Norfolk Family History Society A private company limited by guarantee Registered in England - Company No. 3194731 Registered as a Charity - Registration No. 1055410

Registered Office address: Kirby Hall, 70 St. Giles Street, Norwich, NR2 1LS

Headquarters and Library Kirby Hall, 70 St. Giles Street, Norwich NR2 1LS Telephone No. (01603) 763718 NFHS Web pages: http://www.norfolkfhs.org.uk

For a full list of contacts with email addresses please see page 100

Board of Trustees Mike Dack NORS Admin Paul Harman Transcripts Organiser Margaret Murgatroyd Parish Registers/Ancestor Edmund Perry Company Secretary Carol Reeve Volunteer Co-ordinator Jean Stangroom Chair and Membership Sectretary Carole Taylor Treasurer Robin Whitmore Editor

Editorial Team Robin Whitmore Editor Mary Mitchell Proof Reader Gillian James Proof Reader Linda Hurley Proof Reader

Current Rates for Membership Single Joint Single Joint Single Joint 10 Year 10 Year Life Life UK £10 £15 £75 £112 £165 £250 Overseas Airmail £12 £18 £90 £135 £200 £300 ISBN 0141 4505 © Copyright 2013 NFHS and Contributors

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 63 June 2013 CONTENTS The Norfolk Ancestor June 2013

Page A Sad Tale About a Barn 62 Diary of Events 66 Special Offers 67 Guidelines for submitting articles to The Ancestor 68 Book Reviews 69 - 72 Group Reports Norwich Group Report Roy Scott 73 - 75 London Group report Mary Seeley 75 - 77 South Norfolk Group Report Jenny Jenkins 77 - 80 Parson Woodforde Society Journal Liz Mann 81 NFHS Website and NORS Mike Dack 82 New Members and Members Intereststs Jean Stangroom 83 - 93 The Live Bait Squadron 93 Norfolk Record Office Report 95 - 97 Transcripts Printed and Shelved 98 NFHS Constitution Edmund Perry 98 Family Tree Appeal 99 Pedigrees added to the Library shelves 99 Contacts and Where to Reach Them 100 William Lovel-Laws, Ex Norwich, England - Weaver, burglar, escaped convict, digger, axeman . . . and good father Peter Lovel 103 - 109 William Pigman 109 Notes and Queries 110 - 112 Books for Sale 113 Postcards from Great Yarmouth 114 - 115 Looking for W T Hudson 115 - 116

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 64 June 2013 NOTICES Kirby Hall Library Opening Times

Tuesday and Thursday 10.00am - 1.00pm Wednesday 10.00am - 4.00pm First and last Sunday in the month 10.00am - 1.00pm

The Norfolk Ancestor The Norfolk Ancestor is a quarterly journal published in March, June, September and December. Opinions expressed in this journal are those of individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of either the Editor or the Norfolk Family History Society which cannot take responsibility for the accuracy of facts in the articles submitted. All advertisements are commercial and their inclusion does not indicate endorsement by the Society, which accepts no responsibility for any loss suffered directly or indirectly by any reader or purchaser as a result of any advertisement or notice published in this journal. No part of this journal may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the prior permission of the Society.

The Front Cover

The picture on the front cover is the pub sign for The Kings Head in Magdalen Street. The licence can be traced back to 1760 and 300 years later it is still trading. Despite an extensive renovation in 2004/5 the entrance to the adjacent courtyard still depicts the emblem of the Crown Brewery, dating back to when it was tied to Youngs, Crawshay & Youngs. The picture is reproduced by the kind permission of the family of Arthur Panks, the artist. You can view this and other pub signs at http://www.norwich-pubs-breweries.co.uk/pub signs/pub signs norfolk.shtm. Alternatively go to http://www.norwich-heritage.co.uk to view other work and see Norwich Heritage’s plans for this year’s project. They can be contacted at [email protected].

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 65 June 2013 DIARY of EVENTS July to September 2013 Date Event Speaker Group

11 June TBA TBA South Norfolk 14 June ‘Newspapers in Family History Research’ 7.30pm Rosemary Dixon Archant Norwich 9 July ‘Britain’s First Serial Killer’ Mike Wabe South Norfolk 12 July Guided Tour of The Archive Centre Norwich (This is for members only and is a 6.60pm start at The Archive Centre) 9 August Member help Member Evening - 7.30pm Norwich

13 August ‘War & Peace’ Tracing a Marine and His Family 1790/1850’ Simon Pawley South Norfolk 10 September ‘Frederick Rolfe - King of Norfolk Poachers’ South Norfolk

GROUP MEETING VENUES DISS Diss Methodist Church, Victoria Road, Diss (A1066) SOUTH NORFOLK (2nd Tuesday of each month at 7.00 pm) £1 per member - £2 for non-members NORWICH Kirby Hall, 70 St Giles Street, Norwich (2nd Friday of each month at 7.30 pm) LONDON Society of Genealogists, 14 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road. London EC1M 7BA (Appoximately every six months, 2.00 - 4.00pm)

Diana Spelman, Norfolk Research Specialist will translate FREE one line of Latin for NFHS members. Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01603 664186

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 66 June 2013 cine - slides - video Have all your treasured Dvd memories transferred to disc 2 8mm & 16mm cine films converted to DVD VHS & camcorder tapes converted to DVD 35mm slides, negatives & prints scanned and saved on disc. These can also be compiled into a slideshow with music and transferred to DVD for viewing on your home TV.

Contact Michael on: 01708 735810 or www.slides2disk.co.

SPECIAL OFFER Norfolk Marriages 1801-1837 CD Usually £14.50 NOW £7.25 Stock Number 9720

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 67 June 2013 GUIDELINES Submitting an article: Articles for future editions are always required - submit and see! But please note, the Editor cannot guarantee the issue in which your article will appear. Every effort will be made to reproduce articles as presented, but the Editor reserves the right to edit as necessary. The Editor will assume that all neces- sary authorisation for attachments, photographs etc. has been obtained and the Norfolk Family History Society will not be held liable in the case of a subsequent query. Articles should preferably be typed in a 10pt font for an A5 page with a 1.4cm border - about 400 words per page without photographs. Please keep articles to 3 pages maximum - 1200 words approx. Email or CD versions are most helpful. All material from regular contributors for inclusion in the September 2013 issue should be sent to the Editor at Kirby Hall NO LATER than 20 August 2013. Our thanks in advance to all those who submit material for publication.

Notes and Queries: Queries predominate, but offers of help and items of information and general interest may be included. Entries as brief as possible please, preferably less than 150 words, typed in a 10pt font. Addresses should be given in full (an email address alone is insufficient as this may limit response). Membership number and email address should be included. Non-members should include a cheque for £6 (drawn on a UK Clearing Bank) made payable to ‘The Norfolk Family History Society’, for each item intended for publication. Address correspondence to: The Editor, c/o Kirby Hall, 70 St. Giles Street, Norwich, NR2 1LS. Email [email protected]

Photographs: Photographs are always welcome, they liven up the layout. Preferably send in your photographs by email as a JPEG attachment (Please scan at 300dpi if possible). Photocopies do not always reproduce well as they need to be scanned into a computer and they lose clarity in the process. If you send in an original photograph. please state whether you wish it to be returned to you.

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 68 June 2013 BOOK REVIEWS

Sail and Storm - The Aylsham Navigation The Aylsham Local History Society Edited by Sarah Spooner ISBN 978 0 9521564 5 1 £15.00

This is the story of the Navigation which opened in 1779 on the River Bure between Coltishall and Aylsham in north-east Norfolk. It flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries becoming a vital link in the local economy providing efficient low cost transport for moving heavy and bulky goods such as wheat, oats and barley for brewing; chalk, marl, clay, sand and gravel; bricks and tiles; textiles, paper and timber - all of which were produced and used locally. As with other canals the Aylsham Navigation fell into decline as a result of railway competition and eventually was damaged beyond repair during the great flood of 1912. A number of contributors wrote the text using the Navigation Archives of accounts and minute books retained by Aylsham Town Council and other material at the Norfolk Record Office. Their research is an admirable case study covering the history and technical aspects of the construction, operation and maintainance of the canal, the watermills, locks, bridges, staithes and wherries. It also contains short biographical details of the Lichfield families, landowners, farmers, merchants, millers and solicitors who contributed subscriptions and/or became Commissioners plus information about individuals who worked at all levels on the Navigation. There is an absorbing chapter on the weather conditions and the flooding of 1912 and an interesting description of ‘The Landscape Today’. The book is well illustrated with numerous maps, drawings, graphs, and photographs. It contains various lists of donors and subscribers, toll collectors and different occupations, plus a glossary of terms and an excellent index.

Edmund Perry MN3181

Life in the Flegg Villages 1800-1950 Written and Published by David Tubby ISBN 978 0 9568967 1 1 £9.99

In 2002 Barbara Conford produced her book on Medieval Flegg which described the history of the Flegg District up to 1500. Ten years later, local author David Tubby has wound the clock forward 300 years to continue the tale of life and times in the

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 69 June 2013 villages of this area north of Great Yarmouth from 1800. Tubby has made extensive use of reports from early copies of the Yarmouth Mercury, and even earlier Yarmouth Independent, in his new book ‘Life in the Flegg Villages’, which covers the period 1800 to 1950. It deals comprehensively with such topics as farming, fishing, health, housing, the workhouse, education, transport, sport and leisure; and also describes the effects of major events on the villages and villagers of floods, coastal erosion and the two World Wars. The 148 page book is well illustrated with photographs, and is available from The City Bookshop, Norwich or by contacting the author at [email protected].

Just a few lines . . . A collection of airmail letters sent to Gunner George Edward Thomas Gowen during World War II - 1942-45 Available for £5 from Maurice Gowen [email protected]

The book follows chronologically, the ‘Airgraphs’ sent by members of gunner George Gowen’s family during World War II. The letters were given to the book’s compiler, Maurice Gowen by his mother, Milly, a few years before she died in 2008. They came with other items - records, ration books, identity cards, licences cards and photographs. Maurice Gowen didn’t look at them at the time but when reading them last year he realised how significantlly this collection of two to three hundred letters gave an insight into the worries of those times. Airgraph forms were given to serving soldiers and their families to enable them to fill out a short message to a standard format. They were then sent to photo stations in the UK where they were photographed in 16mm (presumably to save weight and bulk) and the film sent on to local stations abroad, where they were processed. The author’s collection of letters is in the form of 4 inch square photo-prints. The messages show the day to day concerns of families and their need to keep in touch with the servicemen. This is a heart-warming and easy read - once you pick it up you just want to read the next message. They deal with the greater concerns of the times and the small family details that add a dimension to the letters that most people can relate to.

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 70 June 2013 Diss and District Through Time Elizabeth Walne Amberley Publishing ISBN 978 1 4456 1143 3 (print) ISBN 978 1 4456 1167 9 (ebook) £14.99

Growing up near Framlingham, Suffolk, the author’s interest in local history was sparked off by two things: going to Brockdish churchyard with her father and seeing her own name on an enormous tombstone; and around the same time, a primary school project on Peasenhall which involved taking lots of photographs on her new Olympus OM10. This book combines both theses interests. Elizabeth Walne has researched and sourced images of Diss and District from prints, maps, pamphlets, drawings and paintings dating from the 1700s through to the early days of photography in the mid-nineteenth century to the 1900s. The selected early images are matched with her own recent photographs of the same locations. It shows how things have changed over the years and in many cases how they have remained relatively unchanged.

Norwich in the 1950s Ten Years that Changed a City Pete Goodrum Amberley Publishing ISBN 978 1 4456 0906 5 £14.99

Pete Goodrum describes the exciting times during the 1950s when Norwich was recovering from the devastation of the Second World War. A decade of rebuilding of the fabric of the city and the lives of its citizens. Norwich was a thriving city in the 1950s with great employment opportunities in the shoe industry. In 1952 there were 10,000 shoe workers, and many leading shoe manufacturers based here. The brewing industry was also a main employer with big brewers Steward and Patterson and Bullards, and the famous mustard manufacturer, Colman’s of Norwich dominated the riverside at Carrow. Light industry continued at Boulton and Paul and at Lawrence

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 71 June 2013 Scott’s. The other main manfacture in the city was, of course, chocolate, Pete Goodrum’s book, which will be classed as history to younger readers, is a nostalgic journey for older readers who remember the years of dramatic social changes after the war. He covers the rebuilding after the destruction of the bombing raids on Norwich with photographs of the bombsites and the construction going on to rebuild and reshape our city. The wonderful 1951 Festival of Britain, a celebration of the country’s optimism for its future, is also covered in the book. There are photographs of the Royal Visit to the city, the parade of elaborate floats and the wonderfully decorated buildings. Norwich City Football Cub also played a great part in raising the spirit of the city and the team’s great cup run in 1959 is covered. Pete’s book is an uplifting account, showing how the citizens and businesses of the city worked together to take our city forward. It’s well worth a look.

Robin Whitmore MN 11725 USEFUL WEBSITES

Military Records - www.forces-war-records.co.uk

This site gives access to millions of military records dating from 1350 up to the present day. If your ances- tors fought in the Napoleonic Wars, the Boer and Crimean Wars, the First and Second World Wars you may well be able to source their military records. You have to subscribe to the site but if you only have a few people to research a one month subscription at £8.95 might be sufficient.

Books on offer Rosemary Soper has a complete set of The Norfolk Ancestor and some volumes of Norfolk Genealogy which she would like to offer to the Society or to members. They are 1987 (4) to 1996 (3) plus the hardback volumes 17-25, and the Return of Owners of Land Norfolk 1873. If you are interested in all or some of these volumes please contact: Miss Rosemary Soper 12, Stallhouse Close, Cardiff CF23 5EB email: [email protected]

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 72 June 2013 GROUP REPORTS

Correspondence about individual groups and meetings should be addressed to the following organisers;

South Norfolk: Mrs Edith Morley, ‘Thwaites’, Fersfield, Diss, Norfolk IP22 2BP Norwich: Mr and Mrs Roger Peck, c/o Kirby Hall (see page 65) London: Miss Mary Seeley, Flat 3, Butterfield House, 7 Allen Road, London N16 8SB Email: [email protected] (home) and [email protected] (work).

NORWICH GROUP REPORT Roy Scott Eminent Norwich & Norfolk Women by Barbara Miller Friday 8 February 2013

The 25 people who braved a very cold February evening to hear Barbara Miller’s talk at Kirby Hall were well rewarded. Barbara said she was careful not to use the word ‘famous’ to describe the women mentioned in her talk, because many of them were not. They were all, however, eminent, a word defined in the dictionary as ‘above others in rank, merit, or reputation; distinguished, noteworthy, outstanding, or prominent’.

Margaret Mautby was the daughter of a wealthy Norfolk farmer. When her father died, Margaret inherited his land and married John Paston, a lawyer and large landowner in Norfolk. John Paston spent a lot of time away on business, so Margaret had the responsibility of looking after the family estates. When they were separated, Margaret kept in contact with John by letter. 59 of the famous Paston Letters, which provide an interesting insight into life in the 15th century, were actually written by Margaret herself. She died in 1484 and her remains now lie just outside St Peter & St Paul church in an unmarked grave.

Sarah Martin was born in 1791 and raised as a dressmaker in Caister. She began her philanthropic work at the Great Yarmouth Tollhouse in 1819, where terrible conditions were endurd by the prisoners held there. She gave Bible readings to the inmates and taught them to read and write. She encouraged them to use their hands to make clothes and straw hats, selling their products for profit to aid prisoners on their release. She kept notes on each of the prisoners and meticulous accounts. Sarah Martin died on 15 October 1843 and is buried in Caister churchyard.

Harriet Martineau was born in Magdalen Street Norwich in 1802. The sixth of eight children born of Huguenot ancestry, into a family of cloth manufacturers. The progressive Unitarian Martineau family who attended the Octogon Chapel in St George’s Street, saw to it that all their children, boys and girls, were well and equally educated. Despite her profound deafness, Harriet was able to support herself through journalism and earned enough, from her writings to move to Flood

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 73 June 2013 Street in London in 1832. She was an anti-slavery campaigner and wrote regular articles on the subject. Between 1834 and 1836, Harriet travelled throughout the United States, writing and speaking against slavery. After a long illness she died in the Lake District in 1876.

Anna Sewell was born in Great Yarmouth, to Isaac and Mary Sewell, a Quaker family. Her mother was a successful author of children’s books. Her birthplace on Church Plain, Great Yarmouth is now a museum. When Anna was twelve, the family moved to live in Stoke Newington, where Anna suffered an accident when returning home from school and, for the rest of Harriet Martineau her life, was unable to stand without a crutch. Anna’s only published work was ‘Black Beauty’ written between 1871 and 1877, whil she was living at Old Catton, Norwich. During this time her health was declining. She was often so weak that she was confined to her bed. The novel was sold to local publisher Jarrold in November 1877, when she was 57 years of age. She died on 25 April 1878, five months after her book was pub- lished and was buried in the Quaker burial-ground at Buxton Lammas, Norfolk.

Interpretation of Military Photographs Anna Sewell by Neil Storey Friday 8 March 2013

The Library was open from 4.00pm until 7.00pm as is the normal practice before the Friday meetings to allow those members who wish to attend early, to use the research facilities. The rearranged library shelving at Kirby Hall enabled more comfortable accommodation for the large number of members and visitors (36) attracted to the Society’s March meeting, by the popular guest speaker Neil Storey. Neil was in very good form, projecting over 50 pictures of soldiers, sailors and a few airmen. He was able to describe and distinquish between the various types of uniforms and headgear, whilst identifying insignia, cap badges and medals. Even Naval uniforms, little changed between the 1830s and 1950s, could be dated by the subtle changes that occured. He talked of the influence of Germany, in the design of British uniforms, spiked helmets for example and the wearing of a Hanoverian knot, on the arm insignia, usually identifies a volunteer. The wearing of roses behind the cap badge on the first of August commemorates the Battle of Minden in1759 and a waistcoat as part of the uniform could indicate a Technical Officer. Even medal ribbons on black and white photographs were identified, a skill learned from H. Taprell Dorling, the author of ‘Ribbons and Medals’. Neil Storey, himself, is the author of over 30 books on social and military history and of the now essential book ‘Family Military Photographs and How to Date Them’. After his talk Neil spent another hour helping individuals interpret the photographs they had brought to the meeting. A big thank you to Neil and his knowledgeable assistant Molly Housego, for making the evening such a success.

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 74 June 2013 Norfolk Citizens’ Experience of the Grand Tour by Victoria Draper Friday 12 April 2013 Victoria, who works at the Norfolk Records Office, has researched extensively, using the considerable resources there at her disposal. She quoted an extract from the diary of Hamon Le Strange, the eldest son of Sir Nicholas, covering his tour of France, Italy and England, together with extracts from Hamon’s letters to his mother. She also mentioned the letters from Issac Preston to his son Jacob on the Grand Tour. The archive of the Reverend William Gunn, a Norfolk parson, is a fine source of information, together with the Journal of a Grand Tour of France, Italy, Germany, Austria and Holland made by Robert Harvey, Sheriff of Norwich in 1784 and City Mayor in 1787. Victoria was able to project illustrations from the archives, depicting various modes of transport and the difficulties encountered on their travels. It would appear from the pictures that the tourists were prepared to accept a level of discomfort they would not have experienced at home. A coloured sketch of tourists, in all their finery, being assisted down an erupting Mount Vesuvius, the volcano in the Gulf of Naples, looks decidedly dangerous. I would recommend anyone wishing to research the subject should go to the Norfolk Records Office website www.archives.norfolk.gov.uk/Archive-Collections. A quick search of NORCAT, the online search facility, quoting ‘Grand Tour;’ will reveal references to all the documents mentioned above.

LONDON GROUP REPORT Mary Seeley Dates for your diary The next London group meeting will be a members’ day on 19 October (2.00 - 4.30pm) at The Society of Genealogists. Come along with tales of tricky ancestors, epic research or historical conundrums. As they say a problem shared . . . Our dates for next year are already booked at the SoG: 15 March and 18 October 2014.

The first London Group meeting for 2013 took place on 6 April. Our speaker was Gregory Toth, the Librarian for Acquisitions and Cataloguing for the Caird Library at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. After a general introduction to the Caird Library, Gregory talked about how to trace ancestors in the merchant and Royal navies, using resources in the Caird Library and elsewhere (we were surprised to learn that a substantial proportion of the surviving copies of mates’ certificates ended up in Memorial University in Newfoundland!). Below is a summary of the talk, provided by Gregory, which also includes full contact details, web-guides and links to research guides provided by the Museum. During Gregory’s informative and detailed presentation, using examples from particular individual’s careers in the navy to illustrate the available resources, we learnt by-the-by, that Captain Smith of Titanic (ill-)fame failed his navigation exam first time round . . . We rounded off the afternoon with a question-and-answer session, which continued once we had all adjourned to the SoG common room for tea and biscuits!

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 75 June 2013 The Caird Library The Caird Library is open Monday to Friday, 10.00-16.45) (until 19.45 on Thursday), and 10.00- 13.00 and 14.00-16.45 on Saturday. Entry is via a free Reader’s Ticket which can be applied for online in advance of your first visit, or on the day. To register and to request items to view in the Library, please see Aeon and guidance on using Aeon. To help plan your visit to the Caird Library, our online catalogues can help you identify resources that you may wish to view. See Library catalogue, the Archives catalogue and Collections online. A guide to your first visit to the New Caird Library is available. Please note that although we hold lots of collections, maritime history researh can be time-consuming so please allow plenty of time for your visit.

Contact Details The Caird Library National Maritime Museum Greenwich London SE10 9NF Tel: +44 (0)20 8312 6516 Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Non archive and libary enquiries If your enquiry relates to a Museum 3D object, paintings, photographs, plans or images, please contact [email protected] for your message to be forwarded to the relevant Museum curator.

Research guides The Library has produced a range of research guides to help people carry out their own research on a wide range of topics. The guides provide information about the Museum’s collections and other sources for research into maritime history. All of our guides are available online from http://www.rmg.co.uk/researchers/library/research-guides/. The most useful might be the following research guides: Research guide A3: Tracing family history from maritime records. Remember that maritime records are not usually a good starting point for compiling a genealogy but they can add considerable detail about seafaring activities of an individual. Research guide A6: Greenwich and the National Maritime Museum. Information includes records of the Greenwich Hospital, the Royal Naval College and Dreadnought Seamen’s Hosptital. Research guide B1: The Royal Navy: Tracing People. It is important to stress that the service and official records of the Royal Navy and most Admiralty records are deposited at The National Archives, Kew. Research guide B7: The Royal Navy: Ship records.The Archive and Library has many complementary resources which will assist in researching the history, service and crew of Royal Naval ships as our holdings are extremely rich in items on individual ships and actions. Research guide C1: The Merchant Navy: Tracing people: Crew lists, agreements and official logs. A 10% specimen group of crew agreements for year 1861-1995, taken at random (every tenth box of papers) together with those for famous vessels (with some exceptions, such as those for the Cutty Sark and Great Britain), is in the National Archives. The remaining 90% for 1861, 1862, and the years ending in ‘5’, are held at the National Maritime Museum. Research guide C2: The Merchant Navy: Tracing People: Master-mariners, mates and engineers. All master-mariners operating between 1854-1927 would have been

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 76 June 2013 required to hold a certificate, of which many have survived and are now in the care of the National Maritime Museum. These have been digitised and made available via Ancestry. Research guide C5: The Merchant Navy: Sources for ship histories. Early tax records from the 13th-19th centuries and ship registration records from the 18th century until 1994 are held at The National Archives Kew and in other archives; but probably the best starting place is Lloyd’s Register. The Mercantile Navy List is the Board of Trade official list of all British- registered vessels, which started in 1850. Most annual volumes exist from 1857-1976 and are in the National Maritime Museum library. Research guide C8: The Merchant Navy: Wrecks, losses and casualties. It can be frustrating for researchers that information on shipwrecks and losses is often incomplete, and spread across a broad range of official and non-official sources. However, this is a strong area of interest for many people, and in many cases, other researchers will have already identified the data available and complied it into published texts. It is therefore wise to consult some of our volumes available in the reading room. Research guide C9: The Merchant Navy: World War One and World War Two. There is a wide range of material both in printed and manuscript form. The National Maritime Museum holds some key works that are likely to assist with most research problems.

Caird Library blog Discover the latest news on the Caird Library blog and do not forget to subscribe to it http://blogs.rmg.co.uk/library/.

SOUTH NORFOLK GROUP REPORT Jenny Jenkins

Our speaker at the February meeting of the Diss Group of Norfolk Family History Society was Roland Buggey, whose topic 'British Orders and Medals’, accompanied with slides, spanned the period from Waterloo until the present day. Some members had brought along family medals, including two MBEs which were passed around and discussed at the start of the meeting and then Roland, himself a holder of a military long service medal, commenced his talk by explaining to us the different medal classifications and entitlements in order of merit, beginning with descriptions and slides of the highest group of military medals, those awarded for gallantry against the enemy, i.e. The Victoria Cross, The Conspicuous Gallantry Cross and The Distinguished Flying Cross to mention a few. Roland then moved on to medals awarded for chivalry, Campaign medals, Meritorious Service, Long Service and Good Conduct Medals, concluding with civilian medals awarded to individuals from the Police, Fire Service, and other organizations. We finished with a discussion on the care and cleaning of them, replacing worn ribbons and the protocols of wearing medals in the right order on official ceremonies. The Diss Group are very fortunate in having such talented members with such knowledge of interesting and diverse subjects which they are willing to share with us. There's None so Queer as Folks was the intriguing title of the talk given by Ian Waller at the Diss branch meeting on 12 March, a talk which explored a miscellany of customs, myths, legends, traditions, superstitions, accents, dialects, proverbs and sayings across the British Isles and where possible their origins and the truths behind the myths. Some traditions are common to the whole country such as a bride throwing her bouquet, the yearly games of conkers played by children everywhere and the stirring of the Christmas puddings and the adding of coins to name

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 77 June 2013 a few but, some are quite obscure and peculiar to specific regions such as Well Dressing in Derbyshire, which originated in 1348 and continues to this day as does the legend of Black Shuck, a ghostly black dog said to roam the coast and countryside of East Anglia. A few of us, not native to Norfolk, had heard of the tradition of Jack and Snatch Valentine which dates back to an age when Valentine's Day was as important as Christmas. Jack Valentine would leave little gifts and cards for children as well as love tokens and cards to a sweetheart but the sinister sounding Snatch Valentine was a trickster who would knock at the door and then when the child opened it and reached for the parcel left outside, it would be snatched away by means of a string pulled by someone hiding out of sight. Usually the child would be allowed to get the present but sometimes it would turn out to be just an empty box. Thankfully Snatch has disappeared into the mists of time but Jack still survives to give pleasure to children in some Norfolk families. Painswick in Gloucestershire can boast that it upholds two little known traditions. The clipping of the church is a custom, originally pagan in origin which was revived in the 19th century and is held at Easter. The congregation and local children hold hands in an outward facing ring around the church and the completion of the circle is followed by hymn singing and dancing, concluding with a service. Very few churches practise this custom today however. The baking and eating of puppy dog pie on the Painswick Feast Day is a custom that only occurs here and it owes its existence to the rediscovery of the tradition in the late 1800s. Thankfully the pie is filled with meat or fruit with the addition of a china dog and not an unfortunate canine as the macabre name suggests. Many places still continue the custom of egg rolling at Easter but at Dunstable, for reasons unknown, they chose to roll oranges down a slope, but this unique entertainment was discontinued years ago. Not so the presentation of the Dunmow Flitch where a side of bacon is awarded to a selected couple who have been married for at least a year and a day, a tradition which has survived since 1445. Public schools are rich in traditions, some stranger than others, such as the oddly named Red Feather Day, celebrated by the pupils of The Sir John Cass Foundation School whereby every February they attend a service at St. Botolph's Aldgate wearing a red feather. The school was founded in Houndsditch in 1669 and in 1710 Alderman Cass agreed to provide funds but he inconveniently died before he could sign the deed. The school was closed until the deed was enforced in 1738 and thus the event is celebrated by the wearing of the red feathers which represent a bloodied feather quill. Some military traditions such as Beating Retreat date back to the 1600s and the ceremonies, rituals, toasts and mascots are a huge part of the military culture. Part of this can be shared by the British public when they witness the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace or The Trooping of The Colour and these occasions give us liberty to recognise our patriotism. Likewise few hearts fail to swell when listening or joining in with the words of Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory, The White Cliffs of Dover or the Liverpool Football Club anthem You'll never Walk Alone. The last part of the talk covered dialects and accents acquired early in our lives, slang and rhyming slang and the quaint quips and quirks that enrich our constantly evolving language and define who we are, our culture and character and where we come from and as Ian said it would be a tragedy if they died out. Our speaker at the Diss branch meeting in April was Ian Hook who is the Curator of the Essex Regiment Museum with the topic 'Fighting Families', particularly relevant as the members were going on a trip to the Royal Hospital, Chelsea and The National Army Museum the next week.

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 78 June 2013 Ian began by telling us that in 1985 an elderly lady had asked him if he could find out anything about her father's service in WW1 which he did manage to do despite the lack of research sources that are available to us today. The grateful letter he received from the lady, part of which he read to us, convinced him of how important and relevant this information is to the descendants of military personnel. Now the collections of researchable records grow all the time but navigating one's way around them can still be a complicated process to the uninitiated and Ian had a wealth of tips and suggestions and especially guidance hints regarding the various categories at the National Archives to aid one's military research. Unfortunately many WW1 records were destroyed in the blitz but those that survived were restored as much as possible and are known as The Burnt Soldiers Records. The Attestations which still exist are a valuable resource as they contain physical descriptions, notes of distinguishing marks etc. and names of next of kin. Then there are war diaries, pension records, medal rolls, war memorials, rolls of honour, discharge papers, pay books and crime and punishment records to name a few more avenues to explore. Ian also stressed the importance of being open minded and not to assume that an ancestor remained in the same regiment all his military life as they were often transferred to other regiments. Ian also touched on the records such as muster rolls relating to the militia, volunteers recruited by local bodies, some of which are in the National Archives, some in local record offices and it was interesting to learn that during the Napoleonic Wars, men belonging to the Yeomanry, usually middle class farmers, could take their own horse with them. Until the middle of WW1 joining the army was voluntary and recruiting sergeants, attracted the volunteers from a variety of places across the country including workhouses, industrial schools and public houses and once the King's shilling was taken there was no going back and the recruiting sergeants, particularly in the 19th century, sometimes used less than honest methods to obtain their 'volunteer' by getting them drunk and slipping a shilling into the unfortunate victim's pocket or pewter tankard. Amusingly this resulted in some tankards being manufactured with glass bottoms. Much information can be gleaned from old photographs. Styles of tunics changed over the years and can help with dating and the style of puttees can pinpoint whether a man was in the infantry or cavalry where they would be shorter to be worn with riding boots. Cap badges and flashes can help identify a regiment and, surprisingly, men fighting in the Crimean War were allowed to wear a beard. I am sure those of us contemplating military research and those already engaged in searching for their own 'Fighting Families' found a great deal to aid them in this fascinating talk. Jenny Jenkins.

On 16th April 2013 the Diss Group visited The National Army Museum and the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. London was extremely crowded as preparations were being made for Margaret Thatcher's funeral the following day and we were all glad that we were sitting in a coach and not driving! Looking on the bright side, because it seemed such a slow journey through the City we were able to have a good look at all the buildings, both old and new, that we passed. Our first visit was to the National Army Museum where there was so much to see: Then we met our guide for the afternoon, Chelsea Pensioner Brian Cumming MBE KstG, who proved to be an excellent guide to the Royal Hospital - informative, interesting and humourous too.

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 79 June 2013 The Royal Hospital was designed by Christopher Wren for Charles II in 1682 as a home for soldiers unfit for further service because of injury or old age. The original building, now Figure Court, was designed to hold 412 veterens and officers. Realising that it would be insufficient two further quadrangles were added. At present there are 300 male and 6 women in-pensioners. Diss Group have been fortunate in securing Brian Cumming MBE KstG to give a talk to members next year. As it was such a lovely afternoon we ended our visit with tea in the Hospital Gardens and then went back to the National Army Museum for a last look before catching the coach back to Diss.

Edith Morley

CHARLES FARROW RESEARCH Genealogical, Heraldic, Historical, Legal and Manorial Research in NORFOLK, SUFFOLK & CAMBRIDGESHIRE also Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, London, Middlesex & Northamptonshire ********************************************** Family Histories Compiled Parish Registers Transcribed ********************************************** Charles W. Farrow FinstLEx 9, Drayton Hall Lane Scarning, Dereham NR19 2PY Fax: (01362) 699398 Email: [email protected]

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 80 June 2013 NEGLECTED SOURCES IN THE KIRBY HALL LIBRARY Parson Woodforde Society Journal Amongst the treasures to be found in the Kirby Hall Library are magazines produced by other societies. One of these is the Parson Woodforde Society Journal of which the library holds a number. These journals provide a specific resource for family history researchers who may have family connections with Weston Longville and the joy of the information is that it comes within a social history setting for the period. The society members who have produced the articles have assiduously drawn out the detail from ‘Parson Woodforde’s Diary’ about servants, tradesmen, Weston Longville’s parishioners and their Parson James Woodforde environment. Not stopping with the Diary entries their research has added, in many cases, dates and other family names and connections - all there for you to use. The hard work has been done for you. One of your ancestors may have been a servant employed at Weston Longville Rectory. Particularly mentioned are Sukey BOXLEY (later GARROD), Brettingham SCURLL (known as Briton), Ben LEGGETT (born at Ringland) and Betty DADE who married John BALDWIN but there are many more. William VASSAR, brickmaker of East Tuddenham, Mr WHISTLER, a decorator from Norwich, PEDRALIO, an Italian living in Norwich who made thermometers and barometers and Mr ALDRIDGE who travelled about selling materials and delivering items from Norwich retailers are a selection of the tradesmen who had dealings with Parson Woodforde during the period 1778 to 1800. People important in the parish appear in the Diary, Stephen ANDREWS was probably a church warden as well as a farmer. Mr QUARLES was appointed as Clerk to the Commissioners of Land Tax in 1788, a position previously held by his father. There is also John PEGG who was a sub-collector of taxes and Bowles SALISBURY, a tenant farmer, who was the enumerator of the 1841 Census of Weston Longville. The Hart Inn at Weston Longville was important in the area and the journals give details about it and its publicans such as Harry ANDREWS, Johnny REEVES and James HARDY. There are also details of life in the parish such as the Christmas lunch for the old men, entertainments and help for the poor. All the references cannot be included in this short article but I hope enough have been given to show that this could be a useful source for those with ancestors from the Weston Longville area and will create interest in this under-used resource.

Liz Mann MN 12297

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 81 June 2013 NFHS WEBSITE AND NORS (Norfolk Online Record Search)

For the benefit of many new members and a few members who may have problems or misunderstanding with our two websites some useful hints are repeated here:- 1. The 'User name/Login' for both the NFHS website and for NORS comprises [membership number+first 3 letters of surname] - this never changes. 2. Forgotten passwords can be overcome by using the forgotten password option, this is only possible if personal details especially email address are up to date on the NFHS Website and on NORS, otherwise the confirming email will not be received. In this eventuality the only solution is to email, phone or write to Kirby Hall with the correct details, after which it will be possible to generate a new password then waiting a few minutes after receipt before logging in. 3. The 'Library' menus are not interactive and the displayed results are only lists of records available to view at Kirby Hall, Norwich - It is not a menu for online record search. 4. NORS remains a separate website exactly as before, requiring existing password or the password that is issued to new members. NORS is used for online research of the Parish Registers, Monumental Inscriptions and other sources held by NFHS. 5. You do not need to log in first to the NFHS website if you only want to use NORS. 6. There are answers to more questions under the 'Membership' 'F.A.Q.s' (frequently asked questions) menu. Recommendations: If you have not yet visited the NFHS website, why not do so now? http://www.norfolkfhs.org.uk/ a) Visit 'Members Interests' to find those members researching the same surnames as yourself or register up to 12 surnames of your own. Obtaining contact details requires logging in. b) Take a look at the messages on 'Notice board' or post a new message. c) Read or download back-issues of The Norfolk Ancestor including an indexed list of most articles. ('Membership' menu, only while logged in). d) Visit 'Bookstall' to see books and CDs for sale e) Get the greatest benefit from NORS by spending a few minutes reading the user guide and the four methods of searching plus use of wildcards, it really will mean better results. f) Check out the many associated and interesting websites under the 'Links' menu. Finally, on NORS - 10 years of Norwich Death Returns from 1894 to 1903 are now transcribed and available online. These will be automatically searched from the main search menus or can be searched individually if preferred.

Mike Dack - Acting Webmaster and NORS Administrator

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 82 June 2013 NORFOLK RECORD OFFICE REPORT

New Parish Register Accessions, January - April 2013

East Bradenham marriages 1981-1994 West Bradenham marriages 1987-2011 Bressingham marriages 1974-1983 Itteringham marriages 1937-1997 King’s Lynn St Margaret banns 1995-2007 Mulbarton banns 1977-1992

Exhibitions in the Long Gallery ‘The story of Norfolk’s Parish Registers’ continues until 6 July 2013. This exhibition explores the history of parish registers, why they were introduced, and how the format and content of registers has changed over the years. On display will be a selection of parish registers, revealing some of the fascinating stories and unexpected memoranda which they contain. Amogst them will be a Weston Longville parish register written by the diarist, Parson James Woodforde; the baptism entry of Diana Spencer (the future Princess of Wales); and burial entries for victims of the plague in 1666 and of A baptism at Topcroft church in 1828: illustration Page from the parish register of St Giles, Norwich, from the Topcroft’s bishops transcripts (NRO, ANF 1538-1609 (NRO, PD 192/1) BT 1828)

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 95 June 2013 small pox in 1787. You can discover why Elizabeth Lambert cancelled her wedding in 1812 after the banns had been called, and how drowned sailors washed up on the beach at Bacton in 1857- 8 were identified by means of their pocket watches. An online version of the exhibition is available at http://www.archives.norfolk.gov.uk/e-Resources/Online - exhibitions/index.htm

This will be followed from 16 July to 12 October by ‘The Watling Way’: Norwich, City of Opportunity’, exploring the roles of Charles and Geoffrey Watling and some of their contemporaries in Norwich. Themes will include philanthropy, as well as the civic and cultural life of Norwich during the twentieth century.

Talks and other events Thursday, 6 June, ‘The Suffragette Movement in Norfolk’, by Frank Meeres. This talk, starting at 1.00pm, is free of charge and will be held in the Green Room of the Archive Centre. The suffragette movement is often thought of as primarily affecting London, but a county like Norfolk was in fact a hotbed of suffragette activity, both legal and illicit. The movement forced women in early twentieth-century Britain to think about their place in society: this talk looks at issues of vital importance to your ancestors of a century ago.

Tuesday, 18 June, 4.00pm - 6.00pm, ‘Arriving in a new country’, a children’s after-school activity run by Norfolk Record Office and the Red Cross at The Archive Centre as part of Refugee Week. Learn about ‘The Strangers’ who fled to Norfolk in the sixteenth century and find out about refugees today. Take on the role of a Red Cross emergency response worker and build a small-scale refugee camp using a variety of different materials. This event is free of charge, but booking is essential; please telephone 01603 222599 to reserve a place. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.

Heritage Open Days Events at The Archive Centre Booking (which is required for both of the following events) opens on Monday 5 August via the booking form in the Heritage Open Days Brochure or on the HEART Norwich website http://www.heritagecity.org/.

Thursday, 12 September, 2.00pm - 3.30pm, a workshop on ‘Tracing the History of Your House’.

Friday, 13 September, 2.00pm - 3.00pm. ‘Lifting the Lid’: find out about conservation work carried out at the Norfolk Record Office, before taking a look at the Conservation Studio.

Norfolk Heritage Centre - News and Events Norfolk Library and Information Service now subscribes to the British Newspaper Archive. Access is free in any Norfolk Library via the Library subscriptions webpage. Using the website, you can search millions of pages of newspapers from the British Library’s collections, by keyword, name and date.

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 96 Junne 2013 ‘Heritage Hour’ runs at the Norfolk Heritage Centre in Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library, Norwich on Wednesdays at 12.30pm - 1.30pm. Talks in June will be:

Wednesday, 5 June , ‘The Archivists: Manorial Documents Project’ Wednesday, 19 June, ‘Beyond the Basics’

On Wednesdays when there is no talk, and on Tuesdays at 5.30pm - 6.30pm, the Heritage Centre offers drop-in ’Ask an Archivist Specialist’ research clinics, aimed at people who are new to the Heritage Centre or who have questions about resources there.

‘Next Steps’ Heritage Summer School Saturday, 13 July 2013. ‘Parish Registers’ Saturday, 27 July 2013. ‘Wills and other probate records’ Saturday, 10 August 2013. ‘Newspapers’ Saturday, 24 August 2013. ‘Military sources’

Each summer school starts at 11.00am and combines a talk with a practical session on using online and other resources at the Heritage Centre. An archive specialist will be happy to answer your questions and give you a helping hand accessing records.

For more information and to check times and themes (which may be subject to change), please contact Norfolk Heritage Centre by telephoning 01603 774740, emailing [email protected] or see the website at http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/heritage centre.

For further information about Norfolk Record Office news and events, see our website http://archives.norfolk.gov.uk, telephone us on 01603 222599, or look out for our posters at the Record Office. You can join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/norfolkrecordoffice or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/norfolkRO.

Susan Maddock, Principal Archivist, Norfolk Records Office

NORFOLK RESEARCH PARISH RECORDS CENSUS SEARCHES CERTIFICATES £5 per hour Send SAE or IRC for details W. Hepburn 11 Preston Avenue, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 9JE Email: [email protected]

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 97 June 2013 TRANSCRIPTS PRINTED AND SHELVED Jan - Mar 2013

PARISH Baptisms Marriages Burials Banns ROCKLAND ST MARY 1755-1901 TILNEY ALL SAINTS 1539-1930 The printed material is a finding aid; there may be further unprinted data available on the computers at Kirby Hall. Full details can be checked on copies of the original registers held on fiche or film in Kirby Hall or at The Archive Centre.

NFHS CONSTITUTION Since the NFHS Memorandum and Articles of Association were written (when the Society succeeded the NNGS 1996) the law has changed considerably, most notably by the Companies Acts of 2006, 2009 and Charities Act 2011. The Charity document entitled The Hallmarks of an Effective Charity states that an effective charity: “regularly reviews the charity’s purposes as set out in its governing document are up to date and relevant to the needs of its beneficiaries; identifies and complies with relevant legislation and takes professional advice where necessary” “regularly reviews its governing document to ensure that it is up to date and that the trustees have the powers that they need in order to achieve the charity’s purposes and to . . . manage its resources effectively”

The Charity Commission provide a template version: see www.charitycommission.gov.uk - gd1textbw.pdf. which I have copied/applied to the NFHS mainly because its articles and clauses cover all circumstances/eventualities and use precise legal language as agreed under the Companies Acts. Much of it is statutory and concerns obligations of directors and rights of members under the law so it cannot be avoided. A copy of the revised M & A is in the hands of all Trustees for their consideration before being reviewed by a solicitor. It is hoped to place the final version on the website and include it as a resolution at the October AGM.

Edmund Perry, Company Secretary

ADVERTISEMENTS in The Norfolk Ancestor Single one-off advertisement Four consecutive adverts prepaid

Cost ¼ page £12.50 Cost: ¼ page £40.00 ½ page £25.00 ½ page £80.00 1 page £50.00 1 page £160.00

The NFHS thanks all its advertisers for their support

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 98 June 2013 FAMILY TREE APPEAL

The NFHS requests FAMILY TREES (even if incomplete) to add to its large collection. These have proved very helpful to other members. Since the last Ancestor Family Trees in respect of the following names have been received and lodged at Kirby Hall. SURNAME AREA BATLEY Great Yarmouth CHAPMAN Bracon Ash, Wymondham (Large) FRYER Hempnall, Norwich GRIME/GRYME Various Norfolk Parishes MOULTON Rougham, Topcroft to Middlesex NORFOR Filby, Strumpshaw, Great Yarmouth UTBER Norwich, Mattishall, Hoo WALPOLE Chedgrave, Claxton, Winfarthing, Long Stratton, Mattishall, Wymondham. East Bilney WINTER West Norfolk to Norwich to Twickenham

Areas shown indicate where the earliest generations or main concentrations of the family occurred.

Attention of Members submitting a Family Tree is drawn to Copyright Law. Family tree compilers are not restricted to any particular format. However the FAMILY NAME under which the tree should be recorded must be emphasised. Members’ full postal address and membership number must always be included. Full details can be found on our website.

UNWANTED BMD CERTIFICATES Again this quarter I have received a lot of unwanted BMD certificates. May I once again thank all those who have sent them in. These are very helpful and much appreciated, so please keep them coming in.

PEDIGREES added to Library Shelves ALEXANDER, BRIGHTON & BOULTON received from Anthony Bately. ALLANBY of Walsoken: BRANFORD of Florden Hall: BOILEAU of Ketteringham (Sir John and his granddaughter Margaret); CREMER of Beeston Hall; DALLING & BULWER of Wood Dalling. GRYME (The Rise & Fall of the House of Gryme by Rita Grimes). MALLET (Through a Thousand Years by Brenda Mallett 1994) PARISH of Bawburgh Old Hall TASBURGHS of Bodney by Francis Young from Norfolk Archaeology 2011. WARNER Family of Besthorpe, Norfolk and Mildenhall, Suffolk WINDHAM Family of Felbrigg; WOLLASTON of Finborough. The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 99 June 2013 WHO TO CONTACT AND WHERE TO REACH THEM All written correspondence should be addressed to Kirby Hall, address on page 63.

Family Trees: Donations of family trees, pedigrees, wills and BMD certificates: Address correspondence to Pam Bridge By email: [email protected] Copy requests: For family trees, pedigrees and wills Address correspondence to Judith Parks By email: [email protected] Membership: Address correspondence to the Membership Secretary, Jean Stangroom By email: [email protected] Members Interests: Address correspondence to Peter Spurgeon By email: [email protected] Monumental inscriptions: Address correspondence to MI Co-ordinator, Mary Mitchell By email: [email protected] NORS - Passwords: Address correspondence to Judith Parks By email: [email protected] NORS - Administration: Address correspondence to Mike Dack By email: [email protected] Look-ups: Address correspondence to Alan Bullard By email: [email protected] Bookstall and fairs: Address correspondence to The Bookstall By email: [email protected] The Ancestor: Address correspondence to the Editor Robin Whitmore By email: [email protected] Transcripts: Volunteers wishing to assist with transcription or similar work contact the Transcripts Organiser Paul Harman By email: [email protected] Treasurer: Address correspondence to the Treasurer Carole Taylor By email: [email protected] Volunteers: Address correspondence to Volunteer Co-ordinator, Carol Reeve By email: [email protected] Webmaster: Address correspondence to the WebMaster By email: [email protected] Secretary: Address correspondence to the Company Secretary, Edmund Perry By email: [email protected] Enquiries: For topics not covered in the above list, address correspondence to Enquiries By email: [email protected] Please state the nature of your enquiry in the email subject box.

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 100 June 2013 ALL IS NOT LOST! Your torn, creased & faded family photographs can be repaired and restored

For further details please contact PPF Images, Millennium House, Gapton Hall Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR31 0NL Tel: 01493 655222 www.ppfimages.co.uk

Pinpoint Your Past Family History Research in Norfolk and Elsewhere Local & House History Document Transcription & Translation Photography Christine Hood, BA 137a Nelson Street Norwich NR2 4DS Email: [email protected] Website: www.pinpointyourpast.co.uk Telephone: 01603 666638

NORFOLK FAMILY SEARCH Experienced Professional Genealogist Offers a range of Research and Photographic Services

Website: www.norfolkfamilysearch.co.uk Email: [email protected]

Or write to: Norfolk Family Search, 14 Silver Street, Norwich, Norfolk. NR3 4TT, United Kingdom

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 101 June 2013 FAMILY, HOUSE AND LOCAL

Professional Researcher, AGRA Record Office Qualified and Freelance Historian and Member since 1992 Tutor GILL BLANCHARD AUTHOR OF ‘TRACING YOUR EAST ANGLIAN ANCESTORS: A GUIDE TO FAMILY HISTORIANS’ & ‘TRACING YOUR HOUSE HISTORY’ BA History and Sociology MA History and Politics Post Grad. Cert Ed. (Adults) Cert. Architecture in Theory and Practice

Suite 14, Meadow View House, 191, Queens Road, Norwich NR1 3PP Telephone: 01603 610619 Email: [email protected] www.pastsearch.co.uk

Family History Courses, Workshops and Personal Tuition also available locally and online

Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex and Lincolnshire All other areas considered

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 102 June 2013 WILLIAM LAWS-LOVEL ex NORWICH, ENGLAND Weaver, burglar, escaped convict, digger, axeman . . . and good father

First published in Australian Family He was 33 years old when he married in Tree Connections January 2013 Melbourne (about 1852). The letter sent from New Zealand in My 2x great grandfather called himself 1962 by William LOVEL's youngest son, William LOVEL (1821-1881) but he was Henry George LOVEL (1876-1962) to my really William LAWS, and escaped convict. uncle Albert LOVEL (William's great- My research involved incredible good grandson) in Australia was most helpful. It luck. Online research was critical to stated 'his father's real name was William achieving the end result. The traditional LOVEL-LAWS and that the LAWS part approach of sifting through files and was dropped on arrival in Australia'. viewing microfische also had a place. My first step was to test the family story Networking with family and friends and about William and Mary Ann's voyage to contact with several Family History Australia and their marriage. organisations also assisted. The immigrant ship Osceola's passenger The 'LOVEL family story' passed down list shows a 16 year old Mary Ann MAYES through four generations had William accompanying a William and Esther LOVEL and his future wife Mary Ann MAYES, both 39 years old, and two MAYES coming to Australia on board the children, Dorothy aged four and William vessel Osceola. They subsequently aged one. They originated from Ipswich, married and lived happily ever after in a England and arrived in Adelaide in April town called Bealiba on the Victorian 1851. The significant age difference goldfields, some 200kms north west of between Mary Ann and the other children Melbourne, Australia. and the fact that William and Esther The two documents initially available to married 8 years after her estimated year me were William LOVEL's death of birth raised the possibility that William certificate and a letter written by his and Esther may have not been Mary Ann's youngest son, Henry George LOVEL, in parents. She may have been a relative 1962. brought to Australia to help with the The death certificate established that young children and have a better chance William LOVEL died on 16 October 1881 of life. No birth certificate has been at 60 years of age (working back; that located for Mary Ann MAYES in Ipswich. meant he was born in 1820-21). His There was no record of William LOVEL father was Stephen LOVEL who was a on board the Osceola, which placed weaver by occupation, his mother was doubt about the accuracy of that part of Susan LOVEL, and her occupation was the family story. 'not known'. William was born in My second cousin, Cheryl LOVEL, had Norwich, England. He lived in Victoria for already located William LOVEL's wife's 30 years (meaning he arrived about 1851). marriage certificate dated 18 June 1852.

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 103 June 2013 They married in St Peter's Anglican seemed to fit or able to be linked to my Church, East Melbourne. William LOVEL. There was one problem with the Having drawn a blank on this line of marriage certificate. The groom was not research I re-visited a possible solution to William LOVEL but a fellow called William LOVEL's real identity and arrival Thomas CARNABY. Despite subsequent in Australia. Whilst this solution to his research no Thomas CARNABY has been real identity had been in the back of my located at that time in Victoria. mind over the years, it was just initially There were a number of possibilities too far-fetched to accept. with the 'wrong groom'. It could have The theory came from another LOVEL been a transcription error. At that time researcher, Trish BELCHER, some 12 years some churches hand copied their earlier. I had shared with her the registers before handing them over to the aforementioned information contained in newly established Victorian Government the 1962 letter from William's youngest Register of Birth, Marriages and Deaths. son Henry George LOVEL, suggesting his It could have been William using an alias father's real surname may have been given as he could have been in Melbourne in as LOVEL-LAWS. June 1852 or, my favoured view, that it Trish was experimenting with the Family was simply a marriage which what forever Search website and made an input reason did not work or the groom mistake. She entered the name William disappeared to the goldfields. Prior to LAWS instead of William LOVEL or 1861 there was no legal process to obtain LOVEL-LAWS, using some of the criteria a divorce in Victoria established from William Lovel's death The wrong name on the marriage certificate. To her surprise up popped certificate certainly placed doubt on the William LAWS who 'fitted the bill'. His assumption that William and Mary Ann parent's first names, occupations, and his were legally husband and wife. place and year of birth pretty well The next step over a number of years matched up with what we knew of was finding all the William LOVELs (and William LOVEL from his death certificate. LOVELLs and LOVEL-LAWS and similar Basically if you replaced the name LOVEL spellings) in Australia in the period 1840- on his death certificate with the name 1855. This was done by various means, LAWS there was a match. both online and with visits to the State We were fortunate that the LAWS Library of Victoria's Genealogy Section, family congregated in a Norwich slum accessing microfiche shipping records and called Pockthorpe. In particular William the Victorian Index on CD-ROM. LAWS and all his siblings but one, were This search produced a list of 34 christened in a church called St James the possible William LOVELs (or similarly Lesser Pockthorpe. An LDS batch search named) candidates, nine of whom were facilitated the grouping of the family convicts. After assessing them against christenings, all but one, to this single what we knew of William's age, place of church. birth and arrival time in Australia, derived It had become obvious early in my from his death certificate, none of them research that William and his 'wife' Mary

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 104 June 2013 Ann were deliberately hiding something. baker of St George, Tombland, Norwich. The major cause of suspicion was the The article in the Norfolk Chronicle inaccuracies and differences on nine of reporting the results of the Norwich their ten children's birth certificates. Summer Assizes held on 12 August 1843 When William registered a birth he gave is shown below: different and completely wrong dates of marriage and the place of marriage as 'Wm. Laws, aged 22, James Hagg, aged Ballarat. When Mary Ann registered a 20, and James Smith alias Button Smith, birth she mostly had the date of marriage aged 21, were charged with having bur- correct and the place of marriage always lariously broken and entered the dwell- as Melbourne. The instances of correct ing house of Frederick Gavell Mitchell, date and place of marriage that Mary Ann of St George Tombland, baker, with advised was the marriage place and date intent to steal. of her marriage to the mysterious Thomas Mr Palmer prosecuted the prisoners. CARNABY He said information had been given to No birth certificate was located for the Mr Mitchell that some parties had been first child born of the relationship, also trying his cellar shutter on the 12th July called William. He was born in January last, in consequence of which he and a 1855 at Warrenheip, very close to Ballarat. neighbour named Mr. Oakley, watched One month earlier the conflict had erupt- till near 12 o'clock at night, when the ed at the Eureka Stockade only a few kilo- prosecutor saw the prisoners, from a metres away. You could well window opposite his house, come into imagine the turmoil and insecurity the street, near the premises, but especially, as it turned out, in the case of passengers being about they went away, an escaped convict, with the area being and came back again in about 20 overrun by 'Red Coats'. minutes. They then went directly to Based on the LDS 'far-fetched' finding the cellar window shutters. Hagg lifted and failure to advance with my LOVEL up the shutter and Laws went down on research I then focused on the person his belly and got in feet first. Hagg then named William LAWS from Norwich. went one way along the pavement and Whilst searching for William LAWS in Smith the other, keeping watch. The Australia in the period 1840 to 1855. I two latter made off as soon as they was drawn to a Van Diemen's Land perceived they had been detected. convict of that name. He was from Laws was secured on the premises, Norwich, and had been transported in and Smith and Hagg, from the 1843 on board the convict ship Marion(1) description given, were afterwards He had been convicted of burglary at the taken into custody. - All the prisoners 1843 Norwich Summer Assizes and were found guilty. A former conviction sentenced to 15 years transportation. for felony was proved against Laws, Further research had William LAWS who was sentenced to 15 years apprehended (with a couple of mates) in transportation; Hagg and Smith each to the act of burglary on the night of 12 July 10 years transportation. 1843 at the home of Frederick GAVELL,

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 105 June 2013 A recent second translation of William 1852. Three of particular interest with LAWS' convict record, apart from refining the status/origin of 'Freeman'. 'Irish Miner' the details of his convict life, revealed and 'not stated' were possibilities. Several something I had not noticed before. The of them were travelling cabin class. convict record gave the names of his At this stage of my research I realised parents and siblings and they were the that whilst I had done a detailed study of same LAWS family of Norwich found in this person called William LAWS, I had LDS records some 12 years earlier. This not linked him conclusively to William was overwhelming proof that the convict LOVEL. Friends and family questioned the William LAWS was the son of a Stephen legitimacy of my claim that William LOVEL and Susan LAWS of Norwich. was really William LAWS 'escaped con- William LAWS tried to escape at Hobart vict'. Further definitive proof was in mid 1851 but was captured on board a required. vessel called the Blackfriars before it set Via my cousin Cheryl LOVEL, I sail. As punishment for this attempted discovered that there were still escape he was given 12 months hard descendants of Henry George LOVEL in labour at the Cascades near Port Arthur. New Zealand. After making contact and He was re-assigned after six months on visiting them I found out that Henry 17 February 1852 to an ex-convict named George had maintained a diary and I Horace COOLEY in Hobart. eventually found it in Melbourne with William LAWS convict record states that Henry George's youngest grandson, he absconded on 26 May 1852. My 'gut Graham LOVEL, who had brought it to feel' is that he went much earlier than Australia with him. The much cherished that date. diary turned out to be a fascinating tale of Horace COOLEY was an American Henry George's life in Australia and New captured and unjustly imprisoned by the Zealand. It is a worthy story in its own British during an uprising in Canada right. The part that provided the between 1837 and 1839. Eventually all-important link between William LAWS COOLEY's long overdue conditional and William LOVEL is shown overleaf. pardon was granted on 4 December 1848. I was immediately comforted by the fact Whilst the convict records do not show that the diary said that his father William William and Horace in exactly the same LOVEL, had a brother named James. gang/prison at the same time they could William LAWS also had a brother named have met up in the Port Arthur area. James. It also said that William had a Perhaps COOLEY assisted in William's brother who was the captain of a small escape. He may have provided the money fishing boat who drowned and another for his escape or delayed who was a Homeopathic Chemist. notifying the authorities or provided a On checking the Genforum website I plan of travelling cabin class to avoid the came across an entry ten years earlier attention of the authorities. from a person trying to find details of the There were several William LOVELs and family of James LAWS of 1850s Norwich. or LAWS on vessels at that time crossing I made contact with Corrine LAMBERT from Van Diemen's Land to Melbourne in who was James LAWS' 2x great-grand-

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 106 June 2013 been a ship's captain as described in Henry George's diary. After 1871 Matthew disappeared from the census. I located the Death Index entry for his death in 1871 and his death certificate stated 'Accidently drowned in the River Yare on the 26th of September 1871'. The Norwich Mercury dated 30 September 1871 stated the following:

DEATH FROM DROWNING - On Tuesday, the City Coroner held an inquest at the Jolly Hatters public-house Cowgate Street, on the body of Matthew Laws, as 39, a waterman, who was drowned under the following circumstances. He was employed with a man named Tibbs by Mr Hobrough to sail a boat on the Yare, and was seen by a wherryman, named England, about six or seven miles from Yarmouth. Deceased's boat passed the witnesses's Extract from Henry George LOVEL’s diary wherry, and in about half-an-hour afterwards it was overtaken by England, daughter from his third marriage. Her who saw deceased in the water, having James LAWS had been a Homeopathic immediately set to work to rescue the Chemist in Hackney, London, the same body, and tried to restore animation, occupation mentioned in Henry George but without avail. There was (sic) no LOVEL's diary for one of William LOVEL's marks of violence on the body. The brothers. jury found a verdict of Accidental The 1871 census revealed James LAWS drowning. in Mare Street, Hackney occupation Homeopathic Chemist. I knew he was These two 'finds' proved without doubt the right James LAWS ex-Norwich as the that William LOVEL was really William same census gave his place of birth as LAWS. Attleborough. I already knew that the William and Mary Ann (MAYES) LAWS only sibling of William LAWS who had had ten children, half of whom died been christened in this village was James. before reaching 20 years of age. Typically I next tracked another one of William the deaths were the result of birth LAWS' brothers, Matthew, via the defects, and diseases probably caused by 1851,1861 and 1871 censuses which had poor sanitary and water quality him as a 'waterman'. That was conditions on the goldfields. encouraging as it meant he could have William was a gold miner and axeman.

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 107 June 2013 from 'congestion of the lungs and livers'. Mary Ann passed away in 1900 from a heart condition. Given that Mary Ann made it from Adelaide to Melbourne in 1851-2 at 16 years of age, leaving her relatives behind, having her early children in the bush or under canvas, walking on rough bush tracks with babes in arms, she must have had a hard time of it. You can well imagine the problems in dealing with the extremes of climate, either having too much or not enough water in the creeks, washing clothes from the river bank, scavenging for food and trying to keep the family healthy with minimal medical resources. Perhaps William LOVEL's youngest son's words in his 1962 letter from New Zealand are an indication that the convict system had improved William LAWS - St James Pockthorpe Norwich. the church 'your grandfather 'sic' like my father was a where many of William Laws amily were kind father and ane of the best that ever christened - now a puppet theatre lived'. He was also greatly saddened that As he had a house by 1867 in Main Street, he missed seeing his mother Mary Ann Bealiba, just next door to the before she died. He was returning from International Hotel, he must have put Cue in Western Australia when she down roots and been reasonably passed away. successful. William probably had a far It is interesting that the family papers better quality of life in Bealiba than if he kept and diarised by William's youngest had stayed in England. The Norwich son Henry George contained details that slums around Pockthorpe where he was occurred long after William LAWS' born were considered to be amongst the transportation to Van Diemen's Land and worst in Britain in those times. William Lovel’s death certificate William died in 1881 at 60 years of age

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 108 June 2013 subsequent escape in 1852. Obviously the Norfolk Family History Society family in Australia and England still kept in Norfolk Library England touch. Port Arthur Historical Site Management William and Mary Ann LOVEL's secrets Authority went to the grave with them. Until now St Peter's Anglican Church, East that is. Melbourne State Records NW Tasmanian Family History Society References; The Ships List www.theshipslist.com Ancestry.com Trove Newspapers Cora Web Victorian Pioneer Index 1837-1888 www.coraweb.com.au/shipindex.htm Victorian Registry of Births, Marriages and FamilySearch https://familysearch.org Deaths Genforum https://genforum.genealogy.com Victorian State Library Goldfields Historical and Arts Society Henderson, Allan. The Bealiba Book 1840- Peter Lovel MN 12093 1990 self published c2000 Index to Tasmanian Convicts https://portal.archives.tas.gov.au/menu. aspx?search+11

DIANA SPELMAN BA WILLIAM PIGMAN Norfolk Research Specialist We have received more comments on (since 1982) the William Pigman query that appeared in the December issue of The Ancestor. Medieval to Modern Family & Local History Barbara Roberts MN 3283 and Latin Translation Ruth Frazer from Wymondham con- Document Transcription firmed that the New Year began on Lady Manorial Records Day and say that Lady Day falls on the 25 Photography March. This occured until a calendar change in 1752.

Diana Spelman (see advert left) says AGRA the entries are in Latin with abbreviated Christian names. “Wil[hel]mus or Wil[el] member mus Pigman & An[n]a Amond - the hori- 74 Park Lane zontal line written above both Christian NORWICH NR2 3EF names indicates missing letters and the Tel: 01603 664186 sign after the letter ‘m’ in William’s name Email: [email protected] is an abbreviation mark for ‘us’.

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 109 June 2013 NOTES AND QUERIES

Can you identify this uniform? This photograph of my grandfather Arthur SUTTON was taken in March 1917. He lived in Norwich from about 1900 until his death. Can anyone identify the uniform he is wearing? I think it was some sort of TA regiment. I would be grateful for any advice.

John Sutton MN 9499

Looking for Ernest Alfred ANDREWS My 2x great aunt, Mary Ann HUBBARD, was born in Hempnall in 1870. On 2 August 1903, at the parish church of St Mark, Lakenham, Norwich, she married Ernest Alfred ANDREWS, a carpenter by trade and the son of an Edward ANDREWS. The couple had two daughters: Frances Sarah, born in Hempnall on 17 march 1904: and Lillian Kate, born at Send, Surrey on 14 October 1905. When the two girls were very young, Ernest departed to Australia (or so he told Mary) to set up a new life, saying that he would shortly send for Mary and the girls to join him. We do not know exactly where or when he left, although a possible emigration record is that for the departure from Liverpool on 16 Spetember 1908 of the Devon, on which there is an Ernest ANDREWS, joiner, bound for Wellington, New Zealand. But Mary and the girls waited in vain with no word from him . . . until many years later when the girls were young adults when Ernest turned up on Mary’s doorstep asking her to take him back (she was at the time living at Portland Place, Southwell Road, Norwich). She refused and the family never heard from him again. Where had Ernest been in the meantime and what became of him? Does anyone have an Ernest Alfred ANDREWS appearing out of the blue in the family in the 1920s, perhaps with a slightly murky background? Mary was last known as living at Carlyle Road, Norwich, sometime after the slum clearances of the 1930s and I do not know what became of her either. Neither daughter married or had children so there is no direct descendants to fill in the gaps. Any help would be appreciated.

Alan Harper MN 13133 [email protected]

Convict Jon Daines I’m trying to find the family of my convict great great grandfather, John DAINES, who was born about 1813 in Norfolk. He committed highway robbery on the king’s highway at Wymondham in 1831 with partners in crime James POLL and William MILLER. All three men were tried at the Norfolk Assizes on 24 march 1832 and transported to Sydney Australia, on the ship Planter, where they settled, married and

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 110 March 2013 and William’s were possibly William MILLER and Susanna DENBY. The closest possible connection found is - John DAINES, born Carleton Rode, 23 October 1813, and baptised 20 November 1813. He is the son of John DANES/ DAINES (carpenter) and Sarah BARNARD who were married on 18 November 1812 by banns. Witnesses were Ebenezer MILLER and Mary DANES/DAINES. Convict John, also a carpenter, married Jane NAPIER (LEIPER) in 1845 and died in 1882. According to his death notice his middle name was William. His chidren were Bridget, Jane T, John William, Alice, Robert Bruce and James Henry. I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone who can verify that John and Sarah are John’s correct parents or with links, info or ideas on how to find convict John DAINES’ family.

Margaret Stevens MN 14101

Walter DAVIDSON 1845-1914 This photograph is of my great grandfather, Walter DAVIDSON, who was born in Calthorpe in 1845. It was taken by C B Hudson who set up his photographic studio in his father’s ironmongers shop on Aldborough Green in the 1860s. Walter lived in Wolterton and worked as a gardener at Wolterton Hall. I should be very interested to hear from any member who can tell me the reason for the sash and bunch of flowers/leaves attached to his jacket.

Caroline Browne MN 13862

LAND - HOWSE Christopher LAND (c. 1747) married Keziah HOWSE (c.1757) at Old Buckenham on 4 October 1779. They had five children at Kenninghall and another five at Sprowston. All the children are accounted for, including Edward, my line, where they lived until Christopher and Keziah died in 1842. Naughty Keziah had the habit of changing her name at each baptism, i.e. Kissy, Cassey and even Mary. In a last desperate attempt - does anyone know from whence they came. I’d be much obliged for any help.

Bernard Gillespie MN 2230

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 111 March 2013 Frederick ALDERTON of Great Cressingham I am searching Ancestory for my family tree. I have traced my great grandfather Frederick ALDERTON to Great Cressingham. He was born there in 1833 the son of James ALDERTON. I have no name for his mother. I know from my recent searches that a lot of ALDERTONs lived in Norfolk. Can you help with any information at all. He was a farm labourer as was his father. I do not know if he lived there for a long time. I have noticed that the parish clerk was also called ALDERTON, I wonder if he was a relation.

Wilfred Alderton [email protected]

Junius JESSOP Junius JESSOP, born in Wisconsin U.S.A of English parents, died whilst visiting his sister and her husband in Emneth near Wisbech. Their names are Elizabeth and Edward CLARK. Edward died in Emneth on 3 September 1822 and is buried in Elm parochial cemetery - his wife is buried in Bradford. Junius died on 22 August 1921. So far my research has drawn a blank - could anyone help me?

Judith Green MN 7042

Nursing Item in the March Ancestor

Regarding te back cover of the March Ancestor and the picture of a group of nurses. I can certainly identify one and possibly two of the nurses pictured. If I am correct this photograph was taken in 1918 or 1919 and I believe the hospital was Whitlingham Hospital in Trowse. My grandfather’s sister, Jemima JEFF (Mima - but called herself Jean in later life) is pictured on the extreme left of the second row from the front. Next to her, I am fairly sure, is her younger sister by one year, Mary JEFF. They came to Norwich together from their home in Govan, Glasgow in 1917 when Mima was 19 and Mary was 18. They lodged in College Road, just off Newmarket Road, and stayed in Norwich until 1920, when they both moved to London, where they remained for the rest of teir loves. Both married, but neither had any children, and they both died in the 1980s within two years of each other.

Ray Sparham

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 112 June 2013 BOOKS FOR SALE

Society member Jennifer Purple MN 965 has the following books for sale:

White books with red writing - The Parish Registers of Norfolk - Monograph Series - Transcribed by N & N Genealogical Society 1984 - 1989. No. 2 BODNEY 1653-1837 No. 18 LANGFORD 1692-1837 No. 3 DUNSTON 1557-1837 No. 19 ICKBURGH 1693-1837 No. 4 THREXTON 1602/3-1837 No. 20 LITTLE CRESSINGHAM No. 5 SHINGHAM 1708-1837 1691-1837 No. 6 FRENZE 1654-1852 No. 21 WEST TOFTS with No. 7 RYSTON cum WROXHAM BUCKENHAM TOFTS 1687-1837 1691-1837 No. 8 TAVERHAM 1601-1837 No. 22 STANFORD with STURSTON No. 9 DIDLINGTON with 1699-1837 COLVESTON 16691-1837 No. 23 GODDERSTONE 1563-1837 No. 10 CRANWICH 1691-1837 No. 24 COLNEY 1705/6-1837 No. 11 FORDHAM 1576-1837 No. 25 SHELFANGER 1686-1837 No. 14 BARTON BENDISH all SSwS. No. 26 ROYDON 1559-1837 MARY 1691 - 1837 No. 27 HAVERINGLAND 1694-1837 No.1515 BARTON BENDISH ST No. 28 LITTLE MELTON 1734-1837 ANDREW 1691 - 1837 No. 29 EARLHAM 1621-1837 No. 16 SANTON 1707-1837 No. 30 SCO RUSTON 1707-1837 No. 17 BEXWELL 1558-1837 White books with black writing - same as above STRATTON ST MICHAEL CONGREGATIONAL Births/Baptisms 1825-1837 SAXLINGHAM THORPE PARTICULAR BAPTIST Births/Registrations 1793-1837 HAPTON UNITARIAN Births/Batisms/Burials 1792-1834

White books-black writing Norfolk Nonconformist Registers - Monograph Series - N & N Genealogical Society 1983-1986 No. 1 MATTISHALL & DEREHAM CONGREGATIONAL 1772-1837 MATTISHALL & WATTON PRIMITIVE METHODIST 1832-1837 No.2 FRAMLINGHAM PIGOT PARTICULAR BAPTIST Register Births 1808-1836 No. 3 DOWNHAM MARKET WESLEYAN METHODIST Births/Baptisms 1814-1837

50p each for white books above mentioned and if possible please collect

Hardback Blue Series - Vol 24 THE EAST NORFOLK POLL & REGISTER 1835 £4.00

Jennifer J Purple [email protected] 37, Old Hospital Mews. King’s Lynn, NORFOLK PE30 5RU

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 113 June 2013 POSTCARDS FROM GREAT YARMOUTH

One of the photographs from Lionel Jones from Canada that appeared in the last issue of The Ancestor of two women and a child in a motorcycle combination in the late 1920s early 1930s has prompted two members to put pen to paper. New NFHS member Paul Godfrey (MN 13998) writes: “The photograph of the motorcycle combination may have been taken by a photographer called ‘Little Bill the Postcard King’ who had a pitch on the south side of the Britannia Pier. Sometimes the photographer’s name is printed on the back of the card which was laid out for postal use. Most examples, though, do not have the photographer’s name on them. These photographer’s pitches would have a number of props to be photographed with. Motorcycles were popular along with an old open car. Children posed on little carts with imitation horses, others were taken with people on wooden cut-out donkeys. There was, of course, the comic head through cartoon type photograph as well. The last beach photographer at Great Yarmouth was Samuel Hollowell who retired in 1965. Little Bill and Sam Hollowell have recently featured in some correspondence in the Great Yarmouth Mercury that I replied to.

Look at this correspondence at https://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/great-yarmouth- life/letters/last_of_the_yarmouth_beach_photographers_1_1567319

In recent times the work of commercial seaside photographers has become the subject of academic research. Before this, the work of these photographers was under-rated but now there is an interest in this genre of photography. These beach photographs have become collectable and those that feature motorcycles command higher prices because of their transport interest.

The Norfolk Ancestor Journal of the NFHS 114 June 2013