Streets of Norwich – Albert Place

Part of my Streets of Norwich project…. [Updated in November 2023]

Albert Place is a small road located off of Telegraph Lane West, which is visible on the above map coming off of Albert Road, but the top section is no longer there and is underneath some more modern housing.

This is all that is left now, so there’s not much that I can write here.

But, there is a story about two former residents of this street, Mr. W. Scott and his wife, who both incurred head injuries from a major railway accident which took place on 10 September 1874. An express train running from London to Great Yarmouth hit a mail train from Great Yarmouth to Norwich at some speed near Thorpe Junction, given some communication confusion caused by a telegraph clerk. 25 people were killed, including both sets of drivers and firemen, with a further 75 being injured. The disaster led to the introduction Tyer’s Electric Train Tablet, a token based system which made it impossible for two trains to be on the same section of track.

And, as another story, John Abel advertised in the Norwich Mercury on 7 September 1896 the below:

“This is to give notice, that on and after this date I will not be responsible for any debts contracted by my wife, Charlotte Abel.

John Abel, Albert Place, Albert Road, St. Leonard’s Road, Norwich.”

I’m not entirely sure what happened there….