Norfolk: Great Bircham

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Great Bircham is about 10 miles W. of Fakenham.
It is sometimes known as Bircham St Mary.
See also Bircham Newton and Bircham Tofts.

Cemeteries

See Norfolk Parish Links: Cemeteries

Census

Church Directories

In 1883 the parish was in the Deanery of Heacham, in the archdeaconry of Norfolk.
It could have been in a different deanery or archdeaconry both before and after this date.
The parish church is dedicated to St Mary.
Nearby Churches of all denominations.

Church History

Church of St Mary the Virgin: Description, pictures, bells, etc.
Church of St Mary the Virgin: Picture of the church.
Yaxley, David: The Old Rectory, Great Bircham.
[Norwich, Norfolk and Norwich Archaeological Society, in "Norfolk Archaeology" vol.37, 1980]

Church Records

Marriages 1669-1837: See Phillimore's Marriage Registers, Volume 12.
Marriages: These are included in Boyd's Marriage Index.

Civil Registration

For the civil registration of births, marriages and deaths between 1837 and 1930 (and for the censuses from 1851 to 1901), Great Bircham was in Docking Registration District.

Description and Travel

Great Bircham Post Mill: Description and history.
Great Bircham Tower Mill: Description, history and picture.
Great Bircham Windmill: Pictures and short history.

Directories

Historical Geography

Great Bircham is in Smithdon Hundred.

Parish outline and location.: See Parish Map for Smithdon Hundred
Description of Smithdon Hundred: 1845: White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk

Land and Property

Great Britain: Statute: Great Bircham Land Exchanges and Inclosure Act, 1739.
An act for confirming and establishing an exchange, agreed upon by the lord of the manor and the rector of the parish church of Great Bircham in the county of Norfolk; and for promoting and facilitating an inclosure, intended to be made of divers commons, common pasture and waste grounds, lying in the said parish of Great Bircham.
[1739]

Maps

Modern and Historical Maps: Maps of the parish.

Military Records

Roll of Honour: World Wars 1 and 2.
Roll of Honour - War Graves in the Churchyard: World Wars 1 and 2.
War Graves at Great Bircham: Some of the people were from Bircham Newton airfield.
Names, details, pictures, plan of graves, etc.
This is a link to an archived copy.
Hillman, Brian and Beynon, John: The British, Commonwealth and German War Graves in St Mary's Churchyard, Great Bircham.
[King's Lynn, 2002]

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc

After 1834 Great Bircham became part of Docking Union, and the workhouse was at Docking.

Population

These figures are from the population tables which were produced after the 10-yearly national censuses. The "Families" heading includes families and single occupiers.

Year   Inhabited
Houses Families Population

1801 36 68 325

1811 40 68 330

1821 72 76 398

1831 78 90 451

1841 92 -- 511

1851 90 -- 503

Year   Inhabited
Houses Families Population

1861   86   -- 489

1871 100 124 484

1881   99 112 460

1891   94   96 392

1901   96   98 368

1911   --   93 366

There may be more people living in detached parts of the parish (if there were any) and, if so, the number may or may not be included in the figures above. It is quite difficult to be sure from the population tables.

Voting Registers

See Norfolk Parish Links: Voting Registers

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