A Monthly Publication

Dick Melton

The 48^th issue of the Hunstanton Newsletter arrived in October, marking four years of production.  The first issue had just 20 pages, four years on there are 48 pages.  My congratulations to the Editor, Elaine and her team of willing helpers.

A few years ago, in the summer months, every pub would ‘get up a bus’ and go to the seaside.  I used to go with the Albert Victor public house, from Dersingham, and The Ship, from Ingoldisthorpe. Of course, we always went to the same place – you’ve guessed it – Great Yarmouth.  We would load the bus with crates of beer and sandwiches; stop off at a pub on the way there, and on the way home if we had left early enough!  Not many pubs or clubs run these trips today but The United Services Club has done so for many years.  A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to go on one of these trips, to Great Yarmouth, and what a wonderful day it proved to be.  The highlight of the day being a cabaret act by Mrs McNally and the sing song on the way home.

I have received many complaints from people about the untidiness of the streets of Hunstanton and how they are never swept. One of the reasons for this is the use of mechanical road sweepers.  This is fine if the roads are clear of parked cars -   most of our streets are not.  In Hunstanton, we have cars parked along both sides of most roads day and night.  What we need in Hunstanton, and I have spoken to the Council several times about this, is a Community Road sweeper such as the ones in operation in Dersingham, Snettisham and Heacham.  Now, this person with his large broom, shovel and handcart could sweep between the cars and the kerb keeping the gutters nice and clean.  At the present time many of the streets such as Avenue Road, Crescent Road and Hill Street look a mess – and it’s not the fault of the people living there.

I must thank Stephen Andrews, who comes from Burnham Market but who now lives in Hunstanton, for telling me that there are only seven Burnhams and explaining why I was told that there were nine.  I’ll stick to seven in future.

As you will know, I have been writing lately about the War Graves in the Hunstanton Cemetery.  A gentleman rang me to tell me of some graves from the First World War in St Mary’s Churchyard, Old Hunstanton. So, armed with a note pad and pen I cycled to Old Hunstanton.  I was struck by the neatness and tidiness of the Churchyard, a stark contrast to the mess in the Cemetery at Hunstanton.  The first grave I found was that of 2^nd Lieutenant Francis Bernard Evans, a member of the Royal Flying Corps.  He had been killed whist flying at Sedgeford, Aged 22, on 17^th February 1918.  He was the great grandson of the late Charles Bradford, from Babingly.  Many of you may not have known that during the First World War there was an aerodrome at Sedgeford, just up the Docking Road going towards Docking.

The next grave that caught my eye was the grave of three brothers.  Percy Harold Palmer killed in action in France 24^th April 1917, then just 14 days later, his brother, Basil Victor Palmer who died from wounds he’d received in action.  Buried with them is a third brother, Horace Edwin Palmer who died on 31^st August 1927.  They were the sons of William and Gertrude Palmer.  The family had lost three sons within ten years of each other.

Other graves that I found from the Great War were those of William Alfred Richardson, 3^rd Norfolk Regiment who died on 15^th April 1915 , and that of Sapper Fred Nelson, Royal Engineers, who died on 5^th August 1916.  Another soldier buried in the Churchyard is that of Corporal C S Wales, Army Pay Corps who died on 24^th February 1919.  I then came across a grave for Flying Officer R J C Higgins.  The inscription says, “Missing, presumed killed on 28^th October 1944.  This is quite a coincidence.  When I was researching the War Graves in the Cemetery I’d come across a grave for Private John Higgins of the Pioneer Corps who died on 24^th April 1941.  Were they related, or is it coincidental that they share the same surname? Any more information would be appreciated.

On my way to the Churchyard, I went along Downs Road, past Smithdon High School as far as Gamekeepers Cottage, then as it was Thursday, through Hunstanton Park.  On my way back I came up Chapel Bank as far as Lovers Lane then out at Lodge Farm and up the main road.  A lovely walk or ride and there are still blackberries about – though the chestnuts are very poor this year.

I was asked if I had ever heard of a Wildfowler called ‘Kenzie’.  Well, of course I had.  This man’s real name was Mackenzie Thorpe.  He lived in Lincolnshire at Sutton Bridge on the west side of the River Nene.  Born in 1909, he grew up to be a poacher, wildfowler and guide.  He became great friends with Peter Scott, the painter and naturalist.  On the other side, the eastern side, of the Nene there lived another wildfowler, Jack Reeve, who lived in a houseboat on Lighthouse Marsh.  He had a stump for a leg but could move at great speed over the marsh.  Many marshmen and wildfowlers lived around our coast along the Wash, some of them around Hunstanton.  I’ll tell you about them another time.

In the October Newsletter, someone asked if anyone had worked at Parkers Grocery shop, at the bottom of Sandringham Hill, in Dersingham known as Parkers Corner.  Well, I worked there for three years as an errand boy from the age of 12 until I left school at fifteen.  I worked twelve hours a week for five bob (25p).  Parkers also had a shop in Le Strange Terrace, which closed down in the late 40s.  Can anyone remember this shop, or better still, did they shop there?

Well, that’s all for this month.  The shooting season has begun again.  It’ll be a nice change to have roast partridge or pheasant on the plate; I have become a little fed up with all those fish and rabbits!!