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Robart Powdich of Morston






Robart Powdich of Morston
















Coming soon  
"East Anglia;
Birthplace and
Home of the
Powditch's;
Part 1. Norfolk"
On the floor of Morston Church, is
a gravestone to Robart [sic] Powdich.

The inscription on the gravestone was to have lasting effect on one of
Britain's  most famous World War I poets - Rupert Brooke (3 Aug 1887 -
23 Apr 1915).

Although to date I am not aware of any of his poems having made
reference to either "Robt" or to the words on his gravestone, Rupert
Brooke visited Morston Church on 8 August 1914, and whilst there, he
made a transcription of  Robart Powdich's 'epitaph', - a copy of which,

HEAR  E  LYETH  THE  BODY
OF  ROBART  POWDICH
WHO  IN  HIS  LIFE  TYME
WAS  VERY  HOPFVLL  OF  HIS
SERVICE  TO  GODES  CHVRCH
AS  ALSO  HIS  VERTIOVS
INCLYNACION  AND  MYLD
DISPOSICION  SO  SWETLLY
COMBINDINGE  TO  GETHER  IN
HIS  YOVNGNES  OF  YEARE
WHO  DE[S]ESED  ON  THE17
OF  IVNE  ANO  D[O]MNY  1647
WordPerfect 9 Document
                                                                                       Photo © John C Algar

Robart (whose entries in the Morston Parish Registers have him
recorded as "Robt") was the second child of James Powdiche
(born 12 Nov 1587 at Morston and buried there on 22 June 1653,
aged  65 years old).

"Robt" himself  was born at Morston, and baptised at All Saints
Church on 28 December 1623.

It is possible (though not yet proved) that "Robt" was the 'Robert
Powditch' who is mentioned in Venn and Venn, "Alumni
Cantabrigiensis" as;-

Powditch, Robert;-  Adm[itted] Pens at Emmanuel [College]
June 26 1641, of Norfolk.  Matric[ulated] 1641, B.A. 1644-5

In 1647, "Robt" together with his elder brother, Henry (born November
1621), were to die, and be buried within days of each other;  "Robt"
on 17 June 1647, and Henry, just 5 days later, on the 22nd.  ("Robt"
was 23 years old, and Henry, was 25 years old)

Not answered to date is the reason for their deaths.  Certainly, the year
1647 saw a couple more deaths in Morston than in the preceding or
succeeding years, as can be seen in the folowing table;

Month
1645/6
1646/7
1647/8
1648/9
1649/50
Jan
baptism
x 1
Feb
baptism
x 1
baptism
x 2
burial
x 1
Mar
(new year started)
baptism
x 1
Apr
burial
x 1
baptism
x 2
baptism
x 1
May
burial
x 2
Jun
baptism
x 1
burial
x 3
(2 of which were Powdich)
Jul
burial
x 1
baptism
x 1
Aug
baptism
x 1
baptism
x 1
baptism
x 1
Sep
baptism
 x 1
baptism
x 1
baptism
x 1
baptism
x 2
burial
x 1
Oct
Nov
baptism
x 1
burial
x 2
Dec
baptism
x 1
burial
x 1
Totals
baptisms
= 3
marriages
= 0
burials
= 2
baptisms
= 6
marriages
= 0
burials
= 0
baptisms
= 3
marriages
= 0
burials
= 5
baptisms
= 4
marriages
= 0
burials
= 3
baptisms
= 3
marriages
= 0
burials
= 2

but nothing within the above figures highlights any plagues,
pestilences or any other diseases within the village.

Another question to raise, is why the death of "Robt" merited his
having special slab in the Church, whereas his brother Henry
appears to not have had any memorial inscription, either inside or
outside the Church.

Please could you email me at webmaster@powditch.plus.com if you
can provide any assistance or further knowledge re the above.  It
certainly would be much appreciated.