Robert Rising (1801-1885) of West Somerton and Martham

Plus his wife Elizabeth Parish (1807-1882)

Robert Rising was born on 7^th September 1801 at West Somerton Hall and was baptised on 27^th September that year as the first child of Robert Rising & Mary Preston. He had three siblings, namely: William(1802-1805), William(1807-1807) and John(1816-1817). The chart at the foot of this page gives details of his ancestry.

Robert was educated at Norwich Grammar School under Dr Valpy between 1810–1817. When he was 28, he married Elizabeth Parish the daughter of Charles Compton Parish & Elizabeth Cory, on 12^th February 1830 at All Saints Church, Poplar. Middx. Robert & Elizabeth had the following children numbered in accordance with the list shown on the main family information page HERE:-

1.1.1.1. Mary Elizabeth Rising was born in 1831 and died in 1834, probably in London.

1.1.1.2. Emily Caroline Rising was born in 1833 at Great Corum Street, Bloomsbury, London. She married George Septimus Frederick on 23^rd September 1851 at Horsey and they had 15 children between 1852 and 1874. George was born in 1805 and died in 1891 at Great Yarmouth. Emily died on 30^th November 1925 in Bristol, Gloucestershire.

1.1.1.3. Robert Arthur Rising was born in 1836 in Pimlico, Middlesex, London. He married Rosa Sweeting in 1864 at St Saviour, Jersey. Rosa was born in 1841 at Frome, Somerset. They emigrated to Los Angeles, USA in 1875 where Robert later died on 13^th May 1920. They do not appear to have had any children.

1.1.1.4. Edward Cartwright Rising was born in 1840 at Great Yarmouth and died, aged 10, in 1851 at Halvergate, Tunstead, Norfolk.

1.1.1.5. Charles Compton Rising was born on 4^th November 1841 at Horsey Hall, Horsey. He married (1) Catherine Ursula Reynard on 7^th November 1874 at St George’s, Hanover Square, London. Catherine was born on 22^nd August 1847 at Sunderlandwick Hall, Driffield, Yorkshire. They had a son called Francis Simon Rising in 1878.  Catherine died on 8^th December 1890 at Horsey Corner, Horsey, Norfolk. Charles then lived with Ellen Seymour as husband and wife, but they did not marry. Ellen was born on 20^th January 1859 at Little Munden, Hertfordshire. They had four children together between 1892 and 1899. Charles died in 1913 at Ipswich but his ashes were interred at Culross Cemetery, Ontario, Canada because they were taken there by his common law partner Ellen who had emigrated after his death. You can read more about the story of Charles by clicking HERE.

1.1.1.6. Alfred Thomas Rising was born in 1843 at Horsey Hall, Horsey. He married Kate Pontin in 1870 at Reading, Berkshire. Kate was born in 1849 at Newbury, Berkshire. They had five children between 1871 and 1882. Alfred died on 4^th October 1923 at Great Yarmouth.

1.1.1.7. Henry Rising was born in 1845 at Winterton-on-Sea, Norfolk. He married Harriet Webb on 3^rd July 1864 at Norwich and they had four children between 1866 and 1871 none of whom ever lived in Martham. Henry died in 1890 and Harriet in 1914, both at Norwich.

Over the next 40 odd years Elizabeth raised their children and Robert ran the Horsey estate which consisted of 1,670 acres and he employed around 37 labourers as well as being a Magistrate, Justice of the Peace and Barrister. Robert also became the Chairman of the Yarmouth Port and Haven Commissioners and a District Auditor. In 1858 he paid for the building of Horsey Village School. He had a fine collection of birds preserved at his house. A catalogue of the valuable and costly library of books containing 4,000 volumes, collection of coins, valuable watercolour and sepia drawings, rare and scarce autographs, etc is held in the Norfolk Records Office.

We can get an idea of the extent of the Horsey Estate from an auction that was scheduled for 19^th October 1868 although it did not sell and the Rising family continued to own the Estate for many more years thereafter. The advert said:-

“Valuable and extensive Estate, comprising 1,670 acres in a ring-fence, and nearly an entire parish, with very attractive sporting advantages, the whole of the present value of £2,500 per annum, with the Advowson and Rectorial tithes.

Messrs. DANIEL SMITH, SON and OAKLEY are instructed to offer for SALE by AUCTION, at the Mart, at the end of the summer the above valuable property known as the HORSEY ESTATE, forming, with very small exception, the whole parish of Horsey, situate about 10 1/2 miles from Yarmouth, 21 from Norwich, and 25 from Cromer, bounded on the north-east by the German Ocean. It comprises 1668a. 2r. 38p. lying in a ring-fence, and divided thus: 16a. 3r. 4p. Horsey Hall, a comfortable moderate-sized residence, containing dining-room, drawing-room, library, gentleman’s room, ten bedrooms and offices, stabling, etc. with lawn, gardens, shrubberies and plantations, ,in hand: 1214a. a4p. of arable and marsh land, a large proportion of which is of excellent quality and produces heavy crops, and is divided into several convenient farms, with the usual farmhouses, premises, and cottages: 139a. 2r. 38p. Horsey Mere or lake, and various pieces of plantation and marsh land known as Rands surrounding it; 158a. 3r. 20p. of Breydon Marshes, producing a large annual return from reed, sedge and rushes, and affording first-rate snipe and other wild shooting; 139a. 1r. 2p of valuable rabbit warren adjoining the coast. The whole produces an annual income of about £2,500. This estate has many attractions for a gentleman fond of a country life and rural sports. Its advantages with regard to shooting and fishing are unequalled from its proximity to the coast, and from the fact that the Horsey Mere is the nearest piece of water to the sea; duck, snipe, woodcock, and other wild fowl of every description abound, including the rarest birds found in Great Britain. The mere is well stocked with fish, which are noted for their size and quality; it is also an important addition to the estate for yachting and boating, and as a means of cheap water carriage to Yarmouth, Norwich and other districts. The sporting and fishing on this estate are mentioned by Yarrell and other authors as first rate. The estate is nearly all freehold, and is a drainage district to itself, and is, with all parish business, under the sole control of the owner. The advowson and rectorial tithes form part of the property. The outgoings of all kinds are almost nominal”.

Robert died at Horsey on 8th March 1885 aged 83.  He left a Will that somewhat strangely was dated 17^th December 1874 about nine years before his death. I say strangely because it was long and detailed which may have been expected as he was a barrister but it made frequent references to his wife who died after he made the Will but before him and yet he did not update it. His son Charles certified his death for the purposes of probate and Robert appointed his sons Charles and Thomas as executors and trustees to the estate. Robert left a small bequest of ten shillings per week for life to his “old and faithful steward Thomas Goose”. And, all his household goods and chattels etc to his wife. He then left the whole of his Real Estate etc, in trust, to his five children. His son Thomas renounced responsibility as an executor and trustee leaving the job to his brother Charles Compton Rising. Horsey Hall and the rest of the estate was sold along with the contents at the Hall. You can see a copy of Robert’s actual ‘Will’ in pdf format by clicking HERE which will open a new window but this is difficult to read so you may prefer my attempt at a transcription which you can read by clicking HERE which is also a pdf and will open in a new window.

Below are obituaries to Robert.

Back to People