George Humphrey Dyball (1860-1950) of Martham. Plus his wife Mary Springall (1865-1955)

George was born on 20^th April 1860 in Martham to Thomas and Maria Dyball nee, Kerrison. He was baptised on 4^th 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 5^th 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:-

1. Ethel Norah was born on 19^th October 1886. Baptised on 28^th November 1886. She married Albert George Moody on 29^th May 1921 at St Mary the Virgin and died on 5^th February 1964 at Gloucester.
2. Olive May was born on 21^st February 1888. Baptised on 15^th April 1888. She married William Green on 26^th November 1917 at Great Massingham, Norfolk.
3. Bertha Mabel was born on 25^th September 1889. Baptised 20^th July 1893. She became a teacher and married Frank Aldred Starling at Great Yarmouth in 1925. She died on 14^th September 1974 at North Walsham, Norfolk.
4. Gertrude Lily was born on 18^th February 1891. Baptised 20^th July 1893. She married John Edward Youngs on 13^th August 1916 at St Mary’s. She died on 12^th July 1959 at  Great Yarmouth having previously lived at Scratby near Great Yarmouth.
5. George Sidney was born on 19^th August 1892. Baptised on 20^th July 1893.  He married Alice Lillian Craddock on 18^th February 1918 at Christ Church, Notting Hill, London. He died on 13^th October 1966 at Northgate Hospital, Great Yarmouth.
6. Bertie Ezra was born in 1894. Baptised on 5^th July 1895. He married Annie Brock at St Gabriel, Warwick Square, Pimlico, London on 22^nd Jun 1924. Bertie served and survived in the Great War and died on 3^rd September 1972 at Great Yarmouth.
7. Ernest Walter was born on 10^th February 1897. Baptised  on 21^st July 1901. He married Elizabeth Marlene Foldenes on 1^st June 1936 at Great Yarmouth. As an adult he lived next door to his parents at 32 The Green. He died on 2^nd June 1968 at Martham.
8. Cecil Harold was born on 9^th March 1899. Baptised on 22^nd April 1900. He died aged only 13 months on 9^th May 1900 and is buried in an unknown grave at St Mary’s.
9. Reginald was born on 27^th June 1901. Baptised on 21st July 1901. He married Mabel May Thompson in 1931 and he died on 28^th November 1979 at Martham.
10. Freda Marion was born on 31^st January 1903. She was baptised  17^th May 1903. She married Thomas Durrant Moore in 1933 at Great Yarmouth and died there on 15^th October 1977.
11. Kathleen Mary was born on 10^th November 1904. Baptised 14^th April 1912. She married Eric William Harris at Great Yarmouth on 7^th February 1934 and died on 10^th February 1991 at Lincoln.
12. Cicely Madge was born on 23^rd August 1906. Baptised 23^rd September 1906.  She married Fred Cross at St Mary’s on 26^th February 1927 and died on 1^st March 1986 at Martham.
13. Jeffrey Maurice was born on 18^th March 1912. Baptised on 14^th April 1912, he only lived for five months and was buried on 12^th 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 1^st July 1950, aged 90, and was buried at St Mary’s at section H, plot O5. Mary followed on 29^th January 1955 and shares the same grave.

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