RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Norfolk => Topic started by: Petles on Saturday 21 May 16 22:09 BST (UK)
-
Hi,
I wonder if anybody would be able to let me know whether Walcot House still exists, and to the exact location in Walcot Green, Diss. A photo past or present would be even better.
My mother was evacuated there in 1939 just prior to WW2, where she lived with a Alice Wallis and her father Harry Rice. The latest record I have located is that of the Will of Harry Rice which states he lived at Walcot House when he died in 1943, his daughter Alice died in 1979 and quite possibly was still living there at the time of her death.
Any information would be great as I intend to visit Diss in September plus the relevant Norfolk record office to track down any info.
-
Google maps shows up a Walcott Hall Nursing home in Walcott Green.
Yours is definitely Walcott House?
Perhaps a virtual stroll around on google street view may find it?
-
Walcot House still exists, according to properties for sale Walcot Green Diss, includes a map.
The property was last sold 1995 and is not for sale.
-
Many thanks for the replies, yes it is Walcot House and not Walcot Hall, from the Will of Harry Rice it states his address as Walcot House in 1943.
I have driven down Walcot Green on Google Maps and I am unable to see Walcot House, that said there are a number of properties which appear up long drives, and there are no names on the front gate etc
-
Looks like William Manning lived there too, in 1820.
http://linnean-online.org/63518/
The Manning's were a wealthy Diss family.
I live in Diss, and my dentist's secretary lives on Walcot Green. I'll try to help.
BugBear
-
Found it - (boots on ground, or at least cycle wheels).
Edit; scroll to the right.
BugBear
-
Aerial shots, from the Norfolk CC map site
BugBear
-
Diss Express - Friday 08 November 1940
BugBear
-
Diss Express - Friday 06 November 1942
Edit; digging back, Alice was Married to a Fred Roope. Alice was 65 at death, so B 1941-65=1876
FreeBMD gives a Jun 1900 marriage; Alice Garrod to Frederick James Roope, Depwade 4b/401
FreeBMD gives a Mar 1955 death for Roope, Frederick J 80, Norwich, 4b/806; he was living at Church Walk, Pulham Market at the time.
BugBear
-
Diss Express - Friday 30 July 1943 (birth 1943-84=1859)
"Meeting house" is presumably the Friends Meeting House, Frenze Rd, so Harry Rice may well have been a Quaker.
Edit; probate was granted to Benjamin Victor James Stratfold, Engineers Cashier; £265
Edit2; looks like a son in law, from this marriage in FreeBMD;
Marriages Sep 1926 Rice Mary E Stratfold Thetford 0 4b 851
Marriages Sep 1926 Stratfold Benjamin V J Rice Thetford 0 4b 851
Births Mar 1897 Rice Mary Ellen Depwade 0 4b 244
BugBear
-
Diss Express - Friday 09 August 1946
BugBear
-
Diss Express - Friday 28 January 1955
BugBear
-
Diss Express - Friday 02 September 1955
BugBear
-
Side by side is good:
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sidebyside.cfm#zoom=17&lat=52.3845&lon=1.1227&layers=171&right=BingHyb
-
Speaking as a family historian, I was unspeakably ecstatic when the BNA put up my local paper, the Diss Express.
Frankly, it takes some of the sport out of it. :)
BugBear
-
If Alice Wallis's father was Harry Rice (per the OP), this looks like the marriage;
Marriages Jun 1913 Rice Alice E Wallis Depwade 0 4b 405
Marriages Jun 1913 Wallis George Rice Depwade 0 4b 405
That just leave Mrs Cooper, and Husband "H Cooper" to ID.
BugBear
-
Got it;
Marriages Sep 1930 Cooper Harry E Rice Thetford 0 4b 851
Marriages Sep 1930 Rice Laura Cooper Thetford 0 4b 851
BugBear
-
Hi Bugbear & Ruskie, many thanks for all the information the map showing the location of Walcot House is brilliant, when I come upto Norfolk for my hols in Sept I intend to visit Walcot Green and take some photo's of Walcot House. You are dead right about the Quaker connection, when my mother stayed with Mrs Wallis Sundays were very strict and quiet, the day was spent reading, and confined to ones room, then singing hymns in the evening.
The news paper clips are excellent and give a little into the life at that time in the 1950's.
Prior to my mother dying, I knew very little of her life in Diss as an evacuee aged 13-18 prior to WW2, she only ever referred to Alice Wallis as 'Mrs Wallis' and there was an older gentlemen which I now know as Harry Rice her father.
Alice Wallis was a widow her husband George came from London where she also worked as a domestic marrying in 1913, he was killed on 9/12/1918 Royal Garrison Artillery in France. From the military records it would appear that she moved back to Diss to her parents house after her husbands death in 1920's.
My next aim is to try and find out what school my mother Joyce Chudley b1925 may have attended as the National 1939 Register shows her being a scholar aged 13, one suspects it must have been a school very local to Diss?
Again thanks for all the effort especially the cycle reconnaissance trip.
-
Again thanks for all the effort especially the cycle reconnaissance trip.
You're welcome. And - (shucks) - it wasn't even a special trip; it was my daily cycle to work, 2½ miles on back roads.
I did take a camera though.
BugBear