Church Corner
Aerial picture of Church Corner, Jan 2010.
(Pic. copyright Mike Page ).
January. 2015
(Pic. Mike Fordham)
Aerial view looking down Bungay Road with Shotesham Road on the right, 1994. (Pic.L.Fedden).
Winter scene in 1970 The Church Corner 1970.
(Pic. Grace Hogben)
Aerial view of Porch Farm and the old white house
formally the Post Office, 1994.(Pic. L.Fedden).
From Church tower 1998.
left-Looking towards Porch Farm. right- Looking towards The Swan , now Zaks diner.
January 2015.
(Pic.Mike Fordham)
This painting of the Church Corner looking into Rectory Lane is dated 1916. The barn on the right is too far forward and a little out of proportion. However the scene is still recognisable. Entitled "Cottages at Poringland" and by John Stuart Corbett.
At the entrance to Rectory Lane, similar to the painting above. The year was 1972, before the road widening.
(Pic. Mike Fordham).
Right, the scene in 2014. (Pic. R.Gooderham).
This postcard scene is still recognisable and is one of the Jarrold series dated 1920. The only buildings remaining are the white house on the right and the cottages in the distance on the left of The Street. The house on the right was The Post Office run by Mrs.Hannah Taylor. Her husband,Henry, was the blacksmith in the forge next door. The vehicle in the background is believed to be Lenny Press's coal lorry.
(Pic. M. Balderstone).
The same view as above, but in 1972. Although the street lighting had been installed the road widening had yet to be done.
(Pic. Mike Fordham).
The scene in 2010. (Pic. R.Gooderham).
Newspaper report on the referendum on street lighting. 1969.
Earlier correspondence on street lighting.
28/4/1960
25/9/1963
New style traffic sign by local school. (Pic. Roger Bear).
Porch Farm was built in 1614. Several windows around the house were blocked-up following the Window Tax in 1696. Take note of the magnificent tower porch. This east side view was taken in 1930 when Herbert Spruce was the farmer. (Pic.Andrew Spruce).
See www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk and then search Poringland.
Grade 2 listed.
c.1910 Herbert 'Benny' Spruce with his wife Daisy and baby Vera. (Pic.P.Card).
c. 1915 Herbert and Daisy, children Herbert and Wilfred, in the farmyard. (Pic. P.Card).
Cows in the yard at Porch Farm, about 1925. With the animals is Herbert 'Finnie' Burrows.
(Pic. Anne Barber ).
Herbert "Benny" Spruce pictured in 1950 with one of the farm horses. Herbert died in 1954. (Pic.Glen Taylor).
Benny's wife Daisy. (Pic Diane Spruce).
This picture showing the barn and Porch Farm was taken in 1968. The barn was partially demolished in July 1975 when the farm house was renovated. During the renovation work a half cellar and priest hole were uncovered. (Pic.John Hindle).
Porch Farm c.1972 being refurbished
Further refurbishment 1990. (Pic. Diane Spruce).
Summer scene.
1986. (Pic. Adrian Fordham)
Porch Farm in the winter 1987. (Pic. Mike Fordham).
Looking into Shotesham Road showing the Shop and Church Farm.Eva Critoph ran the shop and P.O. (later Alfred Wick). Joseph Critoph kept Church Farm. This was in 1944 and shows a member of U.S.A.F. talking to the locals.
Note the road classification A144 - down graded in the mid 60's. (Pic.Terry Spruce).
Waiting at Porch Farm gate for other members of The Cycle Club is Secretary John Howlett. Summer 1938. (Pic.Doreen Howlett).
Nell Harvey and Ethel Kerridge with their Morris milk van at the Church corner 1940.
They took the 06.10 bus from Poringland to Brooke, 4.5 d.(2p.) fare, to collect the van and milk from Seago's of Brooke ,who had a Jersey herd. The round would involve travel to Kirstead, Seething, the USAF air base, Brooke and Poringland. The main residences in Poringland would have been Howe Lane, West View, The Street, Hillside and scattered cottages along Rectory Lane. Some families would be entitled to free milk but were very careful to save some to sell on. The milk was in churns and served by dip cans at the door. Cost of a pint 4d. (1.5p).
Nell finished in 1946 and went to college for teacher training. She took up her first post at Surlingham.
Mrs. Annie Dicks, seen here with daughter Molly, lived in the right hand cottage, of the pair, opposite The Post Office and Forge. The left hand cottage, known affectionately as Mrs. Symonds Cottage.Both were demolished in the 1972 (Pic. John Hindle).
George and Augusta Symonds lived in the cottage during the 1940's ,early 1950's.
George died in 1950 and Augusta in 1955.
Outside Bessie's cottage, opposite the garage, are
L-R;- Augusta, Bessie, Sarah. c.1952
( Pic's Mike Symonds).
Above are Bessie and Sarah. c.1955.
Granddaughter Dawn on a Sunday afternoon visit.
Sitting on the bonnet of this car,parked outside the cottages,
is local lad Dick Sturman.
The Shop c.1950, and then the Post Office, when Mr. A. Wick was the owner. (Pic.Norma Wick).
The scene 2014. (Pic. R. Gooderham).
Judith Chalmers opens the new refurbished Post Office, accompanied by Mr .Geoff Walker M.D. of BOB.
24 October 1978.
Mr. Wick eventually moved the Post Office to a site opposite and it is shown here in 1986 when Chris Lambert was the sub-postmaster. (Pic.Mike Fordham).
1990 and the next owners changed the livery again. (Pic. Mike Fordham).
Another change in August 2011. (Pic.R. Gooderham).
Yet another change into - Estate Agents, Florists and Clothing.
December 2012. The Post Office is closed.
(Pic. Richard Gooderham ).
The Post Office opens in 2013, on a temporary basis, in the Octagon.