After William Blyth died in 1886 his family left the village. The choir presented his daughter, Janet, with an Album. She had run the choir for many years and was 38 years old. The list of subscribers equates to the numbers of choir members in the photograph so we must assume everyone who subscribed is in it.
Janet certainly was ‘spared’ to labour on -she died in Norwich in 1950!
The plaque says the album was presented to Miss Janet Blyth by the Fincham Church Choir in 1886
List of Subscribers We would love to match the names to the photograph. If you have any of these in your family tree/ photograph album let us know.
The following are possible names for the choir members. Information came from the 1891 census. We have shown their possible age in 1886.
P Bowers – from Banyards Yard
R Addison – Robert Addison from Banyards Yard age 14yrs or Robert Addison from Hopkins Yard age 10yrs
W Rix – William Rix from Main Road next to Manor age 32 yrs
E H Sporne – Edward Sporne from Mill House Downham Road age 25 yrs
J Clarke – James Clark from Black Horse Drove age 27 yrs
F Sporne – John F Sporne from Downham Road age 14 yrs
A Sporne – Alfred Sporne from Downham Road next to New Inn aged 9 yrs
R Addison – Robert Addison from Banyards Yard age 14yrs or Robert Addison from Hopkins Yard age 10yrs
R Bywaters – Robert Bywaters Bakery the Hill age 9 yrs
A Bywaters – Arthur Bywaters Bakery the Hill age 12yrs
W Bywaters – William Bywaters Bakery the Hill age 15yrs
R Laws – Robert Laws from Main Street age 27yrs
H Towler – Horatio Towler Downham Road age 18 yrs
T Whitear – probably Thomas Whitear a butcher age 22 yrs
L Fincham – Lot Fincham Main Street age 35 yrs
J Rix – John Rix the Common age 19 yrs
W Fisher – William Fisher New Barn Swaffham Road age 17yrs
S Fisher – Stephen Fisher Bywaters Farm Stradsett age 12 yrs
H Jude – Harry Jude Main Road near the Crown age 9 yrs
R Staines – John R Staines Short Lane age 10 yrs
A Laws – Alf Laws Main Street age 15 yrs or Albert Laws California age 16yrs
The choir with Janet Blyth standing in the back row. Taken presumably in or just before 1886. Some familiar Fincham family names amongst them.
Fincham Local History Society 