ROW ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE ‑ (Palmer gives no name)
Emms' Row,
1719
Old Prison Row
Hayes the Butcher's Row, 1867
Tomlinson's Arms Row, 1870 (Johnson)
Delf's Row, 1926 (Florence Waters)
From Middlegate Street to King Street:
"This row has a covered entrance at the
east and west. The lofty residence that was a grocer's store in 1927, and
formerly a public house, was typical of houses in Middlegate Street. Here
Thomas Emms, and his wife, Preserved, lived. Note the nine inch square tablet
inset on the south gable, bearing the initials, E.T.P., and 1719. Note the shop
shutter rack under the west entrance, now rarely seen. An old prison existed
here, probably for prisoners of war as in row 110". *2
King Street.
At the north‑west corner is a lofty house
of red brick erected in 1719 by Thomas Emms. Upon the site of a more ancient
one purchased by him with some adjacent property belonging to Thomas Marsham,
of Stratton Strawless in Norfolk in 1704. In the south gable of the
above-mentioned house there is a stone bearing their initials T E P, with the
date 1719. The E is above, with T and P below in a triangle. A view is opposite
P.380, vol.2, P.P., of no.65 Middlegate Street. The house was depicted in
Corbridge's map, being then in the occupation of Robert Emms. A later occupant
of the house was Major Alexander, a native of Beccles, who went early to India,
and narrowly escaped being consigned to the black hole of Calcutta by leaping into
the Ganges.
At
about the commencement of the 19th.century, the house was purchased by William
John Hurry Esq., who resided in it for many years. In his time the apartments
were all lined with wainscot, which in the dining and drawing rooms was particularly
handsome, the wood having acquired by age a rich colour, uncontaminated by
paint*3. There was also a broad and fleet staircase, common to houses of the
same period. After Mr.Hurry had ceased to reside there the house was sold, and
the ground floor in the front was converted into a liquor shop, called the
"Tomlinson arms". At the north‑east corner is a house which for
many years was occupied by Mr.Matthew Butcher, and in which he established the
agency business of Matthew Butcher and sons. He died in 1849, aged 65.
Between this row and the next, facing Middlegate Street, there was an
old public house, no.74, rebuilt not long prior to 1874, called the
"Cock". In it were some curious moulded ceilings, of which drawings
were made by Winter, and a specimen appears in P.P. The house no.73 fronting west was long the residence of the
Rev.Alexander Creak. An old house no.75 adjoining the "Cock", had the
date 1682 in iron letters upon its front.
No.71 Middlegate Street was in 1652 the property of the Ingram Family.
John Ingram, in 1626, stood by the ancient form of municipal government and in
1635 was appointed collector of ship money for the first and second south
Wards. He was Bailiff in 1647, but resigned as Alderman on the execution of
Charles I.*1
Florence Waters and her family lodged here at
no.1 with the Smith family. George Waters was a cooper, and Florence worked at
Suttons fish‑house. Florence met her husband when they were teenagers and
he made the barrels for the fish which were stored in layers of salt. After
their son was born at her parents house in row 137, there was insufficient room
for them all there, so they moved here in 1921. She had another son the next
year, but had all her other children later, at Runham, some ten years later. (another
five children). There were George, Kenneth, Brenda, Doreen, Derek, and two
others.
*3 Clearly unpainted wood was admired then, as
now.
The Occupants, Row 135, 1886
( from King
Street to Middlegate Street)
Smith's fish offices
Hannant, Mrs.J.
Staff, W., rigger
Dibney, J., fisherman
Riches, Mrs.C.
Rogers, W.
Skoyles, J., painter
Dove, W., trinity mate
Roland, W., smacksman
Adcock, Mrs.
Adcock, J., labourer
The Occupants, Row 135, 1913
( from 103 King Street to 67 Middlegate Street)
1. Allen, Henry Joseph
Smith,
Benjamin, Herring curer
4. Dibney, Mrs.
5. Randle, James Arthur
6. Woolner, Thomas James
7. Linaker, William George
8. Nestlen, Robert J. (Neslen?)
9. Bryant, George Henry
10. Cole, Mrs.
11. Collins, Mrs.
12. Jarrad, Mrs.
Chapman,
William, fish merchant
The Occupants, Row 135, 1927
( from 103 King Street to 67 Middlegate Street)
1. Smith, William
3. Wright, Mrs.
4. Westgate, Frank
5. Green, Mrs.
6. Goodings, Abraham
7. Plane, William Arthur
8. Carter, Henry
9. Nestlen, Robert J. (Neslen?)
11. Walters, George William
12. Blake, Albert
The Occupants, Row 135, 1936
( from 103 King Street to 67 Middlegate Street)
1. Plane, George
3. Wright, Mrs.
4. Rook, George
5. Green, Edward
6. Hannant, William George
7. Ashwood, John Arthur
8. Plane, Arthur
9. Nestlen, Robert J.
11. Chesham, Mrs.
12. Gallant, Leslie Robert