Rather naively, on buying Thurne View our initial thoughts about its age were that it dated from the 1950s or 1960s - After all, how old can a pre-fab bungalow in an exposed spot by a river be?! Turns out we were very wrong.

 

Diana Cornell, author of A History of the River Thurne Bungalows, tells us: "Thurne View is an early bungalow. In the Smallburgh Rate Book 1933 it was listed as "Thurne View - Bungalow and Boatshed – owner - Jan Douglas Broadbent.” However, your bungalow was probably built in the 1920s or maybe earlier. No records were kept as no planning permission was needed. The 'would-be builder' just organised the lease of the land from the drainage company and a price was agreed. Yearly rents were collected by agents of the Drainage Companies. Local builders usually were called on to construct the bungalows, although a few were 'flat packed' from firms like Boulton and Paul who had a large factory in Norwich, beside the river." 

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Recent research in January 2023 found Thurne View listed for sale in a Great Yarmouth newspaper on 1 st June 1918, making it considerably older than we thought and one of the oldest bungalows on the river.

 

Thurne View was extended in 1989 taking it from two bedrooms to three; the plans for this are shown on the living room wall.

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With its history dating back more than 100 years, the romantic appeal of Thurne View as a prohibition style hideaway has inspired some of its vintage touches. And intriguingly, in the building's lease, a clause which would normally state "must not be used for illegal or immoral activities" omits "immoral activities". So those are fine, apparently...

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