Anne Rising (1777-1844) of West Somerton and Martham

Plus her husband Robins Purdy (1780-1842)

Anne Rising was born in 1777 at West Somerton and was baptised on 12^th October 1777 at St Mary the Virgin, West Somerton as the  tenth child of Robert Rising & Ann Manship. She had thirteen siblings, namely: Robert, William, Stephen, Tilney, Mary, Edward, Thomas Sutfield, Benjamin, John, George, Charles, Rebecca, and Frances.

When she was 27, she married Robins Purdy, the son of Robert Purdy & Jane Creasey, on 22^nd November 1804 at St Mary the Virgin, Martham. Both were single when they married.

Robins Purdy and Anne Rising had the following children:

1. George Purdy was born in 1806 at Tunstead, Norfolk. He died in 1882 in Norwich, Norfolk.
2. Robins Purdy was born in 1807 and died the same year at Tunstead, Norfolk.
3. Ann Purdy was born in 1808 and died the same year at in Tunstead.
4. Robins Purdy was born in about 1810 at Tunstead. He married Mary Ann Purdy, his cousin, on 31^st October 1837 at St Nicholas Church, Great Yarmouth.  He became a ship owner at Great Yarmouth and died on 16^th December 1886 at Southtown, Great Yarmouth, aged 77.
5. Thomas Purdy was born in 1812 at Tunstead. He married Charlotte Howes and later in life became a master mariner. He died in 1883 at Great Yarmouth.
6. William Purdy(1) was born and died in 1813 at Tunstead.
7. William Purdy(2) was born in 1814 at Tunstead. He married Caroline Mary Hird on 28^th February 1846 at Old Church, Saint Pancras, London. He died in 1851 at Islington, Middlesex aged 36.
8. Anne Purdy was born in 1814 in Norfolk and died on 23^rd February 1851 in Great Yarmouth.
9. Benjamin Rising Purdy was born on 13^th July 1816 at Tunstead. He married Elizabeth Steward Forder on 29^th December 1857 at St Mary the Virgin, Martham. He retired as a farmer in 1881 and died on 13^th July 1891. He was buried at St Mary the Virgin, Martham.
10. Horace Purdy was born in 1817 at Tunstead. He married Julia Perks on 29^th September 1846 at Warwick and worked for many years as a surgeon. He died on 28^th July 1890 at Southtown, Great Yarmouth.
11. Charles Purdy was born about 1818 at Tunstead. He married Elizabeth Mary Garnham on 10^th November 1852 at St Mary the Virgin, Martham. He was a very successful draper and grocer at Martham where he died on 13^th August 1880.

From as early as 1830 Anne and Robins lived at Grove House/Farm in Black Street and this was still the case in 1841 according to the census of that year. Robins was a successful farmer at Grove Farm which consisted of around 120 acres.

Robins died in May 1842 a few months before the 1842 Martham Tithe Award which showed the land held in the name of Anne as being 120 acres, 2 rods & 31 perches which included plot No 37 which was ‘Grove Cottage’. ‘Cottage’ was an understated word for what was the handsome Georgian house. The plots listed in the name of Anne in 1842 were Nos; 33 to 42; 51 & 52; 157 & 158; 183 & 185; 276 to 278; 341, 342 & 342a; 689 & 690; 718 to 720.
To give an idea of what areas these cover today they are:

• 33 to 42 mostly the same Grove House and land to the west as today but also some small cottage plots along the west side of Black Street that are now mostly bungalows. Plot 37 was Grove Farm/House which has not changed.
• 51 & 52 the same farmland as now between Grove House and the allotments.
• 157 & 158. No157 later became the railway station. No158 is now the Playingfield.
• 276, 277 & 278 are still fields bordering West Somerton.
• 341, 342 & 342a were the avenue of trees between White Street and Black Street. Now built on but the short, narrow footpath still exits.
• 689 & 690 previously small cottage plots on the west side of Black Street, now bungalows.
• 718, 719 & 720 marsh on edge of Martham Broad the same as in 1842.  

Anne died in 1844 and was buried on 18^th April with Robins in the family sarcophagus at section F, plot D3 at St Mary the Virgin, Martham.

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