George Humphrey Dyball (1860-1950) of Martham. Plus his wife Mary Springall (1865-1955)
George was born on 20th April 1860 in Martham to Thomas and Maria Dyball nee, Kerrison. He was baptised on 4th June that year at Great Yarmouth.
His father was from West Somerton and his mother from Martham and he grew up in a relatively poor household of at least twelve children; his father being a farm labourer. They lived at 3 Linford’s Yard which was behind the store owned by the Linford family on White Street situated on the north side of what was once the entrance to the Mushroom Farm and is now the entry road to the Brick Kiln Close estate where the Mushroom Farm once stood.
When he was 25, he married Mary Springall, who was from Walcott, at St Mary the Virgin, Martham on 5th November 1885. Their first child was born in 1886 at Martham and they had thirteen children by 1912 who were all baptised at St Mary the Virgin. They were:-
- Ethel Norah was born on 19th October 1886. Baptised on 28th November 1886. She married Albert George Moody on 29th May 1921 at St Mary the Virgin and died on 5th February 1964 at Gloucester.
- Olive May was born on 21st February 1888. Baptised on 15th April 1888. She married William Green on 26th November 1917 at Great Massingham, Norfolk.
- Bertha Mabel was born on 25th September 1889. Baptised 20th July 1893. She became a teacher and married Frank Aldred Starling at Great Yarmouth in 1925. She died on 14th September 1974 at North Walsham, Norfolk.
- Gertrude Lily was born on 18th February 1891. Baptised 20th July 1893. She married John Edward Youngs on 13th August 1916 at St Mary’s. She died on 12th July 1959 at Great Yarmouth having previously lived at Scratby near Great Yarmouth.
- George Sidney was born on 19th August 1892. Baptised on 20th July 1893. He married Alice Lillian Craddock on 18th February 1918 at Christ Church, Notting Hill, London. He died on 13th October 1966 at Northgate Hospital, Great Yarmouth.
- Bertie Ezra was born in 1894. Baptised on 5th July 1895. He married Annie Brock at St Gabriel, Warwick Square, Pimlico, London on 22nd Jun 1924. Bertie served and survived in the Great War and died on 3rd September 1972 at Great Yarmouth.
- Ernest Walter was born on 10th February 1897. Baptised on 21st July 1901. He married Elizabeth Marlene Foldenes on 1st June 1936 at Great Yarmouth. As an adult he lived next door to his parents at 32 The Green. He died on 2nd June 1968 at Martham.
- Cecil Harold was born on 9th March 1899. Baptised on 22nd April 1900. He died aged only 13 months on 9th May 1900 and is buried in an unknown grave at St Mary’s.
- Reginald was born on 27th June 1901. Baptised on 21st July 1901. He married Mabel May Thompson in 1931 and he died on 28th November 1979 at Martham.
- Freda Marion was born on 31st January 1903. She was baptised 17th May 1903. She married Thomas Durrant Moore in 1933 at Great Yarmouth and died there on 15th October 1977.
- Kathleen Mary was born on 10th November 1904. Baptised 14th April 1912. She married Eric William Harris at Great Yarmouth on 7th February 1934 and died on 10th February 1991 at Lincoln.
- Cicely Madge was born on 23rd August 1906. Baptised 23rd September 1906. She married Fred Cross at St Mary’s on 26th February 1927 and died on 1st March 1986 at Martham.
- Jeffrey Maurice was born on 18th March 1912. Baptised on 14th April 1912, he only lived for five months and was buried on 12th August 1912 in an unknown grave at St Mary’s.
During their early married life George & Mary lived at a cottage near the windmills at Hemsby Road which was known at the time as Mill Lane and George was a miller’s carter. In 1891 they lived there with their first four daughters. By 1892 George had turned to farming and in 1896 the register of electors and Kelly’s business directory recorded that he had become a corn, flour, pollard, malt & hop merchant and fruit grower living at The Green (obviously at the property we now know of as Greenside). It seems that George & Mary had seven children at Greenside.
Greenside must have been a busy, crowded place between 1896 and the mid 1920’s and perhaps only those who have lived there can image how two parents and thirteen children fitted in. There must have been noise, fun, high jinks, laughter and hard work but also tears and tragedy. Two children died as infants: Jeffrey only lived for five months and his brother Cecil for only 13 months. Conversely, Gertrude married John Youngs and for around 10 years they ran the village post office. Daughter Bertha became a teacher and married into the Starling family who were another farming family that lived on The Green. Son Ernest and his wife lived next door at No 32. Daughter Cicely married Fred Cross a popular local postman and railway porter.
In 1935 George was elected as a Councillor representing Martham on the Blofield and Flegg District Council and he remained a self-employed corn and flour dealer all his life. It is evident that during this period he also grew turnips and the two lovely photos below show how he used and endorsed fertiliser supplied by Hadfield & Co Ltd to grow them.
Humphrey and Mary celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on 5th November 1945 and celebrated with a big party held in the school room at the back of the Methodist Chapel. Below are two photographs of everyone enjoying themselves.
George died on 1st July 1950, aged 90, and was buried at St Mary’s at section H, plot O5. Mary followed on 29th January 1955 and shares the same grave.