ROW TWENTY ONE Fill, The
Auctioneer's Row*1
Smith, The Cabinet Maker's Row.*1
Fill the Auctioneer's Row,
Smith the Upholsterer's Row, 1854*2
This row led from Howard Street North to George Street.
The north side was wholly occupied by Lacon's Brewery, being their north
boundary. At the commencement of the
19th. Century, the Fill family were auctioneers and appraisers. Fill of
Charlotte Street recorded his vote as a householder in 1837 for Rumbold and Wilshere. This James
Fill previously resided nearer to the "New Street"
(Regent Street) in 1813, and at one time lived at Jetty Road
(St. Peter's Rd.). He was probably the son of William Fill, who was made a
freeman in 1795. James Fill lies buried
in the new extension to the cemetery immediately east of King Henry's tower.
Inscriptions were on both sides of the headstone. The Smith family followed the
Fills at the S.E. corner of the row as cabinet makers, upholsterers, and paper
hangers. This was in the early 1850's, and
in the poll books Robert Sharman Smith was recorded as having voted for Sir Edmund
Lacon and Vereker on 28th. March 1857. (no such thing as secret votes
then!) Up until 1919, a son, Robert Thomas Sharman Smith carried on the
business. He was long associated with St.Andrew's Church, being churchwarden
for many years. The residence was formerly a
private one. It had a splendid flint front, and stone dressing around
the windows. A tablet
in a fair state of preservation was still to be seen by
Johnson, bearing the date 1577. The
gable at the north end had
been rebuilt some years previously, and
some fine oak beams were uncovered.
In 1928 Mr. Fred J. Pert was carrying on the business as cabinet maker,
having worked in the shop for the previous 30 years. At the north-east corner of the row fronting Howard Street were
the offices of Lacon's Brewery, erected in 1885.
Previously on this site was
an eating house kept by J.Bartlett, a flageolet player. The Warren family
lived in this row in the 19th. century. Thomas Warren, known as"Old
Warren," was a noted stagecoach driver, and a clever hand at "the ribbons"(horse's reins).
Whilst promoting the Gt.Yarmouth to Norwich Railway, the solicitor of the
railway company frequently made the
journey to Norwich by travelling on the outside of "Warren's Coach".
His errand was well-known and it greatly angered the old man. "Why look ye here" he would exclaim,
"I have but three passengers, and how is a railroad to answer I should
like to know?" Formerly "Old
Warren" had driven the London stagecoach, "The Lord Nelson",
leaving the Star Inn at 8 o'clock in the morning. The fares charged in those
far off times are interesting- 2
guineas - (2 pounds, and two shillings)
for an inside seat, and 23 shillings - (one pound and 3 shillings) for an
outside seat. Fourpence was the rate
per mile for short distances inside, and 2 pence outside. It took fifteen hours to reach
London in those days, whereas now the same journey can be less than three
hours by train or by road. In the Tolhouse Museum was a combined knife
and pistol as used by the stage driver on the London coach. Here also in Row 21
at no. 12, lived the last of the
post boys who conveyed the mails to and from Yarmouth by road. Tom
Colman was born on 4th. January 1824, by coincidence, the same date as his
future wife. He came from Lowestoft at the age of eight, and commenced service
with Dr. William Ferrier*3 at 135 King Street. This was Duffel's the
fruiterers in 1928. There is a splendid photo of this shop in 1903, selling
tea, margarine and other groceries. No. 135 is next to Row 113, it was later Walter Bebee's shop, and now in
1991 is Peter Howkin's Jewellers. At 13 years of age Tom Colman engaged himself
to John Browne, the landlord of the
Angel Inn, who was the mail coach contractor
for the post-office of Row 63. At this time the mail guard was George
Watts who resided at Row 106. Young Tom was sworn in as postboy in front of
Messrs. Hammond, Barker and Fenn at the Star Inn. Other postboys locally were
John Gardiner, Tom Hodson, and George Wilson. For some 20 years Colman was a
familiar figure at the Post Office in
the row, and later at Hall Quay, when in 1840 it was transferred to the S.W.
corner of Row 53. Later Colman was the licensee of the "Norfolk and
Norwich Arms" from about 1857 to 1875. This establishment with its stables
was involved with the visit of the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, in 1872.
On the north side of this row formerly was a passage leading to Row 19, and
near here were Kemp's cow sheds. Many
rows had dairies, and it was a common sight to see daily, the cattle coming
home from the Denes and the marshes. Row 21 shared in the general mourning
occasioned by the tragic fall of the suspension
bridge on May 2nd. 1845. Involved in this disaster, of four persons over 30
years of age, one of whom was Frederick Lucas of row 21. Lolly Ruffold was a famous man of the
street in the 1890's, acting as "judge" of the "Black Swan judge
and jury" held every Sunday. He was popular at verse and song making,and
could reel off "candle curtain" lectures etc., not only locally, but at the foot of London Bridge.
"Lolly" as he was called, eked out a meagre existence as a rag and
bone dealer, and is credited with being
one of the batch of news sellers who sold the first Eastern Evening News in
Yarmouth on Jan. 2nd. to Mr. W.S. Wigg, the Regent Street Jeweller.
"Lolly" Ruffold died at no. 1 Row 21. This gentleman was George Ruffold, father of Thomas Ruffold of Row 63, married Elizabeth
Dowd, from Ireland, and they lived in this row prior to 1900. Lucy, their
daughter, was born here on 31st. October 1887. George was a general labourer
according to Lucy's birth certificate. The children of George and Elizabeth
wereTom, Lucy, Nellie, John, Annie, Mary Lucy, and Elizabeth.
Tom and Lucy were great pals,
Tom eventually moved to Row 63. Nellie (Ellen) had a large family, married George Stone, and moved to
Liverpool. John's marriage failed, although he had a girl and a boy, his wife
taking the children to some unknown place, whereas John passed a while in
Norwich, endings his days in Hull with Maudie Shreaves, who is thought to be a
relation. Annie died at a young age, although, Maudie Shreaves is thought to
have been her daughter. Lucy born 1887, died 15/2/68. Having married Arthur
Dean, they lived in London. Three children includedHazel, Olive and Arthur, who
died aged 3 years. Their sister Elizabeth born 3/9/1890, died 2/10/78, having
been married 3 times, to Alfred Brady,
then to Benjamin Brady and then to Thomas Carmichael, the first husbands being
killed in the first and second wars. She lived a while in Yorkshire, and then
after marrying Carmichael at Kilmarnock, at
Southampton. Elizabeth her mother, wife of George (Lolly) went to live
also at Southampton when widowed, then in London, and with the outbreak of
bombing, to Warrington, where she stayed with her daughter Mary. For pictures see printed version New Perustration.
The story of Lolly Ruffold. as told by James Gellatley
Johnson says that there was a
cut-flint fronted house at the S.E. corner
with the date 1577.
The 1936 Row survey says that
Rows 20, 21, 22, and 23, had been demolished, and the area was
known as the Conge. The demolition included that part of George Street from
Row 19 to Row 24, which crossed Rows
20-23.
*3 William Ferrier was in the
same class as C. J. P. at Nichols' school.
The Occupants, Row Twenty one, 1886
(From Howard Street north to
George Street)
Lodge, Mrs.
Powell, B.
Westgate, W.
Freeman, W.
Bracey, C., smack owner
Brown, Mrs.
The Occupants, Row Twenty
one, 1913
(From 19 George Street to
Howard Street North)
2. Hubbard George
5. Taylor, Charles
6. Loveday, Mrs.
7. Woodrow, John, cabinet
maker
11. Grimmer, Ernest
The Occupants, Row Twenty
one, 1927
(From 19 George Street to
Howard Street North)
2. Smith, John B.
4. Campling, Mrs.
5. Sarbutt, Mrs.
7. Church, Mrs.
8. Love, John
9. Gilham, Samuel William
9a. Hopwood, Albert
10. Lamb, Mrs.
11. Rolfe, Mrs.
No occupants recorded in
1936.