Canham - The Old Homestead & The Cemetery in Swanton Morley, Norfolk, England

 

Joseph Canham (1857-1939) was Grammy’s grandfather. He built a house in Swanton Morley and named it Clondalkin. Long ago, the houses were named, not numbered. Joseph’s wife, Jane Mangan (1866-1950) was born in Ireland. Her birth and baptism records only name Oldcastle, Meath, Ireland as her residence. But in the 1939 English Register she lists her place of birth as “Clondalkin.” Both of their death records list their residence as Clondalkin, Swanton Morley.

The photo shows the house in 2011. There is a sign above the front porch that says “Clondalkin.” I zoomed in and added that slice to the photo – it’s fuzzy but readable. I like that the current homeowners have kept the name. Grammy (Josephine Teresa Magurn - “Terry”) remembers visiting her grandparents at Clondalkin as a child. “One time we were visiting my grandparents in Swanton [Morley,] England and my grandfather – Grandjoe we called him, was up a ladder by the house and [when] he turned around I was right behind him. He nearly had a fit. Another time I poisoned his goldfish in the side garden. He used to love to let my grandmother's pet pig – they called the pig Dennis – she was called Nan – out of his pen and he'd chase my sister Joan and I all over the place. I thought it was fun. Joan was petrified.”

This Latin cross with a curbed surround is the resting place for Joseph Canham and his wife Jane. Located in the church yard of All Saints Church in Swanton Morley, Norfolk, England, it is fitting that they are buried where they served so valiantly during their lives. Joseph was the church clerk and sexton, appointed in January 1900. A sexton is an officer of the Church of England charged with the maintenance of its buildings and the surrounding graveyard. From the small book “Our Knickers Were Interesting – A Norfolk Village Childhood” by Daisy Rayner we learn that as the sexton, he rang the church bells and dug the graves. “Today they cannot bury in Swanton Morley churchyard because the graves cave in. It did in those days as well, but Joe knew the way. He made a frame the size of the grave and as he dug a foot or so he would fix a plank in it at the top, like they used to brick wells. The well-sinkers made their wells from the top and dropped them as they went along. For all his cleverness Joe was a most unassuming man, small, wearing glasses and a cap. He was very well loved.” His wife, Jane, was described as a very small, quiet woman. She was the church cleaner. On a side note, the previous sexton and parish clerk was James Hickleton, the husband of Joseph’s aunt Harriet. Hickleton died in January 1900 and Joseph began his 33 years of service. The inscription on their grave marker reads: In every loving memory of Joseph the beloved husband of Jenny* CANHAM who died June 7th 1939 aged 82 years Parish clerk for 33 years Also his beloved wife Jenny* CANHAM died Oct 13th 1950 aged 84 years *This is the only place I have found where Jane is referred to as Jenny.