We know now that James FIDDAMAN was the godfather of grandfather Thomas Fiddaman BLOMFIELD (1883-1953) of Kings Lynn. It took me a long time and much effort to establish the connection and the only proof is a mention in James Fiddaman's will. On the way I have uncovered a fascinating story of 'rags to riches' intertwined with tragedy, centred on Fiddaman's Hotel in Kings Lynn.

We knew about Fiddaman's Hotel because father, Thomas William BLOMFIELD (1906-1962), was a butcher at Lynn who would take a lunch time drink there with his friends each market Tuesday after buying cattle for slaughter or grading livestock. Fiddaman's Hotel was in Norfolk Street, very conveniently placed for the cattle market! We also knew that Grandpa Blomfield's middle name was Fiddaman but never knew why; and never did we think about any possible connection between him and Fiddaman's Hotel.

James Fiddaman was born at Fakenham in 1822, the son of Thomas FIDDAMAN (1802 - ) and Ann. He had a younger brother Francis (1833 - ) born at Wells, a sister Fanny and a younger sister Ann (1843 - ) born at Fakenham. The 1851 Census records Thomas as a higgler, an itinerant dealer, while the entry in Kings Lynn St Margaret's parish register for James' marriage in 1852 shows him as a labourer. By the time of James' death as a wealthy tradesman and benefactor in 1884 his father was being described variously as "a fish dealer who travelled the country" and as "a tailor in a small way of business". Perhaps in later life James felt that his true origins sat uneasily alongside his hard-won fortune and status.

Except for Sunday-school, James had no formal education. He left home as a boy to earn his living and to learn in the school of life. He went to assist an uncle who was ostler for Richard GARMAN at the Three Tuns inn, Church street, Lynn. It was here that he forged his relationship with John J. LOWE (1826 - 1898), who was to become his partner in many business ventures and would become his oldest associate. He was quick to learn the business of the stable and soon moved to the Queens Head inn, at Downham, which was kept by a brother of Richard Garman. He left this job to travel the country visiting Brighton, Hastings and London in search of his fortune and occasionally suffering much hardship. He returned to Lynn where he worked for Henry GARNER at the Rummer inn, Tower street; then on to Wisbech to the Rose and Crown and afterwards the White Hart. Next he was employed at the Crown hotel, Swaffham, which was then kept by William PAGE, before returning to Lynn to work as an ostler at the Star inn, 13 Norfolk street, where the landlord was Henry WANTY.

He was nearly thirty when he settled down and built his life in Lynn. The site that would become Fiddaman's Hotel, 11 Norfolk street, had been used by Mr. HOWLETT, a wine and spirit merchant, and part as offices by the East Anglian Railway Company. In 1850 the property was hired by a Scot, John JACKSON, who licensed it for the retail trade, and called it the Wheat Sheaf. The licence was transferred to James in September 1852 and in December that year he married Jemima CARSE. She had been working as a barmaid for Thomas SPRINGHALL at the Black Horse in Chapel street, just around the corner where, in later years, James' old friend John J. Lowe would become the landlord. One of the big puzzles is where James found the funds necessary to set up in business. Did he manage to save it from his employment as an ostler? Or did he have other interests? Either way, he was well known in sporting circles and made the public house the local centre of that interest in West Norfolk. By 1854 he had added a chop house to the premises. He prospered sufficiently to buy the house and adjoining land from Howlett's trustees, converting it into a hotel and wine vaults, renaming it Fiddaman's Hotel and rapidly making a fortune.

His only child, Frederick, was born in 1855 but died in a shipwreck in 1876. Frederick signed articles as an engineer's steward on the Ionia, a steamer built at Shields in 1856, for a nine month passage to Alexandria and back to the UK. The ship left Tyne on the 24th September, passed Dover on the 26th, and was three weeks overdue at Alexandria when some of its wreckage was washed ashore at Lands End. Very heavy weather was experienced in the Bay of Biscay at that time and several steamers came to grief. Most of the shipmasters who crossed the Bay at that time reported that they had never experienced worse storms at any time of the year. There were no survivors. Why did the son of a successful tradesman go to sea? Was he following in his father's footsteps and learning about life the hard way? The motto that James had adopted for his trade mark 'Never venture out of your depth until you are able to swim' must have been a constant reminder of his son's fate.

He became godfather to several of his friends' children and grandchildren: Joseph PRINCE (1866 - ), son of Joseph PRINCE of Sandringham; Wessey GOODWIN (1866 - ) of Newmarket; Bertie William MURRELL (1878 - ) of Kings Lynn; Charles Fiddaman BOON (1878 - ) of Tottenhill; and Thomas Fiddaman Blomfield of Kings Lynn, a grandson of John J. Lowe. Is it relevant to the story that Joseph Prince Sen. was a stud groom at Windsor Great Park in 1881?

James was in business with John J. Lowe providing refreshments in their marquee at events such as the Hunstanton camp of the Volunteers and, until 1868, was prominent in the organisation of King's Lynn Races that were held in the middle of each July on a course adjoining the Sutton Bridge Railway. For some reason in 1868 James dissociated himself from the Races: in the Lynn Advertiser 'J. Fiddaman begs to inform Subscribers, Owners and Trainers that he is in no way connected with the KING'S LYNN RACES for this year, 1868; nor has he any transactions whatever with W.H. Row or J. Digby." Instead he and John organised a Monster Gala & Fete to be held on Wednesday, July 8th, a week before Lynn Races, on the Cricket Ground at Hardwick road. It was under the patronage of Walter MOYSE (the Mayor), Sir W. BAGGE, Bart. M.P., Richard BAGGE, and many other leading gentlemen of the town and neighbourhood, many of who were also patrons of the Races that year. An ill-tempered squabble was played out on the pages of the Lynn Advertiser, with 'H.T.B.' writing 'Sir, - I am continually pestered with begging letters to subscribe to public charities and public amusements but Messrs. Fiddaman and Lowe's last circular application "beats cock-fighting". If these persons want to give a monster gala and fete by all means let them do so, and let the public pay for admission and for the grogs they consume in the "new tent". But why should I be called upon to subscribe to a private commercial speculation unless I have a share in the profits?' Was H.T.B. in competition with Fiddaman and Lowe for refreshment franchises? And why the reference to "cock-fighting"? The Gala was still going strong in 1877, now organised by Stoodley and Harmston on Whit-Monday, 21st May, but with James still providing the refreshments.

In his later years James treated his friends to summer outings. He started with cruises on the steamer Spindrift to the Lynn Roads, a stag event which was not enjoyed by everyone unless it was an exceptionally calm day. In July 1882 he invited about three hundred of his friends and their wives for a trip on the Lynn and Fakenham Railway to Lenwade. The year after he arranged an outing to Holkham that was attended by about eight hundred of his customers and friends. On both occasions the luncheon was lavish with: boar's head, lamb, veal, roast beef, roast mutton, chickens, ducks, pigeon pies, tongues, ham and lobsters; followed by fruit tarts, French pastry, jellies, creams, iced raspberry and vanilla; and for dessert hothouse grapes, pineapple, greengages, strawberries and gooseberries. Jemima had clearly paid attention to Mrs Beeton's suggestions for catering at such an event. No doubt James was responsible for choosing the wines and spirits that flowed freely on such an occasion: champagne, sparkling hock, moselle, burgundy, claret, sherry, port and liqueurs. For the ladies there were cooling champagne and claret 'cups'; and for those with weaker constitutions, there was lemonade, soda and seltzer waters. The occasions were formal with toasts to "The Queen" and "The Prince and Princess of Wales", "the Town and Trade of Lynn", "the Ladies", "the Press", and of course "the health of Mr and Mrs Fiddaman", usually drunk with musical honours and "Three times three". His guests were predominantly upper middle class: farmers of several hundred acres, such as Thomas CURL of Glovers farm Sedgeford, Edward BETTS of Hall farm Babingley and Edmond GROOM of Docking; engineers, including Alfred DODMAN and Frederick SAVAGE, the latter renowned for his fairground rides and his 1885 patent device for galloping horses on a carousel; licensed victuallers from far and wide; and most of his fellow trades people from Norfolk street. On such occasions James must have felt that he was almost a gentleman.

James was a very generous man, giving freely to the poor of the town, to public benevolent institutions and to his friends. In November 1883 a few of James' many friends decided to recognise his generosity. A testimonial committee was formed, including the Mayor of Lynn (William PATTRICK, Esq.), the Mayor elect (James BOWKER, Esq.), and Messrs. Henry J. DUGMORE (Bagthorpe Hall), James BACON (Attleborough), John OVERMAN (Burnham), William G. SHERINGHAM (Fakenham), John Dyker THEW (publisher of the Lynn Advertiser), F. HUDSON, T. WILLIAMSON, Charles Theophilus IVES, John J. Lowe, Joseph Prince and Joseph FEAST (Walsoken). James expressed his disapproval but the committee persevered and, assembled in a private room in Fiddaman's Hotel, the Mayor presented him with an elegant and massive silver salver inscribed: 'Presented with 55 guineas, which he intends devoting to charitable purposes, to Mr. Jas. Fiddaman, by numerous friends, as a token of their high esteem for him and for his many acts of unbounded liberality and kindness. 1883.' With the purse of 55 guineas was a morocco bound book containing the names of the subscribers. [I often wonder whether the salver and book have survived.] James was overwhelmed and his friend James Bacon intervened to explain what James intended to do with the 55 guineas. James recovered his composure and responded: "I should just like to state that I have given, with every good feeling the sums mentioned by Mr. Bacon, - to the Lynn Hospital, the Hunstanton Convalescent Home and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. I wish to give out of my private purse 10 guineas to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Society, and 5 guineas to the Eastern Counties Asylum for idiots at Colchester. [Loud applause.] These are all charities which I think ought to be well looked after, and I have much pleasure in assisting them. [Loud applause.]"

James Fiddaman had enjoyed good health for most of his life. However, he suffered from an 'affection of the liver' that attacked him so severely in December 1883 that he was obliged to stay at home. He died in 1884 despite the best attentions of Dr. LOWE, and also Sir W. GULL and Sir James PAGET. On the night of Saturday, 19th January he retired to rest at about 12 o'clock for the last time, and at 20 minutes to 11 on the Sunday night he died, at the age of 61 years. His funeral was on the following Thursday and was attended by several hundred friends. Large numbers of spectators assembled in Norfolk street, Railway road, London road and Hardwick road, and at the cemetery. The burial service was performed by the Reverend B. DALE, vicar of St. Margaret's.

Charles T. Ives and Arthur G. DOW, manager of King's Lynn gas works, were the executors under his will by which he made ample provision for Jemima. He was generous to the last and recognised many of his dearest friends with special bequests. For example, James and Elizabeth WENN were offered the option to renew their lease on 'The Restaurant' in the High street for a further ten years at 60 per year. Joseph Feast of Walsoken received his gold watch. Charles Henry JACKSON, Charles PENNY and Joseph Prince, respectively gamekeeper, gardener and 'in service' to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, received items of his personal gold and diamond jewellery. Andrew DONALDSON, a Kings Lynn fishmonger, received his scarf ring with pikes. He also left 200 to the West Norfolk and Lynn Hospital, and 1 to each of the 58 occupants of the various almshouses in Lynn and Gaywood. He recognised each of his godsons. His nephews and nieces and godson Joseph Prince Jun. of Sandringham were the residuary legatees.

This biography would not have been possible without the Lynn Advertiser and the help of staff at King's Lynn Library to access microfilm copies.