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September 2006
No, you didn’t miss August’s newsletter. I decided to have a month off from everything so there wasn’t even a website upgrade, plus the fact that I was still recovering from various floppy and Zip discs some of the material lost from my computer crash in June. I still think I’ve lost some irreplaceable Feltwell stuff but the problem is I cannot say just what has gone for good. However, my Western Digital external hard drive has already got 8 backups on it and I’ve only had it for 6 weeks, so the lesson has been learned!
I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of response to my Feltwellian map on Frappr, only 4 people signed up so far. See link below. May I encourage the rest of you to join, it’s quite painless?
After the almost unbearable heat wave at the end of July which saw my lawn turn to the colour of a sandy beach, August has been an extremely wet month. The beach in the garden is now a lovely lush prairie that needs mowing twice a week! The courgettes in my wife’s new raised beds can be seen growing without the aid of time-lapse photography and the tomatoes have all burst their heads off. Long Lane has flooded so many times we’ve lost count and the cul-de-sac has, at times, become a communal swimming pool. And to think that I purchased 3 water butts in July on the advice of the weather man! Still, it’s back to school tomorrow so no doubt September will be beautiful. Talking of school, some of you will know that as of midnight tonight I will be giving up teaching after 28 years and all at the same institution. I started as a wet-behind-the-ears probationary teacher and ended up an Assistant Head but, now, I’ve had enough and need a new challenge. I’ll be going back(!) as a College Manager, a new post with lots of responsibility and status equal to an Assistant/Deputy Head but without any teaching or contact with students. Lots less holiday but a fixed working week and no marking at the weekends. Hopefully I’ll get some extra time to spend with my wife and to work on the website.
There is a scheme that has recently been launched to encourage all Parish Councils to develop their own website. Everything is free and all the design tools are provided on line. Needless to say, I’ve applied and been given a free Domain name and url, the only problem is that the umbrella site doesn’t do what it says on the tin! Once they’ve got it fixed and the Feltwell Parish Council site is up and running you’ll be the first to know.
Emails received and membership applications during August were very small in number, no doubt because many people, like me, were having a holiday. However, I did get this fascinating email from Stephen Wordsworth. "My link with Feltwell is some way back. William Henry Roberts, my great great great grandfather, was surgeon in the village in the early 18th century; indeed, A J Orange's article on 'Feltwell Doctors' on your site says he is the first one known. I can probably go back one further. William Henry Roberts's father, Howland Roberts (born 1764) , is recorded as being a surgeon in Ticehurst, Sussex in 1785 (Ticehurst was the family home); and in Old Bond Street in 1787. Howland married a girl from Rotherhithe, Elizabeth Maynard, and their first son, William Henry Roberts, was born in Hackney in 1788. But their seven subsequent children were all baptised at Feltwell St Mary over the period 1790 - 1804, and I assume that Howland was supporting his family by continuing his profession in Feltwell during this time.
I have no idea why Howland Roberts moved to Feltwell. He was the youngest of ten children, seven of whom were boys, so he had to earn his keep somehow; and one of his older brothers was also a surgeon. But as far as I know there was no previous Norfolk connection. Nor do I know where or when he died. His son, William Henry Roberts, married (as AJO records) a local Feltwell girl, Jane Willett. Their seven children were all born in Feltwell. Their second child, Lucy Jane Roberts, married Matthew Parrington, then the curate of Feltwell in 1847, after which he resigned the curacy and moved away. My mother, Ruth, was born Ruth Parrington, being Matthew's great granddaughter.’
I also got some photographs for inclusion on the RAF Feltwell pages from Lyneve Robinson of her father, James Arthur Robinson, who flew with 75 (NZ) Squadron. These should go up shortly, as should a page dedicated to the Anderson family of Feltwell, courtesy of Judy Ford. I also received an email from Matt Cregar perfectly describing our cul-de-sac from 1990-1993. Matt, your memory is much better than mine and it’s lovely to welcome you to the Feltwellians and to make your acquaintance again after all these years.
And on that personal note, I’ll sign off.
