Fence Bank, Walpole Highway, Norfolk

History of Fence bank

Reminiscences of a Fenman by James W Taylor was published in 1980. The author was born in Fence Bank in c.1910.

The Taylor family is that of William Lester Taylor listed in the 1911 census at Walpole Highway, the nearest village to Fence Bank.

William Lester Taylor, 31, butcher, b Holt Norfolk

Charlotte Elizabeth, 25, b Walpole St Peters

Rose Ward, 6, b Walpole St Peters

Francis Agnes, daughter, 3, b Walpole St Peters

Annie Elizabeth, 2, b Walpole St Peters

Olive May, 1, b Walpole St Peters

1921

William Taylor, 41, b Norfolk, postman

Charlotte, 35,

Agnes, 13,

Annie, 12,

Olive, 11,

James, 8, b Walpole St Peters

The autobiography starts with an account of the family, – James was the youngest of six, the others being sisters, – being so poor that James’s father was unable to afford the £6 needed for his daughter, Doris’s, funeral. She died of double pneumonia before her second birthday. Fence Bank was a very isolated community and in the winter very difficult to reach because of the mud.

In 1913 the family moved to Walpole Highway, a cottage on Mill Road. His father joined the army and was sent to Gallipoli.

The autobiography contains several poems which James says he wrote throughout his life.

After WWI the family moved to No. 4 Council House, West Drove North. His father rented 5 acres and had a post round. James attended Curtons Endowed School at Walpole St Peter.

One acquaintance was the dairy farmer, William Pratt who lived at West Drove South. He had a daughter, Mary.

William and his sister Olive attended Walpole Highway church on Sundays.

James’s father opened a fish and chip shop in Walpole Highway, next to the Bell Inn.

In 1934 James married and started building a house in Terrington St John. The book ends in 1939 with a promised that there will be another volume.