Diss Family History Group

FERSFIELD is a village and parish 5 miles north-west from Diss station on the Ipswich and Norwich section of the Great 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 15 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 1565. The living is a rectory, tithe rent-charge commuted at £360, average £267, net income £222, including 60 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of and held since 1878 by the Rev. Arthur Braithwaite, of St. Bees. 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 barn 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 13th September, 1729, 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, £1,250; the population in 1891 was 256.
Parish Clerk, Waiter Crick.
Post Office. - Herbert Arthur Hall, sub-postmaster. Letters through Diss, arrive at 8.45 a.m.; dispatched at 5.15 p. m. week days only. Postal orders are issued here : but not paid. The nearest money order & telegraph office is at Kenninghall
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, 24; Mrs. Page, mistress

Braithwaite Rev. Arthur, Rectory
Woodcock Mrs. Algar house
COMMERCIAL.
Barker Waiter George Stanton, farmer
Bean John, farmer
Brasnett Waiter Thomas, farmer Fersfield hall
Bullock Charles, farmer & shopkeeper
Cox Charles, beer retailer
Eaton Frederick, farmer
Garrood :Fuller, farmer
Garrood John, farmer
Grenwood Matthew Bennett, farmer
Hall George W. farmer
Hardy Robert, farmer
Haskins Charles, sen. farmer
Hoskins Charles, jun. farmer
Hoskins Henry, farmer
Milson Henry, blacksmith
Newstead .Frederick, farmer
Reynolds George, farm bailiff to the Duke of Norfolk K.G
Robinson Caleb, farmer & beer retailer
Soar William, farmer
Spurling Robert, farmer
Witham Richard, farmer