Rayner - Page 1

Henry Rayner (born c 1841) and his wife Mary Anne (nee Purple, born c 1842) came to Flitcham from Longham, some time before 1891. They are pictured below: Mary Ann died in 1930 and Henry in 1933. The article below is from the Lynn News & Advertiser 11.10.1929. They had 10 children: Emma, Anna Elizabeth, William, Edward John (Jack), Harry, Jabez James, Edgar, Stephen, and May (May had a twin sister Christine who did not survive). Photographs of some of them are shown on the Rayner Pages 2, 3, 4 & 5.

The eldest son William (see photo below), went to America in 1893 to help with a shipment of livestock being exhibited at the Chicago World's Fair held that year. It is believed the livestock belonged to Frederick Cooke of Abbey Farm, Flitcham. William and his wife returned to England with their two sons in about 1903 and lived at West Newton. During their stay another child was born, a daughter Beatrice. They returned to America around 1904 and lived near San Francisco, where William died in 1930. (Source: Mr & Mrs Peter Rayner, King's Lynn 2007)

Above: Henry & Mary Anne Rayner (nee Purple) Below: Mary Anne with (probably) her eldest son, William