Open Writing

Later that evening Mary approached Martin. “I know you don’t believe my story, but what if there was some way of proving that it is true?''

“How can you prove that you met someone who lived a hundred years ago? Are you thinking of having a séance?”

“I’ve been talking to Miss Starr. I forgot to tell you that I made a list of the names that Rebecca Jackson mentioned and put it in my trouser pocket. I found it today and mentioned some of the names to Miss Starr. She was familiar with them.''

“Can I see your list?'' Martin asked, interested.

She handed him her list and he examined it carefully. “These are fairly common names. It's perhaps a coincidence that Miss Storr recognised some of them. There probably were Gardners living in Cley in 1853.''

“I just thought of something else. What if there was a book? Something which I had never read. A book which substantiated what I have told you about that night a hundred years go. Would that be proof which you could accept?''

“Well...'' said Martin doubtfully. "Where are you going to find such a book?''

"Perhaps Norwich library has books which contain details of what happened in Cley during the flood of 1853. I think I will write o the libray. Ask for help. I don't need to say why I want the information.''

“I don’t see how there would be any harm in doing that,'' Martin said doubtfully. "If it would make you happy go ahead and do it.''

So Mary wrote to the library asking for details of the Cley flood of 1853. She asked for the names of people who had lived in the village at that ime, and, if possible, the locations of the houses in which they had lived.

Several weeks passed. She had almost given up hope of reeiving information when the following letter arrived.

“Dear Mrs. Gardner,

Thank you for your letter of May 10th instant. I hope I can give you some answers to your questions. First of all several books were published about Cley at the time you mentioned. I have listed them here.

Bloomfield F, An essay towards a topological history of the County of Norfolk Vol 9 2nd Ed. by Charles Parking, London.

Cozens-Hardy, E. “The Maritime Trade of the Port of Blakeney which includes Cley and Wiveton, 1587-90. Mr. Cozens-Hardy has also written a number of other books which might be of interest to you about the Glaven Valley and Topographical Notes and Havens in North Norfolk.

Mary Hardy’s Diary - although she wrote of a somewhat earlier period.

We have the National Records Office books on Cley next the Sea Parish Registers. There are also some letters from the Customs and Excise departments at that time that mention Cley. We also have a book called, Harman J, Account of wrecks and disasters that have taken place on the North Norfolk Coast since 1850 from the National Maritime Museum and Williams N.J. The Maritime Trade of East Anglian Ports 1550-90, Unpublished D Phil thesis, Oxford.

We have copies of the Norfolk and Norwich Historical Directories which cover that period, but not all of them mention Cley specifically. We have the 1869 Post Office Directory of Cambridge, Norfolk, Essex and Suffolk, and the 1839 Directory by Pigotts. In these you will find Cley people mentioned who were in trade, but also the clergy and landed gentry.

We have insufficient storage space in the library, so some of the documents are stored at the castle. Norfolk County Council also keep some of the documents.
We have an incomplete electoral register from 1830 and also Poll Books to 1865.

If you are able to get to Norwih let me know and I will attempt to secure these books or records for your investigations.

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. J. Oltman, Librarian, Norwich Library

Mary couldn’t wait for Martin to come home that night. “Look at my letter”, she said pushing it under When Martin arrived home from work that evening Mary showed him the letter. "I can find out who lived here,'' she aid excitedly. "I must go to Norwich.''

Martin, glancing at the letter, spotted a name. “There are Cozen-Hardys living in Letheringsett. The big house on the corner. The one that juts into the road. Why don’t you go there first and talk to them?''

"Yes, I will. But I do want to see those old registers which list names. I think I need to go to Norwich first.''

Martin relucantly agreed. The trip would have to be during a school holiday, so that he could take care of their children. But his pregnant wife was determined that the research was something she had to do.