The Welney Website
The Markham family of Welney
page created February 2006; last updated Wednesday, 05 August 2015
INTRODUCTION
The Markham family moved to Tipps End, Welney, in 1947 or 48 when Mr Fred Markham became tenant at White Hall Farm, a 50 or 60-acre holding on the 'Welney Estate' formed by Norfolk County Council (NCC) in 1910.He had previously held the tenancy of the Council Farm, Manea Runs (bungalow next to current one at Burgess Farm) which despite being in Cambridgeshire was also part of the same estate.
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This page is part of the Welney Website Archives, an
important resource for local historians. |
White Hall Farm
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The farmhouse and paddocks c1970. Note cattle centre left in a field known as "the graze" stuated between the house and March Road . Mains water was installed in 1952 (?). Until then, rainwater was was collected from the roof and stored in two underground concrete tanks (catch-pits), and drawn up by hand-pump for drinking cooking and washing. One tank was in the front garden, the other at the back of the house underneath the long outbuilding. |
| photo: courtesy Charlotte & Peter Cox. | Text © Peter Cox 2006 |
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A fuzzy enlargement of part of the photo above showing iron railings around the front
garden to keep out cattle. Note: on left, railings around side window of extension, cattle drinking trough and gate across track. The 'front' door is on the extension. The door on the right was the kitchen door. |
| photo: courtesy Charlotte & Peter Cox. | Text © Peter Cox 2006 |
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Another 1970s photo, but earlier than the ones above and below - here there is a chimney
stack on the right end of main roof, and more pots on the extension stack. The kitchen door is different too; here are two lower panels, below, three. Also, this doesn't show the downpipe on the left of the extension seen on the others. |
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| Text © Peter Cox 2006 | photo: courtesy of Patsy Markham (wife of Ian) |
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A winter view of the house as it was in 1978. On the right is the lean-to scullery and the
separate wash-house. Mains water was installed in the early 1950s. (1952?). Until then, rainwater was was collected from the roof and stored in two underground concrete tanks (catch-pits), and drawn up by hand-pump for drinking cooking and washing. One tank was in the front garden, the other at the back of the house underneath an outbuilding. |
| photo © 1978 Henry Bond & Son, and William H. Brown & Son, Auctioneers & Estate Agents. From sale brochure courtesy Charlotte & Peter Cox. | Text © Peter Cox 2006 |
A Sunday visitor
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"The graze" - the cattle pasture adjoining White Hall Farmhouse (the field on the left of the house on the photos above).
Looking west from the farmhouse towards the March Road and the rear of Holly House.
The woman looks as though she is in her 'Sunday best', surely not normal milking clothes, and the sparkling galvanised bucket looks brand new. Perhaps she was just visiting? And would she get much milk from these cattle? |
| photo: courtesy Miss Amy Markham, MBE. | Text © Peter Cox 2006 |
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The same view on a dull and very chilly day in late May 2006. Compare this photo with the one above. On the far side of March Road there is a bungalow (Isle Farm, ex-NCC) facing Holly House (built 1911, also ex-NCC), and electricity and telephone lines, and the crop is sugar beet, so another muddy winter in prospect for the current occupants of White Hall Farmhouse. When were the bungalows built? (1958?) Who were the original tenants? When did electricity & phones come? |
| photo: Peter Cox. | Text © Peter Cox 2006 |
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Ah, now we know what that nice clean bucket was for! Aunt Ros with Beryl and Hazel
Markham. This is the same field but looking north west, to the right of the view above. The house on the left is White Hall Cottage on March Road (ex NCC, built 1920-ish ?). The shed was dismantled long ago, and the cottage has been re-named Almathea. The white farm buildings on the right are still there. |
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| Text © Peter Cox 2006 | photo and names: courtesy Miss Amy Markham, MBE. |
Aunt Ros and the Markham children
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The Markham children with their aunt, left to right: Keith, Dennis being held by Blanche with Olive & Len below, Aunt Ros (rear centre) with Hazel and Beryl below, Rosalind (rear), Malcolm (below), Bernie (with glasses), Amy (back), Ian (below), and a neighbour, Bernie Brighton. There are 12 Markham children here. There was also June and Andrew (the youngest). |
| photo courtesy Miss Amy Markham, MBE. | Names: Miss Amy Markham |
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left to right: back: Blanche, Aunt Ros, Amy, Rosalind. front: Olive, Hazel, and Beryl. |
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| Names: Miss Amy Markham | photo courtesy Miss Amy Markham, MBE. |
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It's that Aunt again!
here with the boys |
| photo courtesy Miss Amy Markham, MBE. | Names: Miss Amy Markham |
Fred Markham retired in 1976, and he and some of his family moved to a bunglow in New Road Welney in 1977.
The land part of the holding was re-distributed to other tenants, but the house remained unoccupied for a couple of years. In 1978 the Council decided to sell the house as there were no prospective new tenants. There is more about the house on the Tipps End page.
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Acknowledgements: Sources as noted. Text, design and layout: Peter Cox © 2014 Welney Website |