Samuel Nott and the libellous doggerel

This strange piece of poisonous doggerel comes from the Bury and Norwich Post of 1879. The story is from Alphampstone, and was discovered by David Lewis who lived in the old pub at Alphampstone. The papers could be vicious, and Samuel Nott was a real person. How interesting it would be to find out the whole story.

SAMUEL NOTT and the VILLAGE GREEN

There was a man named Samuel Nott, and all folks Must agree
He was the biggest man, I think, that ever you did see
And all the neighbours know him well, a knotty crab to be

His back across, if measured right, was three yards, if no more;
His Belly was just like a Tun, and balanced him before.
To see him waddle up and down, you would with laughter roar.

We will say nothing of his Bum, but still all folks agree,
When his own way he could not have, a Bumptious dog was he;
But though his back it was so broad, a narrow mind had he.

This Churl, he had a little farm close to the village green,
On which he cast a longing eye, as shortly will be seen,
And he as he could not have it, he was devoured with spleen.

Now on this green for many a year was held a village fair,
Where great and small, and young and old for pastime did repair,
And once a year the folks around enjoyed their pleasure there.

A right of pasture, too, there is for cattle to be fed,
And every copyholder there, can turn on several head
Of cows, or sheep, or Asses, to get their daily bread.

“That Green I’ll have” says greedy Gut, “whatever they may say”,
And to make sure, without ado, I’ll plough it up today,
And never more shall green grass grow, for feeding or for hay.

He ploughed it once; he ploughed it twice; and loudly he did crow;
And fain he would have thrice, but Webber he said No !
But Nott he pitch’d him Heels or Head into the ditch below.

Now Nott he was so savage, he couldn’t sleep at night,
He would not eat his supper, lest he should burst with spite;
But how to be avenged, he could not compass quite

But Satan, who is ready, when man gives him a chance.
(One would have thought he had enough to do in wretched France).
Still though, throughout the world, he constantly doth roam,
He likes to look at, now and then, his little flock at home.

Now, our great big burly Friend, he never goes to Church,
Except to Bully the Parson in the Porch;
And though he sometimes threatens a Meeting House to build,
The Devil saw it very clear, his heart with spite was filled.

Quoth he, “I see quite plain, the course that’s to be took,
And now discern the Bait, this whopping Fish to hook;
But first I’ll try him with a worm, he might be rather shy,
And if he will not bite at that, I’ll try him with a fly,

One day friend Nott was walking and musing by the wood
And thinking of revenge, in a melancholy mood.
A stranger stood before him, all dressed in keepers clothes,
He rather smelt of sulphur, and had a hooked nose.

“Friend Nott”, says he, “your rather down, as plainly may be seen;
I know what troubles you, tis all about the Green;
But cheer up friend, your only way your wishes to attain
Just trust in me, I’ll show you how, your end to quickly gain

Quoth Nott, “if you compass that, “I’ll stand a dozen of wine”,
And more than that I swear, for ever I’ll be thine.
Then having shaken hands, the stranger thus began-
“You know tis not the poor you fear, it is the gentlemen.

You’re well aware their pleasure is in hunting of the Fox;
If you destroy the Vermin you’ll give ‘em rare hard knocks;
You’ll spoil their fun, they’d get no run, and precious soon they’ll find
They’d better give it up, and let you have your mind.

“I like your plan” says Nott, “so let us quick begin”
The other said, this night, by poison or by gin,
Three foxes you shall have, two dead and one alive,
So now good-bye, if you want more, I’ll soon make it up to five”.

Say’s Nott, on walking home, “I know one that this will make smart;
I’ll teach how to thwart me, sure as his name is----------
That chap that’s gone must have the itch, he sorely stunk of Brimstone;
But a dead Fox will stink much worse, and sadly plague old------

Next morn he hung the dead’uns upon the windmill sail
The living Fox he showed about, all for a pint of ale.
After a time he took ‘em down, and tied them in a line
Upon the post before his house, instead of his old sign.

Some chaps who lived about there, resolv’d to have a lark,
So they waited till the nights were pretty dark,
They broke into his house, before the dawn of day,
The Foxes dead they carried home, the live one ran away.

Oh! had you heard old Nott, how much he stamped and swore,
For never such a trick had been heard ere before.
“I must find out my friend”, says he, and make him understand,
More Foxes I will have, if there is any in my land”.

Now, if you want the Devil, he’s always close at hand,
But don’t put too much trust in him, or you will be treppan’d
The friends they met again, and t’was not very long,
Four Foxes more he had, but they smelt of Brimstone strong.

Insurrection in Suffolk

from the Bury and Norwich Post 1830

A meeting of the Aldermen and Magistrates was held last night in Bury Guildhall in this borough yesterday se’nnight when resolutions were passed declaring that there was no cause of the apprehension for the peace of the town existed but that vigorous measures would be taken in the event disturbances in the town or neighbourhood, in case of which the inhabitants were invited to attend immediately to be sworn in as Special Constables. On Wednesday however it was thought to be desirable to be prepared for any possible tumult and a large number of Special Constables were sworn on that and the following day.

On Monday se’nnight at about nine in the morning, a large body of labourers of the parish of Stanningfield entered the village of Whepstead and proceeding to the house of Rev T.Image who is Rector of both parishes, they told him the farmers were willing to raise their wages provided that he would reduce their tithes. Mr Image promised that he would make a reduction if the labourers had the benefit of it; the men then asked for some refreshment and obtained the sum of £2 of which they gave 10s to a party of the Whepstead people and they then returned home. In the afternoon the Whepstead people, stimulated by this example; proceeded to the farm of Mr N.Winfield and insisted that his workmen, 21 in number should go with them, compelling those who were at plough to leave the horses in the field and only leaving one man at Mr Winfield’s earnest entreaty to finish up dressing a load of corn. They next proceeded to Mr Denny’s and took away his labourers and from thence to Sir T.Hammond who gave them ten shillings, they then called upon Mr Image and obtained £2 from him, subsequently to which Mr Winfield gave them 10s to protect his own property, and another farmer gave a smaller sum. With this money they made themselves merry for the night and returned to work the next day. On Saturday a parish meeting was held when it was agreed to make an addition to the wages of the parish. This statement was made at the request of Mr Winfield in consequence of an unfounded charge having been preferred against him having instigated the proceedings of the labourers.

Similar assemblages to the above have taken place in other parishes to the West of this town. On Saturday night four men were apprehended at Chevington (some of them being taken from their beds) and brought before the magistrates who sat during the whole Sunday at the Shirehall in this town and finally committed them for trial at the ensuing Sessions on the charge of having riotously and tumultuously assembled for the purpose of obtaining a rise in wages and having taken men away from their employment. Five more were apprehended on that day and committed on Monday, warrants have been issued against others concerned in these illegal proceedings. We trust this will be a warning to others who may be ignorant of the unlawfulness of such assemblages, for which every person who is present is equally liable to punishment even though no acts of violence should be committed. The magistrates hold meetings at the Shirehall daily for the dispatch of business

On Monday se’nnight the labouring men working on the roads in the neighbourhood Hadleigh refused to commence work unless an advance was made in their pay which has hitherto been at the rate of 1s 6d a day they now claim 2s a day pay. A select vestry was held on Thursday to take labourer’s propositions into consideration, and they were refused but the farmers offered to take them to work on their land at 10s a week and beer which the men refused, consequently they remained the week without work or money. On Wednesday a number of special constables were sworn in and a night patrol was established.

After the meeting of the Lord Lieutenant and Magistrates on the 2^nd inst, Sir Wm Middleton and other gentlemen in the Boamera and Claydon Hundred called a meeting on the following day which was very numerous and respectfully attended, after the arrangements for a constabulary force had been explained, the Chairman expressed his anxiety to relieve the distresses of the poor in the Hundred, particularly as they had at the time exhibited no symptoms of a riotous nature. He therefore declared his intention to reduce his rents in order to enable his tenantry to pay better wages and employ a greater number of hands; but he made this abatement upon the express understanding that the poor were to be benefited by it. Several other gentlemen having expressed similar opinions, the meeting was postponed till Wednesday last when the Directors and other Landed Proprietors met for the purpose of agreeing upon some plans to relieve and pay the poor. It was attended by most of the Directors and other Gentlemen who had property in the Hundred. There appeared to be but one opinion as to the existing distress and upon a calculation being made as to the number of men compared with the number of acres in the Hundred; it appeared that if one man was employed to every thirty acres of land throughout the Hundred, every able-bodied man belonging to different parishes would be fully employed and the Occupiers of land by receiving benefit from the labour for which they would pay out a trifle more than in paying to the poor rate. The meeting also thought that less than 1s 8d per day was not a fair price to a able bodied man for his labour. And it was stated that the farmer was over burdened with expenses and was totally unable to meet these additional expenses, it was agreed by most of the gentlemen present to reduce their rents and tithes upon the express understanding mentioned by the Chairman at the previous meeting and that agreed to urge every land and tithe holder to do the same. It also appeared to the meeting that it would be right that men with families should receive some additional relief and they agreed that there should be allowed weekly to families of three children under the age of twelve years of age, 6d, and for the fourth child, ninepence, and the same for every such child above four. Amongst the suggestions for the employment of the poor and their families, it appeared to be thought that knitting schools would be very beneficial if generally adopted in the parishes, and it was strongly recommended to be done. One has been already instituted in the parish of Barham and has succeeded very well. They are attended with a trifling expense and the governor stated the he could readily dispose of all the stockings made throughout the Hundred. The meeting strongly urged their suggestions and recommendations to be adopted.

Yesterday sennight in compliance with the resolutions passed by the Magistrates at Ipswich, those acting in the Hundred of Blything attended at Walpole for the purpose of swearing in the respectable inhabitants of the neighbourhood as a special constable; on this proceeding considerable agitation manifested itself among the labourers who had exclaimed “we are starving”. Col.Bence, on hearing of these exclamations, went up to the men and having remonstrated in vain, upon their showing symptoms of insubordinations, seized one man who was very conspicuous and attempted to carry him before the Magistrates who were in the Justice room. A cry of “Rescue” was made by the labourers and Col Bence was thrown down; Lord Huntingfield was also roughly handled. This took place amidst loud cries of “down with the rents and tithes”. About 7-8 o’clock in the evening of the same day a fire broke out in the stackyard of Mr Stanford of Westleton, no doubt the work of an incendiary.

A fire broke out on Thursday evening of the 7^th inst between 7-8 o’clock in the stackyard of Mr O.Palmer at Ramsey about 4 miles form Harwich. As soon as the alarm was given Sir G.Hoste, Bart. Ordered the Ordinance fire engine and a file of soldiers from Harwich to the spot and accompanied by Capt Kitchen, R.N. Anthony Cox, Esq, Mayor, and several of the inhabitants immediately followed, by whose exertions the flames were subdued. The fire commenced in a pea stack which was totally consumed and communicated to a wheat stack adjoining which was nearly destroyed. There were several other stacks in the direction of the wind but they were happily preserved. There is little doubt but this fire was caused by an incendiary and that his malice was directed against Mr Palmer, from the circumstances of his having hired a threshing-machine which was to have been set to work on Wednesday. No sooner were the flames extinguished and the soldiers departed than a number of agricultural labourers seized upon the machine which was on the premises and broke it to pieces. Nine men have been apprehended for this act and committed to Chelmsford gaol and two men are apprehended on suspicion of setting fire to the stacks.

On Saturday evening at about half past 5 o’clock a fire was discovered in a haystack standing in a meadow on Goose Green, Beccles, belonging to Mr Geo. Fenn of that town. Very fortunately it was discovered in time to be put out without doing much damage to the stack, no doubt but it was the work of some incendiary as there is no house or other property near it except another haystack.

On the same night a stack of marsh hay standing in the marsh on Gilligham Dam, the property of Mr Goat of Beccles was set on fire and entirely consumed.

On Monday morning last a partial rising of the labourers of the parish of Melford took place for an advance of their wages but by the prompt assistance of the neighbouring Magistrates and special constables, five of the ringleaders were taken into custody and committed to Bury gaol which prevented any further disturbances.

Last week upwards of 150 special constables were sworn in at Boxford and adjoining parishes.

Last week several farmers and others were summoned before a Magistrate at Bradfield in order to be sworn in as special constables, but when they assembled there was some dissatisfaction appearing amongst them as to serving

Those who did not wish to be sworn were ordered to leave the room which they did and left the Magistrate alone.

(WHY ?)
His Majesty’s free pardon has been received here at Bury Gaol for Isaac Jeffries and Thomas Wakeling who were severally convicted of the felony at a Sessions holden by the Recorder and Magistrates in and for the Borough of Sudbury in October last. We understand that the above pardons were granted in consequence of the Law Officers of the Crown being of the opinion that the Charter only gives the Sessions jurisdiction to try misdemeanours and not cases of felony. Jeffries was sentenced to be transported for 7 years and Wakeling to 3 months imprisonment.

On Wednesday last, five male convicts were removed from Bury gaol to be put on board the Leviathan Hulk lying at Portsmouth, viz. William Savage, John Savage, Peter Aylward, John Oakley and Robert Kemp to be severally transported for 7 years. Mary Ann Fobister, a female convict, was also to be removed at the same time to be put aboard the ship America lying at Woolwich, to be transported for 14 years.

Commited to Bury Gaol—John Evered, Robert Flack, Abraham Hammond and Thomas Nunn (by J. Bejafield, R.Dalton and O.R. Oakes, Esqrs.) charged with having with divers other persons on the 10^th inst riotously assembled at the parish of Chevington with intent by force to obtain an increase of wages and to instigate other persons to join them for the illegal destruction of threshing machines.—Samuel Jolly, Joseph Rawlinson and William Diss, (by B.B.Sayer and W.Mayd, Clerks) charged with having been extremely active in exciting a riotous mob which was assembled in the street of the parish of Great Thurlow on the 6^th inst and likewise on their way there were forcing men to leave their ploughs and their work in the barns and go with them—John Harlock, (by B.B.Syer and Wm Mayd, Clerks) charged with attempting to rescue Isaac Hargrave who was taken into custody for being one of the principal instigators of the mob at Great Thurlow—Richard Green, (by B.B Sayer and Wm Mayd, Clerks) charged on the oath of Mary Farrants the wife of George Farrants, of Stoke next Clare, labourer, with having on the 8^th inst come with many other persons in a riotous and tumultuous manner to the house of her husband and violently assaulting her and compelled her husband to join the mob—William Norman, (by G.Gataker, Esq) convicted of wandering about the parish of Eriswell and using threats concerning the firing of the said parish and otherwise to the great fear of Elizabeth, the wife of Robt. Manning and others and refusing to find sureties to keep the peace for three calendar months.

Wards Brewery

It seems incredible that just a few rare collectors' items, our first book 'Foxearth Brew' by the award-winning author Richard Morris, should still be available. Already, the rare copies signed by the legendary, and late-lamented, George Best are changing hands at unimaginable prices. To celebrate the continuing association between the four parishes and brewing, our present brewers, Nethergate, are planning to recreate some more beers from Ward's recipe-books. Here, in the meantime, is an advert from 1912, is an image that combines GH's two passions, cricket and Beer.

This photo was taken in the spinney opposite the Pinkuah Arms, Pentlow, before the 'Beerhouse' became a pub. The mystery is who the people were, the date of the photo. and the occasion they were dessed up for. Such is the interest in genealogy nowadays that, if we can identify people in these local photos, we can make someone happy.

Hooliganism at Glemsford.

From the Suffolk Free Press: December 29th 1909.

At a meeting at the school in Glemsford when Mr W. Eley Quilter the Unionist candidate and several more gentlemen visited Glemsford with the intention of delivering an address on the political situation, a hostile gathering thronged the approach to the school and the arrival of the visitors was the signal for a hostile demonstration

During the whole of the evening, utmost confusion prevailed, the chairman tried to maintain order but his efforts were greeted with derisive shouts

Another cause for annoyance was a young man who constantly rose from his seat and interrupted each speaker, at one stage there was nearly a brawl when the chairman Mr W.S.Goodchild went over to the sweep and endeavoured to reason with him. He seemed to resent the chairman’s remarks and wished to know who was going to put him out and squared up in a pugilistic manner.

The pandemonium continued unabated until the close of the meeting a party of friends from Sudbury and Melford formed a bodyguard for the visitors and escorted the party to the rectory.

On leaving the rectory, stones and mud were thrown at their cars and several missiles struck the windows of their vehicles.

Coverin' the Stack

These few lines are from farm workers hoeing sugar beet or mangels at Foxearth Hall in the mid thirties who amused themselves while doing this soul destroying job. The rhyme is as learnt by Paul Suttle from his father David. All the farmers were local to the area, and well known to the workers.

Coverin' the stack

It’s going to rain----said farmer Payne
It’s raining alriddy ---said farmer Kiddy
Sky’s getting darker –said farmer Parker
Looks black over Kennet—said farmer Stennet
Black as Al Jolsen---said farmer Colson
The clouds are right low--- said farmer Coe
Blast and dam it- said farmer Lambert
Let’s cover the stack son---said farmer Jackson
I’ll give you a hand –said farmer Brand
We’ll have to hasten –said farmer Mason
Looks like a pond filler –said famer Miller
Just get my brolly—said Goodchild (Colly)
That’s my corn gone- said farmer Sagon
You’ve had time to stack’m—said farmer Rackham
Should’ve had more sense-said Starkie Bence
Just have to endure –said farmer Ewer
So off they all hobbled—led by old Arthur Cobbald

The Great Rail Disaster at Witham

As the Cromer Express was running through Witham Station at 10.30 a.m. on 1 September 1905, the whole of the train with the exception of engine and tender suddenly left the rails. The train consisted of 14 coaches and its total weight was 287 tons. One coach mounted the island platform and turned upside down, another crashed into the porters room which it demolished. A third was destroyed by fire owing to the ignition of gas in the cylinder beneath the framework - fortunately no lives were lost by this means Ten passengers as well as the foreman porter were killed, and 66 passengers and five railway employees were injured.

At this time of day two express trains normally passed each other at Witham, but the up express from Cromer was a minute late It had already been signalled and was rapidly approaching the station at full speed. With great presence of mind the signal man slammed all his signals to danger immediately he heard the crash, and the up express drew to a halt six hundred yards from the wreckage.

The wrecked train had been travelling at over 65 miles per hour. The driver said

"As I was approaching the overbridge coming into Witham I noticed that there were three men on the line in front of me working on the right hand rail of the down line. They were all in i a stooping position, close together. They all kept looking round at the approaching train, I was beginning to get anxious about them as I was getting uncomfortably close. I did not take special notice of what they were doing, but it seemed to me they wanted to get something done before I went over the spot. As Ireached the spot, the ganger put himself in a kneeling position, and the eyes of them all were riveted on the one spot which they had just left,"

The men were working on the crossing from the up to the down line, and it was at this point that derailment occurred. Shunter Hume said

"At the time the accident occurred I was standing in the four-foot way of the up line, opposite the crossover road I had just finished shunting a special coal train, and I was going across to the signalbox to tell the signalman that I had finished. I was waiting there on the up line for the down express to pass, just on the London side of the overbridge. I was watching the crossing and as the engine came onto it I saw there was a key out at the wing rail at the V crossing timber. As soon as the train began to go over it the rail began to jump up. The engine and two coaches passed over safely but the third one dropped off and ploughed up the road. I said to the Foreman 'That looks well', and he replied *0 My God !' Then I went up to the station to assist. George Fisher was at the bookstall at the time. Most of the carriages stayed between the platforms when they derailed. But one mounted the platform on the down side, struck the porters hut which was in the open, and finished up on its side under the footbridge. This was the worst incident. In the hut were . Joe Doole, Bill Dene and Fred Ardley. Poor old Joe was killed. In the other section of the hut were porters Bill Chalk, Arthur Chalk, Walter North, George Adams and I think Ted Lewsey, the last three being from Black Notley

It was Ben Sainty I think who was able to put the signals at danger and stop the up express. On it were the Norwich City team with their manager Sid Boxraan and they all came along to help with the rescue-. So did the off-duty railway men, 8 St. Johns Ambulance training certainly paid off,"

At the enquiry the Inspector pointed out that the Forman Platelayer and two other platelayers who were at work with him loosening ballast at the crossing absolutely denied the truth of Shunter Hume's evidence and asserted that no keys had been removed from the line. He said

"It is impossible to resist the conclusion that the derailment at this point was probably due to a weakening of the line at the knuckle timber owing to the work which was being carried out by the platelayers9 It is possible that these men had exceeded the foremanf'S instructions and had removed some fastenings, and that on the approach of the train they were engaged in restoring them but they had not time to do so completely before it arrived.The knuckle of the crossing is the portion of road which is subjected to the severest strain. When a train runs through it. The wheels of each vehicle after leaving the V crossing have to a certain extent to make a jump from V onto the wing rail, and during the passage of a train the wing rail thereby sustains a constant succession of more or less severe blows. This is especially the case when as in this instance the crossing is situated at the point where the gradient of the line changes from a falling one to a rising one. The fact that the line at the knuckle timber was slightly out of level would tend to increase the severity of these blows.

If as appears probable the line at this point had also been weakened by the removal of some fastenings, a failure of some portion of the permanent way at the knuckle when the crossing was run through by a train at a speed of about 70 miles an hour is not surprising; And with that speed this failure might readily have led to the results which occurred in this case."

The three platelayers were discharged. The claims for personal injuries were settled to the amount of £5000 by the Great Eastern Railway Company.

The famine of 1527

The harvest of 1527 in East Anglia was a failure, and there was a great dearth of barley and wheat in the eastern counties. The price of grain recketed. In December the Government appointed commissioners to make a report of the grain stocks in the Eastern Counties. Mercifully, part of this report dealing with the Hinckford Hundred, which was made by William Clopton, survives. It covers ten villages, and shows wide variation in grain stocks from village to village. William Clopton estimated, in his report, that a bushel of "bread corn" (wheat) and one and a half bushels of "drink corn" (barley) were required to sustain six persons for a week. Using this formula, he was able to calculate whether stocks were sufficient to last the twenty weeks until about the middle of the following May. (I suspect that the parishes were loth to disclose their stocks in case they were 'redistributed' elsewhere)

From Clopton's report it appears that no village had a surplus of wheat.

• Belchamp Otton, with 113 inhabitants, had a surplus of barley, 84 quarters 2 bushels, but a deficit of 62 quarters of wheat;
• Brundon, with nineteen inhabitants, had a surplus barley store of 27 quarters 3 1/2 bushels, and lacked only one peck of wheat;
• Bechamp Otton also had 63 quarters of pease.
• Ballingdon, with 223 inhabitants, had a deficit of over 138 quarters of wheat and nearly 154 bushels of barley
• Belchamp St. Paul, with 131 inhabitants, had a wheat deficit of 77 1/2 bushels and a barley deficit of 113 1/2 bushels
• Foxearth, with 126 inhabitants, needed 89 1/2 bushels of wheat and 86 1/2 bushels of barley.

Attempts by Cardinal Wolsey to import grain were obstructed by the Duke of Norfolk, who was benefitting enormously from the high price of grain. Wolsey also tried to stop the East Anglian farmers from exporting food, much to their annoyance. Famine relief descended into farce, when the shipment of grain was not paid for and the French merchants returned back to France with English hostages

The famine was followed by a slump in trade. The combination caused several riots in East Anglia.

It is interesting to see Foxearth's population as being only 125 people in 1527. In 1847, ir was 474, and in 1911 was 335.

Pentlow and the Poll Tax

As luck would have it, we have a record of the Poll-Tax payers of Pentlow for the year 1381. It is interesting to note that some of the surnames have persisted in the area, (Oliver, Reeve, Brett, Bunting, Clarke, Gurney are surnames that catch the eye). There were said to be thirty men and twenty women, but this is unlikely. One suspects that there were probably many more, but the ones that got listed for poll tax were the unfortunates that couldnt hide!

Pentelowe.Parish 1381

Free Tenants

Nicholas Clerk and his wife
Richard Clerk and his wife
John (Johannes) Buntyng
Thomas Gerneys and his wife
Willelm Gerneys and his wife
Willelm Reve and his wife
Stephan Gerneys and his wife
Simon Dereby and his wife
John (Johannes) Olyver
John (Johannes) Dawnce junior
John (Johannes) Cry sale senior and his wife
Reginald Promet and his wife

Laborours

John (Johannes) Dawnce senior and his wife
Thomas Reve and his wife

Servants and workers

John (Johannes) Bret and his wife
John (Johannes) Whypp
Willelm Kylat
Robert Auton
John (Johannes) O(l)eval
Johanna Rokeber
John (Johannes) Stokton
Margaret Reve
John (Johannes) Thomas and his wife
John (Johannes) Grey and his wife
John (Johannes) Clerk and his wife
Walter Plante and his wife
John (Johannes) Propechant
John (Johannes) Robac and his wife
Margaret Bontyng
Thomas Crisaland his wife
John (Johannes) servant of Willelm Gerneys
John (Johannes) Galor

Weaver

John (Johannes) Crisale

The Addyman Collection

It may have seemed that things have been quiet on the site. Certainly, there has been little to report in the 'Hysterical Hystorian' though I have, I must confess, appeared on the Telly again

What has happened is that we've been leant a collection of photographic plates dating from around 1920 to 1940 showing places and people around the Sudbury area. These photographs may have never been seen before. I don't know if these plates have ever had prints taken from them.

Around thirty years ago, John Addyman was walking home from the pub in Gainsborough Street with a friend when he walked past a Skip. The old shop was being cleaned out for rebuilding work and the skip was full of photographic glass plates, many of them smashed. To his horror, John found that they were over fifty years old and came from the old photographers shop.

There was only one thing to be done. He and his inebriated friend gathered all the plates he could rescue, around 160 of them

John, and a friend then catalogued them as best they could. However, they did not have the time and money to develop prints from the plates and eventually they went into a box in the attic.

John died last year, in retirement in Wales. The Addyman Estate were concerned about this obvious part of our legacy and has been kind enough to offer the plates to us on condition we put prints onto our site on the internet.

We received the plates last week and pored through the catalogue. There are views that we thought no longer existed, including three of the interior of Ward's Brewery, and many scenes of carnivals, sports events, people, and buildings in the area. In a word, it is sensational

we hope to be showing some of the pictures in full resolution soon on the site. In the meantime, there are just a few samples! Developing and Restoring these photos is paistaking work. When we've finished, we are hoping to offer the collection to the County records office, so that the originals will be available to researchers and historians.