BAHS Newsletter Number 35 www.history-blakeney-area.org.uk July 2013 More Roodery – Spring Outing to and

ur secretary organized large trees is impressive, as too is and Sitha (or Zita) on the left and another splendid outing for the vaulted north porch through Saint Barbara on the right with Ous on one of the beautiful which one enters but the best is nine figures between them repre- days of a long awaited spring. We yet to come; a splendid collec- senting the nine orders of angels visited two churches both tion of hanging brass lamps and of which some of us had never renowned for their rood screens a lovely candelabra hang over heard or had at least forgotten. and especially for their beautiful the nave and beyond them is the Neil Batcock, still at that time our painted panels. graceful fifteenth century screen Rector, helped us to distinguish We met up first at St Michael with beautifully painted and won- between Seraphim and Cheru- and All Angels at Barton Turf. derfully preserved panels at its bim, Angels and Archangels etc. The elegant tower surrounded by base. These show Saints Apollonia It was obvious that the quality of the work had deterred sixteenth century iconoclasts from damag- ing the figures with the exception of one wearing a triple crown and one swinging a thurible; Papist symbols which they evidently could not accept. One could't help wondering why they had chosen to scratch out the faces of the of- fending figures rather than oblit- erating the crown and censer. From St Michael's we went to the rather grander church of St Mary-the-Virgin at Worstead, entered this time not via a porch but through the priests' door in the SE corner. The interior is large and flooded with light from the large clerestory windows which were part of a late fifteenth cen- tury alteration when the fine hammer-beam roof was put on. Externally one can see the fly- ing buttresses which had to be added to the N & S walls to take the weight and which add a touch of grandeur to this village church. The rood screen is tall and elegant but the painted panels were 'im- proved' in the nineteenth century and though they have since been 'unimproved' they are poor by comparison with Barton Turf. I was bewildered by the advent of a thirteenth apostle but now find that other references ascribe the figures to Christ as above, St Paul (these two panels being nineteenth century replacements) then eleven apostles plus St Jerome, St Wil- liam and St Wilgefortis who I have subsequently found rejoices in more than twelve alternative names and was invoked by people particularly ladies seeking relief from tribulations such as abusive husbands. It was altogether a well orga- nized, enjoyable and informative day.

Words by Frank Hawes Photos by Liz Kendall

Top: left hand panel at Barton Turf. Middle: right hand panel at Barton Turf. Bottom: detail of the left hand panel at Worstead. Cover: the chancel at Barton Turf showing the full screen. News from the History Centre

he last few months have of maritime history through tours seen the “new look” cen- and stories. The wealth of medie- Ttre spring into action with val graffiti will be revealed togeth- approximately 42ft of additional er with stories of adventure and shelving plus a custom-built unit misadventure highlighted from the for oversize folders and storage churchyard plus an opportunity to space for BAHS lecture equip- see the presentation model of the ment. Much of the funding for this lifeboat Hettie. For more details project came from a BPC Com- see our website nearer the time. munity Grant, the remainder from small donations made by mem- Roots and Branches bers and visitors. Thank you one Current Family History research and all. and enquiries for individual people Displayed in the Centre is the includes; presentation model of the lifeboat Allen, Percy Henry of Blakeney ‘Hettie’ and the four volumes of Bilbys of Holt, Cley, and Mary Hardy Diaries, all edited and Blakeney annotated by Margaret Bird, Bishop, Hugh Arthur father and together with a fifth book contain- son of India then Cley ing the remainder of the diaries Craske, John of , that has not been annotated. All Wiveton, Blakeney and Dereham these items have been generously Durrants of Holt, Blakeney and donated to the History Centre and Cley each, in their own way, make an Floods of Blakeney invaluable addition to our Haddons of Holt resources and understanding of Kay, Dr R of Cley and Blakeney the area. Mann, Jonathan George of Blak- Indeed it is the annotated notes eney then Australia in the diaries that have already Piercy, Jeremiah of Blakeney, produced significant nuggets of Gunthorpe and . information for several members who are currently engaged in Just Released working their way through the The Centre has two new books for text, a full half million words in all sale; Shifting Sands: Blakeney with countless photographs, maps Point and the Environmental and copies of relevant newspaper Imagination by Andy Stoddart at articles included. The diaries £9 and Ralph Greneway’s throw new light on 18th century Charity by Pamela Peake at life and in particular the villages £2.50. The Point has attracted a and inhabitants of the Glaven val- plethora of publications over the ley. For more information visit last hundred years, but none maryhardysdiary.co.uk or visit the quite like this. Here the philoso- Centre. phy of conservation is explored with some challenging ideas for Summer Events you to ponder on. It is a softback The History Centre has placed book with 184 pages and 17 b&w some of the boards from last plates. year’s Tidal Lands exhibition in Ralph Greneway was a Tudor Mary Hardy's Diaries both the Methodist Chapel and merchant whose business as a the Church. These will change grocer in and family con- This is just a reminder that a full from time to time, so keep a look nections was outlined in Glaven set of Mary Hardy's Diaries, edited out for them. Then in August, we Historian No.13. This new small and annotated by Margaret Bird – will be at Cley for an Old Memo- booklet with 7 colour figures, fea- a labour of love that took her ribilia Day. See Back Page for tures the history of his charity twenty five years – have been more details. that he set up for Wiveton in 1558 given to the History Centre. These September sees the History as well as the family memorials diaries represent a terrific Centre supporting the that are still extant in Cley and resource, rivalling the Paston Heart, Heritage Open Days with Wiveton churches. Letters and Parson Woodforde's Ships Ahoy. This event will use Diaries, and are the generous gift the church to showcase 500 years Pam Peake of Margaret herself. Thank you. The Blakeney Lifeboat Hettie

part of Blakeney’s nine- teenth century maritime Ahistory has just come to The lifeboat Hettie was the gen- light with the gift of a model of the erous gift of George Firth Esq of lifeboat Hettie to the History Bradford seen here in a pastel Centre at Blakeney. It is a timely portrtait by an unknown (to us) reminder that Blakeney had life- artist. The model was kindly boats stationed here, first under bequeathed to the BNHS by the auspices of the Norfolk Firth's grand daughter Association for Saving the Lives of Constance (left). The record of Shipwrecked Marines (1824-1843) service board of the Hettie in followed by private boats until the Blakeney church (top left), and tragedy of 1861 when all 8 crew the contemporaneous model of lost their lives. It was at this time the vessel herself (opposite that the RNLI agreed to establish page) which is now lodged in a station here. In all, there were the History Centre. five RNLI lifeboats working from the tidal harbour, covering the We are now urgently seeking treacherous sands and coast upwards of £1000 funding to pur- beyond the bar, a station that was chase a security case so that the eventually closed in 1935 having Hettie can be displayed at various saved 101 lives and 5 vessels. venues. Can anyone help us? The Hettie was the third of five of her construction; she was a self the two lifeboat houses on the RNLI lifeboats, operating between righting lifeboat measuring 37’ x Point with the older of the two 1873 and 1891. She was built by 9’ 5” with 12 oars – a record of 4 (where the Hettie was housed) to T Woolfe and Son at Shadwell on launches with 12 lives saved – the rear, the Fitzroy barometer at the Thames at a cost of £412 and then the names of her first and the bottom of the High Street, the arrived in Blakeney having been second coxswains, William Hooke records of service boards in the towed all the way by the steam and George Long respectively. parish church and now the model boat Black Diamond. She was the There are no known photographs in the History Centre at the rear of gift of George Firth Esq, a wealthy of the Hettie and the names of her Blakeney Village Hall. Bradford Stuff Merchant and in crew are a complete mystery so it The Hettie may be viewed at the return he received a wonderful is going to be quite a challenge History Centre on the first and scaled model of the Hettie from working it all out, if indeed it is at last Tuesday morning of each the Institution as a mark of their all possible. month between 10.30 am and 1 appreciation. Whilst the actual The model is a good starting pm. If you have any information lifeboat has now almost vanished point for the detail provided by the that you would like to share with from memory, the model has sur- scale and original colouring is us concerning the Hettie, or vived, passing down through three exciting with sets of different col- indeed any of the lifeboats, then generations of the Firth family oured oars, furled sails and masts please contact the over the intervening 140 years. It at the ready as well as her early Manager, Pam Peake has now been gifted to the History logo proclaiming that the National Centre by the late Constance Lifeboat Institution is Supported T: 01263 740388 or Firth, George’s grand daughter by Voluntary Contributions. The E: historycentre@history-blak- whose dearest wish was that it model thus provides a visual clue eney-area.org.uk should henceforth belong to to her appearance. Blakeney. Today, the only tangible evi- Pam Peake We know so little about the dence to remind us of these life- Hettie apart from essential details boats and their heroic deeds are

Officer and Committee Members’ Contact Details (Officers *)

Peter Wordingham, Chairman* E: [email protected] T: 01263 570183 Diana Cooke, Secretary* E: [email protected] T: 01263 740320 Richard Daley, Treasurer* E: [email protected] T: 01263 740180 Jenn Savage, Membership Secretary E: [email protected] T: 01263 710288 Pamela Peake, History Centre Manager* & Vice Chairman E: [email protected] T: 01263 740388 Ian Groves, Lecture Prog Organiser* E: [email protected] T: 01263 713351 Richard Moore, Meetings Organiser E: [email protected] T: 01263 712748 John Peake E: [email protected] T: 01263 740388 Richard Kelham, Publications* E: [email protected] Tel: 01263 740186 Frank Hawes E: [email protected] T: 01263 740691 Jan Semple E: [email protected] T: 01263 860741 Geoff and Brenda Worton, Minutes Secretaries E: [email protected] Tel: 01263 715503

History Centre Sub-Committee co-optees: Sara Dobson, Jean Thompson Glaven Historian Editorial: Charles Bradshaw, Frank Hawes, Richard Kelham, Raymond Monbiot, Will Savage Serious Aircraft Accident at Morston, 1934

ollowing the piece about who was a nurse, having been following Monday, 25 August Hubert Blount's aeroplane Theatre Sister at Charing Cross 1934. The passenger, Mr Peter Fin the last Newsletter, we Hospital before she married, imme- Hilary Pomeroy Simonds, an RAF received this letter and photo from diately went into professional officer stationed at Bircham Marcus Wainwright. mode and rendered first aid. Newton, was killed almost instant- There were two occupants. Both ly. The pilot and owner of the In August 1934 my family had were very seriously hurt. My father Moth, Mr T J Armstrong Evans, been lent a lovely old caravan by a went to get further help while my suffered multiple injuries and was farmer in Morston whose name, I mother did what she could for one taken to Hospital. The think, was Mr Turner. Other mem- of the injured and then attended plane was completely wrecked. bers of the family were staying in the other who shortly after died in Seemingly the plane had land- Grandma's cottage at Greencroft, her arms. His name was Peter ed on Blakeney golf links and with Blakeney. My brother and I were Symonds. His mother got in touch children playing everywhere, it much more excited to be in a cara- with my mother and they met and was decided to park elsewhere. van which is perhaps why my remained friends for many years. I Permission was sought to use Ellis memory is so clea about the events never got to know the name of the Turner's field in Morston and PO of that tragic day. other occupant but I understand he Simonds offered to direct the way. I was 4 and my brother 7. We survived. Peter Symonds, we The newspapers go on to record were playing by the old sheep understood, was a friend of Peter that Dr Kay rendered first aid and bridge that used to span the creek Scott the famous naturalist who that Acting Sergeant Risebrow of approximately opposite where the also came frequently to the the local police guarded the Blakeney-Morston bank ends some Blakeney area. machine as it was visited by hun- distance to the right of the present The photo was taken, I think, by dreds of people. NT building. We saw a very bright my father on an old Brownie cam- Other sources reveal that Peter blue plane fly across the marshes era and is from the family history Simonds was in Blakeney for the and land on the Point sands recorded in the Log of the Good 21st birthday celebrations of between the Pit and the Point. Ship Gipsy Lass. Nicholas Cooke, the tragedy caus- Some time a little later it took off ing the event to be cancelled, and and flew towards us over the The story unfolds further with that Peter was staying at the marshes, losing height and then information from a variety of Anchor Inn. Ironically, six years crashing in the field about a hun- sources held at the History later, Nicholas Cooke was himself dred yards from our caravan. Both Centre. Firstly the newspapers killed while flying on patrol some- my parents were nearby and report that the Inquest was held where near Dunkirk. rushed over to help. My mother at the Anchor Inn, Morston, the Pamela Peake Mystery Photo

Blakeney Musicians, can you help? The photograph is supposedly a Blakeney Band with Emmerson Short(en)ing standing far right and sporting his customary straw boater. Sitting second from the right end is Herbert Smith, the renowned fiddler and blacksmith. Emmerson was a Blakeney builder and Churchwarden. In the late 1890s he built Cley Town Hall and then the new look George on the corner. Can anyone confirm these two or indeed any of the other musicians? Answers to Pam Peake please, 01263 740388. Thank you.

Obituary: [he] possessed a seemingly inde- care of vessels in the Museum's fatigable ability to get the results care. Alas such high standards Mike Stammers of his scholarly research into print are rarely to be found elsewhere. and out to his many readers. Mike He was also a friend to, and wore his learning very lightly and long standing member of, the ollowing our slightly sniffy with an endearing modesty, but Blakeney Area Historical Society review of Mike Stammers' his record of publications for some- so it is with particular regret that Flatest book, Victorian North one in his position is simply awe- we record his passing. Norfolk Sailing Ships, in NL34 – some, and includes besides numer- A much more comprehensive we came away with the distinct ous short articles and essays on appreciation will appear in the impression the book had been local craft, docks, harbours, dock- Mariners' Mirror, the Journal of rushed into print – we have dis- side buildings and other maritime the Society for Nautical Research. covered that indeed the author structures and on local seafaring was in a race, against the Grim folklore, definitive works of inter- Richard Kelham Reaper, and that the GR won. national scholarship in maritime Sadly, Mike passed away on the history and nautical archaeology 30 January. which will unquestionably stand I would like to quote from the the test of time." Editor: Richard Kelham fullsome obituary published by He also had a major role to T: 01263 740186 the National Historic Ships web- play in ship preservation in his E: [email protected] site as this sums it up nicely: "in role as Keeper, later Keeper Emeri- spite of a fiendishly busy profes- tus, of Merseyside Maritime Mu- All text © 2013 sional life as a museum leader, seum, setting the standard for the BAHS and Contributors Autumn/Winter Programme 2013

Events

All the following meetings are on Tuesdays 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.

24 September Cities, Cogs and Commerce Dr Brian Ayers, UEA

29 October Recent coin finds from the Iron Age to Post Medieval period Dr Adrian Marsden, Shirehall Museum

26 November Pathways to History: researching public rights of way in Norfolk Dr Sarah Spooner and Dr Jon Gregory of the UEA

17 December The Yellow Caravan - a trip round Norfolk in 1912 Juliet Webster

28 January 2014 Members' Night details to be announced

History Centre Diary: New opening hours

The History Centre is open on the first and last Tuesday mornings of the month from 10.30am to 1.00pm. Other times may be arranged for a small charge always providing that a volunteer is available. See contact details below.

The Centre will be closed during December and January.

Anyone wishing to use maps, film or fiche readers is advised to book in advance and reserve table space and or relevant reader. Telephone 01263 740388, email [email protected] or write to the History Centre, Blakeney Village Hall, Langham Road, Blakeney, Norfolk NR25 7NP. Remember when writing to enclose a SAE to receive confirmation of your booking.

Summer Events

Weekends beginning Tidal Lands continued July 27th Café TMC, Blakeney Methodist Church Aug 10th & 24th High Street, Blakeney Sep 14th & 28th 10.00am to 6ish Oct 12th

Saturday Cley Old Memoribilia Day August 17th Cley Village Hall, The Fairstead 10.00am to 4.00pm

September Ships Ahoy 12th to 15th Blakeney Church – Heritage Open Days Celebrating 500 years of maritime history with medieval church graffitti, stories from headstones and Blakeney Lifeboats. Tours and exhibits. 2.00 - 4.00pm

More information available on: www.history-blakeney-area.org.uk