January 29th 1911

Herbert Gatling aged 22, a pawnbrokers assistant of Sudbury was summoned by Laura Cattarwell of Belchamp Walter to show cause etc. The complainant said she formerly lived in Sudbury and that on the 28th of October had given birth to a male child, she alleged that defendant was the father. Defendant said that helped her several times with sums of money since the birth and had given her £ 1 1s and had for some time contributed 2s 6d a week but had recently left off, he had been a frequent visitor to her house before and after the birth, he said his wages were 12s 6d a week. 3s a week until the child was 14 and 7s costs

January 29th 1911

One of the barge horses used in towing the barges belonging to Messrs Allen of Sudbury, while attempting to jump on to a barge slipped and fell into the river at Bures, despite strenuous efforts by the bargemen it was drowned.

January 9th 1911

The death took place at Bures of Herbert Pilgrim aged 10 years old son of George Pilgrim of Bures. It appears that the little fellow was assisting to turn the cows belonging to Mr Chambers from the street into the yard when he was knocked down by a cow, he did not complain in any way but died the next day. Compression of the brain

February 8th 1911

At the meeting of Belchamp Council, the chairman asked what had been done about the water supply at the Plough Inn at Belchamp St Pauls, Mr H.S.Oliver said the matter was in hand and arrangements had been made to sink a well close by.

February 15th 1911

Fred Pawsey and William Bruce of Alpheton were summoned by Frederick Branwhite for day time trespass in search of game.
Fred Cross the underkeeper for Sir John Aird of Kentwell, said he saw defendants hunting with dogs in a hedge and meadow, he asked them their names but they would not tell him. Dismissed with the payment of 3s and warned to be more careful in future.

February 22nd 1911

The death of Miss Anna Palmer, formerly of Lyston Hall has been reported. She was the daughter of Sir Ralph Palmer C.I. of Madras and sister of the late Col Palmer of Lyston Hall. She was a lady of great benevolence who spent much of her time uplifting the poor, the funeral was at Beckenham.

March 1st 1911

Messrs Balls and Balls, the agents for Belchamp Hall Estate in conjuction with Mr Charles Ray have offered a reward of £ 10 for information leading to the conviction of persons concerned in the recent fires at St Mary's farm and Hopkins Farm.

March 8th 1911

At a meeting of Belchamp Rural Council, Dr Holden said at the request of the Council he had visited Bower Hall at Pentlow as there had been two or three sudden deaths on the premises which were situated near the river, the wife of the occupier had died some years ago with phtisis and three children had also succumbed from the disease which was of a tubercular origin. The house was dry and large rooms, he did not think the house had anything to do with it but that there were hereditary tendencies in the family.

March 8th 1911

A farmer at Feltwell was fined £ 2 2s for laying poisoned grain laced with strychtine on his land. He had recently dispatched 80 dozen larks to the London market for human consumption, and lately 20 dozen for which he received 1s 9d a dozen, some were sent to France.

March 17th 1911

There was a lamentable accident on Friday afternoon at farm belonging to Mrs Oates at Gestingthorpe when Albert Martin aged 16 years was killed accidentally. On Friday afternoon after the men had finished dipping when the deceased ran with great force against a fence where there was a pair of shears hanging on a hurdle, the blades entered to a depth of 3-4 inches and the boy never spoke again despite skillful treatment by the village nurse, Miss Wood. At the inquest, Enoch Martin of Belchamp Walter said the boy was his son and he worked at Gestingthorpe Hall. James Le Bean, shepherd, said that they had finished dipping the sheep in the Hall yard and according to custom those who had been dipping for the first time would also be dipped, they told deceased that he would be dipped, witness said he caught the boy by his legs and Charles Martin caught him bt the shoulders, they did not intend to dip the boy, deceased backed away from the tub and backed into a pair of shears hanging on a hurdle, he pulled him away and the shears came out but he died within a quarter of an hour. Accidental, no blame attached to the men.

March 22nd 1911

East Essex Hunt held a point to point of 3 races at Butlers farm, Bulmer, on Tuesday, the course was excellent. Sudbury presented a lively appearance on the morning with the influx of people and horses, jockeys and bookies, the G.E.R had laid on a special train to Sudbury from Colchester, several thousand spectators took their stand overlooking the course.

April 5th 1911

For sale. The Ark Farm at Cavendish. A small occupation of 16 acres with house and buildings. The present occupier is Mr Cornell.

April 5th 1911

At a meeting of Belchamp R.D.C., Dr Holden said there are now five nurses and maternity nurses in the five villages, more of these hygienic helpers are much needed, there was one in every parish.

April 19th 1911

A horse belonging to Messrs Garrett and Company of Cavendish was killed in unusual circumstances in the goods yard at Sudbury station on Monday morning. The carter, George Dare, came into the yard with a two horse van containing 35 coombs of malt and backed up to the truck leaving the van slightly on the lock, he commenced to unload and had only got 6 coombs off when the van capsized, the fore part falling on to one of the horses killing it immediately. It is thought that the horse fell asleep which it had done before or had a fit, in falling it pulled the van over. Mr Garrett was at once summoned and he had the horse removed, he attributes no blame to anyone, the horse was a valuable one having been bought for £ 50 only 12 months ago.

April 26th 1911

Miss L.Walsh, a teacher at Belchamp Walter school was cycling home to Bures on Friday night and was riding down Kitchen Hill at Bulmer when a child dashed across the road, she applied the brakes and fell incurring slight injuries.

April 26th 1911

On Saturday evening two uninhabited cottages situated on the Gestingthorpe road at Belchamp Walter were destroyed by a fire, they were the property of Mr T.Lawrence. Shortly after nine in the evening the daughter of Mr E. Martin saw a glow through the window. A cottage nearby is built of brick and tile. The houses are near Largess farm in the occupation of Mr E.Tibrook, and is about 120 yards away, the farm had a narrow escape as burning thatch settled on the roofs but did not catch alight. This is the 8th case of incendiarism in the locality and is causing much uneasiness in the village

May 10th 1911

A large number of representatives of local councils and principal residents in the neighbourhood witnessed the opening of the new bridge ot Rodbridge. The bridge was tested first by one stean engine then two abreast and finally by three engines weighing over 35 tons. The operations for recording the vibrations and deflections were recorded by the constructors in a punt under the bridge, there was only a quarter of an inch deflection.

May 24th 1911

Ambrose Suttle a labourer of Glemsford was summoned by Joseph Copsey for stealing one fowl. Inspector Double said he was on duty near Glebe farm, Tye Green, when he heard fowls making a lot of noise, he saw defendant coming out of the fowl house. Defendant who pleaded guilty said what else is a man to do when he cannot find work.
10s.

May 24th 1911

Cavendish Parish is known throughout the Kingdom because of it's association with the honourable families of Devonshires and Colts, two great families of the old days. The Cavendish residence at Overhall is now represented by an apple tree in the grounds of the Rectory, it still has the remmants of a moat round it, the present manor is now used as the institute. The Colts had several houses, Colt was the Chancellor of the Exchequer to Edward IV and lived at Greys which is now the home of Dr Waring while Colt's Hall is occupied by Mr Ray of Clare.
Nether Hall seems to have been part of the estate. A painting with a view of the green as approached from Clare was the subject an academy award a few years ago by Mr Ye?nd King.

June 7th 1911

Death at Bulmer of Mr Ezekeil Eldred the village postman and blacksmith.

June 7th 1911

At the ploughing match at Goldingham Hall, Bulmer, the best team was won by Mr Malyon of Gestingthorpe, 15s-2nd Mr Blacker of Goldingham, horseman S.Carter, 10s-3rd Mr Blacker, horseman G.Chatters, 5s- Ploughman, John Messent for Col Burke £ 1-5s, 2nd William Martin for Mrs Oates, 17s 6d,-3rd Walter Eaves for Mr Courtnell 10s. Second Class--James Rowe for Col Burke £ 1-2nd G.Bunn for Col Burke, 10s-3rd G.Rippingale for Mrs Oates 5s,-4th George Chatters for Mr Blacker 5s. Mrs Oates who presented the prizes was thanked by Mr Laurence Parker.

June 21st 1911

The death has occurred of Mrs H.Ruse of Melford through heart disease. She was the second daughter of Mr Frederick Aschurch of Plumridge Farm, Barnet, she has been ill for several years but was always of a bright and sunny disposition.

June 28th 1911

William Smith of Belchamp Walter was summoned for using indecent language. P.C.Robinson said he was on duty near the Eight Bells Inn when he heard defendant using filthy language and staggering about and was wanting to fight. Defendant said he had suffered sunstroke sometime ago and whenever he had a little beer it went to his head. 5s with 5s costs.

June 28th 1911

William Dyson and Ernest and Arthur Laver of Tilbury were summoned for assaulting Francis Ruggles of the same place. Ruggles said he was in the Bell Inn which his brother kept and left at 10-15, he saw defendants outside and accompanied them some way up the road when without provocation Dyson struck him in the face, the other two also hit him, witness was lying on the ground when his brother heard him and came to his rescue, they attacked his brother who shook them off and hit one them. Dyson 2s 6d and the other two 1s each with 4s 6d costs.

June 28th 1911

Death at Gestingthorpe of Mr Nathan Coe of Delvyns farm.
Deceased had a grown up family and a young wife and child. Death was due to blood poisoning, Mr Coe was the son in law of Marshall Andrews of Sudbury.

July 5th 1911

For sale at Alphampstone and Lamarsh-Upper Goulds Farm, 52 acres in occupation of Mr Abram Coe.

July 12th 1911

25 tons of sawn wood for sale at Belchamp Walter. Mr Oliver Pearsons of Springate farm will weigh to the purchaser.

August 9th 1911

There was an inquest on the body of Alice Lagden aged three years, the daughter of Reuben Lagden, a horseman of Foxearth. The father giving evidence said that about 12-45 on Saturday afternoon he was working in the stackyard at Lower Hall, Foxearth, there was a meadow opposite and about ten minutes before the accident he saw his child with her sister aged seven years and some other girls playing in the meadow, there were three waggons beside the stack, two loaded and one empty, they were carrying corn, they were in the charge of himself and two other men, his attention was attracted by a child crying, he jumped off the stack and found his own child lying on the ground, he ran to a neighbour to summon Dr Ritchie but he was not at home, Mr Ward drove them in his motor to Clare and saw Dr Piggot who found the child breathing heavily and with a laceration over it's left eye. Mr Ward put his car at their disposal and drove them to St Leonards Hospital where the child expired at about 7-30. Dr Piggot said that the child had been kicked by a horse and it was unlikely that it had been run over. Accidental with no blame.

August 9th 1911

The marriage of the Rev Henry Bull of Borley and Mrs Brackenbury the widow of Harold Brackenbury will take place in London on September 12th.

August 9th 1911

It is reported that the long drought has caused severe consequences in villages that rely on natural supplies for their water, 5 or 6 wells in Belchamp St Pauls have dried up including the new well sunk by the District Council at cost of £ 30.

August 30th 1911

At a meeting of the Petty Sessions, Mr Mauldon said that the Bell Inn at Lt Cornard which had been destroyed by fire has been compltely rebuilt. The tenant, Miss Jane Bell was so afffected by the fire she could not continue and she asked the bench if the licence could be transferred to her nephew Ernest Reeve. Granted.

August 30th 1911

Mr J.Pettit has bought the former Greyhound Inn at Glemsford for £ 185, the licence having been refused.

August 30th 1911

Sale of live and dead stock at the Rookery, Belchamp Walter on behalf of Mr Corder.

September 20th 1911

At a meeting of Belchamp R.D.C., the Rev Bull said that further cases of scarlet fever had broken out in Pentlow, he asked Dr Holden whether he could trace the outbreaks, he replied that it could have come frm Cavendish, after discussion it was agreed to give the owners of certain cottages that the supply of privies was insufficient for the number of cottages and that the position of some of the conveniences were objectionable and called upon them to make other arrangements. The main sewer and ditch at Foxearth is to be cleaned out, this work is done annually at the expence of the village. A licence to store 100 gallons of petrol at Foxearth was granted to Mr Ward.
September 27th 1911. Sale of Live and Dead Stock at Rookery Farm, Belchamp Walter. By direction of Mr Corder the incoming tenenat is Mr R. Mauldon.

October 4th 1911

Sale of Live and Dead Stock at Acton and Melford. At Cuckoo Tye and Clarkes the Tye and Bull Lane Farm by directions of the exhors of the late Mr H.G.Deeks. The incoming tenants are-Mr R.Wade at Bull Lane and Mr J.Miller at Cuckoo Tye and Clark's. Also at Cutbush Farm, Belchamp St Pauls by directions of the Exhors of Dr J.Barnes, also at Shearing Place, Belchamp St Pauls, the household goods of Mr B.Gardiner who is going abroad.

October 11th 1911

Live and Dead stock at Robbs Farm, Wales End, Cavendish by directions of Mr Norton who's family have been tenants for 100 years, the incoming tenant is Mr Billingson.

October 11th 1911

A small Girls Training Home at Rodbridge Hill House at Melford was dedicated by The Lord Bishop of Ely.

October 18th 1911

There was an inquiry at Belchamp Otten to consider whether the school at Belchamp Otten should be kept open.

October 11th 1911

At A meeting of Belchamp Rural Council, the surveyor said the shelter at Gestingthorpe would not now be required and should be taken down and stored. The Rev Bromwich said that the woman who had wanted her daughter to go there had now agreed to for her to be kept at the sanatorium for three months. A tender of £ 4-5s for the repair of a culvert at Belchamp St Pauls by Mr Wm Bareham of Clare was accepted.

November 1st 1911

Wheat at Sudbury market was in short supply making up to 35s 6d. November 22nd-Batt Hall beerhouse for sale, contains grocer's shop, large bakehouse, in occupation of Wm Robinson at a rent O £ 9 per annum.

November 29th 1911

George Reeve and Alfred Wicks, labourers of Belchamp Walter were charged with stealing 11 cabbages, valued at 11d from a farm at Gestingthorpe belonging to Mr Thomas Taylor. Lily Everitt aged 16 years, a servant of Belchamp Walter was charged with stealing 2s 6d from Mary Borrow of St Mary's Hall, Belcham Walter. Mrs Borrow, mother of Mary Borrow expressed a wish that she should be dealt with severely as she had been forgiven for the same offence once before. Probation and bound over in the sum of £ 5.

December 13th 1911

Dr Holden told a meeting of Belchamp Rural Council that he regretted the recent report of the death of a girl a Foxearth from cerebal spinal meningitis, in answer to Col Burke he said it was also called spotted fever.

January 12th 1912

Arthur Jackson of Melford was summoned by Samuel Orger, a farm bailiff from Lyston for assault. Complainant said that he had been to Mr Stafford Allen's farm at Parson's Farm at Melford and was descending Cranmore hill when defendant stepped from behind a muck hill and struck him. Bound over in the sum of £ 5.

February 7th 1912

While sliding on a pond in Cavendish called the " Waves", Fred Carter the son of George Carter the jeweller, had a nasty fall and fractured his wrist.

March 6th 1912

Dr Holden said he had spoken to the oldest resident in Pentlow and he remembers 22 cottages that had been pulled down and only two had been built, the chairman at a meeting of B.R.D.C.said that if you built a cottage you only got 1© per cent for your money and people were chary of investing their money. The Sanitary Inspector said that the shelter at Gestingthorpe had been re-erected and put in a satisfactory condition with a bedsted and bedding, this came to £ 1 5s 2d.

March 20th 1912

There was an inquest at Melford on the death of George Mitchell, a horse shunter at Melford station who met with an fatal accident. Laura Mitchell said deceased was her husband aged 48 years and employed by Mr J.W.Byford as a shunter at Melford station. John Levett, stationmaster said deceased was employed by Mr Byford but took his orders from the stationmaster. William Messenger, goods yard foreman, said he saw deceased on the day, he was uncoupling a truck, he did not see him for a minute or two but three trucks were in motion, when he next saw him he was lying on his back, there should be a man and a boy doing the shunting but deceased was on his own. Accidental but the coroner to write to the G.E.R. pointing out that regulations were not conformed to.