably appeal to only by Dr Wade Martins. in front of the benches for pupils part of our membership but in to come forward to recite their November Susanna Wade Martins lessons. The seating would be spoke to a full hall on a subject of Dr Wade Martins’s very en- arranged with boys and girls on which we all had personal experi- lightening talk was based on the either side of the infants seated in ence. Not many of us would have survey, carried out largely by the middle. Later schools some- attended an old-fashioned Dame members of the Norfolk Historic times arranged their pupils ac- School but we all had primary Buildings Group working with cording to the grades attained school education of some kind and Norfolk Record Office, in which and by the 1890s many schools many of us experienced the type they photographed and measured were extended to provide a second of education in the very types of buildings and researched archives classroom. Some of the schools buildings which she illustrated for of over 200 of Norfolk’s rural had stepped areas of seating us. There seems to be little written School buildings built as a result known as ‘infant galleries’ though information on the Dame Schools of the founding in 1808 and 1811 whether the intention was for the and what exists is usually scath- respectively of the British and children to see better or be more ing. Classes were typically held in Foreign School Society and the easily watched is not clear. Some the home of a seemingly elderly National Society for Promoting the of these galleries lasted into the lady who in one quoted case was Education of the Poor. The for- twentieth century. described as ‘very ignorant and mer was a non-conformist char- There was no compulsion to imposing rather than enlighten- ity which was followed after three send children to school but it is ing’. years by the Church of estimated that by 1830 half the population could read. In 1870 though they were still in operation the Government set up school in 1837 at least, this being the boards aiming to provide a school year of Victoria’s accession to the place for every child and in 1903 throne, and are recorded as such responsibility for education was in the Board of Trade transcripts taken over by the County Councils of the Registers available at the with an intensive building pro- National Archive. gramme between 1902 and 1909. Prominent among these miss- Dr Wade Martins spoke of develop- ing vessels are the Cruizer, the ments through the early twentieth Gough, and the Friends’ Adven- century and resulting in the 1944 ture. Also worth a mention are the Education Act by which time there Naiad, the Juno, the Rising Star, were greater efforts to prepare the George & Dragon, the Silver, children for further education. the New Glory, the Messenger and Qualification for teaching de- the Pomona. veloped slowly and in 1902 train- These quibbles apart, this book ing of teachers was taken over by is still a must buy and at only the state though denominational £7.50 direct from the author, has training colleges had started in to be a real bargain. Send your the nineteenth century. Most cheques to: teachers started as assistants or Michael Stammers pupil teachers and when training Victorian North Norfolk Wodehouse colleges were established ap- 55 Kimberley Drive plicants had to have at least two Sailing Ships Great Crosby years experience as a pupil teach- by Michael Stammers Liverpool er before being accepted. L23 5TA Through all this time there his, the latest book from had been tension between those Michael Stammers, is a My thanks to Pam Peake for who saw the role of education as Tmust for any student of her great help in compiling this helping children to achieve their North North history. He is a well- review. There is a copy of the book potential and those to whom edu- known maritime historian, Keeper in the History Centre for those cation meant teaching children to Emeritus of the Merseyside Mari- who want to try before they buy. be accepting of their given place time Museum, a Norfolk man and Richard Kelham in society. Farmers, who made up member of the BAHS. a large proportion of rural school After a general introduction governors and whose rates were he goes on to describe over 450 Subscriptions paying for the schools, wanted ships that were owned or oper- a steady supply of labour and ated in the North Norfolk ports of If you’re one of the handful of many parents wanted and prob- Cley and Wells during the Victo- members who have not yet ably needed the income from their rian era. Mostly this consistes of renewed their subscriptions. children working in the fields. It entries from the Ship Registers this is the last Newsletter you will was not surprising that there was maintained by the Board of Trade receive. If there is a blob in the emphasis on gardening for the and the Customs & Excise, with square on the front page, reach for boys and plain needlework, patch- additions from the local press and your chequebook now: ing and mending for the girls but other sources. The registers were Subscriptions are still £10 for it was sad to see a child being introduced in 1826, but the earli- an individual and £14 for a couple instructed to be ‘lowly and rever- est extant registers for this area at the same address, cheques, ent to my betters’. date from the 1830s, hence I sup- made payable to BAHS, to be There was wider scope, greater pose his choice of period. sent to the Membership Secretary detail and more entertainment in The most basic Register en- at Far House, Coronation Lane, the talk than it has been possible tries consist of registered tonnage, Blakeney, Holt, NR25 7NS. to include here but it is hoped dimensions (using the rather that the research will be written odd metric foot), date and place up and published so that it is of building, and the first Master. available to all interested parties. Often, subsequent Masters and Spring Outing Frank Hawes ultimate fate are noted and even changes in ownership are record- A Spring Outing is being arranged ed for some vessels. to visit churches at Barton Turf Editor: Richard Kelham Unfortunately there are a num- and Worstead – date and details t: 01263 740186 ber of typos which seem to hint yet to be confirmed. Places are e: [email protected] a a rather hurried production, limited so anybody interested in but stranger still are the omis- going should contact Diana Cooke All text © 2013 sions: several well-known North on 01263 740320 or at the next BAHS and Contributors Norfolk ships do not appear even Meeting. Winter/Spring Programme 2013 Events

Unless stated all the meetings are in the Harbour Room at the British Legion Hall in the High Street, Blakeney starting at 7.30 pm. Entrance: £2 for members and £3 for visitors, including refreshments.

Tuesday Mardle Night. History in the Making: Bernard Bishop, Graham Lubbock January 29 and Johnny Webster will reminisce about their work in the local and changing landscape.

Tuesday River Bure: Philip will be exploring the landscape and agriculture of February 26 the upper Bure through photographs and postcards. Philip West

Tuesday Camel, Eye of a Needle and Christmas Colours: Spike Bucklow led a March 26 major survey of Norfolk’s rood screens. He will talk about the results of this research. Dr Spike Bucklow, Hamilton Kerr Institute, Cambridge

Tuesday Ancient Egypt and the Blakeney Connection: revealing a little known April 30 but important connection with Egyptology which arose in 1934 when the Brackley fam ily purchased The Old Rectory. Christopher Coleman, Honorary Research Fellow, UCL

Tuesday Cities, Cogs and Commerce: historically the North Sea was the super-highway September 24 for trade and people, Brian will explore the material culture of this world. NB This is the lecture Brian had hoped to give last December. A short AGM will be held at the start of this meeting. Dr Brian Ayers, Research Associate, UEA

History Centre Diary: New opening hours

The History Centre is closed throughout January and will reopen on 5th February and thereafter on the first and last Tuesday morning in every month, 10.30am to 1.00pm. Other times by arrangement, phone 01263 740388 to make an appointment.

Members’ Sessions on Monday afternoons, 2pm till 4pm: February 4th, March 4th and April 1st.

Anyone wishing to use maps and film or fiche readers is advised to book in advance. Phone, as above, or send SAE envelope to History Centre, Blakeney Village Hall, Langham Road, Blakeney, Norfolk NR25 7NP More information available on: www.history-blakeney-area.org.uk

Officer and Committee Members’ Contact Details (Officers *)

Peter Wordingham, Chairman* [email protected] T: 01263 570183 Diana Cooke, Secretary* [email protected] T: 01263 740320 Richard Daley, Treasurer* [email protected] T: 01263 740180 Barbara Ward Jones, Membership Secretary [email protected] T: 01263 740622 Pamela Peake, History Centre Manager* & Vice Chairman, [email protected] T: 01263 740388 Ian Groves, Events Organiser* T: 01263 713351 Richard Kelham, Publications* [email protected] T: 01263 740186 Frank Hawes, [email protected] T: 01263 740981 Jan Semple, [email protected] T: 01263 860741 Geoff and Brenda Worton, Minutes Secretaries [email protected] T: 01263 715503

History Centre Sub-Committee co-optees: Sara Dobson, Richard Dunn, Hilary Randell, Jean Thompson Glaven Historian Editorial Board: Charles Bradshaw, Tim Fawcett, Frank Hawes, Richard Kelham, Raymond Monbiot, Will Savage.