Glemsford Local History Society

President: George Grover Chairman: Patrick Currie Secretary: Margaret King

NEWSLETTER - Autumn 2006

FREE TO MEMBERS (25p where sold)

 
Welcome to the fourth issue of the current run of our Society’s newsletters, and also a warm welcome to new members joining us this year. I'm most grateful to all contributors for continuing to supply me with interesting material, text and photos alike. It is remarkable to think how much there is to say about our village when some thought is given to the matter; while lots of interesting items appear within these pages even more information can be found on our Local History website www.glemsford.org.uk ably operated by Steve Clarke. In this issue there are a couple of items from regular contributor Robin Ford; the second instalment of Sheila Willmoth’s search for family members, while news of an “extraordinary fatality” right on my own doorstep is also featured – my thanks to Sid Watkinson for supplying this intriguing article. Margaret King’s account of past meetings nicely rounds off the content. If you have a story to tell please write it up for the next newsletter – there’s always room for new material of interest to members! Since the publication of the Spring newsletter a few village events have occurred, two of which I'll mention here; the Glemsford Gala Day on 1 July, which was held both inside and outside the Village Hall, and also Braggons Farm Country Sports Day – strictly in Boxted but only just over the boundary – and we did visit the farm as a group during the year. The History Society had a fascinating stand in the Village Hall on what proved to be a very hot Gala Day as did the Gardening Club among others, but unfortunately there were rather fewer visitors than hoped for as most soaked up the sun and enjoyed the stalls, attractions and games on the playing field. Nonetheless we made some useful contacts which further advanced our knowledge of Glemsford in days gone by. The weather was not quite as tropical for the Sports Day on 9 July but what a pleasure to be able to take part in traditional country games in a delightful environment in these times of risk assessments and Health & Safety intervention – long may common sense prevail!

Patrick Hemphill.
glhs@glemsford.org.uk
April 22 1903. As Charles Maxim a fowl dealer of Glemsford was coming up Skates Hill at Glemsford, he was run into by a roller in charge of a 11 year old boy employed by Mr Archer, the boy had left the horse's head to ride on the roll when the horse was frightened and ran up the hill into Maxim's cart, hen coops were scattered about the road and the horse was flung onto the bank. With the aid of a man named Brown they extricated the horse and cart… Death at Glemsford of Mrs J. Everett who was the oldest person in Glemsford, she was born in 1809.
Supplied by John Slater

Humming Bird Hawk Moths

During the summer of 2006, Glemsford gardeners have received numerous visits from Humming Bird Hawk Moths (macroglossum stellatorum ).
This species is an immigrant from the Mediterranean. Southerly winds help blow the adults to our shores, but they have difficulty in surviving our winters; therefore numbers vary greatly from year to year.		 If members have made any interesting wildlife observations in and around Glemsford recently, please get in touch with me and I shall endeavour to include them in future newsletters.

Glemsford Damsels

The White Legged Damselfly, (platycnemis pennipes), a reasonably common member of the "blue" damselflies in southern England, was feared to have become extinct in Suffolk until a specimen was discovered on the river Stour at Stratford St Mary on the 3 June 1988.
The Stour, with plenty of floating and emergent vegetation, is an ideal habitat for this species, and within a decade the white legged damselflies could be seen upstream as far as Great Henny. Would the species be able to negotiate Sudbury and reach Glemsford? After a six year wait a positive answer came in 2004, with a single sighting near the disused railway bridge. Further sightings were		 reported in 2005. Although expanding its range throughout southern England, in Suffolk the white legged damselfly is still restricted to the river Stour.
Glemsford Pits is notified as a "site of special scientific interest" (S.S.S.I.) on account of its damselflies and dragonflies, and this species is a notable addition to the long list of the insect order, odonata, to be found there.

An update of the 2006 season will be included in the next newsletter.

Robin Ford
April 29 1903.
A man was found drowned at Glemsford at the rear of a farmhouse. William Scott was walking round the pond when he saw the hands and shoulders of a man above the level of the water, he called a man named Theobald and together they pulled the body out who proved to be a man named William Bradman aged 33,a dealer. He had been with others at the Prince of Wales pub, he left at closing time to go to his lodgings, his landlady went to see her sister, Hrs Bigg, of Place Farm to tell her he had not returned home. Verdict, not enough evidence to show why he was in the pond…
May 20 1903.
John Young, licensed victualler of Glemsford was summoned for selling liquor to a drunk man, the unfortunate man was found drowned in a pond near the licensed premises the deceased's brother said he was drunk in Sudbury and fell out of the cart at the Prince of Wales, he urged him to go home but he said "no I shall go to the Prince of Wales". Henry Lanquid said he was the brother in law of the licence holder and was under his control and had served deceased 2d worth of gin, he had been in the gold fields of Western Australia, Kimberley in South Africa and Southern Rhodesia and had seen a lot of drunkenness and did not think deceased drunk. Insufficient evidence.
Supplied by John Slater

A Glemsford family in the 19th Century

by Sheila Willmoth

Part Two

As with all family history there is really no beginning and possibly no end to the story. Over the years various stories are handed down to later generations, sometimes becoming embroidered in the process. We have information on some of William Hempstead’s first family, but not all. Some of the details have been passed on to me by a third cousin. Her great grandfather and my great grandmother were brother and sister, children of William Hempstead’s second wife.

William Hempstead Pearman, the first child of William Hempstead and Sarah Pearman was born in 1817. His early life was quite adventurous, as on March 17 1841 he was brought before the Assize Court in Sudbury at the quarter sessions. Richard Deeks of Glemsford published a book of all of those transported from Suffolk. The account states that William Pearman with Josiah Beer for stealing a quantity of wheat, the property of John Beer of Sudbury were both transported for seven years. William Pearman and Joseph Clark were charged with stealing three pigs, the property of John QuyViall and both sentenced to seven years, a total of fourteen years for William. For six months he was held on a prison hulk ship ‘Warrior’ at Woolwich prior to his transportation. He was taken to Van Diemen’s Land on the ship Tortoise (RN ship of 1000 tons), with 400 convicts. It sailed on 28 September 1841 arriving the 19th February 1842. The captain was J. Hood RN. and the surgeon T. Brownrigg. 		William had married and had a daughter Hannah, his wife being Susan Brown, daughter of Thomas and Hannah Brown. While William was away she lived with her parents. During his absence she had another child, supposedly by his brother Edward. She was Ellen, obviously accepted by the family and on the 1861 census she is listed in the household of father William Hempstead as granddaughter aged 14, hair-weaver. By 1854 William Pearman returned a rich man after a stay in the goldfields of Australia.

The Melbourne Argus of September 8 1852 states “The ship ‘Hobson’ will leave Hobson’s Bay for London no later than September 22 1852”. Hobson was a ship carrying gold dust from the goldfields in Australia to London. Many shipping companies advertised and offered steerage passengers a berth to London for as little as £4 a ticket. It is possible William made his journey on such a ship, but there were hundreds of passengers, not named on any list. The gold-fields surrendered between 80,000 and 120,000 ounces of gold per week, which fetched at least £3 10s an ounce (official Government figures), not taking account of any unofficial quantities. My thanks to Rita Burgess (third cousin) for these details.

William did not appear on the 1851 census in Glemsford, but is in the Suffolk Directory 1855: William Pearmain (sic), butcher.
Thatched cottages at 53 & 55 Egremont St., home of William Hempstead (born 1765) and his son William Hempstead (born c1796)
Photo supplied by Sheila Willmoth

Census 1861,
Schedule 75, Hunts Hill, Pork butchers shop.
William Pearman, Aged 46, born Glemsford, Dealer.
Susan Pearman, Aged 43, born Glemsford,
Children:- Ann 7, William 5 and Martha 2.(all born Glemsford)

By the time of the 1871 census William had taken over his father’s blacksmiths workshop.

Census 1871,
Schedule 224, Hunts Hill General Shop.
William Pearman, Head, Married, aged 57, born Glemsford, Blacksmith.
Susan Pearman, Wife, aged 53, Grocer.
Hannah Brown, M-in-law, Widow, aged 75, pauper.
Ann, aged 17, daughter, unmarried, Silk-weaver.
Martha, aged 12, daughter,school.

The 1881 census,
Hunts Hill.
William Pearman, Head, Married, aged 64, born Glemsford, Blacksmith.
Susan Pearman, Wife, aged 63, born Glemsford.
Martha, Unmarried, daughter, aged 22, born Glemsford, Silk-weaver.

Also on this census is his son’s family as follows:-
William J. Pearman, Head, Married, aged 25, Blacksmith.
Jane Pearman, Wife, Married, aged 25.
Children:- Arthur aged 3 scholar, Charles aged 2 and William 3 months.

Abram Brewster, Brother in law aged 27, Mat-maker.

White’s Trade Directory 1885 gives a William Pearman, Blacksmith and Coffee Room proprietor.

(To be continued).

Review of the season’s meetings

Margaret King
APRIL
An attendance of over thirty members and visitors at the April meeting were kept well entertained by Desmond Herring who spoke on the subject of 'Suffolk Pubs before 1900'. By utilising his extensive data base built up over the years, Desmond showed how he has traced the history of names and ages of Suffolk pubs explaining the reasons why certain names achieve popularity at certain times, only to fall from grace when circumstances change. Thus, while a name such as the Crown endures - a crown stamped on a tankard guaranteed a full pint! - others, such as the King's Head, fell in popularity in Suffolk, a Puritan stronghold, following the Civil War. Throughout the ages pubs have always been the centres for drinking, socialising, dancing, playing music, cards and games.

Back in 1599 Will Kemp, a Shakespearean actor from the Globe Theatre, led a dance from London to Norwich visiting as many pubs as possible on the way; we heard of some of the incidents which befell him when he was in our neighbourhood. Desmond completed the evening in style performing for us his own Morris dance in a similar vein to that of Will Kemp and company!

MAY
A good attendance of members and visitors actively participated in Dr. Geoffrey Heathcote's May talk on 'Heraldry'. By encouraging questions and discussion, Dr. Heathcote showed us how heraldry came into being way back in the 12th century when coats of arms were worn mainly for identification on the battle field, as well as for hereditary purposes. The main heraldic family designs are on shields and following marriages of the landed gentry, coats of arms were joined and entwined, thus modifying the artistic representations. Future generations elaborated upon the original designs with a variety of additions such as helmets, crests, wreaths, supporters and hills. In fact heraldry has a language all of its own in order to define colour, shape and pattern. A novice must tread warily, particularly when presented with some coats of arms bearing so many decorated 'quarters' or divisions, (sometimes up to 700), that the final design looks quite ridiculous! All agreed this was a very interesting 'beginners guide' to an attractively colourful, yet complicated subject. 		JUNE
An ideal summer's evening, with tea and cakes on the terrace overlooking the Glem valley, provided the setting for our June visit to Braggons Farm where the farmer, David Laflin, kept members and visitors utterly engrossed in his large, eclectic mix of historical artefacts, all found on his land. As he explained their history, we were allowed to handle and inspect each item. Some have been unearthed by the plough, others have needed some gentle persuasion from the metal detector, whilst more have come to light almost by chance. We saw flint, bronze and iron tools dating back to the Celtic times; silver and copper coins, many Roman and Medieval; a collection of small and quite exquisite pieces of bronze jewellery, plus a small arsenal of cannon shot, bullets and weaponry which has been used throughout the ages. David showed us photographs of Roman foundations including a bath, which were discovered a few years ago, this being almost certainly indicative of the presence of a villa or something of that nature on the farmland. We all decided that Tony Robinson and his 'Timewatch' team should be speedily sent for so that further excavations could begin!! We extend our thanks to David and his wife, Dorothy, for their hospitality and for a most informative and interesting evening.

JULY The last meeting before the summer break was very well attended by both members and their friends. It took the form of a social evening with cheese and wine plus an intriguing scatter walk around the vicinity of the church. The scatter walk clues really taxed the 'little grey cells' as contestants explored the immediate area hoping for inspiration. The eventual winner was Mary Langley with help from friends. Our thanks go to Patrick Hemphill for his hard work in devising, preparing and organising the walk; also to all who helped in other ways to make this such an enjoyable and successful evening. ( Editor’s note: the Scatter Quiz questions can be viewed on the Glemsford Local History website. The answers may be somewhere there, too)

Glemsford Cricket Team 1938
picture supplied by John Slater


Glemsford Cricket Team 1938
Back Row: Arthur "Ginger" Mealham (died POW Japan); Wilfred Farrance (killed D-Day Landings, 7.6.44); Ted Truin (Hartest); Frank Crissell; Arthur Wordley; Charlie Sawyer
Middle Row: Ossie Brown; Cecil Mealham; Maurice Finbow; Cliff Potter; Albie Beavis
Front: Archie Claridge; Bill Worth

Tomkins Hair Factory
Windmill Row, 1898
picture supplied by John Slater


Tomkins Hair Factory Windmill Row 1898
Back Row: Miss Copsey; Lizzie Brown; Lizzie Theobald; Lisa Oakley (née Crick); Mrs Sore; Jane Theobald; Joe Beevis.
Front Row: Laura Oakley; Nellie Crissell; Jane Bradnam; ?Will List's mother?; Florrie Copsey; Roda Oakley.

© November 2006 Published by Steve Clarke admin@glemsford.org.uk for Glemsford Local History Society. Editor: Patrick Hemphill.
The views expressed in this newsletter are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Society as a whole.

History Society Programme: 2006 - 2007

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