Judy wrote: "I thought it may have been you that I saw...especially with your knowledge of street names and their history Thank you and the rest of the polling team for your hard work and efficiency."
Of all the streets listed for Hethersett, there was only one I had not heard of - which was Joy Place. It conjures up thoughts of just a nice place to live, but obviously I knew there was more to it than that.
You see names of roads on new areas of the village have a theme, just as Steeple Tower's roads are areas of the Lake District. I was on the sub committee of the parish council a number of years ago which put forward names for roads. One suggestion which I believe still remains to be taken up was "reflections on Hethersett's Roman history."
Other subjects included name of bats which gave us Noctule, Barbastelle and Natterers amongst others. Then we had names connected with old Hethersett trades which gave us Coachmaker, Harness Maker, Taylor etc and then names of soldiers from Hethersett who were killed in the First World War and who were not already commemorated with a road name. Before I develop that I wanted to mention an interesting one that was discounted and that was Thatcher for the list of professions. Obviously being a rural area, Hethersett had a number of thatched buildings but the name was discounted on the grounds of its obvious political implications.
But back to Joy Place. Had it just been used because of its pleasant connotations we might also have Wonderful Place, Awesome Street and Magnificent Mews. No Benjamin Joy was one of those killed in the war.
I promised Judy I would seek out some info for her which wasn't too difficult as the details came from one of my own websites entitled Hethersett A Norfolk Village at War which covers the village between 1910 and 1950 and both World Wars. So here goes.
Benjamin JOY - Private Benjamin George Joy of the 2nd Battalion Suffolk Regiment was killed in action on 28th March, 1918, and is remembered on the Arras Memorial, France. He is also remembered on the British School Tablet now in the Church Rooms in Henstead Road.
Benjamin's birth was registered in Henstead in June 1894. He enlisted in Bury St Edmunds, which suggests that he had left the village to follow his own path and that is probably why he found himself in the Suffolk Regiment.
The Parish Magazine of May 1918 reads:
Benjamin George Joy, son of Mr and Mrs B. Joy of Hethersett was killed in action in France on March 28th, 1918, aged 24. Private Joy first went abroad in July 1916 and was wounded on April 11th last year. We offer our deepest sympathy to those who have been bereaved. A memorial service was held on April 21st.
March 1918 was a month that would bring many casualties on both sides and to many was the beginning of the final chapter of the conflict. The German High Command knew that the entry of America into the war had given the advantage to the Allies. The Germans tried to split and destroy the British and French before the Americans arrived.
A massive attack was opened along a 50 mile front beginning on March 21st, 1918. The Germans made remarkable gains over the following days, despite many instances of heroic and stubborn resistance by Allied troops. Eventually the Allied campaign ran out of steam, due to over stretched communications and supply lines. Benjamin's 2nd Suffolk Battalion suffered a heavy bombardment on 21st March and was withdrawn on 23rd to reserve trenches to the northwest of Wancourt village. On 27th March they were moved forward again into the front line trenches overlooking the village. It is likely that the trenches were no deeper than three feet.
The Germans bombarded the trenches, but still the Allies fought on. Over 400 of the battalion had become casualties and those who remained were forced to surrender.
I wonder how many people moving into new homes realise where the names of their roads come from. More names from the First World War to feature include Bringloe, Beaumont and Bennett.
If you are interested in reading more about Hethersett A Village At War please go along to:
https://hethersettatwar.weebly.com/
I thought at times as I was writing the website that Hethersett A Village At War might be wrongly taken as suggesting that between 1910 and 1950 there was internal divisions within the village, but I decided to go with it anyway as I couldn't think of a more appropriate title.
Back to the road names. Some people in the village believe that people still living who have made an outstanding contribution to Hethersett life should be commemorated. Let me know what you think of that one?
On my walk yesterday, I had another look at the crumbling brickwork on Hethersett Church Hall. There was another story in the local press about opposition to turning the historic hall into two new homes.
I have to say the outside of the building is looking in a pretty poor state of repair as some of the photographs show. It would take a large amount of money to repair it.
There's also a couple of photographs taken on the fields at the back of Great Melton Road.