Norwich – Rosary Cemetery (Robert Foulger + Mary Foulger)

Since I’ve been grounded again by the Government, I thought I’d meander around the Rosary Cemetery located near to me in Norwich, in an attempt to see what stories lie there. It might not be the most fascinating blog content, but it’ll keep me quiet for a few weeks….

This gravestone commemorates the life of Robert Foulger who was born in Harleston on 22 March 1807 and his wife, Mary Foulger (nee Wright). I didn’t notice Mary’s name at first as it’s at the base and it appears that this stone has been damaged and put back in the ground and it’s much shorter than those around it.

The couple married on 17 April 1828 at St. John’s Church in Old Lakenham, and although this is no relevance to anyone, this is a church which I’ve been meaning to visit. At the 1841 census, Robert and Mary were living on Ber Street in Norwich, along with a 20-year old male called James Welch.

There’s a strong chance that the Robert Foulger listed as being the landlord of the Jolly Butchers pub briefly in 1836 is the same person, since this pub (which became known much later on for the landlady Antoinette Hannent) was located on Ber Street and only closed a few years ago. What Robert was doing running this pub, I don’t know…

At the 1851 census, Robert and Mary were still living at a yard located off of Ber Street, where Robert is listed as a gig maker, but I have no idea what that is. He did though employ one other person and he’s listed on the electoral register as operating a shop and owning his own residential property. We also know that at the by-election for the Norwich constituency held on 29 December 1854 that Robert voted for Samuel Bignold, who was the winner (and the youngest son of Thomas Bignold, who founded Norwich Union).

Robert died the day before his birthday, on 21 March 1865, at the age of 57. But there are big gaps in all of this, I can’t find either Robert or Mary on the 1861 census, but Mary is listed as living at St. Catherine Plain in Norwich, as a lodger with Thomas and Elizabeth Lamb, along with their daughter who was also called Elizabeth.

Mary died on 23 August 1885 at the age of 78. Her death was reported in Norfolk News on 29 August 1885, noting that she had died suddenly at her home at 193 Queen’s Road, Norwich. This property still stands, it’s rather a decent home.

This is another situation where I’m sure there’s much more of a story, I just can’t quite work out what it is yet.