I was searching for my Great Great grandfather, Thomas Charles Norton, when I discovered his wife was called Harriet nee Baldry. She lived at Rickinghall in Hill House until her death aged 81. She was born at Westhall daughter of a farmer, Charles BALDRY of Westhall Hall, Suffolk. There were three daughters: Esther, Harriet and Mary Jane. Esther born 29th December 1784 married to Charles Boyce in 1812. Harriet born 1788 and Maria Jane born 1801. Comment by Mother is 'not very promising. I sincerely pray God may enlighten her in understanding'. Maria Jane later was witness to the wedding of Charles Thomas Norton to Harriet Baldry so one must assume her understanding increased! Maria went to school with Mrs Newson in Wangford Suffolk. There is much mention of a farmhouse (otherwise called 'a mansion') in Brampton, Suffolk purchased on 7th Jan.1793. (My Great Uncle was called Victor E Brampton Norton). In 1799 Harriet attended school with Mrs Cowling in Beccles. Harriet died aged 81. Charles Baldry appears to have purchased a house in Beccles - but this could have been Charles Boyce. The house was bought in 1815. The family seemed to rotate around Beccles where she spent some of her childhood. I have in my possession a journal written by Esther Baldry, her Mother which is profoundly religious, but does have some very interesting information in it. I am hoping to copy the whole onto the computer and would be happy to forward it to you. It is two exercise books full which in turn were copied by my great great Aunt as I gather the original was faded badly. It give history of the time of the Napoleonic war and was written in 1814 and 15. She sounds something of a misery to be honest! In the journals I have there are many mentions of vicars of local churches, and it may be possible to cross reference them with the dates to discover whether it was Mrs Boyce or Mrs Baldry - it is unclear. The journal is entitled 'Esther Baldrey's Extracts from religious subjects' but in fact it is a journal on her life My interest mainly is in the Nortons, but I cannot but be impressed that Esther Baldry would have been my great great great grandmother born in the 18th century. My Great Uncles was called Lionel Baldry Norton.

In 1844 son Charles Thomas Norton bought Hill House in Rickinghall and moved in with his wife, and mother. He then had 12 children and 644 acres. Somewhere in that confusion is the Mellinge family who were related to the Baldry family. Have a copy of their family crest and they lived in 1664 at St Olave'sAbbey. Would love to follow their history but it gets difficult at that period.