Gawdy Hall

I was out walking with the Ramblers on Thursday at Wortwell in Suffolk and we walked close to the location of Gawdy Hall.  So here is an article on this wonderful Tudor hall.  It describes how the Gawdy family came to prominence and also which famous visitor is said to have visited the hall.  Do you know the famous Norfolk company it was sold to in 1938?  There is an interesting comparison on the number of men that worked the land in 1953 and the number that is required today.  And please don’t miss the double headed eagle - a survivor from the Dissolution of the Monasteries.  To find out the answers to these questions and more information please select the following link:

https://www.gawdyhallestates.co.uk/history.htm

Here is some more information on the Gawdy family.  It appears they may have been descendants from a famous French knight captured during the 100 years war.  To find out more information please select the following link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gawdy_baronets

Pykerells House

I discovered this house whilst on one of Colin’s Heritage Walks.  We have all probably walked past it lots of times and not noticed the plaque on it that tells us that Thomas Pykerell used to live here - but who was he and why is he famous?  How old is it and what was it used for during the 1930s?  And what happened to it during the Baedeker Raids of 1942?  To answer these questions and to find out more information, please select the following link:  

http://www.julianwhite.uk/norwich-pykerells-house/

Here is a map of the original house.  What a hive of activity this must have been during the 16th century.  Please select the following link:

http://www.georgeplunkett.co.uk/Norwich/Drawings/RosemaryLane01.jpg

Thomas Pykerell, is thought to have commissioned an extraordinary series of stained-glass roundels depicting ‘The Labours of the Months’, these are rare collections of art, four of which survive in the Norwich Castle Museum collection.  To see these roundels please select the following link:

https://norwichcastle.wordpress.com/2020/06/15/the-norwich-strangers/

Queenie of Norwich

Tony Harper has suggested this article.  This is a story about a young Norwich girl born into poverty at the start of 20th century.  She was brought up in one of the toughest neighbourhoods in Norwich but where was it?  Her mother gave her a really hard time and at the age of six, as she was the only member of the family who was not bringing in an income it was decided to sell her!  But to whom?  She worked in munitions during World War One and then in 1922 took a completely illegal new role - but what was it?  And how did she invest the proceeds?  Why was she called Queenie?  This is a fascinating story and to find out the answers to these questions and more information, please select the following link:  

https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/lifestyle/heritage/norwich-illegal-cattle-market-sold-queenie-gambling-police-8649350 

Charles Burgess (C.B.) Fry

Don mentioned C.B. at the end of his talk and I must admit I had never heard of him!  Born in 1872, not only did C.B. obtain a First Class Honours Degree at Oxford but he played professional football for Southampton and England, he equalled the world long jump record, he played professional cricket for Sussex and England,  he was also a Liberal candidate for Parliament in Brighton; a director of a training ship, a journalist, a deputy and speechwriter for the Indian delegation at the League of Nations. It was whilst he was involved in the latter role that C.B. was offered the vacant throne of Albania!  C.B. was a real superman, and to find out more information about him, please select the following link:  

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/CB-Fry/