My Suffolk Family
Name List
Sarah HARDING
Husband
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Wife Sarah HARDING
Born: 6 Aug 1837 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Christened: 3 Sep 1837 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Died: Buried:
Father: Thomas HARDING (Abt 1810-Bef 1861) Mother: Sarah KIDBY (1812-1882)
Children
General Notes (Wife)
32 -- 204
1871 Great Yarmouth, RG10/1786
LAMB, Sarah, 36 hd mar Smacksman's Wife (Trinity Pl), Colchester Essex
LAMB, Sarah, 6 dau sch, Yarmouth
LAMB, William, 5 son sch, Yarmouth
LAMB, Emma, 2 dau, Yarmouth
Source: http://www.genealogy.doun.org/transcriptions/documents.php?document_id=12780
1881
Great Grimsby
Lincs
District 15
157 Albert Street
Emma LAMB Wife Mar 44 Norwich, Norfolk
William Son 15 Painter Colchester Essex
Emma Dau 12 Scholar Yarmouth
Ester Dau 8 Scholar Yarmouth
Louisa Dau 3 Lincolnshire Grimsby
1891
Great Grimsby
Lincs
District 21
109 Albion Street
Emma LAMB Head Wid 56 Essex Colchester
William Son S 24 Fish Monger Yarmouth
Esther Dau 18 Yarmouth
Louisa Dau 12 GRimsby
Henry BLEE (?) Lodger 23 Fish ? Bridhampton?
1901
Great Grimsby
District 26
109 Albion Street
Emma LAMB Head Wid 67 Essex Colchester
William A LAMB Son S 33 Railway Engine Builder Yarmouth
Sarah HARDING
Husband
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Wife Sarah HARDING
Born: Christened: 15 Dec 1833 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Died: Bef 1837 Buried:
Father: Thomas HARDING (Abt 1810-Bef 1861) Mother: Sarah KIDBY (1812-1882)
Children
Charles Edward SAGE and Sarah Ann HARDING
Husband Charles Edward SAGE
Born: 29 Dec 1867 - Layham, Suffolk Christened: Died: 8 Jun 1924 - Police Station, Holbrook Buried:
Father: William SAGE (1840-1916) Mother: Amelia Hannah THORPE (1844-1922)
Marriage:
Noted events in his life were: 1891 Census: Denes Barracks, Great Yarmouth, 5th Apr 1891.
Occupation & Census: Bombardier Royal Artillery, 5th April 1891.
1901 Census: Haughley, Suffolk. Charles E SAGE Head M 33 Police Officer Layham
Sarah Wife 28 Gt Yarmouth
Beatrice H Daug 5 Barking
Charles F R Son 1 Barking
Wife Sarah Ann HARDING
AKA: Sarah HARDEN Born: 20 Apr 1872 - Cremorne Place, Friars Lane, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Christened: Died: Buried: 24 Nov 1951 - Holbrook Parish Church, Holbrook
Father: Joseph HARDING (1839- ) Mother: Mary Anne BLYTH (1837- )
Noted events in her life were: 1891 Census: Living at 9 Row 27, Great Yarmouth with William, 5th Apr 1891. William HARDING age 21 Head Mar Rope Twine Spinner Great Yarmouth
Elizabeth age 21 Wife Norwich
William age 2 Son Great Yarmouth
Sarah HARDING Sister 13 No Occupation Great Yarmouth
Children
1 F Beatrice Hilda SAGE
Born: 25 Jun 1895 - Barking, Suffolk Christened: Died: 6 Apr 1973 Buried:
2 M Charles Frederick Rowland SAGE
Born: 1899 - Lowestoft, Suffolk Christened: Died: Buried: 23 Feb 1907 - Lowestoft, Suffolk
3 M Francis William SAGE
Born: 14 Jul 1905 - 30 Queen's Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk Christened: Died: 6 Jan 1981 - Hartismere Hospital, Eye Buried: - Holbrook Parish Church, HolbrookSpouse: Living
4 F Olive M SAGE
Born: 1914 - Wickham Market Christened: Died: Aug 1935 - Holbrook? Buried: 18 Aug 1835 - Holbrook Parish Church, Holbrook
5 F Dora Mary SAGE
Born: 4 Jun 1903 - Haughley Christened: Died: Buried:
Death Notes (Husband)
Eighth June 1924, Police Station, Holbrook
Male 56 years
Police Inspector
Carcinoma of Rectum, Certified by J T Titterton MB
S Sage, Widow of deceased, present at the death, Police Station, Holbrook
Thomas HARDING and Harriett Esther REEVE
Husband Thomas HARDING
Born: Abt 1830 Christened: 17 Oct 1830 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Died: Buried:
Father: Thomas HARDING (Abt 1810-Bef 1861) Mother: Sarah KIDBY (1812-1882)
Marriage: sep qtr 1862 - Yarmouth, Norfolk
Noted events in his life were: 1881 Census: Household:
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability
Thomas HARDING Head M Male 49 Colchester, Essex, England Railway Station Master
Harriet HARDING Wife M Female 48 Neatishead, Norfolk, England Wife
Arthur HARDING Son U Male 17 Cantley, Norfolk, England Railway Clerk
Clement HARDING Son Male 13 Cantley, Norfolk, England Scholar
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Information:
Dwelling Railway Station & House
Census Place Carlton Colville, Suffolk, England
Family History Library Film 1341458
Public Records Office Reference RG11
Piece / Folio 1900 / 83
Page Number 29
1871 Census: Cantley, Norfolk. Thomas HARDING 39 Head Station Master Colchester, Essex
Harriet E Wife 38 Neatishead, Norfolk
Arthur T Son 7 Scholar Cantley, Norfolk
Frank Son 5 Scholar, Cantley, Norfolk
Clement Son 3 Scholar, Cantley, Norfolk He worked as a Station Master in Cantley, Norfolk.
1891 Census: Carlton Colville, Suffolk. Railway Station
Thomas HARDING Head Mar 61 Clerk CC Colchester, Essex
Esther H Wife 62 Norfolk, Neatishead
George C Son Single 22 Clerk CC Norfolk, Cantley
Wife Harriett Esther REEVE
Born: Abt 1829 - Neatishead, Norfolk Christened: Died: Buried:
Noted events in their marriage were: Freebmd: 4b 33, sep qtr 1862, Yarmouth, Norfolk.
Children
Thomas HARDING and Sarah KIDBY
Husband Thomas HARDING
Born: Abt 1810 Christened: Died: Bef 1861 Buried:Marriage: 1830 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex
Noted events in his life were: He worked as a Coachman on 8 Mar 1862 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
1851 Census: 30 Mar 1851, Great Yarmouth, , Norfolk, England. Albert Cottage
Thomas HARDING Head 40 Goods Wain Driver Essex Grafield (?)
Sarah Wife 39 Colchester
Thomas Son 20 EC Railway Servt(?) Colchester
Joseph Son 12 Scholar Colchester
Chas Danl Son 11 Colchester
William Son 7 Colchester
Heny Kidley 2 Colchester
Wife Sarah KIDBY
Born: 9 Jan 1812 - Colchester, Essex Christened: 2 Feb 1812 - St Nicholas Church, Colchester, Essex Died: 24 Apr 1882 - Great Yarmouth, , Norfolk, England Buried:
Father: Thomas KIDBY (Abt 1780- ) Mother: Hannah ( - )
Noted events in her life were: 1841 Census: Colchester, Essex. Sarah Harding, 25
Thomas, 10
Emma, 9
Maria, 5
Jos---h, 2
Chas, 7mths
Balkerne Lane, in the 3rd Ward of St.Mary at the Walls
1871 Census: 2 Apr 1871, Nelson, Great Yarmouth. Albert Cottage
Albert Square
Nelson, Gr Yarmouth
Sarah HARDING Head W 54 NK Colchester Essex
William HARDING Son Unmr 24 Gentlemen's Serv Colchester
Henry Son Unmr 23 Ropemaker Colchester
Albert Son Unmr 18 Ropemaker's Apprentice Great Yarmouth
Emma Dau Unmr 17 Great Yarmouth
Thomas WILLIS Lodger Wid 67 NK South Walsham, Nfk 1881 Census: 3 Apr 1881, Great Yarmouth, , Norfolk, England. Great Yarmouth Southern
District 12
Albert Cottage
Sarah HARDING Head Wid 69 Colchester Essex
Henery HARDING Son Unm 30 Rope Maker Yarmouth
Sarah LAMB Gr Dau Unm 16 General Servant Yarmouth
Albert WHYMER Lodger Unm 16 Ag Lab Banningham Nfk
George TOWNSEND Lodger Unm 19 Gen Lab Norwich
Walter FEARNLEY Lodger Unm 18 Leather Cutter Norwich 1861 Census: Great Yarmouth, , Norfolk, England. Blackfriars Road
Sarah HARDING Head Wid 49 Cook Colchester
Thomas Son U 30 Inspector Railway Station Colchester
Emma Dau U 28 Waiting Room Assistant Railway Colchester
Joseph Son 22 Shoemaker Colchester
Henry Son 12 Scholar Great Yarmouth
Albert Son 6 Scholar Great Yarmouth
Samuel MOORE Lodger Mar 39 House Carpenter Norfolk, Elleshall
Children
1 M Thomas HARDING
Born: Abt 1830 Christened: 17 Oct 1830 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Died: Buried:Spouse: Harriett Esther REEVE (Abt 1829- ) Marr: sep qtr 1862 - Yarmouth, Norfolk
2 F Emma HARDING
Born: Christened: 30 Dec 1832 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Died: Buried:Spouse: William LAMB ( - )
3 F Sarah HARDING
Born: Christened: 15 Dec 1833 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Died: Bef 1837 Buried:
4 F Maria HARDING
Born: Abt 1835 - Colchester, Essex Christened: 11 Jan 1835 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Died: 1910 - Middlesborough, Yorkshire Buried:Spouse: Edward MINKS (1838-1914) Marr: june qtr 1859 - Yarmouth, Norfolk
5 F Hannah HARDING
Born: Christened: 27 Dec 1835 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Died: Buried:
6 F Sarah HARDING
Born: 6 Aug 1837 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Christened: 3 Sep 1837 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Died: Buried:
7 M Joseph HARDING
Born: 15 Apr 1839 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Christened: 25 Aug 1839 - St Mary the Virgin (at the Walls) Colchester Died: Buried:Spouse: Mary Anne BLYTH (1837- ) Marr: 8 Mar 1862 - Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
8 M Charles Daniel HARDING
Born: 1841 - Colchester, Essex Christened: 8 Jan 1842 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Died: Buried:Spouse: Eizabeth ( - )
9 M William HARDING
Born: Abt 1844 Christened: 25 Feb 1844 - St Mary at the Walls, Colchester, Essex Died: Buried:Spouse: Emily GREENACRE (1854- ) Marr: 2 Nov 1871 - St Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth
10 M Henry Kidley HARDING
Born: 1849 - Great Yarmouth, , Norfolk, England Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Rosanna HALES (1845-1886) Marr: Sep 1882 - Great Yarmouth, , Norfolk, England
General Notes (Husband)
Is this Thomas HARDING in Wickham Market??
1841
William NICHOLS age 60 Inn Keeper
Elizabeth 50
Benjamin 20
Emma 15
Alfred 14
Louisa 12
Thomas HARDINGE 30 NK Not SFK
John CRAM 60 NK
Death Notes (Wife)
Henry HARDING present
Albert Cottage
Lorraine C in Australia
General Notes (Wife)
Thomas Harding, the father, seems not to have been at home, but his wife and family are:
Harding, Balkerne Lane, Colchester
Sarah Harding (25)
Thomas Harding (10)
Emma Harding (09)
Maria Harding (05)
Joseph Harding (02)
Charles Harding (7m)
Possible family
International Genealogical Index / British Isles - 4
Select records to download - (50 maximum)
1. SARAH KIDBEY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 09 JAN 1812
2. SARAH KIDBEY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 02 FEB 1812 Saint Nicholas, Colchester, Essex, England
3. HANNAH KIDBY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 14 APR 1808
4. HANNAH KIDBY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 30 OCT 1808 Saint Nicholas, Colchester, Essex, England
Parents: Thomas and Hannah
William HARDING
Husband William HARDING
Born: 1889 - Great Yarmouth, , Norfolk, England Christened: Died: Buried:
Father: William HARDING (1869- ) Mother: Elizabeth PALMER (1870- )
Wife
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Children
William HARDING and Elizabeth PALMER
Husband William HARDING
Born: Jun 1869 - Great Yarmouth, Norfolk Christened: Died: Buried:
Father: Joseph HARDING (1839- ) Mother: Mary Anne BLYTH (1837- )
Marriage: 25 Dec 1887 - Great Yarmouth, , Norfolk, England
Wife Elizabeth PALMER
Born: 1870 - Norwich, Norfolk, England Christened: Died: Buried:
Father: Mother: Elizabeth (1843- )
Noted events in their marriage were: Freebmd:Marriages Dec 1887
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BISHOP Alexandra Yarmouth 4b 45
Harding William Yarmouth 4b 45
Palmer Elizabeth Yarmouth 4b 45
Spandler Charles Richard Yarmouth 4b 45
IGI: Marriage, 25 Dec 1887, St Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth. IGI Individual Record FamilySearch International Genealogical Index v5.0
British Isles
Search Results | Download | Pedigree
WILLIAM HARDING
Male Family
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marriages:
Spouse: ELIZABETH PALMER Family
Marriage: 25 DEC 1887 St Nicholas, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Messages:
Extracted marriage record for locality listed in the record. The source records are usually arranged chronologically by the marriage date.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source Information:
Batch No.: Dates: Source Call No.: Type: Printout Call No.: Type:
M163157 1886 - 1899 1526459 Film NONE
Children
1 M William HARDING
Born: 1889 - Great Yarmouth, , Norfolk, England Christened: Died: Buried:
Living
Husband Living (details have been suppressed)
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Father: Living Mother: Living
Wife (details have been suppressed)
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Children
William HARGRAVE
Husband Living (details have been suppressed)
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Father: Living Mother: Living
Wife (details have been suppressed)
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Children
Mortimer MEDCALF and Bessie HARRINGTON
Husband Mortimer MEDCALF
Born: 21 Mar 1875 - Hempstead, Suffolk Christened: 10 Apr 1875 - Hempstead, Suffolk Died: Sep 1962 - Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England Buried:
Father: Esau MEDCALF (1842-After 1901) Mother: Hannah SMITH (1842-After 1903)
Marriage: 18 Mar 1907 - Saffron Walden, Essex
Other Spouse: Nellie May PIGRUM (First Wife) (1873-1904) - 26 Nov 1903
Noted events in his life were: Fact 1: Saffron Walden, Essex, England. Thomas Mortimer is child of Mortimer Medcalf's first marriage to Nellie May Pigrum
Wife Bessie HARRINGTON
Born: 19 Sep 1882 - Coggeshall, Essex Christened: 1882 - Coggeshall, Essex, England Died: 15 Oct 1958 - East Bergholt, Suffolk Buried: 18 Oct 1958 - East Bergholt, Suffolk
Father: Police Superintendant Charles William HARRINGTON Jp (1854-1901) Mother: Charlotte Emma HOLLOWBREAD (1861- )
Noted events in her life were: She emigrated in 1912 from Canada. According to the ships passenger lists/records found Charlotte had 3 or 4 younger children, possibly these were Bessie's three brothers and sister. As Charles William and Charlotte were traveling with children. This has not been able to be verified at this time.
Bessie was aged 30 and had been married since she was 24 years old. She had already given birth to three children herself by April 1912 when her parents and siblings emigrated to Canada. She signed a will on 17 Jun 1957 in 26 High Street, Colchester, Essex, England.
Children
1 M Jack Richard MEDCALF
Born: 8 Apr 1906 - Saffron Walden, Essex Christened: Died: Between 1947 and 1957 - Perth, Western Australia Buried:
2 M John Richard (Aka Jack) MEDCALF
Born: 8 Apr 1906-1907 - Copt Hall Farm, Saffron Walden, Essex, England Christened: - Saffron Walden, Essex, England Died: - Western Australia Buried: - Western Australia
3 F Betty Margaret Joan MEDCALF
Born: 30 Sep 1908 - Copt Hall Farm, Saffron Walden, Essex, England Christened: Died: abt Mar or Apr 2002 - Abberton, Colchester, Essex, England Buried: 2002 - Abberton Churchyard, Colchester, Essex, England
4 F Sylvia Anne (Nancy) MEDCALF
Born: 3 Aug 1910 - Copt Hall Farm, Saffron Walden, Essex, England Christened: 1911-1912 - Saffron Walden, Essex, England Died: Buried:
5 M Peter David Bruce MEDCALF
Born: Between 1914 and 1915 - Saffron Walden, Essex, England Christened: - Saffron Walden, Essex, England Died: Between 1990 and 1997 Buried:Spouse: Never Married
6 F Living (details have been suppressed)
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
7 M Michael Ralph MEDCALF
AKA: Mick Born: 1915 - Saffron Walden, Essex Christened: 1915 - Saffron Walden, Essex, England Died: Between 1990 and 1995 Buried:Spouse: Never Married
8 M Living (details have been suppressed)
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Death Notes (Husband)
Mortimer was staying for a short time visiting his eldest and favourite son Thomas, (Tom) and his wife Frances, who lived at Great Yarmouth, when he caught cold, and died of Jaundice, pneumonia and pleursy.
I am not sure if he was buried there or taken back to East Bergholt where he lived at that time to be buried with Bessie.
General Notes (Husband)
My grandfather Mortimer Medcalf farmed at Copt Hall Farm, Saffron Walden for many years. My mother, Molly and her siblings i think were all born there. Mortimer had previously farmed at Hempstead.
Research Notes (Husband)
HEMPSTEAD, or Hemsted, a large straggling village, 7 miles E. of Saffron Walden, and 6 miles N. by E. of Thaxted, has in its parish 789 souls, and 3567a. of land, including Hempstead Wood, Smith Green, Cabbage End, Gallows End, and many scattered farmhouses, &c.
"HEMPSTEAD, a village and a parish in Saffron-Walden district, Essex.
The village stands near the river Pant, 5Ύ miles SSW of Haverhill r.station, and 6½ E by S of Saffron-Walden; is an ancient place; and has a post-office under Saffron-Walden. The parish includes also the hamlet of Blackden. Acres, 3,565. Real property, £5,008. Pop., 797. Houses, 168. The property is subdivided. Winchlow Hall was the seat of the Harveys, one of whom was Dr. Harvey, the discoverer of the circulation of the blood. The parish is noted for its trees, and has a famous "Hempstead Oak," of remarkable size. The living is a p. curacy, annexed to the vicarage of Great Sampford, in the diocese of Rochester. The church is ancient; and consists of nave, aisles, and chancel, with lofty tower."
At Domesday Survey, it was held by Richard Fitz-Gislebert. Cecil Fane, Esq., is now proprietor of most of the soil, and lord of the two manors called Hempstead Hall and Crouchmans, or Winslows, which were purchased by the Harvey family about 1640. The Hall, which was formally an occasional seat of the Harvey family, is demolished, but the moat remains, and also part of some outhouses, converted into a cottage. Of this family was the celebrated Dr. William Harvey, to whose memory there is a handsome monument in the church, displaying his bust, and recording, in a Latin epitaph, his discovery of the circulation of the blood, and other circumstances connected with his professional knowledge. He died in 1657, aged 80. He was physician to James I. and Charles I., and adhered to the royal cause in the civil wars. He was the son of Thomas Harvey, of Folkestone, in Kent, and elder brother of Eliah Harvey, who purchased the Hempstead estate. He was not only an excellent physician, but of an admirable character as a man and a christian philosopher. Having no children, he gave his paternal estate to the College of Physicians, to which he added a valuable library and museum.
That notorious highwayman, Dick Turpin, was born here, in the house now the Rose and Crown Inn.
The parish is well wooded, and celebrated for having produced remarkably large trees. Arthur Young mentions two immense oaks, in a field near Great Dawkins farmhouse, but only one of them is now standing, and much mutilated and decayed. This venerable oak is supposed to be a thousand years old, and was formerly 99 feet in height, and its boughs covered an area of about 36 yards in diameter. An estate called Moynes was long held by the Moigne family of the Earls of Oxford. J. Drummond, Esq., and several smaller owners, have estates here.
The Church (St. Andrews,) is a large ancient structure, on a hill, nearly in the centre of the parish. It has a nave, with aisles, a chancel, and a handsome tower, containing five musical bells. The interior is highly ornamented and beautiful, and the nave is separated from the aisles by four clustered pillars on either side, supporting pointed arches. In a chapel, or apartment over the vault of the Harvey family, are several handsome monuments, one of which has a well-carved bust of Dr. Harvey, who immortalized his name by discovering the circulation of the blood, as already noticed. The benefice is a curacy, annexed to the vicarage of Great Sampford, to which this parish is sometimes called a chapelry.
The Dean and Chapter of Canterbury have here 57a. 3r. 4p., of rectorial glebe, and are appropriators of the great tithes, which were commuted in 1836, for £725. 18s. 5d., and the small tithes for £235. 10s. 9d. per annum. Two houses, called the Workhouse and Almshouse, are occupied by paupers, and are supposed to have been given by John Pound. The parish has three tenements, let for about £12 a year, which is applied with the poor rates. Several pieces of land, which have long been held as private property, are supposed to have belonged to the poor parishioners.
Famous for being:
- the birthplace of Dick Turpin (the highwayman); and - the burial place of William Harvey (see above).
Wool & Weaving Although Saffron Walden was never one of the principal centres of the woollen industry in medieval times, it was a market town important enough to have its own Woolstaplers Hall. The annual procession of the Woolstaplers on St. Blaize's Day (February 3) was a colourful occasion that was held until 1778 with the Mayor and Corporation taking part. Members of the Guild walked in their robes of wool dyed for the purpose, wearing feathered hats and led by someone dressed as Bishop Blaize, their patron saint. Then came the chaplains, a band of musicians, shepherds and shepherdesses, one riding with a lamb in her lap. Orations were given at stopping points along the way, and the procession even went beyond the boundaries of the parish as there were many weavers in surrounding villages. The church bells welcomed their return and they all feasted at the Rose (and Crown). The traditional cloth woven in this area was the "white" or undyed type, although the town supplied the saffron dye for the whole area. It is also recorded that teazel, caraway and coriander were grown as a triple crop. The teazel, used for raising the nap on cloth, is still found in gardens and hedgerows.
Although there was a general decline in the woollen industry, weaving continued spasmodically and the spinning of worsted yarns was certainly being carried on in Saffron Walden in 1823. There was also an unexpected revival in the early 19th century with the introduction of Norfolk crepe weaving, and there were as many as 900 looms busy in the town and the villages, working for the factory in Bridge Street. Cottages were built for weavers in East Street, Mount Pleasant and Copt Hall. The Lord Braybrooke of that time deplored this industry which employed mostly young women, for "the high wages led to idle and extravagant habits, so that the discontinuance of the work cannot be matter for regret."
His moral concern was soon to be satisfied and the day came when the last loom was silenced.
Saffron Trade Saffron was grown in many places in north-west Essex and adjacent parts of Cambridgeshire. What made Saffron Walden special was that it was the local market centre for the majority of these places, so became the centre of the trade in this precious produce.
For a commodity which must have been so important to the town, it is remarkable how little we know today about the stuff. There are not many anecdotes connected with its manufacture; no illustrations, let alone any physical evidence, to tell us how the saffron strands were dried and prepared for sale. Not even an unequivocal indication that merchants came here to buy it on the occasion of Ursula's Fair on 21st October, although this must have been the basis upon which the town acquired its distinctive prefix.
However that may be, there is no doubt it was a significant commodity from the time it was introduced in the 15th century, until it started to become difficult to get hold of locally in the early 1700s. For about 250 years it was harvested every autumn, the whole flowers picked from the early morning before sunrise until about 10 or 11 am, carried by the 'crokers' (growers) to Walden or some other centre to be prepared. The stigma or chives were plucked out of the centre of the flower and all the petals and stalk discarded. There are reports of the gutters of Walden streets clogged with saffron petals each autumn. The chives were packed together and laid on a wire mesh over a drying fire, covered in hair cloth, layers of paper and weighted, for a couple of hours. Further drying took a day and the hay saffron was then ready for sale.
William Harrison, the rector of Radwinter, a few miles from Saffron Walden, writing in the late 16th century remarks 'warme nights, sweet dewes, fat grounde, and misty mornings are very good for saffron; but frost and cold do kill and keep backe the flower or else shrinke up the chive'. Stories of adulteration occur wherever saffron is grown, whether here or in Spain or north Africa. Marigold strands were a favourite substitute and if caught in Nuremburg the penalty was being burnt alive.
Another strange thing is that nobody seems to be very clear what the main purpose of this expensive stuff was. It is clear that dyeing was the main use, but it is better known as a spice and as a medicine. It certainly does not seem to have been used in cooking locally - there are no recipes, no tradition of saffron cakes as in the west country, where it could not be grown because neither the soil nor the climate was right for it. There are, however, recipes explaining and extolling its use as a medicine; a pick me up for anyone who was under the weather.
There are also representations of the saffron flower to be seen in Saffron Walden in the decorated plasterwork, old (particularly on the Old Sun Inn building in Church Street) and new, in spandrels in the south aisle of the parish church and on the coat of arms on the Town Hall.
The Malting Industry
Malting was carried on in Saffron Walden from the reign of Richard II. One reads of complaints even in 1372 of the tax demanded of one farthing on each quarter of malt bought or sold. In 1600 there were six maltings in the town; climate and soil here produced high quality barley suitable for making malt. By the end of the 19th century when London and other towns were expanding rapidly, twenty-two maltings were operating and the record number of thirty-three was reached thirty years later. There was only one brewery in the town owned by the Gibsons, the leading maltsters, so all had to be transported to London. Problems were too many for a command of the market to last - lack of water transport which nearby Bishop's Stortford could provide, heavy taxation, and the fact that the breweries began to cultivate their own supplies. So the decline followed that of wool and saffron, and the remarkable skyline of 'cowls rising up in all directions' began to disappear. Only ten maltings were left by 1901, but the sweet, heavy smell was to drift across the town for many years and one malting was still working after the last war.
The Youth Hostel is the finest unspoilt medieval building in the town, early 16th century and used at an early date as a malting. The oak wheel sack hoist is still in postition in a large dormitory open to the rafters. The building is L-shaped and on the side facing Myddleton Place are two original moulded oriels.
Burial Notes (Wife)
Transcription taken on 17 Jun 1957 from a copy of "The Last will and Testament of Bessie Medcalf the wife of Mortimer Medcalf of Manor Farm, East Bergholt in the county of Suffolk, Farmer.
1. I hearby revoke all former wills and codicils made by me.
2. I appoint Midland Bank, Executor and Trustee Company Limited (hereinafter called "the company") Executor and Trustees of this my will upon the conditions (except as regards remuneration) specified in the company's handbook in use at the date hereof and i declare that the company shall be entitled to remuneration in accordance with such scale of fees of the company as may be published and in force at the date of my death, which remuneration shall be payable (without abatement) out of income or capital or both as such scale may provide and be chargeable accordingly for all purposes of my will and shall be free of duties (and be payable in addition to the customary share of brokerage). And I desire that the firm of Messrs, John Fowler, Oldman & Company of Midland Bank Chambers, 26 High Street, Colchester, Essex shall be employed as Solicitors in connection with my estate unless the company sees reason to the contrary.
3. Subject to the payment of my just debts, funeral and testamentary expenses I give and devise all my property both real and personal whatsoever and wheresoever as follows.......
One half to my son Peter David Bruce Medcalf if he shall survive me and.......
One half to my son Stephen Medcalf if he shall survive me......
provided always that if either or both of my said sons shall die in my lifetime leaving issue living at my death who shall reach the age of twenty one years or marry under that age then such issue shall take per stirpes and if more than one equally between them the share which his or their parent would have taken if such parent had survived me..........
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this Seventeenth day of June One thousand nine hundred and fifty seven. (17 Jun 1957)
signed by the above named Bessie Medcalf as her last will in the presence of us present at the same time, who at her request and in her presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses........
Signed by (Bessie) as 'B Medcalf ' beside that and below this are the signatues of two witnesses :
Keith White of 26 High Street, Colchester, Essex and an unreadable signature of the Bank Manager also of 26 High Street, Colchester, Essex.
Research Notes (Wife)
1901 census
Bessie Harrington (person Id 299 9870) age 19 born Coggeshall, Essex
living at Ixworth, West Suffolk occ Domestic/Governess
1901 Census
Charles Harrington (person Id 291 6794) age 46 Essex Halstead Essex Witham Supt Of Police
1901 census also has another Bessie listed who could be related (ie: neice.. child of one of her brothers)... Need to check this out..
Bessie Harrington 13 Halstead Essex Essex Halstead Nurse Maid
Notes (Marriage)
Witnesses to the marriage were Mary Elizabeth Hare (affectionately known by the Medcalf family as Haddy) she was the families live in governess and Bessies maid/companion. Mary Elizabeth Hare had previuosly been the nanny/maid & companion to Mortimers first wife Nellie May Pigrum and nursemaid to their only son Thomas Mortimer Medcalf.She stayed with the family until her death in late 1970s..
The second witness was James Day, The Day family had been friends of both Mortimer and Esau. James day senior and James Day junior were both publicans of 'The Hoops Inn', Kings Street, Saffron Walden from before 1895 to about 1910 approx and the Queens Head from 1822 to about 1890.
DAY James Saffron W, PH, Queen's Head, Cucking Stool End
(taken from Pigots Directory of Essex 1823-1824)
Table of Contents | Surnames | Name List
This Web Site was updated 10th February 2008 with Legacy from Millennia