November’s illustration in the 2022 Reepham Life Calendar shows a copy of a 19th century lithograph published by Stone & Hodgson in “The Picturesque Views of all the Bridges belonging to the County of Norfolk”, based on detailed accurate drawings made by Francis Stone (1765-1835).

A previous item on the Reepham Life website (December 2013) stated that the bridge over the Eyn Brook was erected in 1820 and that David Williams, riding back from dinner with his brother-in-law Peter Elwin at Booton Hall, fell from his horse and broke his neck crossing the ford over the Eyn Brook at Booton.

Part of this information originally came from a photocopy of a handwritten item in our files. An excerpt is shown, signed HEH, which stands for Henry Edward Hawes (1863-1957).

Researching the Williams family it transpires that David Williams died in 1811, with no mention of an accident in his death announcement and no reports of an inquest into his death (Norfolk Chronicle, 28 December 1811).

Harry Hawes wrote down his recollections when he was in his 80s, so he will have first heard versions of this tale in the 1870s when he was a child.

David Williams’ son Peter Elwin Williams (1789-1826) was a surgeon living in Reepham. His death was recorded in the local papers (Norwich Mercury & Bury and Norwich Post, March 1826).

Below is a photograph of the plaque on the bridge as it is today (Courtesy of M. Rogers).

There was a discussion at a Booton parish meeting in the summer about restoring the memorial stone on the bridge, but, as the inscription is barely visible, this is probably not possible.

Janet Archer

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