Wroxham Postcards Page 4

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Postcards Of The Norfolk Broads

Wroxham

Page 1, 2, 3, 4

Although this postcard of Wroxham Bridge was posted in 1909, it is actually a colourized version of a photograph which was taken by John Payne Jennings around 1890. John Loynes had established his boatyard just below the bridge, on the left, in the late 1880s, having moved to the Northern rivers from his original base in Norwich.

One of the entrance dykes to Little Switzerland on the River Bure, dating from c1910. Little Switzerland is a series of chalk marl pits, located between Wroxham and Belaugh, from which thousands of tonnes of chalk was quarried during the 19th century. The channels leading off the Bure were cut to enable small wherries and lighters to get right up to the pits to load the marl for transportation around the Broads. The marl was apparently a useful aid to turnip growing when applied to the fields, and was also transported to lime kilns and cement works in the area. Quarrying ceased around 1875 and the steep slopes created by digging out the chalk were planted with coniferous woodland. It is also recorded that a mastedon, a form of prehistoric elephant, was discovered here in the early 19th century.

Wherry at Wroxham Bridge c1910.

Another view of Station Road in Hoveton, looking back towards the centre of the village, which probably dates from the late 1940s or early 1950s. This is a view which has changed considerably over the years and shows the Broads Hotel on the far left. The garage on the left is still there, now known as Station Road Garage, the Broads Hotel was heavily altered and extended and now also occupies the area where the little restaurant building is seen above. The shop seen on the right hand side of the road in the middle of the photograph has been rebuilt and is now Massingham Bros. butchers.

The view looking upstream from Wroxham Bridge, with the Kings Head staithe on the right, dating from the early 1950s.

An aerial view of Wroxham and Hoveton which probably dates from the 1950s.

Also dating from the 1950s, this photograph of Wroxham Bridge shows Jack Powles boatsheds on the right. The yacht moored in the foreground was the 20ft, 3 berth “Cosmea” which was available to hire from Easticks of Acle. A weeks hire in 1952 cost bewteen £11 and £15 10 shillings.

Another postcard dating from the 1950s taken from just above Wroxham Bridge, looking across to the Kings Head staithe, with the Three Horseshoes pub also visible in the background.

The Three Horseshoes at Hoveton/Wroxham, pictured in the late 1960s. The Horseshoes Hotel seen earlier amongst this collection had been heavily altered c1900 and a more substantial brick building replaced the original wooden cladding. In 1961, the pub underwent further building work which included the balcony area seen above. The Horseshoes is currently closed and has been boarded up.

This postcard featuring Wroxham Broad was posted in 1908.