The Stanfield Hall Murders

In the Beginning …

The Stanfield Hall Estate near Wymondham (pronounced Windham by us rural Norfolkers!) was owned by William Jermy.  However, William was childless so he made a Will bequeathing the Estate to his brother-in-law, Isaac Preston on the understanding that, in certain circumstances, the Estate would revert back to Jermy heirs.  Isaac Preston was a rather shrewd lawyer and was keen to prevent the Jermys from taking back the Estate from the Preston family.  He therefore bought out the Estate from the possible Jermy heirs in favour of the Preston family and it was the legality of this deal which led to fraud, two murders and two attempted murders about 100 years later.

James Blomfield Rush

James Rush was born illegitimately round about 1799 to Mary Blomfield.  It was never discovered who James’ father was but in 1802 Mary married John Rush, who keenly took on the role of father to young James and gave him the surname of Rush  So James Blomfield became known as James Blomfield Rush. 

The Early Years

In 1811 John Rush rented a farm at Felmingham from the Reverend George Preston, the then owner of the Stanfield Hall Estate.  Felmingham wasn’t part of the Stanfield Hall Estate and was in fact some miles away. 

By the time he was 28 James had married Susannah Soames, a local girl, and between 1828 and 1840 the couple produced nine children.  James, it appeared, was a good manager and businessman and in 1835 he rented a farm at Felmingham from the Reverend Preston for a period of 18 years at a yearly rent of £110 and in 1836 he also took on Stanfield Hall Farm (not to be confused with Stanfield Hall itself) from the Reverend Preston for a rent of £500 per year.   In addition, he took on the role of steward and business adviser to the Reverend Preston.

Unfortunately the Reverend Preston died in 1837 and was succeeded by his son Isaac who took the surname of Jermy as per the agreement drawn up in 1754, and this is where things began to go more than a little awry for both the Jermys/Prestons and for Rush.

Isaac Jermy rescinded all the previous leases on the grounds that they weren’t legally binding but granted new leases in their place.  However, he was prepared to retain Rush as steward and business adviser, and acting in this role, when Potash Farm near the Stanfield Hall Estate came up for sale Isaac Jermy sent Rush, who’d valued Potash at £3,500, to the auction to bid on his behalf.  Rush duly bid up to the agreed £3,500 on behalf of his landlord and then bid a further £250 on top of that sum on his own behalf.  Needless to say Isaac Jermy wasn’t best pleased but Rush managed to persuade Isaac that if he were to lend Rush the £3,750 by way of a mortgage then Jermy would have a hold over Potash and would merely be taking mortgage repayments rather than rent.  Further mortgages followed and by 1844 Rush had mortgaged Potash for £5,000, the mortgages being due to expire on 30 November 1848.  Interest on the mortgages was accruing at 4% (the equivalent of £200 per year in repayments).