Fritton (near St. Olaves)
Fritton (of which there are 3 in Norfolk) lies on the
A143 approximately five miles south west of
Great Yarmouth. It is
best known for its lake and the nearby Somerleyton Hall.
The novelist James Blyth (1864-1933) lived in the
village and found inspiration from the Broadland
landscape for many of his works.
He was originally educated at Norwich Grammar School
(by Augustus Jessop - see Scarning) and at Cambridge
University. He then worked as a solicitor in London
until 1898, when he suddenly changed his name by deed
poll (he was originally Henry Clabburn) and returned to
rural Norfolk.
He was somewhat eccentric character - but managed to
eke out a meagre living from his writing. His first
novel was entitled Juicy Joe: A Romance of the
Norfolk Marshlands and was published in 1903. He went on
to write many more - completing 22 novels between 1906
and 1909. However, the quality of his work was somewhat
variable. Here is a good descriptive passage from
Rubina (1908) where he talks about hob-o'-lanterns -
or will-o'-the wisps as they are sometimes known.
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