Walking. Gossip. Travel.

Tag: Norwich

200 Years Ago in Norwich : Inquest at Windmill Pub Following Suicide

Another in my series of posts featuring articles from 200 years ago this week. This one is on a subject that I’ve written about before, which is the wave of mental health issues that were being reported at the time, a reminder this isn’t some new situation as a few people suggest. The article reads:

“Monday last an inquest was held at the Windmill public house, in the parish of St. Michael at Thorn, before Mr William Bell, coroner, on view of the body of Joseph Lindsey, aged 68, who hanged himself. Jurors’ verdict, non compos mentis.”

I’ve tried to delve a little into this man’s life, he was born on 4 August 1754, the son of John and Anne Lindsey. At the time of the death he lived in the St. Stephen parish of the city and he was buried on 4 November 1823 at St Stephen’s Church in Norwich. This is the church which is today a main route into the Chantry shopping centre and I don’t know if anyone purchased a gravestone for Joseph, but it isn’t there now if they did. Burials for suicides were complex at the time, but there doesn’t seem anything different about this one judging from the church register. Such a tragedy, but at least his name hasn’t been entirely lost to history, although the story behind his life might well have been.

Incidentally, the Windmill pub was located at 24 Ber Street and was damaged during an air raid in 1942, finally being demolished in 1970.

October 31, 2023
200 Years Ago in Norwich : Robbery at White Lion in Drayton and a Knife Attack in Norwich

And the latest in my series of posts relating to things that happened in the news 200 years ago. I’m constantly surprised at just how much crime there was in Norfolk at this time, the newspapers have some quite violent crimes reported and there were no shortage of robberies. I’m intrigued at this one as there doesn’t seem to be much about the White Lion in Drayton on-line (the authoritative resource at https://www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norfolkd/drayton/draytwl.htm has limited information on the pub).

The article reads:

“On Monday night last, between the hours of 12 and one o’clock, an attempt was made to enter the White Lion public house, at Drayton, by breaking through a brick wall in the back part of the premises 18 inches in thickness, ten inches in depth & two feet & an inch in breadth, which the thieves had nearly effected, when they were overheard by Mr. Howard, the landlord, who saw three men run away from the place.”

Can I just mention the detail of the journalism where the width of the wall was given to quite a high degree of accuracy. I also referred to violent crime and the article above in the newspaper was this one:

“Yesterday se’nnight, soon after eight o’clock, some evil disposed person threw with great violence, a large case knife through the shop window of No. 16 Dove Lane, without doubt to inflict some deadly wound upon some one, the wretched miscreant immediately fled and mixed with a crowd in the market-place and so evaded pursuit. The knife feel very near one of the ladies of the shop.”

Firstly, I’ve never heard of the word ‘sennight’ before, but it apparently is an archaic word for ‘a week’. Secondly, this is an horrendous crime and would make the national news if it happened today. There’s this temptation to believe that crime is somehow a recent innovation, but I can’t help thinking that it must have been a lawless and frightening time to live in Norwich.

October 31, 2023
200 Years Ago in Norwich : Theft from St. Andrew’s Hall (and linking in nicely with Norwich Beer Festival)

And another in my series of posts of what was being published in the Norwich Mercury 200 years ago this week. This is a timely one as it relates to St. Andrew’s Hall and that’s where I’ll be this week, volunteering at Norwich Beer Festival. It likely won’t take place next year due to work in the halls, so I’ll have to make the most out of this one. But, back to the news story:

“On Saturday evening last, a robbery was effected at St. Andrew’s Hall, and from the appearances must have been attended with considerable violence. The thieves entered through the upper part of the window, on the right hand side of the door, and on their entrance, it is supposed, immediately broke open the desk under it. They then proceeded to the office of the Court of Requests on the other side of the passage, and forced open Mr. Herman’s desk, from which they stole from 7 to 10l worth of copper.

The villains made an attempt to break open an iron chest, but failed. Their next attempt was upon the Old Library Room, the door of which appears to have been forced open by an iron bar, the panels broken, and the lock completely forced off. A small cabinet standing in the room, containing various silver and copper coins, seems to have been one of their objects. This cabinet they robbed of several of its contents, and appear to have quietly departed. It is curious that this robbery should have effected to near to the direct beat of the watchman, whose box is within 20 yards of the Hall.”

This is an interesting reminder of the variety of ways that St. Andrew’s Hall and Blackfriars Hall have been used over the years, although none as exciting as Norwich Beer Festival of course. I note the way that the newspaper were unimpressed with the watchman who was meant to keep the area safe. I’m also intrigued by the “Court of Requests”, which seemed to deal with small claims, with Norwich being one of the first to have one. I’ll find out more….

Oh, and I’m sure I’ll post a few things about Norwich Beer Festival over the next few days to excite and delight my two loyal readers.

October 22, 2023
200 Years Ago in Norwich : Excessive Gas Usage

In my series of posts of things of interest (probably just to me, but perhaps one of my two loyal readers) in the Norwich Mercury of 200 years ago, I rather liked the angry advertisement placed in the newspaper by the Norwich Gas Light Company. They stated:

“The committee of the Norwich Gas Light Company having ascertained that a large number of the consumers of gas are in the constant habit of burning considerable after the time for which they are charged, and that some persons use it in the morning, feel it necessary to state that if such practices are continued the penalties under the Act will be strictly enforced. They have also appointed an Inspector to enable them fully to carry this resolution into effect.

Signed, by Order of the Committee, J. Athow, clerk, October 1823.”

Not long after this the Norwich Gas Light Company were purchased by the British Gas Light Company, so they must have still been a tempting acquisition. In 1825, the British Gas Light Company applied to build a gasworks at the site which is now the courts complex at Bishopgate.

I’m not sure of the situation in Norwich, but these were the wild west days for the industry with no regulation and certainly no Ofgem to keep energy companies under control. The industry was very competitive and sabotage of rival’s gas supplies were common, meaning that customers consuming more gas that they were entitled to would have been a problem in a sector which was not producing large profits.

October 22, 2023
Streets of Norwich – One Post Alley

Part of my Streets of Norwich project…. [updated in October 2023]

I’ve never noticed this alley before, it’s only through following a history trail produced by Norwich City Council (and more on these three trails later) that I came down here.

The alley connected St. Stephen’s with St. Stephen’s Back Street, although that latter street has gone and is now the boundary of Chapelfield (or Chantry as it’s now called) shopping centre.

It’s quite hard to make out this alley in old maps as it’s so narrow, but it appears to have been the one known as Stockings Alley, I assume after the nearby butcher. At the end of the alley (so on the left of the above photo) was the Unicorn Inn public house, sadly now demolished.

It’s not the most decadent of alleys if I’m being honest and there’s a limited amount of history that I can find to recount about it. However, according to the city council’s history, it takes its current name from there being one single post blocking the end of the alley off. And it was being blocked off to stop any cows disappearing up it when they were being taken to Norwich cattle market, although I had thought the cattle usually came from the direction of Norwich railway station and Prince of Wales Road. Either way, I like that this path has survived, it reminds me of the rows in Great Yarmouth and I’m pleased it hasn’t been incorporated into some shop in the way that a number of other yards on this road have been.

In September 1890, there was a newspaper article featuring the case of Elizabeth Houghton, a widow who lived along the alley. Detective Barlow, a police officer, noted that Houghton had been lifting up wood blocks that were being used to pave Prince of Wales Road. She hid these wooden blocks under her long cloak and so he decided, rather sensibly, to question Houghton on what she was doing. She wasn’t too keen on assisting the police with their enquiries, but he followed her back to One Post Alley. He then had a little rummage around and found that she had a heap of these blocks which she then admitted that she was using for firewood. It seems sub-optimal that she was burning the council’s new road surfaces, but I can imagine times must have been tough given she had lost her husband. The police were less forgiving as they claimed the amount of wood was substantial and the City Corporation said they had lost 1s 5d worth of blocks. The matter was so serious that it got sent to the next Quarter Sessions.

October 22, 2023
Food from Every Stall on Norwich Market – Week 26 and Lucy’s Fish and Chips

It’s week 26 of my eating at every food stall on Norwich Market and this is Lucy’s Fish and Chips. I have to declare here that I’ve been coming here with James for over a decade and he questioned the point of the entire project as we might as well announce Lucy’s as the winner without visiting any other stall. That slightly defeated the object of the exploration process, so I stood my ground. Anyway, I digress, but it’s important to note that this stall has already surprised and delighted me on many occasions in the past.

The menu, which continues to inspire me. The payment process was efficient and well managed, with the impressive situation that they remembered our regular order despite visiting other market stalls for several months. They get a mark for that level of customer service and they accept cards and cash. Friendly as ever, the welcome was personable and engaging.

There’s a seating area reserved for Lucy’s customers. It’s rare that we don’t get a seat here, although the stall can often busy.

There’s a little diagram explaining where to order from. I’m not going to suggest that it’s completely obvious to see, but it’s more effort than some other stalls have made. There’s a vegan menu as well showing how they cater for everyone.

Our regular order of large chips, large battered sausage, curry sauce and scraps, which is £5.10 each. Compared to some other stalls, this is a bargain. I think it might be starting to become evident that I’m going to like this visit. The chips are fluffy on the interior and firm on the exterior, with the scraps adding texture and decadence. The butcher’s sausage isn’t as good as they once had, but it’s still better than the generic offering often received at chip shops, with the curry sauce being rich and suitable for dipping chips into. All really rather lovely, as well as being hot and the portion sizes are generous. The whole thing sometimes sends me to sleep in the afternoon, but I had squash an hour later so that ensured that I didn’t have a little nap.

James had the same as me, but his photo is considerably better than mine, so I’ll be using this as the thumbnail.

It will come as absolutely no surprise to anyone that I’ll strongly recommend this stall and I’d be surprised if it doesn’t appear as one of my top three stalls in the final posts in a few weeks….. This is comfort food for the many, not the few.

October 10, 2023
Streets of Norwich – Goldsworths Buildings

Part of my Streets of Norwich project…. (updated in October 2023)

I’m not entirely sure that there’s much of a street here, but there is a road name visible, so that’ll do for me.

That road name visible in the previous photo is located on the Red Lion pub, but I wonder if it originally more described that row of buildings above the pub on this map from 1900. These buildings have since been demolished and the site is now used as the pub’s car park.

Here’s the Red Lion, currently boarded up, although it was closed before the Covid-19 situation.

This road seems to me to still be Bishopgate on maps, so it seems that the modern-day Goldsworths Buildings road is really now just the Red Lion pub and its car park. The landlord of the pub between 1842 and 1845 was James Goldsworth jr, so I have this idea that he built the properties by the pub and named them after himself. I have no evidence of this, but it makes for a nice story, so I’m going with it.

October 8, 2023
Norwich – Freemasons Arms (Two Julians)

As part of our meanderings around Norwich pubs, the next on the list for Julian and I was the Freemasons Arms on Hall Road. This has been a pub since the early nineteenth century, although was known as the Billy Bluelight between 1994 and 2005 during the period that it was owned by Woodfordes. Billy (1859-1949) was a runner who used to amuse those on pleasure boats on the Broads by racing them into the city using footpaths by the river. Although I don’t suggest he isn’t worthy of having a pub named after him, I’m not overly keen on licensed premises changing long held names, so the reversion back to the original name seems entirely sensible to me.

The bar had a wider range of beers that I had anticipated, including three cask options which were from Mr Winters, Cloudwater and Lacons. The service was friendly, immediate and inviting with the pub having a comfortable and laid-back feel to it.

I went for the SoCal from Cloudwater, a beer that I hadn’t had before, and it was well kept, at the appropriate temperature and was suitably refreshing. The day that we went was exceptionally hot, so refreshing was quite high on my list of priorities. This football table is sensible located away from the main part of the pub, but with access to the main bar. This would also make a rather lovely space for a bar billiards table, but I won’t digress too much on that matter.

There’s a pleasant beer garden which was clean and organised. It was far too hot for me to sit in, but it’s a useful resource for the pub.

I hadn’t realised before how substantial this beer garden was, but that’s the purpose of these rigorous research study tours.

I’m a little unsure of the set-up here, I think Julian thought it was formerly a skittles alley but it doesn’t seem to be attached to the pub now and there’s no mention of it on their web-site.

It’s not a large pub, but they’re making an effort in their food offering which seems appropriate for the venue.

It didn’t impact us as we had already been served, but the venue was without any visible staff for some time and a couple of customers came over to us to ask how they could get a beer. Their patrons weren’t put off though and they waited patiently.

We occupied ourselves with some of the pub games. These were nearly entirely beyond me.

It kept us amused anyway.

Evidence that I worked how to separate at least one of these things, which I understand was the aim of the arrangement. Julian seemed to manage with a little more success than I did if I’m being honest.

There were a lot of good ideas in this venue which was purchased by a small pub company earlier on in the year. I’m suitably impressed by their efforts, they’ve got a decent selection of beers, the pub was clean, the service was friendly and it had the feeling of a community pub.

The frontage from another angle, this pub is certainly worth a visit and I wouldn’t complain if this was my local. My memories of it over recent years are that it has at times been a little beat-up and tired, but it feels refreshed and more at ease with itself now.

October 5, 2023
Streets of Norwich – Fishergate

Part of my Streets of Norwich project…. [updated in October 2023]

Fishergate is one of the streets in Norwich which has retained its street line and its name over the last few centuries, connecting Whitefriars to Fye Bridge Street.

The Church of St. Edmund, a fifteenth century building which was modernised (and, just a little bit ruined in my view) in the Victorian period, although it was built on the site of an earlier church which was likely Saxon. The number of residential properties in the area fell during the later part of the nineteenth century and the church fell into disuse during the early twentieth century. It was later used as a store for Norwich Puppet Theatre, although it now appears to be back in use as a religious building.

One of the Viking Norwich signs, of which there are several in this area. The street has been known as both Fishgate and Fishergate, both with the same original meaning of ‘street of the fishermen’.

The building painted light blue in the above photo is interesting, it’s the former Duke of Marlborough pub. It was closed in 1969 having been a licensed premises since at least the beginning of the eighteenth century.

To the right of the Duke of Marlborough was the Rampant Horse pub, long since demolished. This was a casualty of the removal of licenses from properties at the beginning of the twentieth century, an act which closed thousands of pubs throughout the country. To the left of the Duke of Marlborough, now no longer accessible, was Thoroughfare Yard, although this is still accessible from another entrance point.

On the matter of pubs, there was once a Carpenters Arms located on Fishergate but the records suggest it was only there in the 1830s and it’s not clear exactly where it was. There was also the Golden Fleece which was a licensed premises between sometime in the 1830s and 1867.

Formerly the offices of J Bugg Ltd, boot and leather manufacturers.

This section at the end of Fishergate, where it meets Fye Bridge Street, has been turned into a small park. I’m not sure why nothing is now here, although some buildings on this section were badly damaged during the Second World War. This little park is on the right hand side of this 1933 photo from George Plunkett.

October 4, 2023
Food from Every Stall on Norwich Market – Week 25 and Falafel and Friends

This week’s visit to a food stall at Norwich market was Falafel and Friends, not one that I would have likely gone to outside of this project. My first impressions were positive, the signage was very clear on where to order and there was more clarity on this here than on any other stall I’ve visited at the market. This is a busy stall (I know this as I’ve sat eating chips opposite it for years) selling vegan food and they have burgers, hot dogs, wraps and the like.

The service was immediate and friendly, with the team member smiling and it all felt inviting. I thought that I’d go for the Kimchi Dog, but unfortunately they’d run out of that one. The team member suggested that I try the Buffalo Vegetarian Chicken Burger or the Sweet Potato Tempura Burger and in absence of knowing what else to order, I went for the latter. It cost £7.50 and the stall accepts cards and cash.

Customers are given a number which is then called out and I didn’t have long to wait (well, I did for James who was on some posh executive job) for the food. Customers were served in order and it all seemed organised and well managed.

My burger looked appetising and colourful with the bun being lightly toasted. The salad element added texture, particularly the cabbage, with the sweet chilli sauce providing plenty of flavour. The tempura batter also added texture and this was essential as the burger itself was soft, it was an interesting contrast. The cajun potatoes were salty and really quite sapid, I was suitably impressed and it did feel like comfort food.

In case anyone thinks that this photography is a step up for me, this is the photo that James took of his wrap. James went to the counter confused, as he often does, and the team member pretty much told him what he was going to order which worked well for all concerned. He was also pleased with the food, although we had to hide from the staff at the neighbouring Lucy’s Chips who must feel that we’ve completely abandoned them over recent months.

But, back to the beginning and when I mentioned this isn’t likely where I’d think to visit, but it was all better than I had anticipated. There was a depth of flavour to the food, it was well presented and the service was friendly and engaging. Definitely one of the better stalls that we’ve visited and there are some other tempting items that I might come back to try. I’m pleased to have been here and I’m reminded why I’m an advocate of forcing myself to try somewhere new.

October 4, 2023