Harrison Family
Harrison Family
William A Harrison recollections, dated 22nd September 1946.
Mr. Robert Robertson who died March 8th 1842, was my mother’s father, he was killed in the Mill and was buried in Sprowston Churchyard. There is no Robertson children living, Robert the eldest son lost his wife and child at the end of the year after marriage, Robert left Sprowston, Clifford took over (bought) the Oulton Broad Mill.
William Alfred Robertson left Sprowston and purchased a Mill at Lowestoft, near the Parish Church, he had one son who left this country for America when he was a young man and died out there, (this is what I have been told.)
Mrs. Herbert Parker of Pakefield is a daughter of Juliannah, the late Mrs. Carter’s mother. Dorothy Parker, the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Parker, was left a legacy of £500.00 in the `Will` of Sussanah, her Aunt (and my Aunt too). I was appointed with the late Mr. Henry R Culley, the Lawyer, Trustee under the Will, Mr. H.R. Culley died some years ago and his son in law Mr. G.W. Barnard, Surrey Street. Norwich, who is a solicitor took over the business, I agreed to be appointed Co-Trustee in the place of H.R. Culley deceased.
Both Robert William and William Alfred carried on business for a number of years, Robert at Oulton Broad and William at Lowestoft, each of them had Tower Windmills.
The Sprowston Mill belonged to my grandmother. During her life, after the Mill tragedy, George Rockhill rented it from his mother, the business was his own, and he lived at Sprowston until his death on May 1st 1884.
So much, for the Robertson and Rockhill families, and now the Harrison’s.
The Harrison’s were farmers for several generations in Sprowston, they farmed White House Farm and Harrison’s Meadow (Blue Boar Lane) and it is known as Harrison’s Meadow to this day.
The family vault in Sprowston churchyard contains several generations of the departed Harrison’s, I saw it opened when my father was buried in February 1898 and previously to this, his twin brother Edmund in 1885, it is now quite full and no more room in it. You know it is situated close to the tower with iron railings round it; they all at the farm took great interest in Church matters.
There are a lot of the Harrison farmers scattered over Norfolk, cousins and their families, Lingwood, Oby, Acle, Ormesby, Limpenhoe. Etc, I went to school at Blofield. William Robertson of Stratton St Michael post mill was the eldest son of William Robertson and Mary Scarffe of Hethersett. William junior's brother George took over the running of Hethersett Great Melton Road post mill in 1829, from their father who took over the mill from his father-in-law John Scarffe in 1790.
Robert Robertson took over at Market Hill mill in Great Yarmouth before moving to Sprowston.
Abraham Robertson took over the lease of Deopham smock mill on 18th September 1826.
Elizabeth Robertson married John Hastings who was running Starston post mill in 1854. Susan Robertson married George Willis, a miller & baker from Mendlesham, Suffolk. John, Simon, David and Samuel Robertson do not appear to have become millers. John Robertson's son George Wilby Robertson worked in one of the Upper Hellesdon and one of the Gayton windmills.
Robert's Robertson's oldest daughter, Elizabeth, married a William Harrison of Sprowston. Elizabeth's sons worked Oulton Broad, Gisleham, Wangford and Sprowston mills. Her oldest son Robert William helped at Sprowston Post Mill after his father was crushed to death and he later bought a mill at Oulton Broad. Her next son, George, continued the family line at Sprowston and her youngest son, William Alfred, was an apprentice at a Wymondham mill and a journeyman at Great Bentley, Essex and he later owned St Margaret's Church Mill in Lowestoft. Abraham's son William Proctor Robertson worked a mill in Eaton.
William Harrison and his wife Elizabeth (nee Robertson), daughter of Robert Robertson.
Sprowston Postmill at Christmas.
L to R Clara, daughter of Elizabeth and William Harrison Mill House ~ 1860`s.
Clifford, Daniel, Albert, Edmund, William, George and Robert Sons of Elizabeth and William Harrison. Date not known.
A family picnic. Place and date not known ?
L to R. William Harrison, Rachel Harrison, Aunt ?, Horace (John), wife and baby, note the plate leaning against the table leg.
William A Harrison and Rachel, his wife.
Norfolk British Legion, Horace (John) Harrison middle row 2nd left.
Horace (John) and family on the Broads, date early1920`s.
William A Harrison family tree.
Rychard Haryson born 1520 ancestral Tree.
Australian Harrison Family
Clifford Rockhill Harrison.
Edmund Albert Harrison.
Harrison`s Cottage
We know that there has been a property on this site for many centuries, possibly one of the few that were originally on the extended Mousehold Heath. This has been a brief examination; an expert in this field may be able to determine a more exact date of the age of Building(s) that are on this site. The outside walls show some cracks that would need some attention; also the chimneys may need looking at, as well. It would be a shame if this building were to be demolished, situated as it is on this picturesque plot, which most people admire from Blue Boar Lane. Perhaps this view could be saved, if and when the Planner’s decide on this part of the estate. It is a simple farm building, in Georgian Style, which may have been at one time a simple two up and two down thatched cottage. We have been informed by a resident of Sprowston, that in the 1950`s two thatched cottages, of the two up and two down variety, built of flint and brick, as seen at Wilks Farm, were demolished. These two cottages were alongside the No 17 property and were one of twelve properties on the estate. This would explain the number of flint cobbles that can be seen situated around the garden and in the Hedgerows. This property is situated on a plot of land on Harrison’s Meadow, Blue Boar Lane. The earliest map reference we have is from a Blackwell family estate map of 1770, which shows two properties on this plot. The site is also shown on a map that dates from after 1785, when the Morse family had the Manor. It is also shown on the Enclosure Act-Tithe map dated 1801. Part of this Estate, which includes this plot, was once part of Mousehold Heath when it extended as far as Plumstead. The plot of land is not far from one of the ancient cart tracks “Horning Ferry Way” that went across Mousehold from Norwich to Horning Ferry.
Harrison Cottage, Harrison`s Meadow, was the land that the Harrison family farmed.
Harrison Cottage, Harrison`s Meadow, was the land that the Harrison family farmed.
Another interesting feature that appears on the main wall, well above head height, there are at least three bricks that have been etched with the name “Harrisn” or “Harrison”, one of these also has the mark of a cross alongside the name.
Edmund Harrison
D Harrison
William Harrison
Daniel Harrison
