Mr & Mrs CHARLES OLIVER and ELIZA DOWNING DURRANT raised a large family at East Winch in the late 1800s.

The family lived in a row of cottages – PUMP ROW – near where the Carpenter’s Arms now stands.

THOMAS HARRY DURRANT was born in 1877,

Thomas married SELINA LYDIA ELIZABETH MACKENZIE in Rawal Pindi, India, in 1909. It is thought that he was serving in the British Army at the time.

He later saw service during the first World War – 1914/1918; this is recorded on the War Memorial in All Saint’s Church at East Winch.

Selina’s parent had invited Mr & Mrs Joseph Arthur Durrant (Thomas’ brother and sister-in-law) to the wedding. However it seems that they were unable to attend because they could not afford to do so.

Selina and her son Harry visited Charles in 1911; the census of that year records the visit.

Other members of the family seem also to have left East Winch.

It is known that Joseph Arthur Durrant & his brother Oliver Albert moved to Walsall; both worked on the railway.

At one time Emma Elizabeth lived with her husband Albert Worth Laws at Stamford Hill in London. They are buried in the Churchyard at East Winch.

Joanna however remained at East Winch. She was a teacher at the school and died in 1962 at King’s Lynn aged 90.

 Our thanks are due to Ray Durrant - the Great Grandson of Charles and Eliza - who provided the information and photographs in this article.