ROW 8 - FERRY BOAT ROW *1
Ferry Boat Row
*2
Yew Tree Row *2
The Yew tree tavern was at the north-east corner, and
was later known as the "Shrimper's Arms".*2
Row 8 was Ferry Boat Row, so called because
immediately opposite its west end was the ferry across the river Bure,
originally to the marshes - used until such time as the suspension bridge was
erected. The ferry-man lived in the cottage on the south-west corner and its
number- fifteen, Row 8 - remained in existence on the 1964 map, it having been
part of a much larger building in 1906.
The first Wesleyan meeting house was erected on the
north side of this row, towards the
west end. Wesley himself preached the
first sermon and obtained £100 towards the expenses. Adam Clarke, an eminent
Wesleyan was also present and Mr Lee, a corn merchant in the town, donated a
quantity of bricks. The building
cost £350 to erect and was later
converted into two dwelling houses. The stone recording the date- 1783 -was
seen on the front of the house. It is impossible to know exactly how the dwellings
in this row were numbered. The converted building is seen clearly on the
photographs as having a small out-house at the front centrally, walled gardens
either side, and a gate towards either end. Despite Palmer saying that it has
been divided into two houses, close examination of the few photographs we have,
reveals three front-doors; furthermore there
can be seen on the side to the east of another building, a door on its
west side and a passage between the two buildings. This appears to be the malt
house which ends up in 1964
as no. 15, Row 8, the malt house clearly shown on the 1855 map. This
means that the Methodist Meeting House
was converted into nos. 12, 13 & 14.
Methodism had been introduced into Yarmouth by Thomas
Olivers in 1754, when he visited the town with a friend. They went to the
Parish Church, and after the service there, attempted to preach in the Market
Place, but he proved very unpopular. He had the contents of chamber pots thrown
at him, and he and his companion were pelted in the streets and had to ride out
of the town.
Captain Howell Harris, a Captain in the Welsh
Fusiliers, was posted to Yarmouth in 1760. When he found out about the
ill-treatment which Olivers had as a Methodist, he employed the Town Crier to announce
that there would be a Methodist preacher in the Market Place. A savage mob assembled
who threatened to kill any
preacher that
should appear. Harris, however told them that he would address them himself, and was so eloquent that they
allowed him to preach, something that he later frequently repeated. Wesley said that Yarmouth was then 'a large
and populous town, as eminent for wickedness as any
seaport in England'.Yarmouth clearly was a very rough town in the eighteenth
century, full of taverns and brothels. This is evident also from newspaper
correspondence, as related in the description of Howard Street. Wesley himself
came here in 1761 and 1767, again in 1774 and
1776, but the movement had
not progressed, and despite him
preaching at the old Dutch church to crowded congregations, the society
dwindled to eight persons.*1
Also in row 8 was Browne's buildings, and Secrett's passage. The latter
was presumably that which ran south from row
8 into row 9 by the Albion tavern.
This row is, again, not mentioned in the 1936 Row Survey. There were
some interesting occupants of this row over the years. One, Horace Butcher, was
murdered in his shop in Middlegate. Another was Bob Fryer who had a wheelwright
and blacksmith's business in Northgate Street, and whose son ran the four horse
brakes on Marine Parade. A half-brother of this Bob Friar's grandson, E. Albert
Symonds, lived behind Butcher's shop at the time of the murder in Middlegate.
(see Row 112) A Mrs. Hurrell in 1886 has been recorded by an unknown scribe on
an edition of Kelly's Directory*3, as having spent most of her days in the
"Wherry" public house, fairly typical of the ordinary citizen of the
times, and reflective of the great number of public houses.
There are in the University of East Anglia (U.E.A.) library, in several
volumes, the letters of John Wesley, collected by his brother. There are two
mentions of visits to Yarmouth in these letters.