Norwich Mayors with Hethersett Connections
From Mayors of Norwich 1403-1835 by Cozens-Hardy & Kent (1938).
Thomas Layer, grocer, was sheriff in 1567, mayor in 1576, 1585 and 1595. He owned, when he died in 1614, aged 86, property in Cringleford, Hethersett, Intwood and Colney.
Roger Ramsey, a grocer, was sheriff in 1592 and mayor in 1610. He died in 1631, "seised of a capital messuage called Thickthorne together with 300 acres in Hethersett", leaving his son John, then 40 years old, his heir. He had purchased this estate of Anthony Flowerdew Esq., of Hethersett, in 1596-7.
William Gostlin, sheriff in 1629, was mayor in 1642. He married Catherine Davye. In 1639 a William Gostlin of Norwich was, by mortgage, lord of Cromwell's Manor and patron of the rectory of Hethersett. He was a merchant and lived in what is now 28, Elm Hill. He was buried in the church of SS Simon & Jude in October 1661.
Sir Joseph Paine, was sheriff in 1654 and mayor in 1660. He acquired Stranger's Hall in 1659 and owned property in Hethersett.
Thomas Wisse, grocer, was sheriff in 1659 and mayor in 1667, died in 1702 aged 78. By his will he gave £150 each to the Boys' and Girls' Hospitals to be laid out in the purchase of land. The trustees purchased a farm of 42 acres in Little Melton and Hethersett, and in 1938 this was still the joint property of these charities.
Hugh Bokenham, sheriff in 1673 and mayor in 1681, married Elizabeth Flowerdew, the daughter of Christopher and Susan Flowerdew. He died 26 April 1694, aged 60 and Elizabeth died 29 December 1668. He was buried in Hethersett church and was the fourth son of Wiseman Bokenham of Weston, Suffolk. Two of his children are mentioned, Walsingham and Dorothy. "He devised to his son in tail his lands in Hethersett late of the Flowerdews and to him absolutely Spurflint Farm in Suffolk and the advowson of Stoke Ash, Suffolk".
Robert Bene, sheriff in 1694, mayor in 1710 and a wealthy brewer, was twice elected as a Tory to parliament, in 1710 and 1713. He purchased Thickthorne Estate of Sir William Barker of London and Dame Letitia, his wife. He died 27 May 1733, aged 80.
Elias Norgate, son of Elias and Mary Norgate, baptised at St George's Tombland, was sheriff in 1781and mayor 1785. He became an eminent surgeon and one-time speaker of the Common Council and was the leader of the Whig Party in the city wrote several political papers. When mayor, he lived at 17 White Lion Street and later at 35 St Giles St. He married Deborah Starling, daughter of Thomas Starling, mayor in 1767, and was buried at St Peter Mancroft, where a small stone in the wall of one walk is inscribed to his memory. Elias and Deborah were the parents of Thomas Starling Norgate who lived at the Old Hall.
John Buckle, was sheriff in 1787 and mayor in 1793. He was a Whig, an alderman for Mancroft Ward and an ironmonger, tobacconist and colourman at 6 Haymarket. His trade sign was The Golden Pipe. He died intestate at his house in Hethersett on 4 February 1818, aged 70, leaving all to his only son and next of kin, Thomas Starling Buckle the rector of Bramerton. His daughter, Rebecca married John Herring. There is a mural to their memory in St George's, Colegate.
John Browne, was mayor in 1798. He married a grocer's daughter, Anne Slater. He was a "warm politician on the Whig side", an ironmonger, ironfounder and colourman at 19 St Peters Street, a large house pulled down in April 1935. He had a country house at Hethersett where "his mode of life was different" a country gentleman and a county magistrate. "No man was ever more respected by his political opponents".
Thomas Back, a solicitor with strong Norwich connections, was sheriff in 1802, alderman in 1808 and mayor 1809, as well as being deputy lieutenant for the County of Norfolk.
Sir Henry Nicholas Holmes was Lord Mayor in 1921-22 and 1932-33. In 1891, he was co-founder of Edwards and Holmes Shoes, a member of the Florida Group today. He donated the Bridewell to the city and had it converted into a museum. As a president of the Norfolk and Norwich Aero Club, he was present when Edward VIII opened Norwich's first municipal airport on Mousehold in the early 1930's. His son, Geoffrey and family, lived at Wood Hall from the early 1930's
Thomas Layer, grocer, was sheriff in 1567, mayor in 1576, 1585 and 1595. He owned, when he died in 1614, aged 86, property in Cringleford, Hethersett, Intwood and Colney.
Roger Ramsey, a grocer, was sheriff in 1592 and mayor in 1610. He died in 1631, "seised of a capital messuage called Thickthorne together with 300 acres in Hethersett", leaving his son John, then 40 years old, his heir. He had purchased this estate of Anthony Flowerdew Esq., of Hethersett, in 1596-7.
William Gostlin, sheriff in 1629, was mayor in 1642. He married Catherine Davye. In 1639 a William Gostlin of Norwich was, by mortgage, lord of Cromwell's Manor and patron of the rectory of Hethersett. He was a merchant and lived in what is now 28, Elm Hill. He was buried in the church of SS Simon & Jude in October 1661.
Sir Joseph Paine, was sheriff in 1654 and mayor in 1660. He acquired Stranger's Hall in 1659 and owned property in Hethersett.
Thomas Wisse, grocer, was sheriff in 1659 and mayor in 1667, died in 1702 aged 78. By his will he gave £150 each to the Boys' and Girls' Hospitals to be laid out in the purchase of land. The trustees purchased a farm of 42 acres in Little Melton and Hethersett, and in 1938 this was still the joint property of these charities.
Hugh Bokenham, sheriff in 1673 and mayor in 1681, married Elizabeth Flowerdew, the daughter of Christopher and Susan Flowerdew. He died 26 April 1694, aged 60 and Elizabeth died 29 December 1668. He was buried in Hethersett church and was the fourth son of Wiseman Bokenham of Weston, Suffolk. Two of his children are mentioned, Walsingham and Dorothy. "He devised to his son in tail his lands in Hethersett late of the Flowerdews and to him absolutely Spurflint Farm in Suffolk and the advowson of Stoke Ash, Suffolk".
Robert Bene, sheriff in 1694, mayor in 1710 and a wealthy brewer, was twice elected as a Tory to parliament, in 1710 and 1713. He purchased Thickthorne Estate of Sir William Barker of London and Dame Letitia, his wife. He died 27 May 1733, aged 80.
Elias Norgate, son of Elias and Mary Norgate, baptised at St George's Tombland, was sheriff in 1781and mayor 1785. He became an eminent surgeon and one-time speaker of the Common Council and was the leader of the Whig Party in the city wrote several political papers. When mayor, he lived at 17 White Lion Street and later at 35 St Giles St. He married Deborah Starling, daughter of Thomas Starling, mayor in 1767, and was buried at St Peter Mancroft, where a small stone in the wall of one walk is inscribed to his memory. Elias and Deborah were the parents of Thomas Starling Norgate who lived at the Old Hall.
John Buckle, was sheriff in 1787 and mayor in 1793. He was a Whig, an alderman for Mancroft Ward and an ironmonger, tobacconist and colourman at 6 Haymarket. His trade sign was The Golden Pipe. He died intestate at his house in Hethersett on 4 February 1818, aged 70, leaving all to his only son and next of kin, Thomas Starling Buckle the rector of Bramerton. His daughter, Rebecca married John Herring. There is a mural to their memory in St George's, Colegate.
John Browne, was mayor in 1798. He married a grocer's daughter, Anne Slater. He was a "warm politician on the Whig side", an ironmonger, ironfounder and colourman at 19 St Peters Street, a large house pulled down in April 1935. He had a country house at Hethersett where "his mode of life was different" a country gentleman and a county magistrate. "No man was ever more respected by his political opponents".
Thomas Back, a solicitor with strong Norwich connections, was sheriff in 1802, alderman in 1808 and mayor 1809, as well as being deputy lieutenant for the County of Norfolk.
Sir Henry Nicholas Holmes was Lord Mayor in 1921-22 and 1932-33. In 1891, he was co-founder of Edwards and Holmes Shoes, a member of the Florida Group today. He donated the Bridewell to the city and had it converted into a museum. As a president of the Norfolk and Norwich Aero Club, he was present when Edward VIII opened Norwich's first municipal airport on Mousehold in the early 1930's. His son, Geoffrey and family, lived at Wood Hall from the early 1930's