ROW FIFTY TWO ﷓ (Palmer gives no name)

Row fifty two ran from the Quay to Howard Street.

At the south‑west corner, fronting the Quay was the Buck Inn. (No. 8)*1. The next house along the Quay was (No.9), the property in the 18th century, of John March, merchant, and in 1771 it was purchased by Richard Bygrave, saddler, who resided there for many years. He was a very popular tradesman, and his shop was a favourite resort for all who desired to hear the news of the day. After his death it was converted to a druggists store, and was long occupied by Mr Cufaude Davie, who, from 1835 was Churchwarden for many years.

After the death of Mr. Cufaude Davie in 1851, the premises were purchased by John Owles, who had an extensive collection of porcelain and other wares, a portion of which he exhibited in 1865 at the Town Hall, together with a selection from the South Kensington Museum. (what may have been the connection there I wonder?)

Between this house and the next to the south was another row long stopped up. This as we see appears on Henry Swinden's map more as a crooked passage between houses there than a straight row. Looking at the Howard Street end of this section of map there were several extra - possibly as many as five - extra half rows at least. At an earlier date, more rows had existed between Rows 50 and 55, although the 1668 plan shows the area between rows 53 and 55 as gardens.

Ebbage, late Owles, the chemist’s shop.

The house next to Owles' was "The Barge" Public House. It had belonged to Mallett's Brewery, and had been first licensed in 1773, when it had been called the "Yarmouth Barge". This was opposite the Quay where the Wherries and keels moored, that took their cargoes and passengers to Norwich. What Palmer had not realised was that the ancient quayside was much closer than that, since an excavation reported by Percy Trett in 1968 here was to reveal the site of an ancient quay heading under the very building itself. Palmer does however say that the quay here was called Wherry Quay, and the old drawing of the quay here in the 18th century shows the wherries moored there.

Before the stagecoaches*3 it was the practice to travel to Norwich by barge, although not always without hazard, as some 20 persons were drowned on the journey in 1712, when a wherry overturned on Breydon. Today the same journey along the "Acle straight" is amongst the most hazardous in the entire country. There is a serious accident on this road seemingly every week.

The "water frolic" was an ancient custom of the Bailiffs, who twice a year travelled to St.Olaves with musicians, other officers and friends, to proclaim the right of free passage, fishing and fowling. On the way, it appears that there was a great deal of drinking, feasting and revelling. (see Palmer Vol. I, p. 291.)

James Sayers, the caricaturist wrote of the revelling which he attended in 1777. Ives went on the frolic in 1737, but it was abandoned in bad weather, and in 1793 Robert Norfor, solicitor, was killed by a gaff falling on the Mayors Barge. The event was still being held as a regatta in Palmer's time.

Next to "The Barge" was and is the public house known then and now as "The Duke's Head". The house has a cut‑flint front with stone dressings, as did the two houses to the North until "modernised" (the Buck and the Barge).

The Buck

Inside was wainscotting and ornamental chimney pieces*4, an example of which can be seen today in the first floor north-west room. Most likely Palmer never saw inside the roof, but here there remained until 1970, a splendid hammer-beam roof as can be seen in the photographs, sadly now gone for ever.

The Duke's Head was owned by the Eldridge family in the 18th. century, and when remains first established, the London Stage started it's journey from this hostelry. It was a very tedious journey indeed, by all accounts. It went via Broome, Bungay, Bury, Bishops Stortford and Epping, to arrive at "The Black Bull"in Bishopsgate.

At the south‑east corner of Row 52, was a large house fronting Howard Street, which was divided into two occupations, and in the southern half, which was a shop, an atrocious murder took place in 1844. The shop was then kept by an old lady called Harriett Candler, who sold Groceries. Some men went in there one evening on the pretence of making a purchase, and whilst being served, struck her fatally upon the head, and ran off up the opposite row (No. 51 to the Market Place), with the proceeds from the till. Three men named Royal, Hall, and Mapes, were tried and acquitted, but another, called Samuel Yarham, who had been the principal witness against them, was later convicted and hanged at Norwich in 1845. The cost of the convictions was £ 542 / 8s/6p. Some five or more years ago now we had a trainee general practitioner in the Yarmouth scheme, who of course I knew well, who was called Yarham, and in his spare time modelled men's clothes for John Field Menswear in Bells Road, but was in fact a descendant of Samuel Yarham. This was Dr. Dorian Yarham. "Dr.Costerton's house extended to Row 50, now divided into two shops and houses.*2 Buntings the grocers were here for many years. The Buck Inn was a favourite place for the carrier 100 years ago. Michael Batson left here for Lowestoft every day. Further South will be noticed the Duke's Head, a fine flint fronted Inn with the date 1600. In the coaching days the Royal Mail left and the telegraph left here for London. This Inn still contains a splendid panelled room and exquisite chimney piece from floor to ceiling"*2. There is a photograph showing the old grocer's shop in the 19th. Century. Ernest Bunting was the eldest son. He had carried on a grocery business in Felixstowe named "Bunting and Miller". When his father died he came back to Yarmouth ( March 1970) with his young family to take on the business on the Quay. Unfortunately in time business here declined, as this part of the town became very neglected between the wars. As it was, the business at Felixstowe has continued successfully on its site opposite Ranleigh Gardens and on the corner of Constable and Cobbold Roads there. In the grocer's shop, every assistant wore a long white apron, and these were all slightly different, the bacon assistant's differing from the tea and sugar assistant. The tea would be weighed on scales in a brass scoop, then poured into a white paper bag and tied into a neat, pleasant smelling package. The butter would similarly be weighed and measured individually, patted into shape with wooden "hands", and the top given a final pat to imprint a pattern of yellow ribs. The sugar was usually weighed by the most junior assistant, and poured into a blue paper bag. As for bacon, prior to the advent of slicing machines, there was an array of extremely sharp knives, and the skill of slicing rashers of identical thickness was astonishing. After the business failed, Ernest went to work for Greene King the brewers. Another brother lived in Ipswich; there were also Sidney, May, and Ethel, of whom none are left now. Wilfred's last cousin died in 1991, and this family of the Buntings of Yarmouth is now extinct. Ernest took over the business in 1923, and by 1927 it was closed.

Wilfred Bunting

Wilfred had been born in Felixstowe. In 1926 when Mildred Bunting first met Wilfred, the latter was still living at the old grocer's shop that had been started by his grandfather. Wilfred had been born in Feb. 1909. On leaving school he went to Small's, the shipping Company on the Quay, and didn't like being a tea boy, so left after two weeks. He joined the Mercury as a reporter, the paper then being owned by three men, Harry Lee, William Sayer, and the Editor.

Mildred Bunting

In 1932 the Mercury was sold by Eastern Counties Newspapers, and the editor left for the West country. As a result Wilfred became the new young editor, a position that he was to fill so ably for some thirty‑nine years. It was 1926 when he first joined the newspaper, and Mildred went to work in Palmer's store as a millinary assistant. Six years later they married, and she left their employ.

During the war Wilfred Bunting was in the fire service, his call‑up having been continually deferred. There is a splendid photograph of him in his uniform with its six pairs of brass buttons. Mildred was an air‑raid warden. She was provided with a stirrup pump, which I cannot think would have been very useful, but in the event she was never to use it. On the worst night of the bombing Wilfred was out on duty, and Mildred was out with another warden walking the streets, but so much of the town was simultaneously on fire.

The Air‑Raid Wardens post was on Southtown Road at the junction with Gordon Road, and Wilfred's post was on Station Road, although sometimes they would be on standby on Marine Parade. At this time they lived on Lichfield Road, and he managed the paper along with two youngsters. He would go off duty, then survey the town as a reporter, and return home at five or six in the morning to grab an hour or two's sleep. It was not until the end of the war that he regained his staff, including Eustace White and Don Middles. (chief and senior reporter). Although the town had been largely empty the paper had still been in demand from people away wanting news of home. It was Wilfred Bunting's idea that the Mercury newspaper should be archived at the reference library

*1 - Palmer

*2 - Johnson

*3 - The Felixstowe News

*4 - A considerable quantity of Yarmouth panelling was acquired following the war by Albert "Duke" Crowther of T. Crowther and son Ltd., of Fulham. The panelling was being removed from the houses during the wholesale demolition work, and Crowther acquired it directly from the demolition crew. This panelling was kept in storage by Mr.Crowther, who continued to visit his holiday bungalow at Cliff Lane, Gorleston. It was all sold by Christies of St.James St., London, at auction on Monday 12th., to Wednesday 14th, October 1992. Catalogue no. : CROWTHER - 4824.

The Occupants, Row Fifty Two, 1886

( from Howard Street to Hall Quay)

North side

Watts, S.

Newstead, T., smacksman

Lamb, J., bricklayer

Pardin, W., fisherman

Fox, T., fisherman

Hayward, T.

Boatwright, F.

Lamb, Miss M.

Newstead, R.

The Occupants, Row Fifty Two, 1913

( from Howard Street to Hall Quay)

North side

1. Leggett, Robert

2. Dawson, John

3. Nichols, Samuel L.

4. Ives, Mrs.

5. Palmer, Charles William

South side

Crane, Robert

Grimmer, James

The Occupants, Row Fifty Two, 1927

( from Howard Street to Hall Quay)

North side

1. Leggett, Mrs.

2. Farrow, George

3. Grimmer, Mrs.

4. Starling, Mrs.

5. Barrett, Samuel James

South side

Owl's Court

1. Crane, Robert

3. Warner, Mrs.

The Occupants, Row Fifty Two, 1936

( from Howard Street to Hall Quay)

North side

1. Godfrey, A.V.

2. Harper, Mrs.C.

3. Grimmer, Mrs.

4. Carter, Mrs.E.A.

5. Barrett, Samuel James

South side

Owl's Court

1. Crane, Mrs.

2. Warner, Mrs.

3. Salter, Mrs.