Exhibition marks start of Bircham Centre centenary celebrations

2019 marks the centenary year of Hackford House being given to the town by Samuel Bircham, and one of the events that marked the beginning of the centenary celebrations was an exhibition held by Reepham Archive volunteers on Saturday 1 June.

 

 

Many visitors were treated to a snapshot of significant events in the life of Samuel Bircham, which was presented upstairs in the Bircham Centre.

 

Although he spent much of his life in London and Surrey, Samuel always considered himself a Norfolk man and was never happier than when in his “beloved Norfolk”.

 

He spent as much time as possible in Reepham in spite of commitments to his legal work in London as solicitor to the London and South Western Railway company.

 

In Reepham, he supported the cricket and bowls clubs, established a scout troop, funded a new fire engine, took an active interest in the welfare of the town and regularly appeared on Reepham bench of magistrates as a justice of the peace.

 

Between now and August, when Reepham will be celebrating the actual date of the presentation of Hackford House to the town, the Reepham Archive will be busy preparing a more extensive exhibition in memory of Samuel Bircham and his family.

 

Samuel Bircham

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