Norfolk Hospice

Between the bank and Church Walk were many small shops behind the frontages, as you can see from the map and images. For that reason it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint exactly which person lived where. Church Walk was only one side of a square of houses and shops.

We know that in 1821 occupiers included John Pratt-shopkeeper; Matthew Pratt-jeweller and watchmaker; Elizabeth Powley-milliner; Edward Palmer, Ann Williamson and Thomas Vout (Norfolk Chronicle 19 May 1821). In the 1845 tithe map this house appears to have been occupied by John Pratt – a land surveyor who died in 1867. Was that the whole house or just one half?

In the top left image there are clearly two shops. On the right hand G.W.Barker and to the left a Mr.Offord, seedsman and florist, who was there ten years later in 1901.

The first business we can pinpoint from images is George William Barker a game- and fish dealer, who took over the premises from William Wharton – a perfumier and hairdresser – in 1885. George Barker was followed by George Whiteman who, in 1900, traded as a butcher at the front and lived with his family at the rear.

Ray and Jean Gilbert took over the building as a clothes for the family and haberdashery in 1967 when the building looked very much as it does today. After they retired 21 years later it was replaced by Ashfords of Norwich, a soft furnishing company and then by The Busy Bee.
Since 2015 has been the home of The Norfolk Hospice Charity shop.