For those that prefer a written article, here is a link for an interesting article on the Norwich Great Hospital. It provides a brief history and outlines Suffield's intention of providing a home for the sick and poor which then evolved into focusing on church duties, and then returned to focusing on the sick and poor in mid 16th century. Please select the following link:
Saturday, 18 June 2022
Bodies In The Well
This is an oldie but a goodie that I did publish a couple of years ago. It’s about the 17 bodies they uncovered under the Norwich Chapelfield Mall. It's a great insight into a medieval atrocity that occurred right on our doorstep! Please select the following link and press play, you also should be able to select skip to avoid the adverts:
The Sinking of HMS Gloucester
You may have seen the news recently and become aware that a couple of local divers have located the wreck of HMS Gloucester which run aground off the Yarmouth coast in 1682. This is seen as the most significant maritime archeological discovery since raising the Mary Rose in 1982. The Duke of York (future James II) was a passenger on the Gloucester and although he and most of the nobility managed to escape from the sinking ship, they left all their belongings there, and it is still waiting for us to discover. Here is a film from the Little Bit of History series about the sinking of the HMS Gloucester, please select the following link and press play, you also should be able to select skip to avoid the adverts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFGgwL5q9b8
Here is a written article to supplement the above film. Please select the following link:
Sunday, 12 June 2022
Antikythera - Was This The First Computer?
I thought the first computer was an abacus - this is not the case. The Antikythera mechanism was discovered in the early 20th century and dates to 2000 years ago. What was the mechanism, where was it found and what was it used for? The mechanism is made of rings and axles but how were they made? To find out the answers to thee questions and more information please select the following link and press play:
Joseph Crompton
To supplement the talk by Nick Groves today, here is an arbitrary of the life of Joseph Crompton from the 1878 Norfolk Chronicle:
Died at the Wilderness, Bracondale, the Rev. Joseph Crompton, rector of St. Lawrence’, Norwich, in his 65th year. Mr. Crompton began his career in Norwich as a Nonconformist minister, in about 1848. For many years he was minister at the Octagon chapel; but his views underwent such a change that he relinquished the pastorate and established what was known as the Free Christian Church, which assembled at the Dutch church, Elm Hill. After a ministry of several years, Mr. Crompton, whose views had approximated to those of the Broad Church party, began to show strong sympathy with that section of the Establishment. He avowed himself “a Dissenter against his will,” and stated that the Athanasian Creed was the last stumbling-block in his way to joining the Church of England. At his own request the Bishop shortly afterwards admitted him to Holy Orders, and he officiated as curate to the Rev. Charles Morse, both at St. Mary’s and St. Michael-at-Plea. On the Rev. E. A. Hillyard leaving St. Lawrence’, Mr. Crompton was appointed rector of the parish. He took great interest in scientific pursuits, and his name was associated with the Norfolk and Norwich Museum as a lecturer with Professors Lindley and Sedgwick, Thomas Brightwell, and the Rev. R. Lubbock. Mr. Crompton was a zealous supporter of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists’ Society, of which he was President in the first two years of its existence. In politics he was a decided Liberal. A window erected to his memory by public subscription was unveiled at St. Lawrence’ church by Mr. Harry Bullard, Mayor of Norwich, on November 6th, 1879.
Norwich: A City Through Time
Here is another film from the Time Travel Artist, you may recall a recent film on Norwich Castle through time. With the aid of computer graphics you can gain an insight into how, Norwich Cathedral, Bishop Bridge, The Bell Hotel, St Stephens Street and many more, used to look many years ago. There are some wonderful shots of the old Rowntree MacIntosh factory and the old library. Please select the following link and press play:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXTW4e0z60M
Sandringham Time
My wife heard about this on the radio recently. Sandringham had it’s own time between 1901 and 1936 which was half an hour ahead of Greenwich Meantime. What was the reason for this and who introduced it? To find out the answers to these questions and more information, please select the following link:
Sir James Edward Smith
I was on one of Colin’s heritage walks on Monday and the focus was on Surrey Street and we came across the house of James Edward Smith near All Saints Green. He was the son of a wealthy wool merchant and became a famous botanist. What collection (which would give him European fame) did he purchase in 1784 for 1000 guineas? The Linnean Society is the world's oldest society devoted to natural history but when did he founder the this society? What was Flora Brittanica and when was it published? How many articles did he contribute to Rees’s Cyclopaedia? What major botanical publication of the eighteen century did he contribute seven volumes to? To find out the answers to these questions and more information, please select the following link. Please take some time to explore this website as it is a real treasure trove of information relating to the heritage of Norwich:
http://www.norwich-heritage.co.uk/monuments/James%20Edward%20Smith/James%20Edward%20Smith.shtm
Norwich Castle Through Time (2020-1550)
Here is an interesting short film suggested by Peter James. It portrays Norwich Castle through the ages with some graphic wizardry. Please click on the link and select play:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNjlg2M8JgA
Billy Bluelight
Here is a short film about Billy Bluelight from the Little Bit of History series. So who was he and why was he so well known to those that travelled up the River Yare from Yarmouth to Norwich in the early 20th century? What rhyme did he sing? What was his upbringing and why did he race the pleasure boats on the River Yare? Why was he called Billy Bluelight? How old was he - as he was 45 years old in 1907 and still 45 years old in the 1930s! This story is an interesting insight into earlier 20th century Britain when there was no welfare state. Please select the following link and press play, you may need to move the red bar back to the start, and you can always give it a thumbs up:
For those that prefer a written article, here is an article from the recommended Norfolk Tales, Myths and More! website. Please select the following link:
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