ROW THIRTY FOUR- QUAY MILL ROW (Palmer) (Johnson gives no additional names)

Part of row 34 still exists as a residential row in 1995, and since its ancient course turned slightly southwards as it neared George Street, its line is still traceable throughout, coming to George Street along the south side of numbers 33 and 31 George Street. As Palmer described it "Running from North quay toGeorge Street, this row was called Quay Mill Row from the post wind mill that stood on the opposite side of the quay. On the site of this row Mr.Edmund Preston erected a house that he called "Millmount", which later was occupied by Samuel Nightingale, twice Mayor of Yarmouth". Subsequently the property (of Millmount) was purchased by Sir Edmund Lacon, and a large brewery store erected on the site of the garden. On the north side of the row were previously the once popular Cherry tree gardens, and extending across its east end was a house bearing the date 1635 and the initials "T.F."

Goate’s Tobacco shop, young Ted on the right of the window.

The Quay mill was depicted on Corbridge's map, together with the mill house, granaries and other buildings belonging to it, and it remained standing in 1799, when it was conveyed by Robert Pettit and others to William Palgrave, who sold it to Mr.Howes, who had it pulled down and the dwelling‑house erected. In 1810 the house was purchased by Edmund Preston, who greatly enlarged it, and laid out the grounds, extending as a garden to the river. He was a solicitor, filled the office of Mayor in 1818 and 1830, and was Deputy Lieutenant for Norfolk. He used to entertain his friends at Millmount every year on the occasion of the water frolic. His first wife was Phyllis, the only surviving child of Jonathan Symonds, who died in 1805 aged 26. By Phyllis he had two sons, James Symonds Preston, who died in 1817, aged 17, and the Rev.Henry Preston. No doubt as a Solicitor, Edmund Preston was well known to Charles Palmer. Edmund Preston had two further marriages, firstly to Frances Maria, daughter of Thomas Smyth of East Dereham, and secondly to Hannah, the daughter of John Farr of Covehall.

Beside the millyard early in the 18th. Century, was a large timber and shipbuilding yard belonging to Thomas Horsley. On the south side of Row 34 were three Alms Houses, sold in 1834 by the Guardians of the poor. On the north side of the row were the "Cherry‑Tree Gardens", very popular with the public. The garden house, then still standing but divided into two occupations, had four dormer windows, and the original round chimneys at each end. In one of the rooms on the ground floor, was a painting upon a panel over the fire‑place. In the garden was a vinery.

At the north‑west corner of the row was a public house called the "Quay Mill", afterwards the "Hunter‑Cutter", and then the "Pleasure Boat". In an old house in George Street, divided in Palmer's time, had lived James Sancroft, surgeon, who died in 1840 aged 80. The house was taken down in 1870. There is an engraving of it by Winter.*1

Johnson describes "In some of the old directories this row was called Key Mill Row. A large mill and granaries belonging to Richard Pettit, stood at the west end up to 1800. Upon the site a fine house facing the river was built and named by Edmund Preston‑ "Millmount". There were almshouses in this row until 1842. The Cherry Tree Gardens ‑ a noted place of public amusement- were on the north side of the row. Iron letters and figures were seen on the house, "T and F 1638". The "6" had been repositioned at some time, probably when the front was cemented. In 1927, Mr. Bottell resided here at 87. There were some fine panels remaining in the property". (more about Millmount under North Quay)

There was no mention in the Row Survey concerning this row.

Arthur James Simmons moved here to no. 6 from 34 George street in 1933, when he left the army, and went to work for the corporation. The house was entered through a yard. Inside The front door there was a small step down. There were two tables and a black stove in this main room. The stairs were extremely narrow and winding up to the single first floor bedroom in which the whole family slept. Arthur and his wife, and the children - Archie, Henry, Gladys Lorna and Naida. Another small stairway led to the attic, but no-one ever ventured up there. The outside toilet was shared with another family, the Westgates next door. Westgate was a seaman. Mrs. Westgate was crippled, with a hunchback. They had one son.

Arthur Simmons had his shoulder injured by a hammer at work re-laying the road for the council. Despite two years treatment he was never able to work again. Henry was working as a news delivery boy before the age of ten to help the family finances. He worked long hours and despite starting early in the morning it was difficult in poor weather to finish in time for school. As a result he received a caning daily (Ted Amis was the master, at the hospital school). Newspapers were collected from Middleton's on the quay, and taken up to the shop in Northgate Street prior to distribution. At 14 he left school, and at 17 his signed up with the Navy at the Norwich recruiting office, unknown to his mother. On one of the ships, the officer in charge was Nicholson, an old trawler skipper who had once dated Henry's mother. Nicholson was frequently drunk, blaming Henry for an accident with the vessel that was not his fault, Henry received two days in solitary. The young lad soon had his revenge however, setting a trap with a ball and chain that Nicholson always used to jump on when drunk. It was deliberately left loose, and Nicholson broke his nose!

In the row, Henry Farman at no. 8, had a son, Frankie who played the piano, as did his brother who died of consumption. The three boys were Donald, Peter and Frankie. The father worked for the corporation. Henry Simmons ran errands to the shops for Mrs. Parker (of no.10) at a tanner a time. At the top of row 34 was a coal store, and the young lads would fetch coal for the elderly residents by the bucket.

Thomas Rosetti at no. 11, kept an ice-cream stall on the sea-front, opposite to the Empire Cinema. Rosetti kept a store of fizzy pop on the beach during the season, buried under the wooden ramp leading over the sand. This was a temptation to the youngsters, who sometimes at night went digging for it.

Frederick King at no. 39, had the house opposite to Simmons at no. 6, a rough lot these were, who drank excessively. The King boys were aggressive at times. One night a Scotsman fell asleep in the outside toilet, having wandered in from the row, and was though to be dead, but was merely dead drunk! Mrs. Shuckford at no.37 was a large lady, her son was Sidney.

This area being off Howard Street, several of the womenfolk in the row took gentlemen callers. Most of the pubs around here had their girls hanging around - such as the Great Eastern, the Blue House, Yare Hotel, the Star, Gallon Can. The men took the girls back to the Selbourne house. Illicit trade in such as stolen watches was also common-place.

*1 Palmer

*2 Johnson

The Occupants, Row Thirty Four, 1886

(From George Street to North Quay)

Laws, Mrs.

Bunnewell, Mrs.

Brown, Mrs.

Prettyman, W.

Rivett, Mrs.

Waters, J.

Hood, H.

Sampson, Mrs.

Taylor, Mrs.

Farrow, Mrs.

Sharpin, Mrs.

Brindlay, Mrs.

Gooding, W.

Harding, Mrs.

Goodsen, G.

Crane, J.

Withers, R., carpenter

Baker, W., shipwright

Harwood, W, carpenter

Gray, R, bricklayer

Clarke, E., maltster

Turrell, W.

Deuce, Mrs.

Manship, Mrs.

Dence, Mrs.

MacDonald, Mrs.

Rogers, Mrs., laundress

Watson, Mrs.

Hurrell, Mrs.

Sharpen, Mrs.

Frost, Mrs.

Bultitude, M.

Long, Mrs.

The Occupants, Row Thirty Four, 1913

(From 87 George Street to North Quay)

North side

2. Burrage, Bertie

3. Farley, John

4. Popay, Charles

4a., Brown, Mrs.

5. Prettyman, Mrs.

6. Vasey, Robert

7. Sampson, Mrs.

....Kirkman's Passage...

8. Bayfield, Ernest

9. Gallant, John

10. Blake, William

10a. Turner, William

10b. Ingram, Mrs.

12. Thrower, James

13. Fryer, Herbert

14. Winter, Samuel

15. Grimmer, John

16. Martins, Robert

17. Plane, Henry

18. Parker, Alfred

19. Graves, William

20. Kettle, Frederick

South side

21. Wenn, George

22. Wilson, Victor

23. Watts, George Henry

24. Gillings, James

25. Baker, William Christmas

26. Julier, Mrs.

27. Howell, Mrs.

28. Goreham, Mrs., shopkeeper

29. Blyth, George

30. Smith, Samuel

32. Moore, Mrs.

33. Farman, Henry

34. Gooding, George

35. Bayfield, Harry

36. Beech, Arthur

37. Baker, John James

38. Bacon, Ernest

39. Benns, Arthur James

40. Rivett, Ernest

41. Westgate, Mrs.

42. Clark, John

43. Besford, John

The Occupants, Row Thirty Four, 1927

(From 87 George Street to North Quay)

North side

2. Vince, Mrs.F.

3. Wells, George

4. Popay, Charles

4a. Smith, Mrs.

6. Vasey, Robert

7. Galey, William

Kirkman's Passage...8. Farman, Henry

9. Gallant, Mrs.

10. Parker, Mrs.

10a. Colson, Mrs.

10b. Steward, William

11. Rosetti, Thomas

12. Thrower, James

13. Hall, John

14. Winter, Samuel

15. Reynolds, George

16. Martins, Robert

17. Plane, Henry

18. Jackson, George Henry

19. Martins, Joseph Robert

South side

21. Garwood, William Edward

22. Artis, Mrs.

23. Plane, Arthur

24. Gillings, James

25. Stollery, Stephen

26. Julier, Mrs.

27. Howell, Mrs.

28. Goreham, Mrs.

29. Leman, Mrs.

30. Hurrell, Percy

31. Weston, Albert

32. Smith, Richard

33. Mays, Mrs. Emma

34. Goodings, George

35. Turner, Charles William

36. Beech, Arthur

37. Postal, William (Postle?)

38. Elf, William

39. King, Frederick

40.Underwood, Thomas

41. Dix, Edward

42. Clark, John

43. Nash, Mrs.

The Occupants, Row Thirty Four, 1936

(From 87 George Street to 46 North Quay)

North side

2. Spanton, James

3. Wells, George

4. Majoram, George (Marjoram?)

4a. Smith, James Edward

6. Simmons, Arthur James

7. Galey, William

....Kirkman's Passage...

8. Farman, Henry

9. Gallant, Mrs.

10. Parker, Mrs.

10a. Evans, Mrs.

10b. Steward, William

11. Rosetti, Thomas

12. Thrower, James

13. Hall, John

14. Winter, Samuel

15. Reynolds, George

16. Martins, Robert

17. Plane, Henry

18. Jackson, George Henry

19. Martins, Joseph Robert

20. Ditcham, Mrs.

South side

21. Garwood, William Edward

22. Savory, Ernest Christopher

23. Plane, Arthur

24. Cannell, George

25. Stollery, Steven

26. Armes, Alec

27. Howell, Mrs.

28. Bullent, Harry

29. Durrant, Thomas

30. Hales, Mrs.E.

31. Farman, Mrs.E.

32 Boast, George Robert

33. Goodings, Harold

34. Goodings, George

35. Clarke, Charles

36. Beech, Arthur

37. Shuckford, Cyril

38. Kingham, Richard

39. King, Frederick

40. Howell, Alfred

41. Dix, Edward

42. Pull, Mrs.E.

43. Nash, Mrs.