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Category: UK

Wisbech – Clarkson Memorial

[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]

The Clarkson Memorial was erected in 1881 to mark the life of Thomas Clarkson, the anti-slavery campaigner. There is more about his life in the town’s museum, which is well worth visiting.

The memorial was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, the same man who mauled about so many British churches. I hadn’t realised that his talents extended to this sort of work, but it’s a visually interesting reminder of Clarkson and it’s in a prominent position. The site on which the memorial was placed was formerly the town’s Customs House, and before that it had been Wisbech’s Butter Market.

There were some youngsters who had congregated at the base of the memorial to listen to loud music and shout, which made taking photos rather more difficult. I think they thought I was taking discreet photos of them, which added to the excitement about the whole event.

There are motifs around the exterior of the statue which follow the theme of slavery, and the freedoms which that stole from so many. The memorial was funded by public subscription and from a large donation from the Peckover family, who were wealthy local residents.

August 1, 2025
Wisbech – Scrimshires Passage and the Wisbech Social Club & Institute

[I originally posted this in July 2018, but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]

I was intrigued as to what this tower was, since it dominated the skyline of the town, and it transpired it belongs to the Wisbech Social Club and Institute building.

Much of the money to build the institute was provided by the Peckover family, and this foundation stone (which is rather hidden away) is testament to that generous donation. The institute is still going strong today and they have a history room to keep items of historic interest relating to their past.

The back of the institute is reached by walking down Scrimshires Passage, a rather dark back alley which was more reminiscent of a city such as York.

I was reading the Cambridge Independent Press of 21 October 1854 (it’s a better read than the Daily Mail) and they reported that they wanted “to draw the attention of the proper authorities to the disgraceful state of the cesspool in Shrimshaw’s Passage (it had an apostrophe then, which it seems to have since lost). During the last few weeks it has emitted a most overpowering stench, which must prove not only detrimental to the health of the persons residing there, but to those who are compelled to go through the passage”.

Anyway, I thought that was of marginal interest, but I particularly liked the story above it in the newspaper.

There are different periods of architecture along the passage.

The passage opens back out onto Nene Quay.

August 1, 2025
200 Years Ago in Norwich : The Slave Opera at the Theatre Royal

And another in my series of posts from newspapers of two hundred years ago this week. The Theatre Royal in Norwich were advertising their performance, which was “The Slave” opera which was being performed on Monday 1 August 1825.

I’m guessing that this is the operatic work by Henry Rowley Bishop with the libretto written by Thomas Morton which was premiered at Covent Garden in London on 12 November 1816. For anyone interested, here’s the text of the opera. At the time, the theatre was in the 1800 building designed by William Wilkins and it was to close a few months after this performance as it was rebuilt in 1826.

I rather like the continuity here, that the theatre has been offering different performances for hundreds of years. For the record, on 1 August 2025, it’s the Rocky Horror Show being performed at the theatre.

July 30, 2025
Food from Every Stall on Norwich Market (2025 Edition) – Week 23 and All Electric Banger Stop

We’re nearing the dramatic finale of our noble mission of eating at every food stall at Norwich market now and this week was Banger Stop. James and I had forgotten about our visit in 2023, when I commented that the stall was “reassuringly reliable” which still seems appropriate after this visit.

The service was efficient, friendly and engaging with only a short wait. The prices have gone up around 70p per hot dog since we did this before, but the value for money remains high. The stall accepts card and cash with extra sauces being free of charge and cans of drink are £1.50. It’s always positive to see a five star food hygiene rating proudly on display as well.

I went for the chilli dog without cheese and huge credit that they pro-actively took 30p off the price even though I hadn’t expected them to do that. The roll was soft and fresh, the sausage was of a generous size, the fried onions added flavour, the lettuce added colour and the crispy onions added texture. The sausage itself tasted of a decent quality, perhaps it could have been slightly meatier, but I very much enjoyed it. The whole arrangement was filling and it was helpful that it came with a piece of kitchen roll as this was quite messy to eat.

James opted for the cheese-topped option, which involved a blowtorch and very nearly some unexpected singeing. He reassured me that told he survived unscathed, although I can’t help but feel it would have added some drama to the review if I could write “the hot dog was hot, but James was hotter”. James had expected more of a chilli con carne sauce, but was happy with what he got and he once again managed to avoid spilling any of it. As usual, we spent most of the time at the market with James acknowledging his many middle class friends in the city. I am wondering whether he’s joined the masons to know this many people, but I didn’t say anything.

This was really all rather lovely and the whole experience combined to be one of the best visits so far this year. The prices were relatively low, the service was personable, the food was of a decent quality and I left feeling satiated. And James wasn’t set on fire, which I suppose is for the best. One thing I thought would be interesting, as the menu is small, is for a hot dog of the month with some innovative toppings just to keep surprising and delighting the customers.

July 30, 2025
London – Tower Hamlets (Borough of) – Edith Cavell and the Royal London Hospital

Although I know a good deal of Edith Cavell’s story because of her links with Norfolk and her burial at Norwich Cathedral, I hadn’t realised that she had trained at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. She had applied in 1896 to be a nurse practitioner at the hospital at the age of 30 and she trained under the leadership of the hospital’s matron Eva Luckes. This was Whitechapel in its gritty Victorian prime, all soot-stained streets, overcrowded housing, and the lingering reputation of Jack the Ripper’s handiwork still hanging in the air. It wasn’t exactly the sort of place you moved to for its charm and craft beer options. She was known for being conscientious, which in nursing terms usually means ‘worked twice as hard for half the recognition.’ Her superiors noticed, and so did her patients. She remained at the hospital until 1901 when Luckes nominated Cavell for the position of night superintendent at St. Pancras Infirmary.

The plaque on the building, which is now used by the London Borough Council of Tower Hamlets and I won’t go on about the integrity of its mayor, Lutfur Rahman, and I will instead let Wikipedia do that. It’s perhaps hard to find a greater contrast of the morals of public service than Edith Cavell and Lutfur Rahman, but this isn’t a political blog and so I will limit myself.

July 22, 2025
Norwich – Anchor Brewery Stores [Closed] (Two Julians)

When walking down Coslany Street with my friend Adrian, he was taking photos of the former Bullards Brewery and I had never really given much attention to this, which was evidently once a pub within the brewery building. The Norfolk Public Houses web-site lists some of the former licencees, including Richard Bullard, Sir Harry Bullard and Edward Bullard. There are very few newspaper reports of misbehaviour at the pub, which is unlike most other venues at the city, but I imagine the brewery was particularly careful to avoid any trouble at their effective home.

The pub here first opened in 1868, although there was a brewery tap at the previous building, and it remained open for just shy of 100 years as it closed in 1966. The brewery advertised in the press ahead of their opening and the thought of the selection of imperial, bitter, ales and stout sounds really quite decadent, like a Brewdog of their day. But probably cheaper.

It was brought back to life as Anchor Quay Wine Bar between 1986 and 2001, but then it closed again. I can’t help thinking that this would make a really lovely micro-pub and the historic surroundings would add substantially to the excitement of such an arrangement. George Plunkett took a photo of the pub in 1984, when it was being used as an estate agents.

The brewery itself was founded in 1837 as Bullards & Watts, although the Watts element left in 1847 and this substantial brewery was constructed between 1867 and 1868. The brewery was acquired by Watney Mann in 1963 and it ceased beer production in 1968. Numerous brewery buildings have survived and have since been turned into residential properties, but the distinctive chimney was demolished.

July 21, 2025
London Craft Beer Festival 2025

My friend Simon mentioned last year about going to the London Craft Beer Festival, but I wondered if it was a bit expensive and so I didn’t get a ticket to join him. By chance, he mentioned last week that he knew someone selling a ticket at a much lower cost of £30, so I was there without much hesitation. Here’s the walk to Magazine, where this year’s event was being held.

There’s Susie and Simon, with the former’s efforts somehow getting us to the front of the queue. I hadn’t let myself get too excited about the event in case the ticket didn’t come to pass, but all was well and it’s fair to say that the excitement soon started when I had the wristband safely around my wrist.

Well, that’s exciting straight away.

The first beer of the day. The concept here is that all beers are free of charge and I won’t list here what I tried, but I did ensure that my Untappd remain updated for anyone who is interested.

We grabbed a table outside, but it soon became apparent that there was large amounts of seating, so this wasn’t an issue. Inside there were also fans and air conditioning, they didn’t want their beer drinkers over-heating, and I was happy to drink to that forward-thinking philosophy.

One of the two internal halls.

This was all so much bigger than I expected. There were some issues with the delayed opening where we left in the sun and that was sub-optimal, but once the event got going, it all felt well organised. There were maps dotted around of where all of the breweries were, but I’d need more than one afternoon to really visit every one that interested me.

I was impressed that there were no real queues at any of the brewery stands, you could get served nearly immediately.

There was a separate American beer bar and the list of options here was much wider than I had expected. As I’m not planning to visit the US for a while, this was an opportunity to tick some beers off.

One of the bar staff modelling a bottle of beer for my Untappd photo.

There was free water available of the sparkling and still options.

That path was what Liam and I walked on the Capital Challenge a few weeks ago…..

There’s Simon chatting away about Brazilian beer. I was pleased that the glasses were made of plastic, rather than, er, glass. So we had branded plastics, which means I could keep it without fear of it getting broken on the aircraft. Susie picked up a heap of free merchandise, which I’m merrily carrying around Portugal now, including baseball hats, t-shirts, lanyards and stickers.

I like a bit of Vault City, I should be visiting their new tap room later in the year.

A free ice cream and a beer slushie from Vault City which made me love them even more.

Simon wanted to go to the Vault City tasting, which was a marvellous idea, and this beer was handed around at the end of the session before.

One of the beers from the Vault City tasting.

Overall, I really enjoyed this evening and the atmosphere was informal and friendly throughout. There were no issues of anyone over-indulging, despite the large amount of free beer that was available. The organisation was better than I had expected, the scale of the event was broader than I had realised and the speed of service was faster than I had anticipated. I was very much surprised and delighted, so I think that I might just be back for next year’s event….

July 20, 2025
Bar Billiards Table Treks – Venue 1 : Artichoke

I’m not normally one for video, as it reminds me that my hairline is receding faster than is entirely ideal, but a few months ago Zak and I had a really rather good idea that we’d play at every bar billiards table in Norwich. The twist is that we’re only filming the first game at each venue, because Zak famously takes a while to warm up. It’s like giving myself a tiny glimmer of hope before he inevitably demolishes me. Zak has been my official bar billiards trainer since 2023 and I will one day be able to see some of the shots that he can pull off, let alone actually play them.

Pete has heroically taken on the role of cameraman for the series, and he’s done a marvellous job filming the first instalment. The next one will be along soon, assuming I can handle more video evidence of my sub-optimal playing technique. And just to be clear, it’s not meant to be a competitive series unless, of course, I happen to win. In which case, it very much is.

July 20, 2025
200 Years Ago in Great Yarmouth : Funding a New Church (St. Mary’s Church in Southtown)

The below article is from the Norwich Mercury 200 years ago this week and it notes those people who donated money towards the construction of a new church. This was a little rare for the time in terms of the Anglican Church, although it was to become much more common later on during the nineteenth century. The money was being collected to fund what became St. Mary’s Church in Southtown, which opened in 1831. I rather like that it’s still there, as it seems to be a little sad that so many people donated for a project which ultimately didn’t survive in the long-term. The article is also an interesting list of the generous nature of various people and institutions of the time.

“Subscriptions:

The Corporation of Great Yarmouth: £500 0s. 0d.
The Hon. G. Anson, M.P.: £100 0s. 0d.
C. E. Rumbold, Esq. M.P.: £100 0s. 0d.
Lord Viscount Siduey: £50 0s. 0d.
Aldred Mr. S. H.: £2 2s. 0d.
Atkinson Mr. J.: £2 0s. 0d.
Baker Rev. T.: £20 0s. 0d.
Baldry Miss: £1 0s. 0d.
Barchard Mr.: £1 0s. 0d.
Barmby Mr. W. H.: £5 0s. 0d.
Barber Mr.: £0 5s. 0d.
Beckett Mr. John: £1 0s. 0d.
Beckett Mr. G. W.: £1 0s. 0d.
Bell J. M. Esq.: £10 0s. 0d.
Blomfield Mr.: £1 0s. 0d.
Blomfield Mr. H.: £2 0s. 0d.
Bolton Mr. G.: £2 0s. 0d.
Bracey Mr. John: £1 0s. 0d.
Brand Mr. W.: £1 0s. 0d.
Breeze Mr. Jas.: £1 0s. 0d.
Broadbank Mrs.: £10 0s. 0d.
Brown Mr. John: £1 0s. 0d.
Bunn Mr. James: £10 0s. 0d.
Burton C. F. Esq.: £20 0s. 0d.
Burton T. Esq.: £10 0s. 0d.
Burton Mr. S.: £10 0s. 0d.
Chambers Mr. W.: £5 0s. 0d.
Child Mr. John: £0 2s. 6d.
Christmas Mr. J.: £5 0s. 0d.
Christmas Mr. S.: £2 0s. 0d.
Clark Mr. Jas.: £50 0s. 0d.
Clarke Mr. F.: £10 0s. 0d.
Clowes Mr. T.: £2 0s. 0d.
Cole Mr. R.: £1 0s. 0d.
Cory R. Jun. Esq.: £21 0s. 0d.
Costerton C. Esq.: £15 0s. 0d.
Cox Miss: £1 0s. 0d.
Cracknell Mrs.: £1 0s. 0d.
Crisp Mr. F.: £1 0s. 0d.
Crovitlier Mr. S.: £5 0s. 0d.
Cubitt Mr. R.: £5 0s. 0d.
Diver Mr. W. H.: £2 0s. 0d.
Diver Mr. R.: £2 0s. 0d.
Docking Mr. G.: £1 0s. 0d.
Douglas Mr. T.: £1 0s. 0d.
Dowson B. Esq.: £21 0s. 0d.
Drake Mr. Jas.: £1 0s. 0d.
Draper Mr. J. sen.: £10 0s. 0d.
Draper Mr. J. jun.: £0 10s. 0d.
Duncan Mr. A.: £0 10s. 0d.
Ellis Mr. C. T.: £2 2s. 0d.
English Mrs.: £2 0s. 0d.
Fear Mr. John: £10 0s. 0d.
Ferrier Mr. R.: £10 0s. 0d.
Fielding B. Esq.: £21 0s. 0d.
Fiddis Mr. T.: £10 0s. 0d.
Fisher W. Esq.: £50 0s. 0d.
Fisher Jas Esq.: £25 0s. 0d.
Fisher J. G. Esq.: £25 0s. 0d.
Fisher Mr. T.: £2 0s. 0d.
Friend, by Mr. Glasspoole: £5 5s. 0d.
Friend at the Bath House: £1 0s. 0d.
Gamble Mr. Win.: £1 0s. 0d.
Garwood Mr. T.: £5 0s. 0d.
Gill Mr. W.: £1 0s. 0d.
Giles Mr. Charles: £1 0s. 0d.
Glasspoole Mr. H.: £10 10s. 0d.
Gooding Mr. J.: £1 10s. 0d.
Gourlay Mr. D.: £1 0s. 0d.
Green Mr. J.: £1 0s. 0d.
Greenwood Mr. E.: £1 0s. 0d.
Groome Mr. E.: £1 0s. 0d.
Grout, Baylis and Co.: £20 0s. 0d.
Gunthorpe Matthew, Esq.: £50 0s. 0d.
Hallmark Mrs.: £50 0s. 0d.
Hamment Mr. R.: £1 0s. 0d.
Harmant Mr. Jes.: £10 0s. 0d.
Harley Mr. Geo.: £0 10s. 0d.
Hart Mr. Wm.: £0 10s. 0d.
Haynes Mr. Wm.: £1 0s. 0d.
Hook Mr. Dan.: £10 0s. 0d.
Hume Mr. Wm.: £0 5s. 0d.
Hunt Mr. A.: £1 0s. 0d.
Jefferies Capt.: £5 0s. 0d.
Johnson Mr. C.: £5 0s. 0d.
Johnson Mr. J.: £1 0s. 0d.
Johnson Mr. Wm. J.: £1 0s. 0d.
Kenworthy Mr. J.: £1 0s. 0d.
Kelly Rev. S.: £5 0s. 0d.
Lacon, Youell, and Co.: £100 0s. 0d.
Lahy Mr. James: £1 0s. 0d.
Lane Mr. J.: £0 10s. 0d.
Libbis Mr. R.: £0 7s. 0d.
Lott Mr. J. H.: £1 0s. 0d.
Lubbock Mr. R.: £1 0s. 0d.
Lubbock Mr. C.: £1 0s. 0d.
Lucas Rev. G.: £15 0s. 0d.
Luson Miss: £1 0s. 0d.
Mann Mr. R.: £1 0s. 0d.
Mackland Mr. E.: £5 0s. 0d.
Mason Mr. J.: £2 0s. 0d.
Meggy Mr. Wm.: £1 0s. 0d.
Meyrick Mr. Wm.: £1 0s. 0d.
Minter Mr. John: £2 0s. 0d.
Miller Mr. Wm.: £1 0s. 0d.
Miller Mr. Step.: £2 0s. 0d.
Moore Mr. P.: £1 0s. 0d.
Moon Mr. S.: £2 0s. 0d.
Morgan Mr. E. W.: £10 0s. 0d.
Moxon Mr. John: £5 0s. 0d.
Moyse Mrs. Jane: £10 0s. 0d.
Nicholls Mr. C.: £10 0s. 0d.
Nolloth Mr. Jas.: £1 0s. 0d.
Norman Mr. Jas.: £2 0s. 0d.
Nuthall Mr. P.: £2 0s. 0d.
Offord Mr. D.: £1 0s. 0d.
Paget S. Esq.: £25 0s. 0d.
Palmer W. D. Esq.: £100 0s. 0d.
Palmer G. D. Esq.: £21 0s. 0d.
Palgrave W. E. Q.: £21 0s. 0d.
Pope Mr. J.: £1 0s. 0d.
Poppy Mr. J.: £0 10s. 0d.
Powell Mr. J.: £0 5s. 0d.
Preston J. Esq.: £20 0s. 0d.
Preston I. Esq.: £25 0s. 0d.
Preston E. Esq.: £25 0s. 0d.
Preston J. Esq.: £10 0s. 0d.
Preston Mr. J. K.: £3 3s. 0d.
Preston Mr. A.: £3 0s. 0d.
Preston Mr. G.: £2 0s. 0d.
Pulford Mr. G.: £2 0s. 0d.
Ranney J. Esq.: £15 15s. 0d.
Reeve Mr. W.: £1 0s. 0d.
Reynolds F. R. Esq.: £50 0s. 0d.
Robinson J. J. Esq.: £10 0s. 0d.
Roe Mr. T.: £2 2s. 0d.
Ruzby Mrs.: £1 0s. 0d.
Saunders Mr. W.: £25 0s. 0d.
Sayers and Son: £20 0s. 0d.
Seaman Mr. F.: £2 0s. 0d.
Searum Mr. R.: £1 1s. 0d.
Sharman Mr. E.: £10 0s. 0d.
Sherrington Mr. S.: £10 0s. 0d.
Short Mr. J.: £1 0s. 0d.
Shreeve Mr. H.: £2 0s. 0d.
Sloman Mr. Chas.: £1 0s. 0d.
Smith Mr. R. C.: £1 0s. 0d.
Smith Mr. J.: £2 2s. 0d.
Smith Mr. R.: £1 0s. 0d.
Springall Mr. T.: £0 10s. 0d.
Steele Miss: £0 5s. 0d.
Stevenson Mr. J.: £5 0s. 0d.
Sutton Mr. S.: £0 10s. 0d.
Swirles Mr. D.: £1 0s. 0d.
Thacker Mrs.: £0 10s. 0d.
Thompson Mrs.: £5 5s. 0d.
Thompson E. Esq.: £20 0s. 0d.
Thrower Mr. A.: £1 0s. 0d.
Toluer & Preston: £25 0s. 0d.
Townshend Mr. R.: £1 0s. 0d.
Turner Rev. R.: £50 0s. 0d.
Turner D. Esq.: £25 0s. 0d.
Turner Mrs. M.: £0 10s. 0d.
Veal Mr. R.: £1 0s. 0d.
Vardon Mr. John: £0 5s. 0d.
Warren Mr.: £1 0s. 0d.
Watling Mr. F.: £3 3s. 0d.
Watson J. Esq.: £20 0s. 0d.
Watson Mr. T.: £5 5s. 0d.
Watson R.: £1 0s. 0d.
Williams J. H. Esq.: £25 0s. 0d.
Wright Mr. E.: £1 0s. 0d.
Yette Win. Esq.: £20 0s. 0d.
Youngman Mr. T.: £1 0s. 0d.

And a Site of Ground on which to erect a Building, Subscriptions are received at the Town Hall, the Banks, the Subscription-Room, and at the Bath Rooms, in this Town.

And here it is in the 1880s.

July 17, 2025
200 Years Ago in Norwich : Suicide of John Gowing

I’ve touched on this issue before, but the newspapers from 200 years ago are littered with suicides and this often seems to be underplayed throughout history. This article in the Norwich Mercury from 200 years ago this week noted:

“And the same day, at the Workhouse, in the parish of St. Andrew, on the body of John Gowing, aged 35 years, who, in a fit of insanity, threw himself from his bed-room window into the stone yard of the said Workhouse. Verdict accordingly.”

The reason that it mentions “the same day” is that there was another suicide reported in the weekly newspaper.

The workhouse in question here is in St. Andrew’s and it was located in the cloisters of St. Andrew’s Hall, best known today perhaps as the home of Norwich Beer Festival. In the above map from the 1880s, the site of the workhouse was the King Edward VI Middle School.

John Gowing was baptised on 29 December 1793, the son of Robert Gowing and Martha Tutthil, and it appears that the age in the newspaper article was wrong, he died at the age of just 31. I can’t be sure that this is the same John Gowing who committed an appalling crime in 1817, but the details provided do fit although I can’t find the transportation record.

“John Gowing and Daniel Thorpe, the latter only 13 years of age, were indicted for feloniously stealing and carrying away out of the house of Wm. Thorpe, linen-draper at Langley, a quantity of gold and silver coin, his property, on the 10th of April last. This case excited considerable interest. The youngest prisoner, who was admitted King’s evidence, was the orphan nephew of the prosecutor, and had been brought up and educated at his expense; the other prisoner was his servant; and, from the testimony of the child, corroborated by other evidence, it appeared that Gowing had for some time past been urging the boy to rob his uncle, and that he had frequently done it, giving what he had got to Gowing, and receiving, as his portion, whatever part he was pleased to give him. The prosecutor was in the habit of keeping a quantity of guineas and other gold coin by him in a small spice box, which had a lock and key to it. Gowing had procured a key which fitted it, and repeated visits had been made to the old gentleman’s magazine without his suspicion being excited, as whenever his nephew made his attacks, Gowing stood sentinel to prevent a surprise. At length the key accidentally breaking in the lock, Gowing persuaded him to take away box and all. This was done, and the whole booty was delivered to Gowing. The box was broke open, and the contents shared between them in such proportion as Gowing thought fit. These facts being fully proved, the Jury found the prisoner, Gowing—Guilty.—Mr. Justice Abbott, in pronouncing sentence, animadverted in severe terms on the prisoner’s conduct: first, in having seduced a child of the tender age of Thorpe to rob his benefactor; and next, in having himself become a party to rob his employer, who had placed a confidence in him. The humanity of the prosecutor had induced him to prefer this indictment in such a form as did away the capital part of the offence. The Court, however, felt itself bound to inflict the severest punishment in its power upon him. That punishment was, that he should be transported beyond sea for the term of seven years.”

John was buried at St. George Colegate on 23 July 1825, which is a church that I walk by frequently. I can’t find him listed in any family trees or referred to online, which made me wonder how many people have thought about him over the last 200 years. Either which way, it’s all really rather sad.

July 16, 2025