Norwich Road

Aerial view from the top of the radar towers .

Caistor Lane on left ,The Railway Tavern on the extreme right and the High School site in the left of centre (Pic. J. Hindle ). 1959.

Caistor Lane looking north.


Looking down Norwich Road in 1963. (Pic.Judith Sykes).


  Winter scene January1987.                               

  (Pic's  R.Gooderham)

 Complete water main replacement started November 2015.. The work would take over 2 years.        

 See The Street, Framingham  Earl                    

June 1961 and the view from Greenacre Drive across to Oaklands Farm / Framingham Earl Post Office. In the front garden of No.7 is Marlene Smith with ' Perdy '. (Pic. Marlene Smith).

Greenacres Drive looking west in 1960.  

April 2016. (Pic. R. Gooderham).                         

Looking up Norwich Road.c.1956. (Pic.E.C.N.). 

The bungalow, behind the cyclist, is where Mrs.   Phipps, school teacher, lived.

Mrs. Phipps'  bungalow in 1993.

 (Pic. R.Gooderham).        

Converted to a chalet in 2013.        

 (Pic. R.Gooderham). 

   11 Norwich Rd. 1957.  (Pic M.Hupton)         

 Pictured in 2018.  (Pic. R.Gooderham)

Looking up Norwich Road from outside High School gates. 1963. (Pic.Judith Sykes).

Mrs. Doris Sadler, Colin and Beryl. They lived in the bungalow near the Oak tree in the centre of this picture,1938.   (Pic Derek Bales).

Proposed pedestrian way to development behind Norwich Road.  {  Pic's R. Gooderham.}

                                 The way in, in January 2020

Looking across Norwich Road from the High School gates in 1963. (Pic.Judith Sykes).

The woodland being cleared from the above site prior to developement. (Pic.Judith Sykes).

The scene today. January 2020. (Pic. R. Gooderham)

  School holidays in 1938. Enjoying the weather are these children with mums on the corner of Norwich Road and Caistor Lane.(Pic.Dorothy Howlett).

In the picture are:- Ursula Matthews, Gwen Matthews, Betty Matthews, Daphne Smith, Colin Smith, Margaret Parker, n/k  ,  n/k  , Audrey Smith, Dorothy Howlett, Peggy Collyer, Mary Parker, Mrs Daisy Parker,   n/k  ,   n/k  .  

 

  Joe Mason lived at No.51, Norwich Road. See his memories at /joemasonspage.wordpress.com/2013/08/04/memories-of-life-in-poringland-1949-1985/   

                                                                                      

This bungalow, now number 47, was built in c.1930


This bungalow was built in 1935 for Mr.Harris and was sold to Huby Spruce who lived there when Octagon Farm (next door) was bombed.                           Huby lived there  from 1942 to 1949 when he moved over the road to the new farm house. (see Below).                                    

    In 1949 it became the home and market garden to John Aldis and family until 1988.

  John's grandfather, John, and father ,George, both had market gardens in Framingham Pigot.          John's son David continues the tradition at Church Farm, Framingham Earl.   John retired in 1988 and the bungalow was demolished and the land was sold for residential development.

The Ramblers,2015. (Pic. R. Gooderham). 


1963 and approaching Poringland along Norwich Road. Octagon Farm is on the left and strictly in the parish of Bixley. The original farm house was on the right hand side. (Pic.Judith Sykes).  

   Scene in September 2011. (Pic. M.Fordham).

               September 2011.

                            The next stage for development in this area, opposite Octagon Barn, the signs go up Sept. 2015.

                                                                 This site is partially in Bixley. (Pic. R.Gooderham).

                                                                 Groundworks begin in October 2017.   (Pic. R.Gooderham).

Panoramic view of site.

The site in January 2020.  (Pic's  R.Gooderham.)

Octagon Farm house,Bixley, was situated on the land opposite the existing farm. The left picture shows the house in 1902 with the occupier Mr.John Spruce and son Jack. They lived there until 1937.

"Huby" Spruce then lived there until 9th. May 1942 when the house received a near direct hit from German bombers attacking the Radar pylons at RAF Stoke Holy Cross. Sadly Mrs.Lilian Spruce was killed in the incident.( Pic.Terry Spruce).Centre picture shows Octagon Farm house,1902, rear view. The machine in the picture is a shredder/crusher used to shred turnips and mangolds for animal feed. (Pic.Terry Spruce).

 The view now,September 2011, from the same spot. (Pic. Mike Fordham).

 c.1910. John Spruce with son Jack, dog and a friend. (Pic.Joan Hodson née Spruce). 


1925. Jack Spruce, his wife Annie (née Crowe), and daughter Joan. (Pic Joan Hodson).


1929 John Spruce with grand-daughter Joan. (Pic.Joan Hodson).


1940 Joan with her husband William Hodson. (Pic.Joan Hodson).

 

The opening ceremony of the new farmhouse in 1949 by Timothy Colman. Huby Spruce is in the front centre. (Pic.Joan Hodson).

 

The barn ,now a retail outlet. September 2011. (Pic. Mike Fordham).  

Click here to see the Milk supply certificate for War work.

Frank Eastell and Fred Goddard (1950)

Charles Goddard (1935),

Although strictly from Arminghall and Bixley these horses and men would have been a familiar sight to travellers to Norwich. 

 ( Pic's. Lenny Goddard)

 Fred Goddard (1950).  

Norwich Road, Bixley, on the 15th.Feb 1979.

Lily Gooderham with Lisa and John at Bixley Hill. 

(Pic's.R.Gooderham). 

Cars abandoned overnight are released by JCB's working their way from Norwich to Poringland.

WINTER JANUARY 1987.

Lenny Goddard (NCC digger), Stephen ( Zeph) Eastell (Cogmans digger) and

Keith Blanchflower (R.Ropers digger), clearing the B1332 and side roads

both ways out of village. John Overton (John's Supermarket) followed them

to Norwich to pick up 100 loaves of bread from the Sunblest bakery 

(Pic's  Lenny Goddard).

Unsolved Mystery.  December 1924.