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On this page - The Chapels - The Reading Room - Sports and Pastimes - Playing Field and Village Hall - Education - 1935 Trade Directory - Whissonsett in 2006.
The Chapels.People began to break away from the Church in the early 1800s and built chapels instead.
Whissonsett had two chapels.
A Primitive Methodist Chapel was built in High Street around 1830 and was replaced by a larger building in 1886 which was renovated in 1954.
It closed in 1973 and is now a private house. It was always refered to as the 'Top' Chapel and the stores in High Street was the 'Top' shop.
London Street had the 'Bottom' shop and 'Bottom' Chapel which was a Wesleyan Chapel built in 1854 and replaced with a new building in 1903. It is also now a private house.
The 'Top' and 'Bottom' descriptions are in relation to the Swan Hill.
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The Reading Room.
The Reading Room was built by Ann Stangroom as an alternative place to the pubs where young men could read library books and newspapers or play games such as darts, cards, dominoes and snooker. It was also used for village entertainments, dances, concerts, whist drives, parties and wedding receptions.
Mr.and Mrs. James Bambridge from Newcastle were the caretakers from 1910 to 1928.
Mr. Bambridge was a keen photographer and many of the pictures in our archives were taken by him.
As people became more mobile with bicycles and local buses and were able to travel to the town cinemas and dance halls the Reading Room fell out of favour. It was turned into two cottages and later sold. The money was invested and the income, used to provide Christmas gifts for the elderly of the parish, is still used as the Ann Stangroom Trust.
Ann Stangroom always wore a long black dress and a lace Victorian cap and rode a large tricycle. She carried a bag of sweets in the front basket to reward children who helped push the tricycle up Swan Hill.
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Sports and Pastimes.
As people became more educated they were no longer content with the daily grind.
The Odd Fellows had a large number of members who met in the Swan club room until the landlord put up the rent. They bought themselves the Odd Fellows Hut which was put to good use as a village meeting place for all kinds of entertainments.
The Whissonsett Young Farmers Club began in 1944. They formed a concert party which put on shows and pantomimes all around the local villages. It later became the North Elmham Young Farmers and 2004 saw the Diamond Anniversary celebration.
Under the guidance of Mr. Hayes the school master the village produced formidable football and cricket teams. The Cricket Club was started in 1919 and carried on until 1965. The girls were not forgotten, they played netball and stoolball.
Mr. Hayes and the allotment holders started up the Horticultural Society and the 'garden boys' from the school won many prizes at the annual shows with the vegetables from the school allotments. The Shows, with sports, a fete and an evening dance, were held on the Rectory meadow and lawn. The cup given by Mr. Hayes in 1932 is still awarded at the Horticultural Show.
The Whissonsett Small Holders' Credit Society was set up after the 1914-18 War to provide pieces of land on which people could keep stock or fowls and grow fruit and vegetables to help feed their families. There were 30 members with Sir R.Winfrey M.P. as the President and Mr. Sidney Stangroom was the vice president.
The Whissonsett Scout and Guide Troops were set up by Miss Audrey Buxton in 1909 and she carried on in charge until her death at the age of 77. Generations of boys and girls remembered Miss Buxton with great affection.
The Whissonsett and Horningtoft W.I.was formed in 1935 and the ladies are still going strong, having celebrated their seventieth birthday.
From 1949 to 1952 the Whissonsett Cycle Speedway was very popular. The track was in the old gravel pit in Mill Lane. Large crowds turned up on Sunday mornings to watch the Whissonsett Diamonds riding against teams from Beetley, Mileham and the Helhoughton Angels.
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Playing Field and Village Hall.
With all the various sports and activities that were taking place it became obvious that a proper village hall and playing field were needed. Fund raising began. Loan certificates were sold to raise cash and all kinds of fund raising activities, including gymkhanas, were held.
In 1949 the playing field was bought and in 1953 the village hall was opened with the new Whissonsett Bowls Green behind it. Some of the first people to use the hall were the members of the newly formed Happy Circle Club for the over sixties.
The hall is still very well used but there are no longer any football players or cricketers using the playing field.
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EDUCATION.
In 1874 the village school opened in Whissonsett.
The children of the better off folk received their education from governesses and tutors at home, at 'dame' schools or boarding schools.
There were at least three boarding schools in the village, at Rose Cottage, above the High Street Store and at the Rectory.
Children from Horningtoft, Oxwick and Pattersley were registered to attend Whissonsett school and in 1874 there were 174 names on the register.
Mr and Mrs Blake were appointed as teachers at a joint salary of £100 a year. They were followed in 1880 by Mr and Mrs Bailley, and in 1891 by Mr and Mrs. Brown.
Many children began working at the age of ten or were needed at home to help look after younger brothers and sisters. The fees of 2d. for the first child and 1d. for the rest was often beyond the means of their parents. Many just prefered to be free and not to sit in school all day.
In 1891 attendance at school became compulsory and the salaries of the teaching staff depended on the numbers on the attendance registers. An attendance officer, James Thing, was appointed to round up errant pupils.
In 1896 Mr. and Mrs.Garner were the teachers. In 1901 Mr. and Mrs. Francis, with Miss Louisa Bateson who had joined the staff in 1885, at a salary of £40 a year began to get some order into the school.
In 1914 Mr and Mrs Charles Hayes were appointed and the excellent reputation of Whissonsett school grew until Mr. Hayes retired in 1943. Miss Bateson retired in 1929 after 44 years.
In 1953 all the pupils over 11 went to Litcham school.
Mr. Thatcher was the head master from 1949 to 1969 when there were 40 children on the register.
The school closed in 1993 when there were only 13 pupils left.
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1935 Trade Directory.
This is the last directory that we have.
The Rectory. Rev. J. Coulter.
The Hall. William Townshend Stovald.
Able Percy. Baker.
Ayers William Butcher and Poulterer.
Barker David King's Head.
Barraclough's Stores Grocer,draper and hardware merchants.
Barrett Alec Builder. Barrett Walter Smallholder.
Bayfield George Blacksmith.
Bird John Lower Farm.
Blazey Ernest Baker.
Brown George Carpenter Parish Clerk.
Crane Ernest Threshing Machine Proprieter.Daniels George Butcher and Farmer.
Deadman Percy High Farm.
Green Bertram Smallholder.
Grimes Edward The Swan.
Howling James Cycle dealer.
Hunt Stephen Smallholder.
Mason Horace Smallholder.
Nelson Reginald grocer and Post Office.
Bayfield George James Sec,Odd Fellows Lodge.
Ringer Ernest Farmer and Landowner.
Reading Room Secretary Miss Daniels.
Stacey Bertie Insurance Agent.
Stangroom Leonard Hamrow Farm.
Williamson Walter Church Farm.
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Whissonsett in 2006.
Whissonsett has about the same population of 450 as it had 100 years ago.
In 1901 eighty per cent of the houses were rented properties and apart from two railway men everyone worked in the village. A few people owned horse drawn vehicles or bicycles. The rest had to walk.
Over 100 people worked on the land.
There were 239 children under the age of 16.
Of the 450 parishoners 334 were born in Whissonsett and only 27 were not born in Norfolk. How things have changed!
Popular names included Edith, Gertrude, Maud, Ethel, Hilda, Blanche, Sidney, Albert Arthur, Herbert, Percy and Cecil.
Today Whissonsett has three arable farms, a chicken farm, a few sheep, pigs, chickens and riding horses.There is a Post Office Stores.
Many of the old barns and farm buildings have been converted into homes. The school, the pubs, the chapels, the shops are all private houses.
The council houses which replaced some of the very old cottages are now mostly privately owned.
The butcher, the baker, the blacksmith, the harness maker and all those who over the centuries made Whissonsett village have long gone but they are not forgotten.
Now and again, if you are very lucky and live where once they lived you may catch a glimpse or hear a sound of Whissonsett past.
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