Robert Moore Snr (1790-1874)  & Robert Moore Jnr. (1825-1885)

(This page has been written in association with ‘Brickmaking at Martham’).

There are  two large sarcophagi in St Mary’s that stand in prominent positions in the graveyard that would have cost a significant amount when originally provided. They make you wonder who is buried there and what they did when they were alive. The two sarcophagi are shown here and belong to a father and son of the same name, Robert Moore and their wives.

Robert MOORE Snr. was born on 9^th February 1790 at Martham and was baptised at St Mary’s on 8^th December that year. He was the second child of William MOORE & Elizabeth, nee CRANE. He had five siblings, namely: Mary, Sophia, Hannah, John, & Elizabeth. When he was 26, he married Ann Steward DYBALL on 9^th April 1816 at Sutton near Stalham. She was the daughter of John DYBALL & Ann, nee STEWARD  Robert & Ann went on to have at least four children who were:

1. John Dyball MOORE who was born in 1818 at Martham. John married twice; firstly, to Louisa TURNER in 1842 and then to Martha CHRISTIAN in 1853. He became a very successful farmer at Aylsham. He died on 27^th February 1894 at South Walsham.
2. William MOORE who was born in 1819 at Martham. He married Mary BESWICK in 1845 at Swaffham. William borrowed money from his father to invest in his career as a very successful miller and farmer at Farningham in Kent. He was described as a ‘gentleman’ when he died on 29^th November 1902 at Wimbledon, Surrey.
3. Robert MOORE who was born in 1825 at Martham. He married Hannah MANDY on 11^th Oct 1848 at Ash, Kent. You can read more about him below.
4. Edward MOORE who was born in 1829 at Martham. He married Martha Ann TILLETT on 17^th September 1856 at Burgh St Margaret. He died on 24^th October 1858 at Martham.

Robert Snr. was a boatman during 1818 &1819 probably working on wherries out and about on the River Thurne but by 1836 he had become a grocer and draper in Martham. In 1841 he was living with his family at Black Street and the 1842 Tithe Award tells us he owned plot 687 in the centre of the village that many years later became Clowes’ Store. In addition to being a grocer and draper he had also diversified into farming. Years past and by 1851 Robert had moved with his family to Back Lane, Burgh St Margaret where he was still a shopkeeper but also farmed 90 acres and employed three labourers. He remained living at Burgh St Margaret for the rest of his life and by 1861 had retired. He made a will on 10^th June 1867 which makes it clear that he had become an astute business man and investor in property. During his life he had also lent his sons William and Robert substantial sums of money to help them in their businesses. He left all his household goods and his house at Burgh St Margaret to his wife, Ann, along with an annual allowance of £150 for her to live on. He owned houses, cottages, tenements and land at Burgh St. Margaret, Repps and Rollesby to be shared equally between his three surviving sons John, William and Robert. He separately left more land and property that he owned at Martham exclusively to his son Robert. The way the will reads it is obvious that the Martham land and property was a business run by Robert Jnr. and was centred on the brickworks at Ferrygate. Their association with brickmaking is illustrated by the base of his sarcophagus being built of bricks.

Robert died in 1874  and his wife, Ann, in 1886 and their sarcophagi can be seen in the graveyard at section F, plot M6 prominently positioned in front of the east window of the church.

Robert MOORE Jnr. was born in 1825 at Martham as the third child of Robert & Ann MOORE. He had three siblings, namely: John, William and Edward. When he was 23, he married Hannah MANDY on 11^th October 1848 in Kent where he was a grocer and draper and they lived there until about 1852. They went on to have at least three children who were:

1. Hannah Isabella MOORE who was born in 1850 at Farningham, Kent. She married Cubitt SILCOCK on 1^st October 1874 at St Mary the Virgin, Martham. She died on 3^rd June 1939 at Hoveton, Norfolk.
2. Mary Ann MOORE was born in about 1852 at Hockley, Kent. She married Boardman Charles SILCOCK (the brother of Cubitt SILCOCK) on the same day as her sister at St Mary the Virgin. So, sisters married brothers. Mary  died in 1947 in South Africa.
3. Alice Ellen MOORE was born about 1854 in Dewsbury, Yorkshire, England.

By 1861 (by which time his father had retired) Robert & Ann had moved to Martham and during the following 20 years he continued to develop his business interests trading not only as a grocer but also a tea dealer, provisions merchant, linen, woollen draper, coal, corn, seed and  hop merchant. In addition, by 1882 he was also farming and owned the Martham Brick Making Co., at Ferrygate. In July 1882 he opened a yard in Great Yarmouth selling bricks and tiles etc that were no doubt made at Martham. Below is a copy of the advert for the Great Yarmouth business that was run by his son-in-law Boardman Silcock the husband of Mary Ann.

Robert supported the Baptist Church and donated the bricks used to build the new chapel next to the Village Green in 1880.

Tragedy struck on 29^th May 1885 when Robert drowned in the River Thurne adjacent to his brickyard at Ferrygate. A report in the Norwich Mercury newspaper told of the Coroner’s inquiry that determined he had drowned accidently. Robert’s wife died in 1897 and their sarcophagus can be seen in the graveyard at section B, plot B1 opposite the main door to the church.

His ownership of the Ferrygate brickyard is confirmed by the fact that it was advertised for sale after his death. The sale took place on 7th Oct 1885 followed by one for his household furniture and effects on 9th October 1885. The adverts can be seen on the page ‘Brickmaking at Martham’.

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