A Special Connection Across the Atlantic
The market town of Hingham is most famous for its special connection across the Atlantic. The town produced a proud daughter town when, in the early 1600s, many of the town’s Puritan residents emigrated to a colony on Massachusetts, at Bear Cove.
This emigration was lead by the former vicar Robert Peck alongside Peter Hobart, and in total saw almost 200 residents emigrate between the years of 1633 and 1643. Hingham, Massachusetts, officially became the name of the settlement they founded in 1635. It’s American daughter town now has a popular over ten times the small population of Hingham, Norfolk, with around 200 residents.
Hingham is not twinned with any town in Europe, but instead remembers its rich history with a village sign in the Market Place green. The first sign was installed over 50 years ago, but was recently replaced by a replica in 1989.
Some of the Most Famous Emigrants
Not only is the thriving town of Hingham, Massachusetts, something to be proud of in itself, but Hingham also famously boasts the fact that members of the Lincoln family were some of the first to emigrate. This included Samuel Lincoln – a direct ancestor of American President Abraham Lincoln. Just 15 at the time, Samuel had been baptised at the local church and later emigrated with other members of his family.
Celebrating the Link
Hingham has marked this connection with the town across the Atlantic for many years. In 1919, a bust of Abraham Lincoln was set up in the local church, and the village hall is also aptly titled ‘Lincoln Hall’.
This history isn’t just of interest to local residents, it also brings in tourists from across the Atlantic, where the towns still share a special connection even today.
In 1913, residents of Hingham, Massachusetts, presented the village with a granite block. Cohasset church is Massachusetts is also now the owner of a shaft of the old Hingham, Norfolk St. Andrews church font.
Plaques have also been exchanged between the two towns between the wars, as well as a radio link between the two being broadcast after the end of World War II.