History of the Group

The current Salthouse History Group was re-formed in 2018.  However, the origins of amateur Salthouse historians goes much further back.

The first of these amateur historians of note was Commander Frank Noel Stagg RN who, in the First World War was a young naval officer who fought at The Battle of Jutland.  During the early 1900’s Commander Stagg researched and compiled a history of Salthouse commencing in the Early and Middle Ages up to the year 1840.  In a typed note dated 19 January 1934, Commander Stagg expressed the wish that “some enthusiastic resident” of Salthouse might complete his work.

Fast forward to the year 2000 and step forward the formidable and amazing Val Fiddian who took up Commander Stagg’s challenge to finish the job.  Val, a long time resident of Salthouse, was a keen local historian and, based on her research and interviews with many local residents, produced and edited a book cherished by Salthouse residents and visitors entitled ‘Salthouse – The Story of a Norfolk Village’. Whilst Val is no longer an active member of Salthouse History Group, she maintains a keen interest in its activities and is an invaluable source of reference for those of us carrying on her work.

Much of Val’s book, which was first published in 2003, is written using the actual words of local residents who generously provided Val with the book’s source material.  The book is both informative and extremely readable.  Re-prints of the book are available for purchase at Salthouse Village Shop.

Val Fiddian is also to be commended for single-handedly creating and building the original Salthouse History website from scratch. This website is no longer fully operational but can be accessed via the ‘Archive’ tab on Salthouse History Group’s new website.

The Group salutes and thanks Commander Stagg and Val Fiddian for their effort, dedication and foresight.