Thomas Starling Norgate
Thomas Starling Norgate was an owner of the Hall in the early nineteenth century and an influential figure of the period. He was responsible for the foundation of the Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Society in 1829 and the East Anglian Newspaper and is listed in the Dictionary of National Biography. He began to write his Memoirs on 1 January 1812 for the benefit of his children. There were twelve of them and the eldest, Elias, is listed in the book as having been vaccinated against smallpox.
Norgate's paternal grandmother kept a school for little children in Norwich and he considered that this indicated that when her first husband died, she was left a widow in humble circumstances. She was lame and he remembered "seeing the little urchins take advantage of the old matron's infirmity and get beyond that dread instrument of her short-lived anger, the birch". She was looked after "during her senility" by his father and died in January 1795 aged 83. Norgate was born on 20 August 1772. His father was then living in the house in White Lion Lane, Norwich, where he had served an apprenticeship with a Mr Ellis, a surgeon and apothecary. The boy was sent to Norwich Free School, and in the book there is an extensive comment on his schooldays and of the following period at New College, Hackney.
It was in 1829 that Thomas Starling Norgate of Hethersett (Old) Hall produced a prospectus entitled Proposals for Establishing a Norfolk & Norwich Horticultural Society. Its aim would be to encourage communication between members regarding their little "projects and experiments".
Mainly designed for working gardeners, it would be advantageous to the gentlemen who employed them. The Cottagers would also be encouraged, "by the distribution of small prizes, to make the most of the little plots of land that they may chance to occupy". He noted that "He that takes a delight in his garden has the temptation weakened to resort to the public house for amusement and there waste his time, his health and his money".
The proposal was accepted and at the inaugural meeting of 22 October, Edward Lombe of Great Melton took the chair, Elias Norgate, Norgate's son was elected secretary and Norgate himself was elected on to the committee. The first general meeting was held at the Swan Inn, Norwich, on 25 November, and among the exhibitors were Rev. T. S. Buckle with specimens of a Norfolk Pippin and of a seedling apple which had been raised in his own garden in Hethersett at the Priory. John Browne, Esq., of Hill House Hethersett, also had fruits of a Hethersett Pippin which had been raised from seed at Hill House and T.S.Norgate exhibited grapes grown at the Old Hall - White Muscadine and Black Cluster.
In 1830, Leonora Norgate, his daughter, designed two silver prize medals for the Society of 1.5 oz and l oz, and a bronze medal. Cottagers were to be presented with a framed, lithographic vignette drawn by Miss Bertha Browne (the daughter of John Browne), entitled The Reward of Industry.
Norgate's paternal grandmother kept a school for little children in Norwich and he considered that this indicated that when her first husband died, she was left a widow in humble circumstances. She was lame and he remembered "seeing the little urchins take advantage of the old matron's infirmity and get beyond that dread instrument of her short-lived anger, the birch". She was looked after "during her senility" by his father and died in January 1795 aged 83. Norgate was born on 20 August 1772. His father was then living in the house in White Lion Lane, Norwich, where he had served an apprenticeship with a Mr Ellis, a surgeon and apothecary. The boy was sent to Norwich Free School, and in the book there is an extensive comment on his schooldays and of the following period at New College, Hackney.
It was in 1829 that Thomas Starling Norgate of Hethersett (Old) Hall produced a prospectus entitled Proposals for Establishing a Norfolk & Norwich Horticultural Society. Its aim would be to encourage communication between members regarding their little "projects and experiments".
Mainly designed for working gardeners, it would be advantageous to the gentlemen who employed them. The Cottagers would also be encouraged, "by the distribution of small prizes, to make the most of the little plots of land that they may chance to occupy". He noted that "He that takes a delight in his garden has the temptation weakened to resort to the public house for amusement and there waste his time, his health and his money".
The proposal was accepted and at the inaugural meeting of 22 October, Edward Lombe of Great Melton took the chair, Elias Norgate, Norgate's son was elected secretary and Norgate himself was elected on to the committee. The first general meeting was held at the Swan Inn, Norwich, on 25 November, and among the exhibitors were Rev. T. S. Buckle with specimens of a Norfolk Pippin and of a seedling apple which had been raised in his own garden in Hethersett at the Priory. John Browne, Esq., of Hill House Hethersett, also had fruits of a Hethersett Pippin which had been raised from seed at Hill House and T.S.Norgate exhibited grapes grown at the Old Hall - White Muscadine and Black Cluster.
In 1830, Leonora Norgate, his daughter, designed two silver prize medals for the Society of 1.5 oz and l oz, and a bronze medal. Cottagers were to be presented with a framed, lithographic vignette drawn by Miss Bertha Browne (the daughter of John Browne), entitled The Reward of Industry.