Researched by Richard Curtis, Lead Volunteer on Collections. We recently discovered a letter of reference given to blacksmith William French when the business of Charles Burrell & Sons Ltd was closed down in 1928, which had lain in an unmarked file for many years. At the time, William French had worked for the company for 41 years. Click the image to view in full size. William was born on 8 June 1871 in North Walsham in Norfolk but was living in Whitehorse Lane, Thetford by the time of the 1881 census. His father, Joseph, was an agricultural labourer. William was [...]