North Norfolk News

North Norfolk News - News

Priest's Sheringham Tesco store warning
The quaintness of Sheringham as a shopping town and seaside resort could be ruined by a planned Tesco store a long-standing resident told a public inquiry today.

Rough ride for eco-town plan minister
An “eco town” plan for the former RAF Coltishall airbase has had a rollercoaster week, criticised at almost every turn. The latest setback came on Monday night when district councillors did a U-turn and replaced their initial guarded welcome with fierce opposition.

Ex-airbase prison plan decision deferred
A PLAN to build a prison at the former airbase at RAF Coltishall reached the decision stage for the first time this week - but that decision was deferred to allow more information to be gathered, mainly about the huge number of trees which look set to be lost if the plan goes ahead.

Students all steamed up over science
They may no longer be state-of-the art technology but it seems the heritage steam engines of the North Norfolk Railway still have a lot to offer when it comes to helping children learn about science.

Felbrigg tree tragedy 'unforeseeable'
The National Trust says it could have done nothing to prevent the unforeseeable death of a schoolboy crushed by a branch from a tree on one of its Norfolk estates.

Amazona day for Cromer as new zoo opens
Norfolk's newest tourist attraction officially opened to the public on Saturday and is promising a wild time for visitors from near and far. Nearly 25 years after the old Cromer Zoo closed, on Christmas Day 1983, the long-anticipated Amazona Zoo is finally open to the public at the old brickworks, just off Hall Road, Cromer.

Artists make waves at Salthouse
WAVES flow along the north Norfolk coast every day - but a 9ft tall “breaker” with a difference turned heads when it rumbled along the shoreline …by road.

Creepy-crawly assignment for scholars
One can imagine what went through the minds of a group of budding bug hunters when they were told to count some of the 150 million creepy crawlies that surrounded them.

Centenarian Gladys shops in style
WHEN she was a little girl, horse and traps were a common sight on the streets on any market town. And as she prepared to celebrate her 100th birthday, Gladys Williams was able to round off her weekly shop in style as she cadged a lift home on one of the classic carriages.

High Court challenge over beds shake-up
Hospital campaigners are pressing ahead with a high court challenge over the way health chiefs handled a public consultation over a community bed shake-up.

Builder jailed for child sex offences
A Norfolk builder was jailed for 18 months after admitting indecently touching a 13-year-old girl. Philip Knowles, 50, of Peacock Lane, Holt, admitted two offences of sexual activity with the under-aged girl between December 2005 and December 2006 at Norwich Crown Court.

Centuries-old rivalry set aside
Centuries-old rivalry between Cromer and Sheringham towns was put to rest on Tuesday when the two towns launched a joint publicity leaflet aimed at promoting tourism and fostering community spirit.

Man charged over coastal crime spree
PolICE were this week continuing an investigation into a crime spree involving 80 break-ins across Norfolk which saw caravan parks the length of the county's coastline on high alert and caravan owners anxious about becoming next in the long line of victims.

Hanworth Family Histories

This section of our website traces Hanworth family histories. Our first contributor is Jill Waterson with an account of her strong family links to Hanworth.

If you would like to contribute to this section of the website then please email your content to mpickett@hanworthcommon.org.uk.

WATERSON FAMILY OF HANWORTH

As a descendant of Hanworth agricultural labourers, it gives me great pleasure to support the current Hanworth Common campaign. Below is some information about my ancestors which I hope is of interest.

Theophilus Waterson (1753-1809), my 4 x great grandfather, was a farmer in Hanworth. From his will we can see that he kept animals - "horses, cows, swine, poultry etc" - as well as growing crops - "corn, hay, turnips etc" - and possessed farming implements, including "carts, ploughs and harrows". It seems that he was a tenant farmer as there is no mention in his will of real estate.

Theophilus is buried in Sustead, along with his wife, Mary Platten (1756-1820), and some of their children and grandchildren. The gravestones were transcribed by Walter Rye, a historian, in the late 1880s. My son and I recently visited Sustead Church and found that several of the family's gravestones are still there, and although the writing is now barely visible, we were able to identify some of them by matching them to the transcripts.

The IGI shows that there was another Theophilus Waterson living in Gresham in 1656 and it seems likely that the two were related, although I haven't yet identified the links.

Thomas Waterson (1782-1855) was one of Theophilus and Mary's sons. He was an agricultural labourer in Hanworth. His wife was Elizabeth Hendry/Goodwin (1777-1848), a widow. In 1851, Thomas was living at 32, Hanworth with two of their children.

Their son James (1808-89) was also an agricultural labourer in Hanworth. He is shown in all the censuses from 1841-1881 as resident in Hanworth. In 1851, he was living at 10, Hanworth; in 1861, at 39, the Common; in 1871, at 19, the Hall; and in 1881 at Wood Cottage. By then he was aged 73, and still recorded as being an agricultural labourer. He lived to be 82.

Another of Thomas' sons was Samuel Waterson (b1806), who was a blacksmith journeyman. In 1851, he was living in Antingham, but by 1861, he was back in Hanworth, living with brother James at 39, The Common.

George Waterson (1817-78), my great great grandfather, was born in Hanworth and in 1851 was an agricultural labourer, living at 32 Hanworth with his father, Thomas, and sister Maria (1811-57), a dress maker. George later moved to Shoreditch and became a brewer's drayman. We are wondering whether he became involved with brewing while still living in Norfolk, as Whitbread brewery, where we think he worked when in Shoreditch, had maltings in Dereham, Whittington and King's Lynn.

One thing that puzzled us about George is how he acquired his middle name of Christmas. Then we discovered that in 1743, a Lydia Platten married Edmund Christmas in Little Barningham, which I imagine must be the connection between the families.

© Jill Waterson April 2006

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