Derek James

Teenage merchant navy apprentice Harold Edward Higgs survived the 1907 sinking of the Carnarvon Castle in the Indian Ocean, spending 24 days in a lifeboat with 26 other men and boys while facing starvation, dehydration, exposure and sharks. Historian Helen Murray reconstructed the largely forgotten disaster using archival records, eyewitness accounts and family material in her new book, Sharks, Shipwreck and Survival. Higgs later returned to Norwich, became a respected sea captain and marine superintendent, and died in London in 1942.

Derek James explores historic photographs of Sheringham and recounts the town’s development from a fishing community into a prosperous seaside resort. The article covers the local fishing industry, the arrival of the railway, the growth of tourism and population, the opening of the golf club and hotels, and Sheringham’s experience of a 1915 Zeppelin attack. It also highlights the town’s beaches, parks, heritage railway, museum, theatre and community connections, including the Sheringham Shantymen and the RNLI. The photographs come from the Mike Adcock Collection, managed by Norwich Heritage Projects.

Stanley Taylor, known as “Mr Norwich,” devoted much of his career to welcoming visitors and preserving the city's civic regalia. The article recounts his work as Lord Mayor's chauffeur, mace bearer and custodian of the regalia, including the crystal mace, Reade Salte, civic sword and Petersen Cup. It also traces Norwich Guildhall's medieval construction and importance as the centre of civic life, while noting that modern City Hosts now perform a similar visitor-facing role.