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Norfolk: Blofield
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William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1883
[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]
BLOFIELD, a large village and parish, is in Blofield union, Norwich county court district and bankruptcy district, Blofield petty sessional division and hundred, Blofield polling district of South Norfolk, Blofield rural deanery and Norwich archdeaconry. It had 1136 inhabitants in 1881, and comprises 2335 acres of land. Its rateable value is £5562.
It is pleasantly situated on the Yarmouth turnpike, one mile N. of Brundall railway station, and 7 miles E. of Norwich. Mrs. Burroughes of Burlingham Hall is lady of the manor, which was held by the Bishop till about the year 1070. C.E. Tuck, Esq., W.H. Jary, Esq., W.L. Cooke, Esq., Thos. Slipper, Esq., are the principal landowners, and here are several small freeholders.
The CHURCH (St. Andrew) is a spacious building of the Perpendicular period, and consists of nave with aisles, chancel, north porch, vestry (built by the late rector), and fine square tower. The latter contains six bells, and is surmounted by figures of the four Evangelists. The nave and aisles are separated by quatrefoil columns, supporting handsome arches. In 1880 the low flat ceiling which partially concealed the arches of the tower and chancel, was replaced by a new and handsome roof, and the windows in the nave and aisles, which had been blocked up, were re-opened. The east window is very plain, but there is a fine Perpendicular window in the tower. The chancel screen is finely painted, and has figures of the twelve Apostles upon its panels. In the chancel is a piscina, and the font is curiously carved with scenes from the life of our Saviour.
Here are tablets of the Carlos, Berry, Borton, Deneau, and Saul families; and one with kneeling figures of Edward Paston, Esq., his wife, and nine children. The arms of the Paston and Catlyn families still remain on the heads of their stalls.
The rectory, valued in the King's Book at £23 6s. 8d., and now at £1050, is in the patronage of Caius College, Cambridge, and incumbency of the Rev. James Percy Garrick, M.A., who has a good residence, which was rebuilt in 1806. The tithes were commuted in 1845 for £974 7s. 6d., and the glebe is 61A. 3R. 22P.
The PARTICULAR BAPTISTS have a small chapel here which they purchased of the Wesleyans, about 1852. There is a mission room belonging to Miss A.A. Cameron, which is also used as a Sunday School.
The school house and garden were given in 1727 by the Rev. Charles Reeve, who left out of his estate at Halvergate the following yearly rent-charges, viz.:- £10 to the schoolmaster, for teaching poor children; 52s. for a weekly distribution of 1s. worth of bread; 40s. for distribution on Whitsunday; and 35s. for clothing three poor widows at Christmas. The school became obsolete on the establishment of the School Board in 1876, and a new scheme for the management of the charity has recently been issued by the Charity Commissioners. The School Board now consists of the Rev. Jas. P. Garrick, M.A. (chairman), Edward Gilbert, Esq., W.L. Cooke, Esq., Messrs. R.D. Rix, and John Ferra. Herbert H. Cole, Esq., of Norwich, is clerk to the board. Two Board Schools were built in 1877, at a cost of £3100, the central school has an attendance of about 120 mixed scholars, and there is a smaller school at Hemblington, which was enlarged in 1880 at a cost of £190.
The Poor's Land, 37A. 29P., allotted at the enclosure in 1805, is let for £60 a year, which is distributed in coal. The poor have also a yearly rent-charge of £2, left by a Mr. Buttifant, out of land now belonging to W.H. Jary, Esq.
Petty Sessions are held at the Globe Inn, every alternate Monday.
Here is a Rifle Corps, with about 70 members. It was established in 1860, Major John Harman Brown, captain; John Edward Cooke, and Henry Hooke, lieutenants; the corps now use the Norwich range.
Blofield Union Workhouse is situated at Lingwood (which see).
POST, MONEY ORDER, AND TELEGRAPH OFFICE at Mr. John Wright's. Letters arrive at 5.30 a.m., and are despatched at 5.30 p.m., viâ Norwich.
Bacon James shoemaker
Bailey John shoemaker
Banton William victualler, Swan
Bolingbroke Louis Errington solicitor, Norwich, The Elms
Broom John beerhouse
Brown Mr John Harman
Cameron Miss Alice Amelia
Clarke James shoemaker
Coleman Misses Annie,
Ruth and Mary
Cooke Willm. Larke wine and spirit merchant and farmer
Curtis John joiner and builder
Deeks Arthur E. master of Hemblington Board School
Earl John brazier & chimney sweeper
Easter George blacksmith
Edrich William Skipp farmer
Farman Mrs. Mary Browne saddler and harness maker
Fenn Charles farmer
Ferra John news-agent, mineral oil and lamp dealer
Fisher William grocer and draper
Garrick Rev. James
Percy, M.A. rector
Gilbert Edward, Esq. J.P. farmer
Grapes William farm bailiff
Hall Mrs Harriet
Harper Daniel Hubbard plumber, glazier, and painter
Harper George shoemaker
Howard Hammond Lily fishmonger
Howes James shoe maker
Kidd Robert Bohun,
M.R.C.S.,
L.A.C. surgeon to Blofield Union
Lynes James Day vict. King's Head, and posting house
Lynes Mr Joseph
Macdonald Mr Peter
Mace Mrs Harriet
Martins Charles victualler, Globe Inn
Morris Henry cowkeeper, Bay Bridge
Mower George Board schoolmaster
Mower Miss Martha Board schlmistress
Newby Daniel tailor
Overed John Davy, cattle inspector for Blofield hundred
M.R.C.V.S. under contagious disease of animals
Act, and sanitary inspector; agent
for Norwich Union Fire Office
Packer Mrs Phœbe The Beeches
Postle Miss Gertrude dressmaker
Read Robert shoemaker
Redgment Wright butcher and farmer
Reynolds Noah farmer
Reynolds Joshua farmer, Heath farm
Rix Herbert shopkeeper
Rix Robert victualler, Two Friends
Rogers Francis corn-miller
Rogers William corn-miller
Rope George market gardener
Royal Albert relieving officer and registr. of
births, deaths, & marriages
Saddler Alfred tailor
Saddler Mrs Mary Ann shopkeeper
Sayer Elijah vermin destroyer
Setchell Thos. Wm. grocer and baker
Slipper Thomas farmer, Church Farm; h Ludham
Steward Mr Philip
Stockings Hy. Bane joiner & wheelwrt
Stockings Mrs Sarah
Symonds Samuel shopkeeper
Thackeray Rev. Arthur curate
Thirtle Robert vict. Bird-in-Hand
Tuck Algernon Devereux solicitor, Norwich; h The Grove
Ward Randall sexton
Waters Cornelius market gardener
Waters James farmer
White George clock cleaner
Withers John bricklayer
Withers John builder and contractor
Wright Jon. grocer & sub-postmaster
Woodcock James plumber, glazier, and painter
Woodrow John blacksmith & farmer
Woolsey Hy. Ed. farmer, The Rookery
Worm Miss Mary Elizth. Rose Villa
Carriers from Acle, Martham, and South Walsham, to Norwich, pass through on Mon., Wed., and Sat.; and conveyances to and from Blundall [sic] Station, distance one mile, in connection with all trains, from the King's Head.
See also the Blofield parish page.
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Copyright © Pat Newby.
December 2008