Norwich – Rosary Cemetery (William Fitt)

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 is quite a simple gravestone, commemorating the life of William Fitt, who was born in 1822. Unfortunately, I’ve been able to find out very little about William, nor can I understand why his wife wasn’t listed on the gravestone.

He appears in the 1841 census as living with his parents on Ber Street, Robert and Mary, along with his brothers and sisters Bartholomew (that’s a name that should come back into usage), James, Barnard, Mary and Maria.

Soon after this, he was married in Lakenham Church in 1842 to Susan Fitt (nee Barham) with her father being Stephen Barham. At the 1851 census, William was living with his wife on Ber Street, he listed as a pipe maker, whilst Susan was a shopkeeper. They had two children, Eleanor aged 8 and Stephen, aged 7.

And the next I can find of William, other than him being listed in a city directory as a butcher in 1858 was at the 1861 census, when he was living with his wife and two children from before, as well as new arrival, his daughter Emma, aged 3. That’s a very large gap in ages, William and Susan now had an 18 year old, a 16 year old and a 3 year old. I wonder whether some children died there…. He was also listed as a butcher on the census.

At the 1871 census, William was still in the same place and still working as a butcher, living with daughter Eleanor (called Ellen) and Emma, as well as Laura Hindes, who was his 9-year old niece. William died at the age of 58 on 28 August 1876.

I can’t find out anything to tell a better story here and I can’t work out much about William. I’ve tried to work out where he lived on Ber Street to see if the building is still there, but it appears to be near what is now called Submarine Way, where all of the older buildings have been demolished.

Susan died on 11 April 1897. Her assets of £90 were given to her daughter Eleanor, listed as a spinster.

So, I’m disappointed I can’t tell a more interesting tale here, but maybe someone will know something more and let me know in future years.