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In association with the Wensum Advertiser - Fakenham's only free paper
Readers of the Wensum Advertiser, formally the Fakenham and District Sun, will be familiar with our regular Local History Corner articles which have appeared each month since December 2011.
For those who may not receive a printed edition, there is an opportunity here to view the current article as well as those from previous editions |
September 2023
Photo kindly donated by Roland Axman
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This photo from our community archive was taken around 1955 and shows the Reverend Frederick Gunn and his parishioners working together at The Old Rectory in Sculthorpe to make hassocks for their parish church. Notably present are the men, many of whom seem to be acting as good-natured helpers in the process of winding skeins of embroidery wool into balls.
To see more of our local history photos, why not drop in to one of our community archive public sessions? They are held on the last Tuesday of every month in Fakenham Parish Church. Our next public session will be on Tuesday 27th September from 2.00 – 4.00 pm. If you have any photos that could be added to the community archive please bring them along to be scanned: we cover both Fakenham and the surrounding villages. At our monthly sessions you can watch a slide show or look through our huge collection of photos on display boards, laptops, albums and scrapbooks. There’s always lots of enjoyable chat over tea, coffee and biscuits, so please come and join us. A donation of £2 would be much appreciated to help cover our expenses. Details can be found on our News page. Chris Chalk, Secretary, Fakenham & District Community Archive |
August 2023
Photos kindly donated by Peter Boggis and Fakenham Local History Society
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This first photo from our archive was taken in the early 1900s and shows Frederick Hastings’ butcher’s shop on the left, at 24 Norwich Street in Fakenham, a very busy part of town. The second photo shows the tiled wall panel that was uncovered when the butcher’s shop was being renovated. These premises are now The Barbers Shop.
To see more of our local history photos, you’re welcome to drop in to our community archive public sessions which are held on the last Tuesday of every month in the Parish Church, Details can be found on our News page. Chris Chalk, Secretary, Fakenham & District Community Archive |
July 2023
Photo kindly donated by Alastair Robinson
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Some of the photos in our community archive come with very little information, which is when we need help from you! This photo shows a group of staff proudly displaying their ‘Investors in People’ Award. (This government scheme, founded in the 1990s, gave the award to organisations who’ve excelled in people management). We think this is possibly staff at a local care home but have no names, dates or place. Do you recognise anyone in the photo and know where they’re standing? It’d be good if we had more details!
To see more of our local history photos, you’re welcome to drop in to our community archive public sessions which are held on the last Tuesday of every month in the Parish Church, Details can be found on our News page. Chris Chalk, Secretary, Fakenham & District Community Archive Thanks to everyone who contacted us. we now have an article update
The picture shows the owners and staff of Albany House Care home in Bridge Street Fakenham, who are proudly receiving their 'Investors in People' Award in the late 1990s. From the left (1 & 2) are owners Tim and Donna Armitage. (3) Sylvia Baron, (4) unnamed official presenting the award. (5) unnamed. (6) unnamed. (7) Sandra High, née Way, in red uniform. (8) unnamed. (9) Sandra Warnes, née Ashby! in red uniform. (10) unnamed. Albany House, which was later renamed Woodspring House, was converted into a care home in the early 1980s by Tim and Donna Armitage’s parents. Tim and Donna Armitage took over running the home in 1997, retiring in February 2023. The ME CARE GROUP LTD then became the new owners. |
June 2023
Photo kindly donated by Fakenham History Society
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Fakenham's Coronation Memorial Lamp
Fakenham's coronation memorial lamp has been a familiar feature in the town for over 120 years, albeit in a variety of locations. Commissioned by public subscription, the lamp and memorial was designed and constructed in 1902 to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII and the reign of the late Queen Victoria. The ornamental wrought-iron standard and lamp with medallions of repoussé work in copper was supplied by the firm of Barnard & Bishop of Norwich at a cost of over £80. The King's coronation had originally been scheduled for 26th June 1902, but two days before, on 24th June, Edward was diagnosed with appendicitis, so the coronation ceremony had to be rescheduled. Edward VII and Queen Alexandra were eventually crowned at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 9 August 1902. Fakenham's memorial lamp was commemorated the same day, the unveiling being performed by Lady Evelyn Lawrence Jones amongst much pomp and a day of festivities. |
When first erected the memorial featured an elegant hexagonal gas-lit lamp surmounted by an ornate crown. Following the King's death in 1910, the crown was removed. The structure remained in the Market Place complete with its original gas-lamp until the end of WW1, when the war memorial took its place.
A new location for the lamp was eventually found close to the Corn Exchange in Oak Street where it remained for the best part of 50 years. The introduction of a one way system around the cinema in the 1970s forced a further move to a site opposite the newly built library. Finally (after restoration at the turn of the millennium) the Grade II structure was deservedly returned to prominence in the Market Place, where today it stands outside the Red Lion as a reminder of our local history.
A short story describing the events and festivities which took place in the town as Fakenham celebrated the coronation of Edward VII in August 1902, together with a brief account of the lamp's journey around the town can be seen here
To see more of our local history photos, why not drop in to our community archive public sessions, which are held on the last Tuesday of every month in the Parish Church
A new location for the lamp was eventually found close to the Corn Exchange in Oak Street where it remained for the best part of 50 years. The introduction of a one way system around the cinema in the 1970s forced a further move to a site opposite the newly built library. Finally (after restoration at the turn of the millennium) the Grade II structure was deservedly returned to prominence in the Market Place, where today it stands outside the Red Lion as a reminder of our local history.
A short story describing the events and festivities which took place in the town as Fakenham celebrated the coronation of Edward VII in August 1902, together with a brief account of the lamp's journey around the town can be seen here
To see more of our local history photos, why not drop in to our community archive public sessions, which are held on the last Tuesday of every month in the Parish Church
May 2023
Photo kindly donated by Joy Parsons
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This 1970s photo is of a group of schoolchildren from Fakenham Junior School about to leave on a trip to Gressenhall Rural Life Museum (now renamed ‘Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse’) to experience one of the museum’s ‘Victorian Days’ and some old fashioned teaching methods in their replica Victorian classroom. The children dressed in Victorian costume for the day.
To see more of our local history photos, you’re welcome to drop in to our community archive public sessions which are held on the last Tuesday of every month in the Parish Church, Details can be found on our News page. Chris Chalk, Secretary, Fakenham & District Community Archive |
April 2023
Photo kindly donated by Andy Baldwin
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This photo shows a tasty batch of hot cross buns that’s just been taken out of the oven in readiness for Easter celebrations. Mr Donald (Jim) Heppell (right) is shown at his bakery in Hempton with Mr A Sutherland turning out hot cross buns in April 1976. On his retirement in 1978 Mr Heppell celebrated 25 years of trading from the premises overlooking Hempton village green and a total of 47 years in the bakery trade.
To see more of our local history photos, you’re welcome to drop in to our community archive public sessions which are held on the last Tuesday of every month in the Parish Church, Details can be found on our News page. Chris Chalk, Secretary, Fakenham & District Community Archive |
March 2023
Photo kindly donated by John Miller
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This photo shows a view from the top of Hempton Windmill. The bungalow and neat gardens of the Horn’s Row cottages are in the foreground, while the Rectory and Holy Trinity Church can be seen in the distance. The mill, built in 1833, was demolished about 1940, as it was believed the German planes were using it as a landmark to find RAF West Raynham.
To see more of our local history photos, you’re welcome to drop in to our community archive public sessions which are held on the last Tuesday of every month in the Parish Church, Details can be found on our News page. Chris Chalk, Secretary, Fakenham & District Community Archive |
February 2023
Photo kindly donated to Fakenham Local History Society by Janet Woolton
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Our photo this month shows a group of keen Brownies litter-picking in Fakenham Market Place. We’d love to know their names and roughly when the photo was taken, so please get in touch if you recognise anyone.
To see more of our local history, you are welcome to drop in to our community archive public sessions, which are held on the last Tuesday of every month in the Parish Church. Details can be found on our News page. Chris Chalk, Secretary, Fakenham & District Community Archive |
January 2023
Photo kindly donated by Mandy Harbord
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The Hempton Majorettes were a popular group of young girls who danced, marched and twirled their batons at every major local celebration – here they are at a show in Thursford Museum in the 1980s, but in our archive we have also photos of them entertaining people at the annual town carnival, at shows on Fakenham race course and even at the town twinning events in Olivet, France.
To see more of our local history, you are welcome to drop in to our community archive public sessions, which are held on the last Tuesday of every month in the Parish Church. Details can be found on ow News page. Chris Chalk, Secretary, Fakenham & District Community Archive |
© 2011 Fakenham & District Community Archive.
Created in-house by Fakenham & District Community Archive
Created in-house by Fakenham & District Community Archive
