Walter Harriss (1874-1946) & Family
In almost every generation there are people and families who contribute more than most to the local community and as a result are remembered long after their passing. Walter Harriss and his family are good examples.
Walter was born on 10th December 1874 at Filby to John & Ann HARRISS. His mother’s maiden name was SWANN. He grew up at Filby where his father was a harness maker and by the time he was sixteen he had become a carpenter. When he was 22, he married Naomi Leah DYBALL on 20th April 1897 at St Mary the Virgin, Martham. Naomi was one of 14 children of Thomas & Maria DYBALL, formerly KERRISON. The DYBALL’s were longstanding residents of Martham and her grandfather was Humphrey DYBALL (1795-1883) who was a successful farmer, well known for writing a farming diary. You can read more about him by clicking HERE.
Walter & Naomi had ten children who you can read more about below. They had two of these children when they were living with Naomi’s parents at Mill Farm House, Hemsby Road in 1901. By this time Walter had become established as a carpenter and wheelwright.
By 1911 Walter & Naomi and their growing family were living at Milton House, Caister-on-Sea where they lived from at least 1909 to 1913, and where three of their children were born and baptised. Those children were Edna, Miriam & Philip. By that time Walter had extended his skills still further and was a coach builder. By 1921 they had ten children and had moved back to Martham living at White Street where Walter ran his business from a yard that included their home. The approximate position of the yard is shown in red on the map below. The Yard was where Smith & Sales kitchen fitters & DIY Yard used to be and is now (2025) a car sales yard and garage.
Two wonderful photos above and below show the family home
and working yard in White Street.
Top, c1924, left to right: ? ; Jack, Miriam, little Eric in front of his father, Philip.
Plus, one of the girls peeping out of a door.
Notice the paraphernalia of spare wood, harness and at least three carts.
Bottom c1926, left top right: Eric, Philip, Jack, Freddy.
Notice the different smart cart.
At the time these photos were taken the children were growing up and the business was becoming a family affair. Their son Freddy became a harness maker. Philip became a bricklayer. Later on, Eric became a carpenter. Their son Alfred was a wheelwright and later became a carpenter and builder. There was a blacksmith shop on the right of the yard where Alfred also made coffins and ladders. Alfred’s grandson Chris Hewitt recalled in 2025 how he would pump the bellows in the forge there as a boy. Chris did his apprenticeship there in the 1970’s and after his grandfather died in 1958 his side of the family became builders known as HM Harriss & Son the initials being based on his grandmother’s forenames Helen May.
On top of being a master of his craft Walter was a community man and was the Parish Clerk at St Mary the Virgin between 1919-1946 fully supported by Naomi. It is perhaps not surprising, therefore that he made the superb Parish Bier – shown on the left below – used for funerals at St Mary’s that can still be seen in the church to this day.
Above right is a cart made by Harriss for a market gardener. The large wheels made it easier to be pulled by a small horse.
The Children of Walter & Naomi
Walter & Naomi had ten children, seven of whom were born and baptised at Martham whilst Edna (1909), Miriam (1911) and Philip (1913) were born and baptised at Caister-on-Sea. Their children were:-
- Walter Arbon HARRISS who was born on 1st September 1897 and baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 3rd October the same year. Walter remained single and was living with his parents at White Street in 1921 & 1939, by which time he was 42 and was a painter working in the family business. He died on 8th August 1955 at the General Hospital in Great Yarmouth having previously lived at Meadow Side, Black Street. His Probate does not mention a spouse and his estate was handled by his brother Alfred.
2. Dorothy Mabel HARRISS was known as Dolly and was born on 12th August 1899 and baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 10th September 1899. She married local fisherman Benjamin NICOLS on 26th December 1928 at St Mary’s. She died on 25th August 1988 at 8 Windmill Court, Colchester, Essex but she shares a grave with Benjamin at section H, plot L28 at St Mary the Virgin graveyard.
3. Alfred Claude HARRISS who was born on 14th September 1901 and baptised a month later on 13th October at St Mary’s. He became a wheelwright, working at first with his father but later in his own right as a carpenter and builder after his father died. He married Helen May TOOKE on 27th August 1924 at St Mary the Virgin. During 1946-1958 Alfred followed in the footsteps of his father by becoming the Parish Clerk at St Mary’s and there is a small lectern in the church that commemorates his service. He died on 9th January 1958 at Gorleston Hospital, Great Yarmouth, aged 56. After his death the Harris firm continued under the name H.M. Harris & Son based on the forenames of his wife Helen May.
4. Frederick Charles HARRISS, was known as Freddy, and was born on 9th September 1904 and was baptised at St Mary’s on 9th October that year. He became a harness and saddle maker and married Hannah Elizabeth LUCAS on 21st May 1934 at St Mary the Virgin. He died on 21st December 1965 at Northgate Hospital, Great Yarmouth and had previously lived at Wychwood, Main Road, Filby.
5. Maud Augusta HARRISS was born on 16th February 1907 at Martham and was baptised at St Mary’s on 24th March that year. She married Herbert Ernest William MURRELL in 1928 at Great Yarmouth. She died on 25th August 1988 at 118 Repps Road, Martham aged 81 and is buried with her son Alan at section I, plot L10 at St Mary’s graveyard.
6. Edna Violet HARRISS was born on 24th January 1909 at Caister-on-Sea and was baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Caister on 14th February 1909. She married Thomas TUBBY on 16th May 1932 at St Mary the Virgin. Edna died on 20th November 1986 at Great Yarmouth.
7. Evelyn Miriam HARRISS, known as Miriam, was born on 18th July 1911 at Caister-on-Sea. She married Roy Simeon RANDELL on 15th June 1940 at St Mary the Virgin. Roy and Miriam both died at their home at 73 Black Street: Roy on 22nd March 1987 and Miriam on 18th January 1989. They were buried in section I, plot L9 at St Mary’s graveyard.
8. Ferdinand Philip Sidney HARRISS, known as Philip, was born on 28th October 1913 at Caister-on-Sea and was baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Caister on 7th December 1913. He married Minnie Irene KING in 1940 at Winterton-on-Sea at which time he was a bricklayer working with family members on their building projects that included 114 Repps Road where they lived later in life. Philip died on 21st October 1980 and Minnie on 20th August 2001 and they were both buried at section I, plot J9 at St Mary‘s graveyard.
9. Leonard Jack HARRISS, known as Jack, who was born on 2nd September 1918 and baptised at St Mary’s on 30th of the same month. He married Gertrude Madeline TUNGATE on 6th March 1943 at St Mary the Virgin. Leonard died on 3rd December 1978 at 112 Repps Road, Martham, aged 60 and is buried at section I, plot I9 but has no gravestone. Gertrude died on 1st November 2008.
10. Eric Ralph HARRISS (also known as Tim) was born on 5th March 1921 and baptised on 24th at St Mary’s. He married Olive Joan TURNER in 1948. Eric died on 28th February 1971 and was buried at section I, plot H19 at St Mary’s graveyard but has no gravestone. Olive died on 9th June 1984 at 116 Repps Road and was buried in the same plot as Eric.
As the family grew, they made use of their many complementary skills and the business diversified more and more as can be seen from the following advert in the Parish Magazine.
The skills of the family were put to good use when Walter had several houses built around the village for his children. It is likely that his son Alfred had a big hand in this as a builder but some of the other sons had complementary skills. (Walter Jnr. was a painter, Philip was a bricklayer, Eric was a carpenter). Foremost of the houses was a terrace of four built in 1933 at 112, 114, 116 & 118 Repps Road. They are shown in the photo below and mentioned in the narrative above. Some other members of the family also still live in bungalows built next to the former yard in White Street.
Naomi died on 1st January 1940 and Walter died at St Mary’s, whilst putting the hymns list up, on 8th October 1946 – dedicated to the community to his last moment. They were buried together at section E, plot B3 near the Church door at St Mary’s.
The Rev. John Herbert Griffiths, Vicar of St Mary’s, penned a tribute to Walter, that shows what the community felt about him and is shown below. It was published in the Parish Magazine.
More family photos:-
Miriam Harriss & Roy Randell with their bridesmaids at their wedding on 15th June 1940 in the Vicarage Garden at St Mary the Virgin, Martham. The Vicar on the left was Rev. John Herbert Griffiths.
