Walking. Gossip. Travel.

Category: Norfolk

Norwich – River Wensum Following Christmas Rain

There is some flooding further down the River Wensum following the recent rain in Norfolk, but it’s not overly high in the city centre. I shall brave the Norfolk countryside over the next few days to see how sodden that is.

Taken from Foundry Bridge, at the end of Prince of Wales Road, the river is high but hasn’t burst its banks.

The still closed Red Lion on the left.

Taken from the other side of Bishop Bridge.

Looking towards Riverside Road.

The bench is now quite moist….

Water on the Norwich School playing fields, with the middle patch of water being where the tennis courts were 100 years ago.

December 26, 2020
Norwich on Boxing Day in 2020

This was the queue for Primark in Norwich just a couple of days ago, when the city was in Tier 2. Below are photos from today, Boxing Day, with a Norwich in Tier 4. Much quieter than I had anticipated, with little open other than Five Guys and Costa.

December 26, 2020
Norwich – Earlham Cemetery (Thomas Alfred Tyrrell)

This is the war grave of Thomas Alfred Tyrrell, buried in the older military graves area of Earlham Cemetery. The volume of records that remain about an individual varies so much, there is nearly nothing on some poor souls, whereas for others the documentation is extensive. And this is so for Thomas, whose military records remain intact from his service during and before the First World War.

Thomas was born in Dereham in 1877, the son of John Tyrrell and Mary Ann Tyrrell. After briefly working in the shoe industry, he signed up (being given the service number 4080) to join the military on 29 September 1894, opting for a short service option of seven years with colors and five years in the reserves. It was noted at Thomas’s medical that he was 5’4″ in height, he weighed 9.3 stone, had brown eyes and dark brown hair.

During his service (and he served with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Norfolk Regiments), Thomas served in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and Barrackpore in India, amongst many other locations. I’m fascinated by what he and other soldiers would have made of that experience, but as an adventure, I think it must have been one of the most exciting possible for someone without any other financial means at the time. Otherwise, for those from Norfolk, it would likely be employment as an agricultural labourer or in the shoe industry.

Thomas left the military in early 1907, but he signed up again to serve in Section D of the Army Reserves on 1 July 1907. He had married on 24 June 1907, although this was pre-planned and he didn’t hate the situation so much that he immediately to enlist again. He married Ethel Georgina (born on 31 December 1889) at St. Paul’s Church in Norwich, now sadly demolished, and she was ten years younger than him. Their first child was born on 18 February 1908, Alfred Thomas.

At the 1911 census, Thomas, his wife and his son were all living at 2 White Entry Yard, which was located just off Bull Close. As a little aside, this would have been very convenient for the Leopard and Plasterer’s, as well as three other nearby pubs which were open when Thomas was living there.

Thomas was discharged on 26 January 1915, being declared as “physically unfit for war service” and he had experienced numerous illnesses and ailments during his time in the military. This included a period at the Cliff Hospital in Felixstowe between 17 and 27 November 1914, suffering with rheumatism.

More of a technicality I understand, but under the Military Service Act of 1916, Thomas was called in once again on 19 July 1916 and given a new service number, 20999. He served at home between then and 15 December 1916, before being discharged again. During this time he became a father for a second time, with Ethel Violet being born on 29 August 1916. By now he had moved to 5 Compass Street, located off King Street, now directly underneath Normandie Tower. He had returned to work as a boot maker and his military records show that he had served in total for 18.5 years.

Thomas died on 14 August 1920 and this would have been linked to an injury caused during military service. What is puzzling is that the grave notes he was aged 41, which is incorrect by two or three years. Errors aren’t uncommon, but the details of these stones were usually checked with family members, but perhaps a mistake or omission was made.

At the beginning of the Second World War, the mother and daughter, both named Ethel, were living in the same location on Compass Street. The younger Ethel had married as her surname was Baker, and she worked as a cardboard box maker, living until 2007. Thomas’s wife, Ethel Georgina, died in Norwich in 1975, which was 55 years after her husband.

December 24, 2020
Norwich – A New Public Cemetery at Mousehold Heath (1848)

Thanks to Google and archive.org, this short book from 1848 is available on-line. The book contains a proposal to turn land at Mousehold Heath into a cemetery, something which wasn’t enacted, although Earlham Cemetery opened in 1856 to deal with the issues raised in this book.

The author of this book isn’t given, but it was addressed to the Lord Bishop of Norwich, who was then Edward Stanley. The author painted a clear picture of the situation in Norwich churchyards at the time:

“In many of the Norwich churchyards the soil is now almost level with the windows; piled up four, five or six feet above the original surface with the ashes of the dead, which are allowed to lie undisturbed for a period far too short for total decay of the corpse and its tenement”.

That’s not an ideal situation and nor was the outbreak of cholera in 1848, which strengthened the author’s case. Indeed, the Home Secretary actually forced the council’s hands, saying that churchyard burials in Norwich must stop by 1855 because of the cholera issue.

The author of the book suggested:

“There is lying, hardly beyond the precincts of Norwich, within half a mile of the Cathedral, a tract of land, which I can hardly be wrong in stating as comprising from 100 to 200 acres, not only uncultivated but wholly unproductive; bearing only thorns and briers; the stones and gravel extending to the very surface”.

He added that the owners of the land, who were the Church of England, had granted permission for it to be used, but they wanted in recompense:

“Funds to be appropriated towards the establishment and maintenance of a National School in the neglected, and wellnigh near heathen, district of Pockthorpe”.

This is a slightly blunt way of describing the area of Pockthorpe…. (it’s around where Norwich Puppet Theatre is, Silver Road and the area at the base of Mousehold Heath).

The author’s vision of how the new cemetery should turn out was modern and indeed the basis of how the new wave of burial grounds were built. The Rosary Cemetery had already opened by this time, with a chapel and plenty of space allocated for burials. The author noted though the necessity for two rooms to place the dead body before burial, saying a requirement was:

“Two large rooms for the dead, to which a corpse may be removed shortly after death, till the time of interment; one being set apart for those who have died of a fever or other infectious disease. I would make this a very principal point. Nothing can be more distressing than the state of many a poor man’s family after a death has taken place, and before the body can be interred. I speak only from what I have myself seen in country parishes: often is a man and his wife and a large family of children – some perhaps nearly grown up – living in two rooms, or perhaps even in one, with the corpse of one of its members occupying one out of the two or perhaps three beds, and this perhaps in the hottest weather of summer”.

There was also an interesting observation about the difference between English graveyards, which the author noted were “little else than a passage leading to it, or a large enclosure overgrown with weeds and rank grass”, compared to European graveyards which were more spacious and were destinations in their own right.

The proposals for this cemetery were that it should be primarily for the Church of England, along the lines of Mill Road Cemetery in Cambridge where each parish received its own chunk of land. When Earlham Cemetery was opened, there was though much more room provided for dissenters. So, although the burial needs of the city of Norwich were resolved in the 1850s, this was an interesting proposal. There had been suggestions of using Mousehold Heath as a site for burials since the late eighteenth century, proposals which were never enacted.

December 24, 2020
Norwich – The Norwich Plan for Downtown Restoration

Norwich Plan for Downtown Restoration (in .pdf format)

Back in the late 1950s, Magdalen Street in Norwich saw a piece of urban renewal that became known throughout the world. The above PDF document (courtesy of archive.org) is a short book of how that came about, with the publishing element of the project being backed by Norwich Union.

It was quite an inspired project which received the support of nearly all the property owners along Magdalen Street. The street was tidied up in terms of signage and clutter, with shopkeepers and property owners smartening up their buildings as well. The Civic Trust did a fine job, also ensuring that historic buildings were protected and that people became proud of their local area. A new park was formed, buildings were painted and thought was given to the placement of noticeboards and electricity boxes.

The document above was issued to inspire and encourage cities around the world to undertake similar projects. It showed that the Norwich project hadn’t cost that much money, but had seen many benefits. The book concluded that “this can make a community a better place in which to live and work”.

Incidentally, the foot-note to this was that just over ten years later, Norwich City Council built a flyover through the middle of the project, knocked down several of the buildings and destroyed the character of Magdalen Street. The chaos that they caused is still problematic today, as no-one is quite sure what to do with Anglia Square. It wouldn’t perhaps be a bad idea for the council to look back at this project at what can be achieved when the community works together on a scheme.

December 23, 2020
Norwich – General Regulations of the Bethel Hospital in 1861

Bethel Hospital Regulations (in .pdf format)

The above PDF file (thanks to archive.org and the Wellcome Library) is the General Regulations of the Bethel Hospital in Norwich which were issued in 1861. They’re surprising forward looking to what I had expected, although still regimented as might be expected from a Victorian institution. It was noted that staff should not “strike the patients or speak harshly to them”, but should be “kind and indulgent”.

On the last page of the document are the meals that were expected to be served to the patients, which weren’t ungenerous. Women were generally allowed the same menu as the men, although they weren’t to be given as much of it.

The milk broth for breakfast was commonplace at the time, although it’s not something you see in many restaurants and hotels today. Or not the ones that I go to anyway. Wednesdays don’t sound too bad, the evening meal was either sausages, potatoes and beer, or, a sausage roll, potatoes and beer. Indeed, beer is provided on a regular basis, although not in large quantities, but extra was given to patients helping with the washing, laundry and in the workshop. I’m not sure that patients in the N&N get to do the washing and laundry today, although perhaps some would help if there was beer provided for their assistance.

There was the bonus of roast beef and plum pudding on Christmas Day, although even then the plum pudding term was misleading and that would be what we call Christmas Pudding today. For that week there were also mince pies and cake, so perhaps not that much has changed over the last 160 years. On Shrove Tuesday, there was also coquilles, which were effectively Hot Cross Buns without the cross.

Incidentally, I’m not quite sure what the male patients were encouraged to do during their recovery, but the document notes that the women should be “encouraged to occupy themselves in needle and household work”. Men and women were encouraged to take the air though, and to also read wholesome books and periodicals.

December 23, 2020
Norfolk Regiment – October 1914 War Diary

Diary (in .pdf format – the war diary of the 1st Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment for October 1914)

I’ve downloaded most of the war diaries of the Norfolk Regiment from the National Archives (currently free of charge whilst the reading rooms are closed) and have become endlessly fascinated by them. They’re a real snapshot of what life must have been like, even though much of the detail is quite short. I’m also reading up on the lives of those who fought in the First World War, so this adds a fair chunk of detail to my understanding of where they were. And, this is why I’m trying to get a better understanding of where the battalion was, so I can try to have an understanding of the journey that the men went on.

Unfortunately, the August to September 1914 records for the 1st Battalion have got lost somewhere, so we have to start in October. I do know though that the battalion was fighting in Ireland when the First World War started, they mobilised on 4 August and then left Belfast on 14 August. From there, they arrived in Le Havre, France, a few days later. The diary for the month of October starts with the 1st Battalion marching to Droizy, with mention that it was cold.

On 3 October 1914, the battalion set off to Longpont (the photo above, © IWM Q 47947, is of Longpont, but shows the French defense in 1918, it was much quieter when the Norfolk Regiment arrived), which is around 15 kilometres away and it took them just over four hours. Longpont is only around 90 kilometres from Paris and this must have been something of an adventure for those there. The horrors of war weren’t yet perhaps quite obvious from this far away from the front line.

Longpont is dominated by an abbey which was forcibly closed during the French Revolution, and the troops arrived at 22:00 and slept in the woods in the village. They stayed the next day, 4 October, in the village and I wonder whether they were involved in training or had chance to look around the small village. After spending a day in the village they then went on a night march to Pondron and it took them around four hours, arriving on the morning of 5 October.

I like a night hike and find that there’s a sense of adventure in them, but I can’t quite imagine what it must have been like in wartime and in a military capacity. I’m assuming that the troops walked down the road and so looking at Google Street View, it’s possible to see what the men would have gone by. It’s not very built up now, so this would have likely been similar to walking in the Norfolk countryside in terms of the scenery. It was noted that the journey was inconvenienced with the number of French motors passing by, something I know from my walking can be a bloody nuisance (not French motors in particular, just cars in general). It would interesting to follow their journey, although they did later go by rail and road, although most of their route would be easy to walk (along with the occasional train journey).

On the 6 October, they marched from Pondron to Bethisy, where they stayed overnight, before crossing the River Oise on 7 October. I’m unsure why that needed a specific mention in the diary, unless the road wasn’t available and so they had to cross on foot, which would have been quite notable…. From here they went overnight by train to Abbeville, which must now have felt much closer to the front line action, should the men have been aware of what faced them.

After arriving in Abbeville (the painting above – © IWM Art.IWM ART 5394 – is by Olive Mudie-Cooke, an ambulance worker, painted in Abbeville in 1916/1917) at 04:00 on 8 October, the men then marched to Neuilly, where they arrived after seven hours of walking. They then had a period of rest before, later that same day, marching for over six hours to Boufflers. That couldn’t have been an easy day of walking, especially with the fear of the unknown that must have hung over them.

On 9 October, the men were meant to be transported by road, but the vehicles didn’t arrive. Instead, on 10 October, the men were taken by car to La Thieuloye and on the following day, 11 October, they marched to Bethune. At the time, this location was becoming increasingly important as a military meeting area and it was here that the men helped reinforce a French Cavalry outpost. This might have been when the Norfolk battalion started to meet other French troops for what could have been one of the first times.

The diaries note that the Germans took the nearby village of Vermelles on 12 October, with the Norfolk Regiment moving to Festubert that evening. Just to the south of this is the village of Givenchy and on 13 October, the Dorset and Bedford Regiments were attacked, with the Norfolk Regiment being ready to support, but the Germans didn’t pursue them.

It’s clear now that the movements were going to be slower, with the troops remaining at Festubert until the 16 October before making a few minor travels, and then ultimately, spending the rest of the month at Festubert. Two of the men were injured on 20 October, with Lieutenant Foley killed on 25 October. This must have felt pivotal, as although things were clearly getting more dangerous, to see a colleague lose their life must have been hugely challenging.

I couldn’t find any photos of the 1st Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment at Festubert, but this photo (© IWM Q 90282) was taken in the village a few months later, showing the Royal Field Artillery.

December 20, 2020
Greater Anglia : London Liverpool Street to Norwich

The Prime Minister hadn’t quite made his latest announcement (or u-turn if you prefer) by the time that I was about to board the 13:30 Greater Anglia train back to Norwich from London Liverpool Street. But, when that statement was made, it was effectively saying that London was now entering Tier 4 and that from midnight the residents of the city shouldn’t leave the area. Things appear to have gotten worse with a new virulent strain of the virus, which is not ideal at all.

There were reports in some elements of the media that there were huge flurries of Londoners rushing out to the countryside, although that appears to have been dismissed by the rail companies who said few trains were actually full. Either way, the train that I was on didn’t seem particularly busy, so I had a block of four seats around a table to myself for the journey. And, for those who note my annoyance on this matter when Stansted Express trains are pushed into service, this train did actually have tables. I bought my ticket over a week ago, another bargain priced £10 advance single fare.

The most interesting part of the journey for me was annoyance at myself for either being asleep or not paying attention, I can’t remember which (and couldn’t at the time, so I was probably asleep) whilst pulling into what I think was Manningtree station. The driver made a furious announcement, although made professionally, that he had been forced to sound the train’s horn as he nearly hit a passenger’s bag which was being carried so near to the platform as to have actually been mostly off of it. The driver said several times, in excess of four, that the person responsible was a male, in carriage D and with a duffel bag. I was positively disappointed not to be in the carriage as otherwise I could have looked and tutted, to show my British displeasure, at this act of idiocy. I say idiocy, as that’s what the driver called it, along with other words.

Anyway, I quite liked that the driver made his coffee order over the announcement system and that the refreshment team made one back, apologising for not having the biscuit he wanted. It was sufficiently light hearted to add some humanity back to the journey and I think it calmed the annoyed driver down.

And here we are back in Norwich, on time and that really is the end of my travel for 2020. I didn’t think in early November that I’d be travelling again in 2020, but this twelve-night stay in London was worthwhile and interesting. What I’m more disappointed about now is that travel in early 2021 is looking effectively impossible. I’m likely to cancel my trip to Bilbao, whereas British Airways have already cancelled my trips to Lisbon and Dublin. I can’t imagine that I’ll be going to Inverness or Palma either, which are both in January, although haven’t yet been cancelled by British Airways.

December 20, 2020
Great Melton – All Saints’ Church (exterior)

There are two churches in the same churchyard in Great Melton, the other is the now ruined St. Mary’s, visible in the above photo.

And this is All Saints’ church, which is still in use and there may have been a religious building here since the eighth century, although the earliest part of the current church is from the eleventh century. The churches were both independent until the eighteenth century, but then it was decided to merge the two and just use St. Mary’s. A decision was later made that St. Mary’s was too small, so they decided to fix up the by now roofless and slightly fallen down All Saints’ Church. And to do that, they knocked all of St. Mary’s down other than the tower, then reused much of the building material at All Saints’.

This is the quite understated entrance to the joint churchyard.

The church originally had a round tower, but was replaced by this in the mid-fifteenth century. There’s some good news as well about the church’s future, as it has now been removed from the Heritage at Risk Register as numerous organisations came to together to fund some much-needed repairs.

I’m not quite sure what they’re doing here, the metal mars the beauty a little, but it’s still a graceful church and that structure looks temporary. The nave is the oldest part of the church, dating to the eleventh century, whilst the chancel is later, dating to the fifteenth century.

That looks like Roman brick to me on this now closed up doorway. Incidentally, this church had no roof for over 170 years until the nineteenth century repairs, but the walls still remained standing, a testament to the early builders.

And a niche, although this looks out of place and has perhaps been moved or maybe was a window at one point.

We were fortunate enough to be able to look inside the church as well, more on that in another post.

December 7, 2020
Wramplingham – St. Peter and St. Paul Church

Wramplingham has had a church on this site since at least the early eleventh century, but it probably has Saxon origins. The probable situation here is that the nave is the oldest part of the church, then the base of the tower and then the chancel and then the top of the tower. Views differ though to make things more complex.

The tower with its lancet window is likely thirteenth century with a later fourteenth century octagonal top section, although some have dated the whole lot to the fourteenth century. My limited knowledge of architectural history doesn’t allow me to have a view either way…..

The join between the tower and the nave, the latter of which dates from the eleventh or twelfth century.

That Norman door looks out of place there on a Victorian extension, but that’s because they moved it from its previous location opposite the south door.

And here is the plan of that, designed by Augustus Edward Browne in 1872.

The rather beautiful chancel (I liked it, hence the multiple photos), which must have looked quite the thing when it was installed. It’s later than the nave, dating from the mid-fifteenth century.

Internally, looking back towards the tower, and I was pleased that the church was open when we visited.

The quality of the chancel work is visible inside, allowing light to flood in (well, it doesn’t when you visit at near sunset to be fair).

The former steps to the rood loft screen. There’s an article about the church by FR Barff which is located near to the entrance (in very small type) and he mentions that the rood loft survived until 1843, when it was removed by the first of two Victorian restorations. That seems to be a relatively late survival, shame it was taken down.

The peaceful setting of the churchyard as the sun starts to set. There are some very neat lines of graves, particularly near to the tower, with rather large gaps nearby, so I do wonder whether some of them have been reset.

In June 1873, the rector, Charles Philip Paul Jodrell, took the Great Eastern Railway to court on behalf of the church. The church had sold lead from its roof, which was apparently in excellent condition, and they despatched over 6 tons of it by rail. On that journey, the rail network managed to lose 8lbs of it and the church wanted that value back, so they demanded in court 8 shillings and 6 pence (about £28 today). The railway said that this was a perfectly reasonable loss given how much they carried and thought that there was no case. The judge agreed with Great Eastern Railway, but he clearly didn’t want to upset God too much and so he refused costs to be awarded to them.

Anyway, a remote church which has retained its beauty.

December 7, 2020