Chapter 13, Howard Street and George Street. pp495-545, univol.indd

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

Chapter Twelve

HOWARD STREET

Howard Street North was called Charlotte

Street until changed between 1874 and 1886,

yet George III reigned 1760-1820, and Queen

Charlotte lived until 1818. Maybe the change

was after Britain lost all the colonies south of

Canada in 1782; the collapse of the Empire

abroad, whereas at home, a time when Coke

was promoting agriculture in Norfolk, and

the Duke of Norfolk (Howard) was a popular

figure. The street had once been known as

Wrestler’s Street, from the Inn at its north-east

corner, and was also once known as Middle

Street or Middlegate Street.

Howard Street is divided into a north part

and a south part, running north and south

from the junction of Broad Row and Market

Row. Howard Street North had been named

Charlotte Street, after the wife and Queen of

No.27

No.28

George III. Above right is seen is a full length

portrait of her, standing outside Buckingham

House, by Beechey. This portrait hangs in

the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House,

The Strand, London. Princess Charlotte of

Mecklenburg Strelitz in Germany, arrived in

The Blyth sisters, in Howard Street, above,

1860’s. The street is gravelled, there are two

carts, and no cars. (Blyth at no.61, 1863,

beside Row 21. but at 48 in 1938)

Top right, Queen Charlotte , by Beechey.

495

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

Howard Street

Howard Street Identiﬁcation Map

Row 19

Row 21

Tesco

store

Brewery Plain

Clearance

Area

Row 23

1

Wrestler's

now "Hardy's"

public

WC

2

Row 25

Futter's store

61

4 3

Row 20

5

1874

Row 27

6

8 7

Row 22

9

11 10

Row 24

Row 30

59

Police

station

site

of

flats

1994

14

12

55

15

13

Row 26

Row 33

16

15

Queen's Head PH

(1938)

Row 29

17

Row 36

18

52

Row 32

Row 39

19

48

20

Leak's lodgings (1938)

21

Row 35

47

22

Row 41

46

45

23

Row 38

44

24

25

Burton Arms PH

note the gardens

in 1758

Row 40

25

26

site of Johnson's

and Liberal Club

Watson's

bakery

Row 43

Aldred's

car park

27 Allen's wine merchant

(1938)

28

Row 44

now Brett's

28

children's society

Cycle Shop

Broad Row

29

Court's

shop

Row 46

Brett's

Market Row

Crown PH.; later the

Freeston Ltd.

Vine PH

6a

6b

6

7

Blue House

Warehouses

date-c.1800

Row 50

Row 49

Row 51

82

Stonecutter's way 1994

81

roadway 1994

Row 52

Palmer's

carpark

1994

80

Corn Hall

Exchange

vaults PH

79

Row 54

78

Arnold's Bedding

factory 1938

Hunt and son Mineral Waters

(1938)

Row 53

77

8

9 Downing's Baker's

(1938)

Row 56

Row 58

Ferrow's Books

1994

76

75

Row 55

10

empty

site

74

73

11

Row 60

12 Rose (Dolly) Harrison's (1938)

later, "Selbourne House"

Great

Eastern

1938

Row 57

1991

Oakwood

PH

72

13

"Legend's"

1994

71

15

15a

16

70

Row 63

Row 59

Mariners

Tavern

68

Quaker's meeting

house

1994

Star

Hotel (part)

67

Numbers in 1906

Numbers in 1938

Numbers in 1994

Row 61

66

Row 62

all superimposed on 1758 map

by Henry Swinden.

496

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

Britain on 8th. Sept. 1761, on-board ship,

the “Royal Charlotte”. She was married

the very same day. 3 Her parents in law

didn’t wait for her to change her mind!

Her first child, the Prince of Wales, later

George IV, was born on 12th. Aug. the

following year. She had 15 children in all,

and lived at Buckingham Palace, which

was then quite a small house, bought for

her for 21,000 pounds in 1761 by George

III. She died in 1818. 4

Although George III’s wife evidently

fell from favour in the town, and the

street was renamed, I personally find the

old name more pleasing and interesting.

Howard Street South had been called

“Blind Middle Street”, until the creation

of Regent Street, though it still had a blind

end at row 90. The Howard family have

been Dukes of Norfolk since conferred by

Richard III, although the conqueror made

Radulph the first Earl of the East Angles,

and Hugh Bigod was Earl of Norfolk

under Stephen. 5 Thomas De Brotherton

was Royal Earl of Norfolk in 1312 , and

had close connections with Yarmouth,

Norwich, Bungay, and seems to have owned

property at Hopton of some significance.

After him were the Mowbrays, Thomas

Mowbray being first Duke. The Howards

came into the title through the female line,

Edwards’ shop was no.34, see page 53;

also, Cecily Barnes’ account, page 62.

and by re-creation.

Notoriety

Perhaps one reason for changing the name of

the Street was its notoriety. A report in the

Yarmouth Independent of 28th. October 1865,

carried a letter from inhabitants of the Street,

complaining that an article the week before

had referred to the rows off Charlotte street

The former Johnson’s factory shop and Liberal Club, 1987.

497

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

as- “swarming with brothels”. The letter

writer complained that Charlotte Street

should be singled out in this way, and

that The Market Place and thoroughfares

such as Market Row and Broad Row were

just as bad (for bad language). Talk about

compounding the matter! The writer says

that it is fortunate that the paper only has

a small circulation, yet wishes to publicise

the matter again! The area was in fact only

cleared of the brothels by pulling down

the whole Street in the 1960’s, as a result

of which the whole character of the area,

and the very town itself was changed. Even

recently, as far away as in Scotland I have

heard Yarmouth described as famous for

its rowdy brawling and loose living. I have

little doubt that many old Scots fishermen

would imagine it as similar now to its

predicament before the war. Presumably

it was akin to the Bangkok of today, and I

have no doubt that people came from far and

wide just to see if it was like they had heard.

For those who may dispute this, I also quote

John Wesley, writing somewhat earlier,

in 1761, on Tuesday, 20th. January, who

states “I enquired concerning Yarmouth, a

large and populous town, and as eminent

for wickedness and ignorance as ever any

seaport in England”. Today we just have the

“private shop”(seen below), licensed to sell sex

goods to adults. Again, the old wooden barracks

upon what is now Sainsbury’s store, became a

crèpe factory, but was also at one time renowned

see page 45

498

An ancient cut-ﬂint house in Howard Street,

long gone.

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

as a brothel (ref. “The Life of Robert Key” by

Miss E. Goodrick; see from Hayloft to Temple

by A. H. Patterson). “A hotbed of vice, to be

avoided by the young of either sex”.

We have had similarly good “bad” publicity

for the town in 1994, with articles in national

newspapers proclaiming the “tackiness” of

our Seafront with its amusements and cheap

and shoddy goods. If we lose that, again

we shall regret it. The message surely is to

invest and improve, but not to sweep all away

(and to some extent, any publicity is good

publicity!) .

Below follows a description of Howard Street

with some of its inhabitants, derived from an

interview with Olive Broughton.:

Olive Broughton, (néé Lingwood) was born

on 16th. August 1919, at 51 Howard

Street North, on the west side. She

was an only child, born to Alfred,

and Rose (néé Daniels). Alfred

Lingwood was a greengrocer,

and took the shop over from his

father. They lived over the shop. In

1913, John Robert Lingwood was

listed by Kelly’s guide, and at no. 50

was another greengrocer, Samuel

Hales. They were friendly, although

in competition. Numbers 49 and

50 became by 1926 a second-hand

dealer. Samuel Hales then only

sold a few vegetables that had been

grown on his allotment. When

Olive was 11 years old her father

Alfred died, aged but 40, so that she

and her mother moved to live with

Olive’s Grandmother in Abyssinia

Road. Then, when grandmother died

some two years later, they moved

again to a little cottage. Grandfather

Lingwood had died at sea during

the first world war. The house at

51 Howard Street was bought

by Albert W. Beckett. Deliveries

were made from the grocery shop

in Howard Street by an errand boy

with a barrow. After the war the

Becketts and the Hales were still in

499

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

Howard Street, Looking south.

Howard Street, so the buildings

clearly survived the bombing. In

the 20’s, when Olive went to St.

Andrews School (see Row 11): on

the east side of Howard Street, at

the north end, was the chemist’s,

Thomas John Woodcock’s (the

right hand end building that can be

seen in the views of the Wrestlers

Inn on Brewery plain). Walter

Bell’s Bakers was next door, and

fresh fish was to be bought at a

fishmonger’s beside and past

row 20. Howard Street then was

full of small shops, a hive of

bustling activity. Mr. Cork had the

butcher’s shop, and their daughter

also went to St. Andrew’s Church

School. One of Mr. Cork’s

daughters later married Sidney

Bensley. L. P. Pagano had a fruit

shop, Harrod had a general shop,

and Johnson was a greengrocer,

whereas Eleanor Chapman kept

a wardrobe dealers. After row 24

was Comer’s shop which was at

a lower level inside, there being

two steps down from the doorway.

Robert Love had a store, and then

Dixon’s was a sweet shop. After

Row 26, the pawnbrokers shop of Fred.

Marsh, a very popular source of cash in those

days. Items were taken in on Mondays, and

redeemed on Fridays. Father’s suit or coat

was a popular item to pledge or pawn. Beside

the pawnbrokers, Alfred Grevener was the

hairdresser, next Miss

Allen the confectioner,

and then came Row

29. Mr. Jarvis had the

Queen’s Head public

house. This Pub can

be seen in the picture.

Jarvis’s daughter Freda

attended St. Andrew’s

school.

Queens Hotel, established 1666

Row 32

17. Hurrell (1938)

18. Darn, ﬁshmonger

(1938)

Church

Army

Hall

(1938)

Row 35

19.Liffen, shop,

1938

Row 36

Row

39

48.

Blyth

(1938)

Kett

coal

mer-

chant

(1938)

Palmer,

Mrs.E.

(1938)

Morley, next door had a wet fish shop, and

the smell here was quite extreme according to

Gladys Chapman of Row 40 (married name

Plane), -although Mrs. Child’s fish shop at the

bottom of Row 40 smelled worse! Next came

Row 35, and then Ernest Liffen’s sweet shop.

Miles Taylor kept

“Refreshment Rooms”,

(1927), and known as the

“Sailor’s Cook Shop”.

Johnson and sons splendid premises, complete with Royal Coat of Arms.

Note these columns, as seen in the photo on page 33

500

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

His daughter was Mary Liffen, now deceased.

Leak’s Lodgings took local people renting

rooms. Gladys Plane told how Leake’s was in

the habit of accommodating tramps, and in an

upstairs room, they all sat shoulder to shoulder

round the room, (against the wall) perhaps

fifteen of them sleeping in this manner there.

What, if anything they paid for this privilege is

not known. Leakes

was opposite the St.

Steven’s mission.

(Captain Tippler

kept the mission).

The other place that

the tramps could

go at that time,

was the Northgate

workhouse,

but there they

would have to work for their keep in the

kitchen gardens. Thomas Southgate was

a butcher, and Mr. Broughton’s boss, Mr.

Spanton was the manager. (Broughton

husband of Olive) The same firm had

another shop on Albion Road, also one on

Hamilton Road. The shop room in Howard

Street was extremely small, only about 9

feet square. Most of the slaughter houses

were outside the market gate, but Thomas

Southgate had his own slaughterhouse on

Southmarket Road. Next along was William

Johnson a fishmonger, who sold shellfish, and

other local fish. McCarthy had a fruit shop

next door, whose family later moved onto the

Market Place, on the east side of the Market,

where they had a warehouse before the Coop

had their store built. They also had a stall on

the market. The Edward VII Public House

was kept by Mrs. E. MacDonald. Abraham

Dickman had a haberdashery, and Percy

Read had a Pork Butchery. This butchery had

been Beck-Bessenger’s, and Percy Read had

married Miss BeckBessenger, and managed

the shop in his name.

Detail of Photo of the

Blyth sisters

Opening Haven Bridge, Arthur Beevor and

the Prince of Wales, 21.10.1930.

Watson’s Bakery, 28.2.07 (looking north), was opposite, at no. 44,

on the northeast corner of Row 41, in 1938.

501

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

Allen’s the Wine Merchants and wholesaler

was next door, then John Mobbs, before

reaching the Liberal Club, which is now

Bretts Warehouse. Johnson’s had these

premises here in 1880, when it looks as

though the current building was new, and

there were the Royal Arms above the

parapet, made of oak, and which prewar (II)

were preserved in the Tolhouse. 6 When the

Liberal Club was here, there were public

dances on the first floor, and a snooker

room below. This was popular with the troops

in the wartime. Jonathan Thomas Brett started

his business as a furniture maker in Norwich

in 1860. The house that they purchased, no.

26, Howard Street North, had previously

been 25 Charlotte Street, and then leased by

a Mr.Phillips. 7 The original shop became a

warehouse, and the furniture show rooms

moved to their present site. Jonathan’s son,

was running the firm in 1903, and Fred Brett,

Mayor of Yarmouth in 1921, decided to break

away on his own. Ralph Brett joined the firm

in 1922. There was a warehouse also at no. 19

North Quay before the Second World War, but

that was burned out in the raids of April 1941.

After the war, the premises at 14 Church Plain

were demolished, as was no 15. The former

Liberal Club was purchased as a warehouse in

1956, and the property inbetween, in 1960. The

famous public house, the “Blue House”, once

owned by Tommy Leake, was incorporated

by Bretts after purchase at auction in 1971. 9

The Blue House had a long narrow bar with

a curved end. Upstairs, girls were available.

Downstairs were the “Dickie dealers”, who

traded in anything from a house to a shoelace.

These dealers were to be found also in the

Great Eastern, and the Star Hotel. Walking

back along the west side of Howard Street

in the 20’s, we would find Bartram’s Leather

Shop; F. T. Steward, confectioner; C. Lamb,

502

Watsons, The Talbot, and the former Liberal

Club entrance, 1987.

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

28.2.2007

Watchmaker; George Lamb, tobacconist; John

Percy Parkes, hairdresser; Walter Brown the

hosier; and James George Wright, the Baker.

Rose the fruiterer used to attend the mission on

a Sunday. William Childs was a fishmonger.

The Gallon Pot public house was next (a

name now carried on elsewhere). Mrs. Martha

Beckett a shopkeeper, was at no. 43, and it was

her son who took over the greengrocer’s at no.

51, at a later date. Herbert Redvers Watson

was the baker at no. 44., and remarkably, this

family still has a bakery on Howard Street, but

on the opposite side of the road (above and

right). Harold Gooder was a dairyman, and

after passing row 41 one could find William

Rainer with his furniture shop. The church

mission was next along the street, of which

there is a photograph. There were concert

parties held there, and magic lantern shows,

and there was a Sunday School. “Bright Spots

Concert Party” was held there. John Thomas

Blyth the bootmaker’s shop is to be seen on

the photo., his two daughters are shown(pages

33 and 39). Hales’ second hand shop had items

such as clothing acquired from jumble sales,

and general bricabrac. The Hales were elderly

in the 20’s, they brought up their granddaughter

“Dolly” when their daughter died. Hales was

a retired fisherman. Next to Hales’ shop were

the Lingwoods, but father died as we have

related, at the age of 40, and mother and

Watsons Bakery shop window, 28.02.07.

daughter moved out, and sold the shop to the

younger Beckett. At no. 52 was Mrs. Andrews

general shop; Mrs. Tennant next-door was an

elderly widow, rather short and plump to look

at. Then we would pass Harwood’s hardware

shop, Edward White, bootmaker, and row 20.

Then came Selby’s wardrobe dealers, Scales

fishmongers, and Arthur Harry Beevor 8 at nos.

58 and 59, with his bakery. Harry Beevor was

the well known Mayor of Yarmouth, known

as “Cosh”, and who with the help of the

Prince of Wales, opened the Haven Bridge on

503

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

21st. October 1930 (picture, page 39). Yet

another fishmonger was Fred Yaxley, and as

we approach the end of the street we pass

Harry Hayes’ cycles, Walter White’s shop,

row 23, James Hewett the hairdresser, and

John Hedley listed as a bookseller, but who

actually sold newspapers and periodicals.

Fred Pert, paper hanger, was the last resident

in the street in 1926.

Just north of Watson’s Bakery, is, as seen

on theprevious page, the Police Station

(above right), functional, but incredibly

uninspiring. A school-child might have

designed it! The mast standing behind in

the yard, was at ﬁrst used for its own radio

transmissions, but now such masts are used

for the transmission of microwave signals

used for cellular telephones. Cell ‘phones

have rapidly become so popular world

wide that there are almost one such ‘phone

for every person on the planet. There is

likely to be a future problem concerning

these ‘phones, as children in particular,

use them excessively, and the effects of

the microwave radiation long-term is

completely unknown. Licencing these

‘phones has brought Governments world-

wide such huge revenues, that they have

simply ignored the possible consequences.

Ericcson in Sweden, produced the ﬁrst truly

mobile telephone system in 1956. The idea

of a cellular network was conceived in 1972,

but it was in the early 1980’s that the ﬁrst hand

held devices were introduced. Before that the

device was a basic radio, conﬁned to a car, or

which could be plugged in to a vehicle, but

was not otherwise transportable. When the

ﬁrst “hand held” devices were introduced they

were several pounds in weight and the size of

about three building bricks, simply because the

batteries were so large and heavy. In the early

1980’s we had a two way radio and a bleeper

when on call for the surgery, and could only

speak one way at a time. The widespread use

of truly mobile phones available to all, was

not until the 1990’s, and was promoted rapidly

by the sale of free ‘phones and monthly

subscriptions with “free” or included calls,

all at extortionate rates, but which were made

to seem cheap, although there were actually

many additional costs on the calls made,

putting the price up much more. In 2003 I

made two calls from a mobile in Croatia, for

less than 1.5 hours total, and the monthly

bill on the two phones I then owned came

to approximately £300. After that I ceased

to have a “contract” ‘phone, but prices have

anyway come down considerably.

Despite the widespread use of radio waves of

varying frequencies, for all sorts of purposes,

the nature of the wave and the nature of the

energy and the mode of its transmission, is

continued on page 48

504

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

Row 21

Row 23

Row 25

Row 27

Row 30

Howard Street North, from the air, 26th June 1946, top, and as seen on Henry

Swinden’s map of 1738 or 1758, then called “Blind Middle Street”, the houses still

standing after the war.

505

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

Photo. of demolition by P.G.Trett, 1971.

The Occupants, Charlotte Street, 1863

1. Skoulding, George Smith Frederick, Chemist and

druggist (corner of Church Plain, see vol.1.)

2. Roling, William, baker (presumably Rolling, later

of Northgate Street)

.....Row 20.....

4. Forder, Robert, furniture broker

3. Watson, Joseph, rag dealer and green grocer

5. Chilvers, James, grocer &c.

6. Barrow, Ann, Grocer

7. Cullum, James, butcher

8. Garrad, David, gas ﬁtter and marine store dealer

9. Wells, Meditation, victualler, Ropemaker’s Arms

10. Dunnell, George, shoemaker

11. Margetson, Jonas, beerhouse

Palmer, Thomas John, victualler, Victoria Tavern

506

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

Buildings demolished, never rebuilt.

12. Parker, George, shopkeeper

13. Arnop, George Goddard, shoemaker

14. Davy, Elijah Frost, watch and clock

maker

.....Row 29.....

Garwood, Robert, ﬁsh curer

Garwood, Charles, victualler, Queen’s

Head (no.15)

.....Row 32.....

Burkett, William, tailor

.....Row 33.....

Crisp, Emma and Mary Anne, dressmakers

16. Brown and Cox, cabinet makers

Brown, William Palgrave, house, 6

Claremont Place

Cox, A.P., house here

Wherrymen’s Institute

.....Row 36....

Belson, Mr William

19. Neale, William, pawnbroker; house, 10

Russell Square

.....Row 38.....

Elliott, William, whitesmith

21.Beazor, Martin, harness maker and

saddler

22. Newark, John, furniture broker and old

clothes dealer

.....Row 40.....

Gillings, James, (Gillings and Tubby)

joiner, shop - St Peter’s Plain

Tennent, Robert, old clothes dealer

23. Shales, William, eating house keeper

see page 36

507

The lines from the left hand page show the window of David Ferrow’s bookshop,

and the building, now gone.

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

24. Burrows, Maria, shopkeeper

.....Row 43.....

Barber, Samuel, brazier and tin maker, house -

Gorleston

25. Clarke, Richard, cabinet maker, upholsterer etc.

Levy, Solomon, and at 28 St Peter’s Row house

Latter Place.....Row 44.....

Amess, Mr. William

Routledge, victualler, City of London

29. Dawson, William, shoe maker

West Side

30. Branch, Elizabeth, corset and stay maker

31. Butler, James Watts, cabinet maker

32. Hewson, Mary Ann, fruiterer

33. Hawkins, George Drew, fruiterer and and

shopkeeper

24. Brooks, Thomas, cabinet maker and picture

frame maker

35. Beecroft, Peter, baker and confectioner

36. Kelf, Thomas, philip, shoemaker

37. Curzon, Matthew, watch and clock maker

38. Barnby and son, wine and spiritmerchants

Barnby, William, Henry, house 24 Southtown

Barnby, John Eager, house here

39. Fosdyke, Robert, ironmonger

40. Newark, Frederick Isaac, baker and confectioner

41. Frosdick, Henry, victualler, Rose and Crown

42. Read, Henry John, eating house keeper

43. empty

44. Nobbs, Robert, shoemaker

45. Trower, James, shoemaker

46. Morl, James, shopkeeper

49. Wright, Alfred, greengrocer &c.

50. Gowen, John, victualler, Sir Samuel Hood

51. Cutting, Mary Anne, eating house keeper

52. Howard, Mary, baker

53. Brewer, George, shoemaker

54. Cobb, John, leather merchant and currier

55. Seager, Ann, shopkeeper

56. Davy, Robert, watch and clock maker

57. Bitton, John, furniture maker

58. Fromow, George, hairdresser

59. Patterson, James, shoemaker

60. Smith, Robert Sharman, cabinet maker and paper

hanger

61. Blyth, William, shoemaker

62. Freeman, Charles, grocer &c.

63. Hanter, Isaac, shoemaker

The Occupants, Charlotte Street, 1874

1. Skoulding, John Smith Frederick, chemist and

druggist

2. Roling, William, baker, newsagent and

tobacconist

.....Row 20.....

3. Hart, Charles, beer retailer

4. Forder, Mary and Hannah, furniture brokers

5. Gray, George, glass and china dealer

.....Row 22.....

Patterson, William, shop keeper

7. Green, Robert, marine stores

8. Barnes, Henry, broker

9. Burgess, Richard, victualler, Ropemaker’s Arms

10. Dunnell, George, shoemaker

11. Wilson, Charlotte, beerhouse

.....Row 26.....

12. Thompson, John, shopkeeper

13. Thomas, Jane, shopkeeper

14. Davy, Elijah Frost, watch and clock maker

.....Row 29.....

15. Pope, John, victualler, Queen’s Head

.....Row 32.....

16. Andrews, William, general dealer

17. Garwood, Charles, ﬁsh cuer

.....Row 35.....

18. Horth, William, marine stores

19. Green, George Edward, pawnbroker and clothier

.....Row 38.....

Gold, Henry, hairdresser and general dealer

21. Key, Robert, ﬁsh dealer

22. minister, Robert, clothier

.....Row 40.....

23. & 24. Power, John, eating house keeper and beer

retailer

.....Row 43.....

25. Clarke, Richard, cabinet maker, upholsterer etc.

26. Backbessinger, Helen, pork butcher

....Row 44.....

27. Du Cann, Charles, victualer, City of London

28. Chamberlin and Campling, carpet warehouse

.....Row 46.....

Charlotte Street, west side

29. Dawson, Ann Eliza, shoemaker

30. Kerridge, Ann, corset and stay maker

31. Butler, Mrs., cabinet maker

32. & 33. Barrett, William, fruiterer and tobacconist

34. Barnes, William, cabinet and picture frame maker

35. Brunning, J.T., baker and confectioner

36. Hawkins, Martin, shoemaker

44. Mower, Henry, corn chandler

.....Row 36.....

45. Grave, Frederick, marine stores

46. Savory, Samuel, shopkeeper

47. Fiske, James, grocer and provision maker

48. Crane, Isabella, shopkeeper

.....Row 33.....

49. Greystone, Robert, greengrocer, &c.

50. Bilsdon, Sarah Ann, eating house

50a. O’Connor, Patrick, pork butcher

.....Row 30.....

51. Longhurst, William O., beerhouse

51a. Hodds, James, fruiterer

52. Howard, Mary, baker

53. Brewer, George, shoemaker

.....Row 27.....

54. Doughty, Charles, currier and leather seller

.....Row 25.....

55. Garwood, Robert, ﬁsh dealer

56. Wilshak, Joseph, watch and clock maker and

jeweller

57. Cooper, Robert John, boot and shoemaker

508

click

for sound

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

.....Row 23.....

58. Fromow, George, hairdresser

59. Patterson, James, shoemaker

60. Smith, Robert Sharman, cabinet maker and paper

hanger

.....Row 21.....

61. Pitt, James, fruiterer and news agent

62. Freeman, Charles, grocer and ﬂour dealer

63. Lacon, Sir H. K. and Sons, counting house

.....Row 19.....

Occupants, Howard Street North 1927, East side

1. Barker, J., agricultural and pharmaceutical chemist

2. Wright, R., baker

3. Hart, C., beer retailer

4. Forder, Miss M., furniture dealer

5. Powley, J., glass and china dealer

6. George, J., grocer

7. Barber, W.C., printer and stationer

8. Chapman, G.W., general dealer

9. Burgess, R., Ropemaker’s Arms

10. Shepherd, H., wardrobe and china dealer

11. Thompson, T.B., general shop keeper

12. Cotton, S., second hand clothes dealer

13. Lingwood, J.P., bootmaker

14. Taylor, H.H. watch maker

15. Pope, Mrs. E., Queens Head Tavern

16. Cole, W., Three Fishes coffee tavern

17. Neale, J., fancy hosier

18. Grave, F., marine store dealer

19. Green, G.E., pawnbroker and outﬁtter

20. Gayner, J., general shop

21. Bowles, S., ﬁsh dealer

22. Houghton, A.S., general dealer

23. Wales R., The Lancer ,

24. Boyce, Mrs., ﬁsh dealer (?Boyce of Middlegate)

25., Phillips, B., furniture dealer and 80 George Street

West side:

29. Dawson, Mrs. A.E., shoemaker

30. Kerridge, Mrs. A., corset maker

31. Davidson

32.& 33. Davidson, f., fruiterer and tobacconist

34. Claxton, F., picture frame maker

35. Carrier, W.P., baker

36. Burrows, the misses, shoe warehouse

37. Brooks, A., general shop

38. Barnby and son, wine and spirit merchants, and 20

Regent street

39. Manship, T., commission agent

40. Savory, Miss A.M., baker and grocer

41. Cooke, W.S., Rose and Crown

42. Read I.H., dining rooms

43 Blue Ribbon Army Mission Rooms

44. Seeley, H., corn merchant and at Aylsham

45. Grave, F., marine store dealer

47. Anson, F., grocer and provision dealer and at

Bramford

48. Watson, H.G., general shop

49., Wright E., ﬁshmonger

50. Laws, Mrs., dairy

51. Page, T., Yarmouth Brewery Tavern

52. Beevor, A.H., baker

53. Lay, J.J., provision dealer

54. Pits, W.W., wholesale and retail fruiterer

55. Garwood, R, ﬁshmonger

56. Hayes, H.A., watchmaker

57. Burwood, J, pork butcher

58. Fromow, G., hairdresser

59. Welch, Mrs M.A., general dealer

60. Smith R.S., cabinet maker

Lacon, Sir E,H.K., counting house

The Occupants, Howard Street North, 1938

From Church Plain to Howard Street South

East Side:

2. Bell, Walter Isaac, baker

....here is Row 20.....

4. Caulk, Herbert Ernest, butcher

5. Harrison, Clifford, I., general dealer

6. Harrod, James, shopkeeper

.....here is Row 22.....

6. Harrod, James, shopkeeper

.....here is Row 24.....

9. Comer, Mrs.H.

11. Dixon, Alfred John, confectioner

.....here is Row 26.....

14. Smith, Claude.

15. Allen, Miss

.....here is Row 29

16. Queen’s Head Public House , Mrs. Clara M.Jarvis

.....here is Row 32.....

17. Hurrell, Percy, second hand dealer

18. Darn, James, ﬁshmonger

.....here is Row 35.....

19. Liffen, Ernest, shopkeeper

20. Leake, Henry, registered lodging house

21. Southgate, Thomas, butcher

22. Johnson, Mrs. G. , ﬁshmonger

23. Cavell, Miss Lena, shopkeeper

.....here is Row 40.....

25. Burton Arms P. H., Walter J Meadows

.....here is Row 43.....

26. Pinfold, Mrs H., hardware dealer

27. Pinfold, Mrs. H., hardware dealer

27. Read, Percy, pork butcher

.....here is Row 44.....

28. Allen, S.J. Ltd., wine and spirits merchants

28. Seeley, Victor

29. CENTRAL LIBERAL CLUB

(W.T.Young, sec.)

29. Borough Liberal Club Ltd., (H.E.Williment, sec)

registered ofﬁce

West side

33. Bartram, Geo., V., leather maker

34. Steward, F.T., tobacconist

35. Bayne, Arthur D., watch maker

36. Parkes, Miss L., draper

37. Parkes, Jn. Percy, hairdresser

38. Patterson, William, hosier

39. Wright, J.G., baker

40. Benns, Arthur Jas., fruiterer

41. Childs, William, ﬁshmonger

42. Gallon Pot P.H., Cyril Leuty

509

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

.....here is Row 42.....

43. Beckett, Mrs. Martha

44. Watson, Herbert.,Redvers, baker

.....here is Row 41.....

45. Gooda, Harold Frank, dairy

46. Foreman, Wilfred, shopkeeper

.....here is Row 39.....

Church Army Hall, (St Steven’s Mission)

48. Blyth, John Thomas, bootmaker

.....here is Row 36.....

49. Kett, E.G., coal merchant

50. Palmer, Mrs. E., shopkeeper

51. Beckett, Albert W., grocer

52. Garwood, Jn

.....here is Row 33.....

53. Tennant, Mrs. Agnes

53. Great Yarmouth Ambulance centre

54. Harwood, Mrs. M.R., general dealer

55. White, Edward Chater, bootmaker

Continued from page 42:

not understood. It has been postulated that

light, and all types of radiation, are both

a particle and a wave. Amounts of money

greater than the total national economy

of some countries, have been expended

in recent years to try to demonstrate

the presence of a theoretical moving

gravitational particle, so called the Higgs-

Boson particle. Accelerators have been built

and equipment, the money for which would

have been sufﬁcient to cure much if not all

of the world’s poverty, had that money been

put to good use. Such mis-use of money is

consequent upon the abuse of power by a

few politicians, that handful who currently

dominate all major decisions that affect all

mankind.

(Above) In 1987 Brett’s Furniture business

included a showroom on the north-west

corner of Market Row.

Unfortunately, the politicians dream of making

their name in history from some dramatic

event or discovery, decisions made only in

their own self interest. Worst of all, politicians

are currently immune to almost any form

of prosecution, in almost all circumstances,

something that most surely needs to change.

No-one should have immunity from the

consequences of their actions and decisions, all

the more so when they involve

millions of others.

33 Howard Street North, west side, date

unknown, was previously the fruit shop

Unfortunately the whole basis

of physics as we know it is

grossly ﬂawed, (see volume 7)

and the results have been that

many persons in all walks of life

believe that their actions have

no important consequences.

Only the pursuit of their own

immediate pleasure is af any

importance. The introduction

of the “Welfare State” in this

country in 1946-7, has also

had widespread effects on

those persons brought up from

510

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

References:

1 Palmer

6 Rumbelow, Diary. Vol. 20, p. 8

7 Rows of Gt. Y., pt. 5, M. Teun.

2 Johnson

8 see under “Pubs.” regarding the opening of

the new bridge, also in “Row 27” regarding

the “hot wall”.

3a “History of Anna Sewell House”, c.1978,

owner’s guide.

3 ref. “The Royal Dukes”, by Roger

Fulford.

9 see Bowling Green Walk.

4 There is a portrait of her and George II by

George Livesey.

5 Camden vol. III, p. 98.

birth of parents who have never known of a

time without state beneﬁt. The problem for

them, that everything is provided by right,

is similar to that of the politician, who can

make new laws or even invade foreign states

for little more than their own (intended)

self gloriﬁcation, divorcing themselves from

the results of their own actions or inactions.

“Someone else’s problem, not mine”; blame

the opposition; blame the committee. Not

only does the entire allocation of ﬁnance for

all aspects of life and welfare need revision

from the ground up, but the whole nature of

the political sytem and administration needs

examing “de novo”, that is to say, taking not

the status quo and ﬁddling about constantly,

but reviewing what is really required, starting

from nothing, with no preconceptions. As

it is, laws are constntly made and amended,

simply because there are so many politicians

and administrators. They have to change

laws to justify their existence. After so

many centuries of law making, there

ought to be a time when no new laws

were necessary and policians effectively

redundant. If this is not so, then clearly

so much is wrong with the legislation,

that it should all be torn up and be re-

written in simple terms so as to provide

a simple and equitable basis for modern

life. This could be looked at as though

the population in say 2080 were to start

from a new beginning. A small number

of intelligent persons across the world

could sit down with no preconceptions,

and no ﬁxed starting point, and decide

how the wealth of the world should be used

and distributed, conservation of nature and

natural resources being paramount. Only with

no preconception could new ideas really be

put into action. In little over 100 years, no

one now alive would be affected (which is of

course why no-one really looks at anything

long-term). Resources are very inequitably

used at present. Only a completely radical

re-think for the very long term will address

the serious imbalance and detriment to the

planet that we all know now exists. Currently

the UK economy is driven almost entirely

by the property market; yet in 40 years the

population of the whole of Europe will halve,

and property will be effectively worthless.

Meantime the government is determined that

millions more homes will be built. In a few

years most of them will be redundant. Labour

instead will be of great value, and property

Detail of the building demolished 1971 (PGT).

511

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

for physical goods and instant gratiﬁcation.

Two parents have to work to pay a mortgage;

otherwise two parents continue not working so

as to claim maximum state beneﬁt.

At this time, alcohol has never been more

accessible, from almost every shop, with the

daily groceries. All attempts to control the

consumption of alcohol have only, it seems,

led to a continuing increase in binge drinking

in young adults. In turn this causes much

violence, and the destruction of family life.

There are great increases in divorce rates, and

single parenting, with increasing psychological

difﬁculties and drug useage in the young.

relatively worthless, rather as it was after

the black death. This is the inevitable result

of universal contraception and the desire

Huge unforseeable social changes occur over

centuries. In theory, slave labour, drugs, war,

and class inequality were supposed to be

eradicated. Now there are more super-rich

than ever, and an enormous under-class with

no hope, whose children have no prospect of

a normal stable life. There are many areas of

Yarmouth where the accommodation once

intended for summer visitors, is so run down

that only the most impoverished persons from

elsewhere would ever contemplate living

there, yet the council would never allow

change of use and thus reinvestment. All the

new building outside of the town centre can

never upgrade the town until the problems of

redundant holiday ﬂats, and poor post-war

rebuilding are addressed. Only in 2007, from

lottery grants has it been possible to even

commence redevelopment of such derelict

property as seen in this photo. Meanwhile,

most of the “holiday” areas continue to

deteriorate.

512

George IV and Queen Charlotte, by

Livesey.

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

HOWARD STREET SOUTH

previously,

BLIND MIDDLE STREET

Howard Street was so named after the Duke

of Norfolk. South of Market Row, the road is

called Howard Street South but was formerly

“Blind Middle Street”, because of its blind

ending at row 90. Brett’s furniture store was

previously Arnolds. In the 1920’s, Brett’s

had their furniture warehouse at no. 1, then

came the Crown public house, and Herbert

Freeston’s Yeast manufacturers. After row

49, came the Vine public house, and then row

Mildred

Leonard

Charles Bailey

Daphne

Thomas W.Smith

Dorothy

Coe

Leonard, Mother (Mildred) and Mildred.

Mildred

51. At 6a and 6b were George White’s Marine

Stores, and Jeremiah Bensley the boot maker.

No. 7 was the confectioners. Then was Hunts’

mineral water makers, who had a flourishing

business, making fizzy drinks that were sold

to pubs and shops all around the town. There

was a strong smell of fruit juices in the street.

There were stables in the row opposite, where

they kept their horses and delivery carts. At no

9, Miss E. M. Beeching 3 (Ethel) had moved

into the house of her brother in law, since

her sister had died only three weeks after the

birth of her son. Miss Beeching had already

trained to be a masseuse (a physiotherapist

of the day). She continued her business here

in due course. She was also a registered

midwife. Thomas William Smith had a Bakers

shop here, which had been the business of his

father before him. His grand-daughter, Mildred

Bailey, later Bunting, resided here until the

first world war, when her parents moved to

Havelock Road upon their marriage, and

later her grandparents moved to 25 Princes

Road, next to the Gordon Hotel. Mildred’s

Uncles and mother were all born above

the shop. They had eight children there in

all. Mildred’s mother was the youngest,

and the next eldest was some seven years

older than her. Their names were Tom,

the eldest, who had been drowned when

away in North Wales on holiday; Nellie and

Lilly married two men who ran a business

in Chester. Jack and Ernest were two of the

three sons. Mildred’s father was also one

of eight children. He went to France as a

sapper in the first war, and served at Ypres

and Amiens. Leonard and Mildred were the

only two children before the war, but a sister

was born, when father returned. This was

Daphne. Grandmother died in 1917. There is

a photo above left, of the whole family when

living at the Howard Street shop. (William

Smith with the beard, Mildred front right,

Charles Bailey, back left.) Charles Bailey,

513

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

Tabrum and Jones’ shop in Howard Street South, later

became Smith’s Bakery.

A very young Mildred Bailey,

(later Bunting), about 1914.

The Corn Hall and yet more ﬁne buildings destroyed in 1971, these have never been built upon

or re-built; now remain just a car park.

Ferrow’s shop, no 77, was Arnold’s bedding

factory in 1938.

81

82

Tabrum and

Jones (top left),

later Smith’s

bakery, was

to be found

next south

from Hunts.

These would

have stood just

behind where

the blue car is

in the centre

photo. Now

Palmers’ car

park.

80

6a

6b

6

7

79

78

Hunt and son Mineral Waters

77

8

9 Downing's Baker's

(1938)

76

75

10

empty

site

74

73

11

12 Rose (Dolly) Harrison's (1938)

later, "Selbourne House"

Great

Eastern

1938

1991

Oakwood

PH

72

13

71

70

15

15a

16

Mariners

Tavern

68

Quaker's meeting

house

1994

Star

Hotel (part)

67

The upper ﬂoors of the former Freeman’s

leather shop (76), and Ferrow’s bookshop (77).

66

For more of this plan, see page 34.

514

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

Brett’s Furniture Store, 1987. Note that the shop on

the north side of Broad Row was in use then.

On the far centre right is no 79

Howard Street South, the premises

of George Edwards, grocer and

fruiterer. Edwards was listed as in

business in 1965, but by 1970 the

building was almost derelict, and

the frontage was as seen below.

The shop was, as seen, demolished

in 1971, although the frontage was

saved and re-used by Malcolm

Ferrow on Hall Plain.

Inside the furniture store, 23rd September 2007.

Charles Bailey, about 1916.

515

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

O’Grady’s

The former Carpenter’s Arms, Great Eastern, Burnt Oak, Legends, etc., public house, was

O’Grady’s, 23rd Sept. 2007. Note the gap to the right, later ﬁlled, shame about the garage door

Mildred’s father was a teacher, and taught

all subjects at the Nelson School in St.

Peter’s Road. Mr. T. W. Smith the baker had

two sons, one took over the shop in Howard

Street and the other son bought a business in

Victoria Road. No. 9 had a big dining room

beside the shop, with three bedrooms and a

drawing room above the shop, a three further

bedrooms and a bathroom above the shop.

There was the considerable luxury of running

hot water here. The water was heated by the

bread oven below. Smiths was one of the

first electric bakeries. When Smith became

blind in 1930, his son ran the business,

and he took a house at 4 Sandringham

avenue (Mr Smith appears to be blind in

the group photo with the family). After

Smiths ceased in the bakery business at no.

9, Alfred Downing had a greengrocery in

the same premises, but later left, moving to

Beaconsfield Road. Albert Moore, who had

been born in row 55, started work with Mr.

Smith when aged 12, and retired at the end

of his career, from Downing’s, (having been

kept on as a young man, on the transfer of the

business) thus remaining during his whole

working life, effectively in the same employ

.*4 Thomas Smith put his children through

private school at Sutherland House, which

had then moved from the Marine Parade to

Camperdown.*5 Thomas Smith’s daughter

Cecily, married Billy Barnes the grocer’s son,

of no. 8 in the Market Place. This also was

a family business (see “Market Place”). The

shop (at no. 9 Howard Street South) was still

standing after the war, owned by the Smith

family, and rented out, together with some

property in Middlegate. It was subsequently

compulsorily purchased for a small sum

and then demolished as “slum clearance”.

The walls of the shop were extremely thick,

and considerably resisted the demolition

workers. There were ancient stone archways

discovered in the brickwork (unrecorded until

now), and the building evidently had been

originally at a lower level, like the friend’s

meeting house. This was evidently another

part of some very ancient buildings presumed

to have been monastic. It is my submission that

there may yet remain important clues as to the

origins of these buildings well below ground.

Large archways had been present in the old

bakehouse. Demolition took place between

1969 and 1970. The row here was called Smith

516

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

“Legends” public house, burned out, was after called the “Burnt Oak”. The bottom

picture shows the burned-out door. A petrol “bomb” had been put through the door to

start the ﬁre.

Opposite, (no. 72) was the “Great Eastern”

public house, kept in 1938 by Mrs. Maud

A. Artis, and later by Bobby Pitts. This was

one of the buildings on this site belonging

to Thomas Hurry, mariner, in 1761. The

house was sold to John Laycon, gentleman,

517

the baker’s row or Palmer’s row. There was a

store house of Smith’s in the row where they

kept their barrows, but also Freeman’s hung

up their leathers in there.

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

Henry Swinden’s Map, 1738 or 58, showing Howard Street South, Broad Row to Row 90

Row 49

Row 51

later

Hunt’s

yard

79

78

7 76

9

518

Row 90

Henry Swinden’s map of Howard Street

South, showing the blind end at Row 90.

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

The former Ferrow’s Bookshop (no.77), became “Bridal Dreams” (photo. 18.09.2007).

and Robert Allen, ropemaker. In with these

deeds (also see row 57) I found a deed dated

1773, of Parson Custance’s house in the

Market Place, also owned by Robert Allen,

transacted by John Bell, (the lawyer, father

of William see below and in “Hopton Hall”).

This deed was a sale for a year (1773) to his

wife’s relative, Sam Haw. That house is now

Norman’s furniture store, and I have already

referred to the deed there. With regard to the

“Carpenter’s Arms”, this was so called in the

transaction and will of Margaret Allen, (nee

Haw) wife of Robert and it therefore became a

pub some time between 1761, and 1810, when

the will was proved. I suggest that it may have

been John Laycon (Lacon) that caused it to be

used as a pub. Samuel Bell appears to have

drawn up the will, or at least was a witness

to it. The Allens evidently had considerable

property. The will includes a house in the

Market Place in occupation of Martha Smith,

with a tenement or cottage behind. There was

a house beside it in occupation of Alexander

Steward, with a cottage and stable. There also

was a quarter share of a farm at Worlingham,

and a malt-house, meadows and pastures, in

possession of Robert Boyden. There was a

property in King Street in the occupation of

Susanna Cubitt, and another that had been

passed to Joseph Eller. Eller was to exchange

this, the gift of the late Robert Allen, for the

Carpenter’s Arms. Eller was not yet 21 years

old. Robert Allen’s will was dated 13/9/1794.

Mrs. Allen left £50 to each of her nephews

and nieces. She had £200 of consolidated

bank annuities. She also left one eighth share

in a ship, the “Hope of London”.( In Robert

Allen’s will it states that he lived himself in

the King Street property.) The “Carpenter’s

Arms” was passed to her sisters and later, in

1819, to John Norman glazier and plumber.

This must be the Norman of the furniture store,

and hence the inclusion of the deed of that

store as previously described. On the 26th.

May 1820, the building passed into the hands

of a trustee for Samuel Paget. Another item of

considerable interest arises thereafter, since

it is found that on 25th. Feb. 1831, the pub

is sold to Dawson Turner. I do not think it is

generally known that Dawson Turner owned

a pub., and he was in partnership with Samuel

Paget, as “Paget and Turner, Beer brewers”. It

appears that by 1831, Paget may have been in

some difficulty, since he was transacting the

Continued on page 60

519

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

No.8

Here we see

Hunt’s 19th

C. shop at

no. 8 Howard

Street, and

on the left

the entrance

to the yard

that is seen

on Swinden’s

map. In the

next century

the premises

were much

altered.

No.9

Tabrum

and

Jones’

shop

Hunts Mineral Waters

introduced in the bottles.

Hunts were famous for their bottled

drinks, and won many medals, but were

ultimately bought up and closed down to

prevent competition. The company was

founded in 1840, but to start

with was more concerned

with confectionary than

bottled drinks.

In the 1880’s the business in Yarmouth

was substantially increased by purchasing

the dance hall of the “Black Swan” public

house, which was turned into a toffee

factory. This

expansion was the

work of Alfred and

Charles Hunt, and

their wives Gertie

and Elvie.

In 1846, James Hunt (senior)

was listed as a wholesale

confectioner and wholesale

Ginger Beer manufacturer in

Golden Ball Street, Norwich.

In 1856 his business was in

St. Stephen’s Street. He was aged 63 in

1859. In 1864, James junior, aged just

21 years, joined his father’s business.

In 1865 he married Emma Barr at St.

Stephen’s Church. In 1866 the firm

acquired the premises of Sam Ives,

pastrycook and confectioner, soda water

and ginger beer maker, at 8 Howard

Street, Great Yarmouth. James senior

moved to Yarmouth, whilst James junior,

continued the Norwich business. In 1867,

the business was retitled James Hunt, son

and company, soda water, lemonade and

ginger beer manufacturers, Norwich and

Great Yarmouth.

James junior died

1891. In 1892 the

St. Stephen’s St.

Norwich premises

were sold to

Robinsons, and

the Yarmouth

address was

given as 8

Howard Street,

and Theatre

Royal, Regent Road. In a Yarmouth

Illustrated article, is a photo of the Howard

Street factory interior.

Elvie Hunt supervised

the

syrup

making,

Charles

Hunt

was the

James Hunt snr. died in 1871, James

and Emma had a daughter, Elvey Alice,

In 1872. Glass screw stoppers were

continued on page 60

520

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

Label of Hunt’s

Clove Cordial. To

the right is seen

Hunt’s frontage in

the 1800’s.

This really looks more like some other premises than Howard Street, mainly

because of the unexpected tree, whereas the distant tall chimney looks right for

Lacon’s Brewery chimney.

Archie Downes seen perusing his scrap books. Archie

made me two audio tapes regarding Hunt’s History.

Below

right

is the

entrance

to the

Corn

Hall,

photo by

P.G.T.,

1969.

521

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

continued from page 58- transport manager, Alf Hunt over-

all supervisor, and Gertie Hunt the office manager. This left only

Jessie Agnes, second child of James and Emma, with little or no

role in the business.

78

77

In 1898 analysis of the Howard Street well water was

considered safe, if not entirely pure.

78

In 1904, the transport was stabled at Cobb’s Place, and they

in due course contracted to supply all of

Lacons’ public houses.

The company was sold by the family in the

early 1930’s to a Mr Bayfield. He later sold

to Charles Bowen, who kept the

business until it became part of

the Beecham Group in November

1965.

Continued from page 57

The Exchange Vaults public

house stood right next door

here at no.78.

building to Dawson Turner. The property

subsequently passed through the hands

also, of John and Isaac Preston, and was

mortgaged in due course to Sophia Brewer

(1865), by the Great Yarmouth Permanent

Benefit Society, of whom the trustees were

Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Sam Nightingale, and

William Foreman. The deeds which I was

able to examine, continue to 1875. The

pub was then still called the Carpenter’s

Arms, and was worth £575 in 1870, having

cost £204 in 1761. Full deeds and Wills on

Disk.

56 would go to the Selbourne for their lunch,

consisting of a bowl of soup, and spend the

afternoon in the “snug” there. The Selbourne

House then was owned by the Kellers. Frances

Keller was their daughter, who was to become

a professional skater. She had an accident later,

losing a leg, and eventually died young. On her

birthday a large party was held for the local

children in the Selbourne House. Another

treat for the children in those days was to go to

Palmers, and sit on a row of chairs downstairs

to watch the children’s hour TV programmes

at a quarter to five. This was when television

was something very new, and certainly the

children living round about did not have one

at home. In the backyard at the Selbourne

House was the store of beer barrels, but also

Keller kept a pack of Alsatians there which

he had to have because of the nature of his

business and the need to prevent brawls in the

tavern. Keller had rooms vacant upstairs with

flickering red lights, and there were a number

of girls available at night, and “everything

went on”.

Cecily Barnes related “There was a real

character up the street, a character called

Edwards, (no.54., Joseph Edwards, see page

63) who sold shellfish at one side of the

shop, and sweets the other. Stanley Vauxhall

had a barber’s shop, and put a board over

the arms of the chair for the small boys to

sit on. Beside the bottom of row 56, an old

lady called Dolly Harrison had a second-

hand goods shop. Selbourne House was a

Public House, come rough boarding house

at the end of row 56. One morning just after

the end of the first world war, Dolly rushed

into Smiths bakery and put a bag under the

counter “until the cops had gone!”

There was a system in those days, that the

bookies shops employed runners from pub

to pub collecting bets which were written

on a note around which was wrapped the

money, each tied up with string. The runner

would go from pub to pub collecting these,

On Sundays the Frosdick family of Row

522

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

and then returning them to the shop. By the

time that the runner had returned, usually the

first two races would have been run. There

was for a long time a radio positioned in an

upstairs room at the Selbourne, on which

a man would listen for results. There was a

system of signalling through the window to

the Great Eastern, opposite, and a bet would

be slipped into the runner’s collection. This

“sting” was in operation for a very long while

before it was eventually suspected. The “Great

Eastern” also had a reputation as a brothel,

though the Selbourne was best known, and was

like a magnet for custom in this area, with a

reputation countrywide, and in Scotland.

1. Brett, F. & Son Ltd., house furnishers

2.& 3. Crown Public House, Ernest Frederick

William Cornell

4. Freeston, Herbert, Ltd.,

...Row 49....

5. Vine PH, William Osborne Saunders

....Row 51....

6a. White, George, Marine Store Dealer

6b. Bensley, Jeremiah, bootmaker

6. White, George, lodging house

*3 The Beeching family had a shipbuilding

business on the Quay.

7. King, Owen McCabe, confectioner

Below, David Ferrow in his book shop.

*4 as reported in the “Mercury” of Friday,

29th. Jan. 1988.

*5 Sutherland House has for a while been

empty, the “Regency Flats”, being converted

to permanent residential use, Nov. ‘93.

(Marine Parade)

The Occupants, Howard Street South, 1938

(from 33 Howard Street North to Row 90)

East side

523

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

8. Hunt and Son, (1920) Ltd., mineral water

manufacturers

....Row 85....

34. Kelf, Joseph

9. Downing, Richard, Bakers

35. Hodgson, Harry

....Row 54....

....Row 87....

10. Howard, S., hairdresser

36. Peppit, Mrs.

11. Farrow, William

37. Wells, William Harry

12. Harrison, Mrs. Rose, boarding house

(Selbourne House)

38. Mitchell, James

39. Nichols, Harry

...Row 56....

40. Teasden, Edward Thomas

13. Bradbury, Harry George, wardrobe dealer

....Row 89....

...Row 58....

41. & 42. Willsea, Mrs. Olive, shopkeeper

15. Wright, James, fried fish shop

42. Kemp, James

15a. Pitchers, Miss O., wardrobe dealer

West Side

16. Foxhall, Stanley, hairdresser

43. West, William Robert, fried fish shop

....Row 60....

44. Crosswell, Albert George

Friends Meeting House

....Row 88....

....Row 63....

45. Mayhew, Joseph

17. Post Office Engineering Dept.

46. Shuckford, Cyril

....Row 631/2....

47. & 48. Hewett, Sidney Edward, baker

18. Spanton, John

49. Palmer, Walter Arthur

19. Bernstein, Joseph, tailor

....Row 84....

20a. Watson, Ernest H., hairdresser

Lecture Hall

20. Bird, Harry, newsagent

Congregational Church

....Row 66....

50. Wild, James William

Regent Street

51. Hacon, Charles

....Row 70....

52. Burgess, Thomas

....Row 73....

53. Brady, Mrs.

....Row 78....

54. Edwards, Joseph

28. Taylor, Mrs. Ruth, shopkeeper

55. Collins, Arthur

....Row 79....

56. Moxey, Arthur Edward

29. & 30. Cossey, James A., beer retailer

....Row 77........Row 75....

....Row 80....

59. Last, Miss

32. Leeder, George

60. Fuller, Albert

....Row 82....

....Row 72....

33. Harvey, Mrs.

61. Oldman, William

524

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

David Ferrow (right), with his brother Malcolm, on the day that the book shop closed. David Ferrow started selling

books as a market trader, had a shop in King Street, and then moved to 77 Howard Street South, which became a

treasure trove of old books and a mecca for collectors far and wide. (See Middlegate re. Ferrow family.)

62. Paul, B.

75. Raw, Henry, watchmaker

....Row 71....

....Row 55....

Regent Street

76. Freeman, T. G., & Son Ltd., leather

merchants

....Row 62....

77. Arnolds Ltd., bedding factory

66. Howes, Richard, hairdresser

....Row 63....

67. Delf, J. F., bulb merchant

78. Exchange Vaults PH., J. Guy Talbot

68. Smith, Edwin

Corn Hall

....Row 61....

79. Edwards, George, fishmonger

69. Mariners Tavern, George Frank Norris Gates

80. Kelf’s, house furnishers

70. Peacock, George William, shopkeeper

....Row 52....

....Row 59....

81. Hubbard, James W., grocer

72. Great Eastern Hotel, Mrs. Maud A. Artis

82. Pagano, Ernest, hairdresser

....Row 57....

....Row 50....

73. Dodson, Samuel Daniel, pork butcher

84. Bradley’s (Chester) Ltd., clothiers

74. Norton Brothers, wholesale and retail

tobacconists

....Broad Row....

525

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

The Occupants Howard Street South,

1965.

from 33 Howard Street North to Greyfriars

Way

.....here is Market Row......

1,2,3, The Blue House P.H.

4. Ferrow, Mrs.E., wardrobe dealer

......Row 49......

.....Row 51.....

8 Hunts, Yarmouth Ltd., soft drinks

manufacturers

9. Downing, Alfred, grocer

.....here is Row 54.....

12. Keller, Frank, boarding house

.....here is Row 56.....

13. Rogers, Mrs D., wardrobe dealer

.....here is Row 58.....

.....here is Row 60.....

Right, Ferrow’s bookshop , open for

business, 17.3.2005. David Ferrow always

closed all day Thursday, and liked to spend

an occasional evening at King’s Casino in

Deneside, where he never parted with much

money, I hasten to add.

Below we can see that the whole of Howard Street South and all the Rows

adjoining, were substantially intact after the war, on 26th June, 1946.

The Corn Hall, Howard

Street South

The end of Howard Street South,

intersecting with Row 90.

Regent Street

526

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

Friend’s Meeting House

.....here is Row 63.....

20. Layton’s Florists

20a., Layton, Ernest G.

.....here is Row 66.....

Regent Street

.....Row 70.....

.....Row 73.....

.....Row 78.....

34. Sewell, R.

35. Scott, Mrs.E.

36. Goult, W.H.

37. Payne, Mrs.R.

38. Wilson, H.E.

39. Preston, L.R.

40. Thompson, J.

41. Winton, Mrs.M.

42. Partridge, L.C.

David Ferrow’s Book shop empty, the windows

white-washed, 28.02.2007.

51. Durrant, Raymond W.

52. Burgess, W.

53. Eagle, John G.

54. PerkinsChas. W.

55. Folkes, Reginald Harold

56. Edwards, Joseph

.....here is Row 77...

....Row 75.....

.....Row 72.....

61. Oldman, William

62. Hutchinson, John

.....Row 71.....

Regent Street

66. Clarke, Sydney C., hairdresser

.....here is Row 61.....

69. Mariner’s Tavern

.....here is Row 69.....

72. Great Eastern Hotel

.....here is Row 57.....

74/75 Norton Brothers, tobacconists Ltd.,

wholesale tobacconists and confectioners

West Side

.....here is Row 84.....

Congregational Church

50. Wild, Mrs.

527

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

The Meeting Room in the friends Meeting House, 1987. The ﬂoor is well above ground

level, and originally this was the upstairs room and ground level was several feet level

when the building was ﬁrst constructed in perhaps the 12th century.

.....here is Row 55.....

76. Freeman, T.G., and son Ltd., general

warehousemen

77. Ferrow, David, book seller

.....here is Row 53.....

Corn Hall

79. Edwards, George

80. Kelfs Ltd., house furnishers

.....here is Row 50.....

.....here is Broad Row.....

This line shows

the ﬂoor level,

with the original

ground ﬂoor far

below it, now

substantially

below current

street level.

528

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

These photos, taken in 1987 show at

the top one of the vents that open onto

Howard Street, with the substantial

beams that support the meeting room

ﬂoor, which was once the ﬁrst ﬂoor of

the building.

The lower room is also ﬁtted up with benches as a meeting room

529

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

Open day at the friend’s meeting house, summer 1987. Few people know that this

delightful garden exists in the centre of town.

Below: “Garlands”, previously Layton’s ﬂorists, 20 and 20a (East side, Howard St. South).

530

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

And on the West side:

The Mariners Tavern,

left, has been entirely

re-built, post war.

When re-built, this gable

end has been entirely

removed, and thus the

entire roof and layout

reconﬁgured.

The only aspect of the

Mariner’s Tavern in the

photo, left, that looks

similar now, is the door-

way. Even the window

above the door has been

reduced in height. All the

Georgian windows have

been removed, and small-

er ones inserted. The ﬂint

walling now seen is surely

a complete replacement

of what would have been

soft red brick under the

cement render.

Below left is seen the

interior of the Mariner’s

Tavern, 28th February

2007.

531

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

Row 73

Here we are looking north, and see Row 73 on the right. This photo. was taken before the

Victoria Arcade was built, the entrance to which the young man shows us, on the right hand

page opposite. The entry to the arcade would here be just this side of the cart parked on the

pavement. Row 73 still exists within the arcade, north of the kink in the pavement.

532

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

We can see the

same leftwards

kink in the

pavement more

than a hundred

years later. The

building on

the left is also

clearly the same

one, although

all the windows

are in different

positions and

sizes.

Bottom right,

we look south,

where the houses

between the

lecture hall and

row 77 are built

over an ancient

undercroft.

533

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

The old church and hall had lain empty for over twenty years, up for sale, no one has yet taken

on this daunting conversion, which yet must prove worthwhile with mellow old brick walls still

strong, although the building caught ﬁre, and on the next page is seen being reduced for safety.

534

See Hall Plain for more on this building, also, Middlegate, for it’s restoration in 2010-11.

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

An old shop front in Middlegate, about 1870.

The exact address is unknown.

The church hall, built 1879. See Middlegate

for interior pictures of the church itself

before converted into ofﬁces. The are many

memorials, especially of the Hurry family.

535

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

George Street and The

Conge

George Street was once

continuous with Northgate

Street and Blind Middle Street,

and according to Palmer it

was previously called “Conge

Street”. It is surprising to see

how it would join with Northgate

Street, this is best demonstrated

by standing on the high part at

the north end, west of Falcon

Court, and looking across the

new Fuller’s Hill cut down to a

lower level. The Conge as it is was created by

the clearance of 1936-9, and remained thus

throughout the war, without a single house

on it. Now it is a haven of small but unsightly

warehouses. The new job centre, opened

in 1993, is a pleasant modern building

in red brick of some quality, although it

cannot compare with the hundreds of old

and interesting properties removed by the

prewar clearance.

Originally, George Street started from White Horse Plain.

of a Caister trawler skipper. No. 38, was a

private house, from where Arthur moved

his family in 1933 to Row 34, no. 6. The

house in George Street had a heavy front

door, that led up four steps into a hall. A

door to the right led into the front room, and

another further down, also on the right led

into a kitchen, with its stove and a couch

and other furniture. Through the kitchen

was a doorway to the back yard. Out into

the yard one proceeded under a lean-to. Up

one step was the washhouse, through which

was another door leading to another small

yard that was “out of bounds”. There was a

copper and fishing tackle in the washhouse.

There were wide stairs leading up from

opposite the kitchen leading to a large

single bedroom above. Further up another

flight of stairs were several more rooms.

Father was abroad in the army at this time,

and therefore the family left behind were

staying with the children’s grandparents,

James Simmons of 38 George Street

worked for Smiths confectioners, he

drove a horse and cart for them and

then a small lorry, one of the first in the

town. James Simmons’ children included

- May, Gladys, Sidney and Harry and

Arthur. Henry Gordon Simmons was

born 1/2/25 at this house. Arthur James

was his father, who worked for the

corporation, latterly as foreman, married

to Lilly Kathleen, née Powley, daughter

Henry

536

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

and all slept in the same

room. When father

returned and left the army,

they moved out to row

34, nearby. Arthur then

worked on resetting the

road (when they removed

the wooden blocks I

think), and this work

was day and night, but

ended with him injuring

his shoulder so badly

that it needed two years

treatment, and he was

never able to work again,

other than a spell on a farm during the

war when evacuated. Thus Henry Gordon

was out to work from the age of ten years,

commencing at Middleton’s the newsagents,

and worked four years before

officially leaving school, at

14, then going to Porter’s

woodyard at Cobholm,

which he found exceedingly

East end of the Conge, being cleared in 1936.

and the youngest, Ralph, who became

a bookmaker in Rugby; a son who was

a coal merchant; one son went to sea,

and died in Colombo aged 17, James;

Frederick; Cyril; and a daughter, who

married Jack Seago the scrap Merchant,

of row 133. Frank Futter married Julia

and they had two boys, one named Frank,

the other Jeffrey, who now runs the shop

on the Conge. This shop was previously

Middleton’s, but prior to that on the same

site, Julia Futter, “Nellie”, born 1911,

from Soham, Cambs., (where the two

girls Jessica and Holly were abducted

and murdered by the school caretaker Ian

Huntly in 1993) whose mother married

a Yarmouth man when Julia was a girl,

lived in a row house where the sitting-

room was on the very same ground where

later stood the furniture showroom. When

Mrs Marshall

Mr Marshall

dangerous with huge piles of inflammable

sawdust, and being struck by a flying timber

on his first day of work. Ronnie Marshall

the boxer, (see row 4) was related through

marriage to the Simmons, and if he won a

fight, there would be a celebration at no.

34. Sometimes Ronnie would tap-dance on

the table in the front-room. Merry with the

drink, he habitually drank too much.

At the junction of Howard

Street and the Conge until June

2008 was Futter’s furniture

shop. The name of Futter is

of long standing in the town.

Frank Futter (senior) started

his furniture business on St.

Nicholas Road (see Row

27), but his father had a coal

haulage business, and the name

of Futter was seen on the side

of the coal trucks that ran along

South Quay. Frederick Futter

had seven sons, including Frank

The north end of George Street, 15.7.2006.

537

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

Frank junior and Jeffrey

took over the business

from their father, there

was a shop in Gorleston

on the corner of High

Street and Priory Road,

which closed after a fire.

The firm also has a shop

in Lowestoft, but this is

Jeffreys shop, and Frank

has another, separately,

since the partnership

was dissolved. Jeffrey

owns the shop on the

Conge, and the one in

Lowestoft, and benefitted from a clever

move in 2008, selling his

site to a government agency

for offices as the Great

Yarmouth Enterprise Centre,

and “Catalyst” business

acceleration centre.

The Occupants, George

Street, 1938

(from 32 Fuller’s Hill to Hall

Quay)

East side

1. Lucas, Thomas

2. & 3. Adams, John

4. Platten, Edward

5. Boyce, William

....Row 10....

6. Clarke, George

7. Cornish, John William

8. Fraser, James

9. Harding, William

....Row 12....

....Row 14....

Lacon, E., & Co. Ltd., brewers

29. Wheel of Fortune PH., R. T. Nichols.

....Row 30....

30. Skoyles, Mrs. Mary, shopkeeper

31. Evans, Mrs.

33. Gosling, Edwin

34. Kett, Edmund G., coal merchant

....Row 33....

35. Hurrell, Robert, general dealer

36. Page, W. L. Baker

37. Carter, Robert, general dealer

38. Simmons, John

North end of George Street, looking south, 15.7.2006.

Futter’s former premises, now Enterprise Centre, 19.12.08

Futters shop in 2008, now reopened at The Conge.

(photo 19.11.08

The Conge Mission Room, built 1903. This was no. 94

George Street, on the then northeast corner of the Conge.

(see map at end of this section).

Here is the Conge

538

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

Futter’s shop window, 19.12.08

....Row 36....

39. Sturgeon, Mrs.

40. Martin, Michael

....Row 39....

41. Rawlings, George

42. Head Albert

....Row 41....

43. Kerrison, Sidney Robert

44. Jones, Charles

....Row 42....

45. Bunting and Walford, boot repairers

46. Thompson, Mrs.

46b. Gilmore, Miss

48. Challoner, Mrs.

....Cox’s Passage....

49. Cole, William Harradence

50. Whittleton, Mrs.

....Morley’s Passage....

52. Miller, James Samuel

Middleton’s Ltd., Stationers

....Broad Row....

55. Rowland, Harry, fishmonger

56. Weldon, Mrs. Daisy, florist

57 & 58. Aitken, A. J., oil

merchant

....Row 50....

Aldred and son, jewellers, established 1795, no.10 George Street.

At one time numbered 65 George Street, in 1749 this

house was the property of John Eules, upholder, but

much later, towards the end of the century, it was

purchased by Samuel Higham Aldred, who was the

Adjutant of two separate Corps of Volunteers formed

in 1798 (see Row 50) (more photos next page).

West side

59. Royal Liverpool Friendly

Society (Daniel Simm, district

manager)

59b. Gillings, M.

60. Dyer, Charles H., picture frame

539

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

maker

52. Mitre PH., T. G. Connett

....Row 48....

63 & 64. Gooda, William George, dining

Rooms

65. Mansi, John, fruiterer

66. Chilver, Laurance, Edward,

hairdresser

67. Cadywood, Miss Rose, wardrobe

dealer

Exclusive Brethren Meeting Room

....Row 47....

68. High, Mrs.

69. Bilham, Arthur

....Row 45....

71. Grimmer, James Joseph

72. Ceiley, Percy Edward

Great Yarmouth Corporation Electricity

Dept. (sub station no. 6.- Slack- engineer

in charge)

78. Barlow, Mrs.

These three

colour

photos

were taken

in 1995

inside John

Eules/ Sam

Aldred’s

House,

with

current

owner

by the

Victorian

ﬁreplace,

and the

attic photos

showing

small upper

cruck

timbers.

80. Harris, Arthur W.

81. Matthews, Mrs. Ruby, grocer

....Coronation Terrace....

82. Docwra, Mrs.

83. Watts, William

84. Bray, Albert

Row 34.

85. Hall, Frank, Clement

....Row 37....

Photo above: Number 87 George Street,

wartime. The writing on the boards says: Make

sure your children never ﬁght another war,

- Vote Labour. This now seems somewhat sick

whilst the grandchildren or great-grandchildren

are now still being killed and maimed in an

illegal war entirely brought about unilaterally

and illegally by the Labour Government.

86. Spall, Frederick

....Row 34....

89. Hunter, Harry, fruiterer

90 & 91. Ayers, Mrs. W., general shop

....Row 31....

540

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

(number 87 not listed, presumably due to being closed up)

....Row 28....

Lacon, E. and Co. Ltd., brewers

....Row 13....

107. Read, William

108. Urry, Claude

....Row 11....

No 86 George Street (Fred Spall 1938). Row 34

110. Parsley, Mrs.

111. Denny, Herbert

112. Harvey, Robert

113. Seaman, Mrs. Sarah

114. Adams, Edward John

115. McCarthy, William George

116. Rudd, Leslie

....Fuller’s Hill....

The Occupants, The Conge,

1938

(from Market Place to North

Quay)

At this time the Conge had been

completely demolished and

No.3 George Street, 24.10.07

541

94. Conge Mission Room (Baptist)

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

116

115

114

113

111

112

This photo taken by Philip Rumbelow in the 1930’s, looks from the Corner of Fuller’s Hill, to the south down

George street, west side. See page 80 for location map.

542

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

George Street as per Henry Swind en’s Map of 1738 or more probably 1758

Row 15

Row 16

Row 19

Row 21

Row 23

Row 25

Row 27

Looking back into Fuller’s Hill from George

Street, about 1934, photo.-P.E.Rumbelow.

Another photo by P.E.R. of George Street, below,

taken May 14th 1934.

543

The Revised History of Great Yarmouth

116

1

Looking south

from this point,

(see page 78).

111

5

(1938

numbering)

Row 11

Row 13

Here it is

easy to

see how

this mid-

dle street,

originally

ran from

White horse

Plain to

Hall Quay

or more

appropri-

ately Hall

“Plain”,

crossing

Fuller’s Hill

and passing

the Conge,

which did

not then

cross or

extend to

the Market

Place until

1936.

Conge

Row 25

Row 28

Row 27

Broad Row

George Street 1842

George Street 1906

544

A New Perlustration of Great Yarmouth

94, Conge

Mission

Room

George Street, south part, from the

Conge, to Hall Quay, 1906 map.

Row 28

93

Looking south

with light from

row on right.

Possibly at

the position

indicated, but

uncertain.

92

photo. 1938

91

90

89

Row 31

Row 30

86

R ow 37

85

92, 93 George

Street, May 8th

1934, P.E.R.

83

82

Co ron ati on Ter rac e

1938 numbering

02.01.08

My guess, this is this

section, photo by

P.E.Rumbelow, 1934.

Probably looking

south with light from

the right? The shop

was selling “Waverley

Mixture” (same shop,

page 79).

02.01.08

25.08.08

Sep. 2006

24.10.07

545

84

Note the various labels for soft drinks made by Hunts of Great Yarmouth.