The Ebb & Flow asked this question in a past edition: Who was Bigsby? They speculated that perhaps he was an early proprietor of the garage that is now occupied by Peggs. Also, that Bigsby’s ‘corner’ on maps has actually moved over time from encompassing Kiln Lane down to School Lane to now being just at the junction of the B1121 Benhall and Sternfield.
1783 Hodskinson’s Map of Suffolk. Bigsby’s Corner not shown.
Map from 1820 survey courtesy National LIbrary of Scotland showing Bigsby’s Corner
In answer to the Ebb & Flow’s question Jessie and Nellie Friend advised that a paper written in 1997 by Michael Catchpole stated that when William Long improved the grounds of Hurts Hall C1840, a number of buildings were demolished on the Aldeburgh Road in Sternfield as well as a house which stood, more or less, on the site of Potter’s Garage (now known as J.T. Pegg & sons) which for some years had been the residence of a Reverend J. Bigsby.
However, this doesn’t explain who Reverend J. Bigsby was and how he came to live in Benhall. From local hearsay we understand that Rev. Bigsby lived at the corner behind Peggs Garage and that to reach St. John’s church Saxmundham, where he preached, he would use a road that crossed right in front of Hurt’s Hall, often calling on the family there, much to their annoyance.
Now so much data is online and so are the Suffolk church records of birth, marriages & deaths. From these the History Group has discovered the following Bigsby records:-
From church parish records:
1742 baptism of Thomas Bigsby to Thomas & Phillipa Bigsby, Stratford St. Andrew’s church
1758 Thomas Bigsby, widower marries Bridget Bence single woman of Kelsale by Licence at Kelsale church with a dedication at St. John’s church, Saxmundham. Thomas’ occupation states that he is a doctor of physick (prescribes medication). Thomas Bigsby’s brother was James Bigsby a surgeon (surgery & blood-letting). James Bigsby had a son, Jeremiah Bigsby born 1748 in Nottingham.
On 24th Dec 1770 Jeremiah Bigsby is appointed as curate at Kelsale church at salary £50 until 1776.
1776 baptism of Anne to Jeremiah & Anne Bigsby at St. John’s church, Saxmundham.
Jeremiah’s occupation is stated as Clerk and he is responsible for the spiritual and administrative aspects of church life. He read the lessons, gave out the hymns, led the singing and the responses, served at the altar, gave out notices, kept the keys, and undertook a myriad of other duties. He appears to have left Kelsale church and taken up as Clerk of St. John’s church in Saxmundham. His wife is Ann Smith from Kelsale and they married in 1776 in Nottingham.
1778 baptism of Sarah to Jeremiah & Anne Bigsby at St. John’s church, Saxmundham
1779 baptism of Thomas to Jeremiah & Anne Bigsby at St. John’s church, Saxmundham
1781 baptism of George to Jeremiah & Anne Bigsby at St. John’s church, Saxmundham.
Bigsby family tree
So between 1742 to 1781 the Bigsby family would have been well known in Benhall & Saxmundham. By 1783 Jeremiah Bigsby and family have returned to Nottingham where he was Clerk at St. Peter’s Church, Nottingham. Jeremiah Bigsby died there in 1797.
Perhaps the local hearsay is true and Rev. Jeremiah Bigsby so annoyed the Long’s of Hurts Hall that he was obliged to leave the area, however the area did not forget him so quickly! Where he lived has been known as Bigsby’s Corner ever since. Certainly it was a well-known meeting place as the events of 1838 show in this newspaper article where thousands of men gathered asking for the right to vote.
From the Suffolk Chronicle, January 1839
MEN OF EAST SUFFOLK! ARISE AND ASSERT YOUR RIGHTS!
On Wednesday last a large meeting of agricultural labourers of East Suffolk, and other persons interested in the principles of the People’s Charter, was held upon Carlton Green in the vicinity of Saxmundham.
A large number of labourers congregated at Bigsby’s Corner as early as half past nine in the morning and proceeded in an orderly and compact procession to the spot where several members of the Ipswich Working-man’s Association addressed the body of the meeting.
It is calculated that not less than 4,000 men were assembled on the occassion.
1838 Cassini map showing Bigsby’s Corner to Carlton
