The Norman Ancestors

The surname Norman has a number of possible origins the first is from the Old English Noroman meaning a 'dweller in the North, Scandinavian, especially a Norwegian'. Another is that it simply means someone from Normandy as those that conquered England in 1066. My Norman ancestors originated from Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire but moved to Crowland, Lincolnshire during the mid-19th century and to Peterborough, Northamptonshire in the latter part of that century. The occupations of my ancestors ranged from Agricultural Labourers to Farmers to Cab Proprieters.

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Born on 29th March 1914 at Peterborough, Northamptonshire, Phyllis Marjorie was the third child and daughter of Arthur and Rose Ada Norman (nee Northern). When she was only five years only her father died from influenza. Phyllis (known as 'Madge') grew up in Peterborough and after leaving school she worked at W. Williamsons Confectioners of Westgate, Peterborough. She married William Arthur Chapman on 26th December 1936 at All Saints Church, Peterborough. They lived briefly in Taverner's Road before moving to Clarence Road. They had four children together including Julia Ann, Geoffrey, Keith and Andrew Paul. During the late 1940s Bill became ill and was left with a weakened heart. On 11th February 1956 he suffered a fatal heart attack and died. After his death Madge had to return to work to support the family. She worked as a domestic cleaner at a number of local houses and then as an office cleaner at Perkins Engines. Later she worked as a school dinner lady at Bishop's Creighton School. Madge continued to live at Clarence Road until 1970 when she moved to Eastern Avenue, Peterborough. She died on 11th January 1980 of Breast Cancer and was cremated at Cambridge Crematorium.

Arthur was born on 20th June 1885 at Newark, Peterborough to parents James and Elizabeth Norman (nee Wilson). He grew up in Peterborough, becoming a Railway Platelayer after leaving school. On 25th October 1909 he married Rose Ada Northern at the Register Office, Peterborough. They set-up home in Gladstone Street and had three daughters, Florence May (1910), Violet Elizabeth (1912) and Phyllis Marjorie (1914). Between 1912 and 1914 Arthur and his younger brother Ernest became Cab Proprieters, operating cabs from the New England area of Peterborough (Header from an invoice note is pictured, left). During the First World War Arthur's brother Ernest joined the Royal West Kent Regiment and was killed in action in France in 1917. Later that year Arthur and Rose had their fourth and last child, Arthur Sidney. Arthur died on 10th March 1919 from influenza and pnuemonia, aged just 33 years. He was buried at the Broadway cemetery, Peterborough.

Born in 1854 at Crowland, Lincolnshire, James was the second child of William and Elizabeth Norman (nee Wilson). He grew up at Deeping Bank (near Crowland) and worked as a labourer like his father. In the 1870s he moved to Sheffield, Yorkshire. On 8th June 1875 James returned to Crowland to marry Elizabeth Wilson of Crowland at the Abbey Church. James and Elizabeth were first cousins (James' mother and Elizabeth's father were sister and brother). After the wedding they both moved to Sheffield where Elizabeth gave birth to their first son William James in 1877. The following year Samuel was born. By 1880 they had moved to Eastfield, Peterborough, Northamptonshire to live next to James sister Emma (now married to Henry Marshall). James and Henry both worked as Market Gardeners/Potato Dealers. In 1880 Elizabeth gave birth to Walter followed by Herbert (1881), Frank (1883) and Arthur (1885) and Ernest (1887). Frank, Arthur and Ernest were born at Newark, Peterborough where the family lived breifly before moving to Eye. In 1892 James inherited his fathers house and four acres of land in Crowland. James continued to work as a farm labourer throughout the aerly 20th century.In 1917 James and Elizabeth suffered the loss of their son Ernest when he was killed in the First world War. Two years later they lost another son, Arthur to the influenza epidemic that swept Britain after the war. By the 1920s James and Elizabeth had returned to Peterborough, living in Gladstone Street. James continued to live in Peterborough for a short time after his wife's death in 1929, before returning to Eye. He died there on 1st September 1934, aged 79 years. He was buried at Eastfield Cemetery, Peterborough, next to Elizabeth.

William was born in 1831 at St Neots, Huntingdonshire to parents James and Keziah Norman (nee Russell). Between 1832 and 1839 he moved with his parents to Crowland, Lincolnshire. William worked as a labourer like his father and on 17th May 1852 he married Elizabeth Wilson, a native of Crowland, at the Abbey Church. They continued to live in Crowland and in 1853 Elizabeth gave birth to a daughter, Emma. James was born in 1854, followed by Elizabeth (1857), Annie (1862), Samuel (1864) and Sarah (1866). By 1881 William was working as a Publican. His son James' eldest son, William James appears to have lived with William and Elizabeth permanently from this time onwards, although the reason for this is unknown - a condition was made in William's will that James would must pay his son William James £20 on his 21st birthday if James was to inherit Williams house and land. William continued to live and work in crowland after Elizabeths death in 1889 until he died on 9th april 1892. He was buried next to Elizabeth in Crowland Cemetery.

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