City was just fine for colourful character

March 31, 2003

GEORGE BORROW ROAD

HE WAS the man who described Norwich as “A Fine City”, but there was far more to George Burrow than a civic motto.

George Borrow.

Here was an extraordinary and controversial character who lived a colourful and dangerous life travelling the world, but always had a soft spot for Norwich.

The son of Thomas Borrow, a Cornish soldier, and Ann Perfrement, a dark-eyed daughter of a farmer of Dumpling Green, Dereham, was born in the summer of 1803.

George was a strange, dark, moody boy who at an early age always wanted to mix with gipsies and was called the “snake-catcher” because he carried a tame viper.

His father served as a captain with the West Norfolk Militia and marched around the country before settling in Willow Lane, Norwich.

He sent young George to the grammar school which he hated. He never fitted in, was described as unruly and was publicly flogged for running away.
In 1819 his father, rather concerned about his wayward boy, articled him to William Simpson, a solicitor in St Giles who was Town Clerk of Norwich.

But George was more interested in spending time with the gipsies and prize fighters, who lived on Mousehold and also pouring over books in the Corporation library learning languages.

Tall and dark, he also suffered fits which he called “the horrors” — his hair went grey before he was 20.

In 1824, his law articles expired and he took himself off to London where he ended up living on bread and water before managing to sell a few stories he had written.

He then took to the road and lived a wandering life as a tinker and horse dealer. He later described 1826/32 the “veiled period” of his life talking of a roving adventure and hinting at travel in Europe and even India.

The plaque commemorating George at Borrow House.

Throughout his life he kept returning to Norwich and insisted that Norfolk was where “the people eat the best dumplings in the world, and speak the purest English”.

Some of his Norwich friends thought it odd that in 1833 the rich British and Foreign Bible Society wanted him to go to St Petersburg to supervise the printing and publication of the New Testament in Manchu.

He was summoned to go to London for an interview and was so poor, he had to walk the 112 miles from Norwich. It took him 27 hours.

But he learnt Manchu, got the job and went off to Russia.

What ultimately inspired him as a writer was the mission the Bible Society sent him on to Spain where he roamed the country on a black Andalusian stallion mingling with all kinds of vagabonds.

He translated the gospel into Romany, got himself thrown into prison three times and narrowly escaped being shot as a spy.

Borrow left the society in 1840 and was rescued by Mary Clarke. They got married and went to live at Oulton Broad — he was accompanied by an Arabian mare and a Moroccan Jewish servant.

Mary coaxed him to write — The Bible in Spain, Lavengro, The Romany Rye, Wild Wales and others.

Eventually, they moved to London, but after Mary’s death Borrow returned to Oulton and lived as a recluse, although he was often seen in his beloved Norwich. Locals thought he was mad or a wizard.

Children threw stones at him and called him “Gipsy!” He died alone in his cottage overlooking Oulton Broad aged 78.

As I said there was more to George Borrow than a civic motto…

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