FERSFIELD TRADE DIRECTORIES

WHITE'S - 1845
HARROD'S - 1878
KELLY'S - 1900
KELLY'S - 1925

WHITES - 1845

FERSFIELD, 4 miles W..N.W. of Diss, has in its parish 295 inhabitants, and 1359a. 2R. 31 p. of land, partly belonging to the Duke of Norfolk the lord of the manor, in which the fines are arbitrary. The common was enclosed in 1799. The Church (St. Andrew,) contains effigies of two of its founders or rebuilders, Sir Robert and Wm. du Blois. The chancel was rebuilt in 1844. A blue flag is inscribed to the memory of the Rev. Francis Blomefield, who was rector here from 1729 till his death, in 1752. He was born here in 1705, and here he wrote and also printed a11 those parts of his " Essay towards a History of Norfolk," which were published before his death, after which the remaining parts were written by the Rev. Charles Parkin, of Oxborough and, after his death published by Mr. Whittingham, bookseller, at Lynn, in 1769 and 1775 ; the whole forming five folio volumes, since re-printed by W. Miller, of London, in eleven volumes, royal octavo. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £6. 6s. 8d., is in the patronage of Frederick Nassau, of Essex and incumbency of the Rev. Benedict Perring, M.A., who has a good residence, 60A. 2R. 21P. of glebe, and a yearly rent of £375, awarded in 1838, in lieu of tithes. The Church Land, given bv Jeffrey Ellingham, in 1493, is nearly 22A., let for £34

Surname	Christian Name	Occupation	Address
Perring	Rev B.	Rector	The Rectory
Bureham	Benjamin	Shoemaker
Cason	Samual	Butcher
Garrod	Robert	Joiner
Mortimer	Henry W.	Gentleman	Alger House
Alger	John	Farmer
Bradstreet	Wm.	Farmer
Day	John	Farmer
Drake.	Charles	Farmer	The Lodge
Fulcher	L.	Farmer
Garrod	Robert	Farmer
Hands	Jacob	Farmer
Lovack	Ephriam	Farmer
Muskett	Charles	Farmer	The Hall
Page	William	Farmer
Palmer	Richard	Farmer
Stamp	Thomas	Farmer
Woods	George	Farmer

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HARRODS - 1878

FERSFIELD is a village and parish in Diss hundred, Guiltcross Union, diocese of Norwich, archdeaconry of Norfolk, rural deanery of Redenhall, and Diss county court district, East Norfolk, 5 miles W.N.W. of Diss station. The population is about 800, and the acreage 1,400. The Duke of Norfolk is lord of the manor and principal landowner. This place gave birth to the Rev. Francis Blomefield, who was rector of this parish for 23 years, and also projector and writer of the History of Norfolk, published in the l7th century. The church of St. Andrew is an old edifice. The interior contains monuments of Sir Robert and William du Blois, by whom it was re-built. The living is a rectory, annual value £400, in the incumbency of the Rev. George W. Darby, M.A. Diss is the nearest money-order, telegraph office, and post town.

Surname	Christian Name	Occuption	Address
Darby	Rev George William M.A.	Rector
Mortimer	Miss		Algar House
Bond	Cornelius	Gardener
Coates	Miss Elizabeth	Beer Retailer
Garrod	Robert	Carpenter
Hawes	Robert	Miller
Noble	R.	Shopkeeper & Berr Retailer
Punt	George	Blacksmith
Robinson	John	Beer Retailer & Straw Merchant
Spurdens	William	Grocer
Alby	William	Farmer
Back	George	Farmer
Blomfield	Henry	Farmer
Calton	James	Farmer
Eaton	George	Farmer & Landowner
Foster	William	Farmer
Greenwood	James	Farmer
Hoskins	Charles	Farmer & Landowner
Hoskins	Charles Jun.	Farmer
Hoskins	William	Farmer
Munford	John	Farmer
Noble	Daniel	Farmer
Pearce	George	Farmer
Punt	George	Farmer & Landowner
Robinson	John	Farmer
Spurdens	William	Farmer
Stains	William Walden	Farmer	The Lodge
Williams	Jonathan	Farmer
Witham	Richard	Farmer
Woodcock	Horace Robert	Farmer	Hall Farm

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KELLYS - 1900

FERSFIELD is a village and parish, 5 miles northwest from Diss station on the Ipswich and Norwich section of the London and North Eastern railway, in the Southern division of the county, Diss Hundred, Petty sessional division and county court district, Guiltcross union, rural deanery of Redenhall, archdeaconry of Norfolk and diocese of Norwich. The church of St. Andrew, rebuilt by Sir Robert and William Du Blois, is an ancient building of flint in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave, south aisle, south porch and a western tower containing one bell: there are marble monuments to the founders and a marble slab to the Rev. Francis Blomefield B.A. : rector here for 23 years, who died I5 Jan. 1751: the communion plate includes a chalice and paten believed to date from the time of Queen Elizabeth : there are 170 sittings. The register dates from the year I565. The living is a rectory, net income , £222, including 60 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of Mrs. E. H. Womack, and held since 1899 by the Rev. Robert Winerey M.A. of Christ's College, Cambridge, who is non-residental. Here is a Primitive Methodist chapel, erected in 1891. Francis Blomefield, the distinguished antiquary, and author of the well known " History of Norfolk," first printed in the tithe brn on the rectory premises and published in 1739-95 and afterwards reprinted by Mr. William Miller, of London, in eleven large volumes, in 1805-10, was born here, 23rd July, 1705 ; he was instituted to this living I 13th September, 1929, and held it till his death in 1751 . The Duke of Norfolk K. G. is lord of the manor and chief landowner. A charity was left by Jeffery Ellingham in 1493 of 4 marks a year and 23 £ acres of land and a house, producing , £30 yearly·, which sum is applied towards the repairs of the church. The soil is heavy ; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat and barley . The area is 1,396 acres ; rateable value, "1,216 ; the population in 1891 was 256.
Parish Clerk, Walter Crick. Post Office. Herbert Arthur Hall, sub-postmaster. Letters through Diss, arrive at 8.45 a.m. dispatched at 5.10 p.m. week days only. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid. The nearest money order & telegraph office is at Kenninghall, 3 miles distant. Pillar Boxes cleared at 4.5 p.m. & 5.3o P.m. week days only, A School Board of 5 members was formed December 20, 1872 ; Isaac Vertigen, New Buckenham, clerk to the board & attendance officer Board School, for 50 children ; average attendance, 33 : Mrs. Emma Eliza Wade, mistress

Surname	Christian Name	Occupation	Address
Woodcock	Mrs		Algar House
Barker	Walter George Stanton	Farmer
Bean	John	Farmer
Berry	Frederick	Farmer
Brasnett	Walter Thomas	Farmer
Bullock	Charles	Farmer & Shopkeeper
Cox	Charles	Beer Retailer
Eaton	Frederick	Farmer
Garrood	Fuller	Farmer
Gray	Earnest	Farmer
Hall	George W.	Farmer
Hardy	Robert	Farmer
Hoskins	Charles Snr.	Farmer
Hoskins	Charles Jnr.	Farmer
Newstead	Frederick	Farmer
Reynolds	George	Farm Baliff to Duke of Norfolk K.G.
Robinson	Caleb	Farmer & Beer Retailer
Soar	William	Farmer
Spurdens	William	Assistant Overseer
Spurling	Robert	Farmer
Websdale	Clement	Farmer

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KELLYS - 1925

FERSFIELD is a village and parish, 5 miles northwest from Diss station on the Ipswich and Norwich section of the London and North Eastern railway, in the Southern division of the county, Diss Hundred, Petty sessional division and county court district, Depwade union, rural deanery of Redenhall, archdeaconry of Norfolk and diocese of Norwich. The church of St. Andrew, rebuilt by Sir Robert and William Du Blois, is an ancient building of flint in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave, south aisle, south porch and a western tower containing one bell: there are marble monuments to the founders and a marble slab to the Rev. Francis Blomefield B.A. : rector here for 23 years, who died I5 Jan. 1751: the communion plate includes a chalice and paten believed to date from the time of Queen Elizabeth : there are 170 sittings. The register dates from the year I565. The living is a rectory, net income , £255, including 60 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of Mrs. C. E. H.. Woode, and held since 1911 by the Rev. Charles Edward Woode M.A. of Corpus Christie College, Cambridge. There is a Primitive Methodist chapel, erected in 1891. Francis Blomefield, the distinguished antiquary, and author of the well known " History of Norfolk," was born here 23 July1705: his great work was originally printed in the dining room of the present rectory, and stored in the tithe barn on the site of the present coachhouse : it was published in 1739-95, and afterwards reprinted in I805-10, by Mr. William Miller. of London in eleven large volumes. Blomefield was instituted to this living I3th September, I729, and held it till his death in 1751. The trustees of the Duke of Norfolk: (who is a minor) are lords of the manor and chief landowners. A charity was left by Jeffery Ellingham in 1493 of 4 marks a year and 23 acres of land and a house. producing , £25 yearly, which sum is applied towards the repairs of the church. The soil is heavy ; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat and barley. The area is 1,396 acres ; rateable value, £1,509 , the population 1n 1921 was 187.
Sexton, Ambrose Crick. Post Office. Herbert Arthur Ha11, sub-postmaster. through Diss, Norfolk:. Kenninghall, 3 mile distant, is the nearest money order & telegraph office Public Elementary School, for 56 children ; Miss Jessie Bullen, mistress

Surname	Christian Name	Occupation	Address
Woodcock	Mrs		Algar House
Woodcock	Rev. Charles Edward B.A.	Rector	The Rectory
Bale	George	Farmer
Boggis	Arthur William	Assistant Overseer & Blacksmith
Brasnett	Arthur Leslie	Farmer
Brasnett	Walt. Thos	Large Farmer	Hall Farm
Burrows	Charles	Farmer
Carver	Thomas	Farmer
Fickling	Arthur	Farmer
Garland	Willie George	Farmer
Hoskins	Harry	Thrashing Machine Prop.	Oak Cottage
Hoskins	Mrs Rose	Beer Retailer
Lond	Reginald Charles	Farmer	Wash Farm
Lyon	John & Albert	Farmers	Common Farm
Mills	William	Shopkeeper
Newstead	Earnest Frederick	Farmer
Oakley	William	Farmer
Rampley	Henry	Farmer
Ramsey	Arthur John	Farmer
Rivett	George	Farmer	Willow Farm
Robinson	Caleb	Farmer
Seaman	Jas. Wm.	Farmer	Mill House
Soar	William	Farmer
Thorndyke	Albert	Farmer
Websdale	Clement	Farmer