Chronological Retrospect of the History of Yarmouth and Neighbourhood Part 42

St. John's School erected.

St. Andrew's Inst.i.tute established in Charlotte Street, but removed to the North Quay in 1865.

Deaths: Oct. 21st, Mr. David Hogarth, who ably filled the position of Postmaster of Yarmouth for upwards of twenty years, aged 68.-Nov. 1st, John Goate Fisher, Esq., aged 82.-Nov. 4th, Mr. T. W Chevalier, Head Master of the School of Design, aged 30.

1862.

March 1st. 1862 changes of grandsire triples, composed and conducted by Mr. William Lee, were rung on eight bells in the Parish Church Steeple.

April 9th. Suffolk Militia Artillery, commanded by Colonel Adair (460 men), arrived at Southtown.

May 5th. Corner stone of the Bethel laid, and the Chapel opened Aug.

15th. Cost about 300.

May 23rd. The Priory Musical Cla.s.s presented Mr. Musgrave with a silver inkstand.

May 27th. A portion of the Channel Fleet anch.o.r.ed in the Roadstead. It comprised the "Revenge," 91 guns; "Trafalgar," 90; "Emerald," 51; "Chanticleer," 17; and the gunboat "Porpoise." They waited the arrival of the "St. George," the vessel in which H.R.H. Prince Alfred sailed.

May. C. J. Palmer, Esq., presented the Corporation with a scarlet gown and a black gown, originally worn by the Mayors. The former to be worn on extraordinary and the latter on ordinary occasions.

June 1st. The man-of-war ship "St. George," 90 guns, with. 900 men on board, joined the Channel Fleet in the Roadstead. On the following morning (Monday) a royal salute of 21 guns was fired from the North Battery, and a gay display of colours hoisted by every ship in the Harbour, in honour of Prince Alfred. The same afternoon the Sailor Prince, accompanied by Major Cowell, the Rev. W. Lake Onslow, and the Hon. Manners Sutton, landed on the Beach, and proceeded to the South Denes, where a cricket match was played by 11 Officers of the Fleet against 11 Gentlemen of Great Yarmouth.

June 19th. Review of the Eastern Counties' Volunteers at Yarmouth. No less than 30,000 spectators from all quarters of the country a.s.sembled on the South Denes to witness the review, which was of the grandest description. A dinner was afterwards given to the Volunteers (3,500) and about 250 other guests, on the St. George's Denes, which pa.s.sed off admirably. Purveyor, Mr. J. Franklin, Crown and Anchor. The cost to the town was about 530.

July 9th. Blondin, the Niagara rope-walker, appeared at the Victoria Gardens.

July 16th. Caister lifeboat, while lying on Caister Beach, was struck by lightning during a heavy thunderstorm.

July. H. R. Harmer, Esq., solicitor, appointed a Commissioner to Administer Oaths in Admiralty.

Aug. 19th. Sir E. Lacon a.s.sumed the command of the Artillery Volunteer Corps on the resignation of Major S. C. Marsh.

Sept. 12th. Grand fete of Norfolk Volunteers at Crown Point, Norwich.

Oct. 8th. The celebrated Rev. C. H. Spurgeon preached at the Wesleyan Chapel.

Oct. 20th. Fearful gale. About 1,000 vessels sheltered in the Roadstead. Five others were reported to have gone down on the Sands with their crews.

Nov. 21st. Public meeting at the Town Hall, for raising a fund to relieve the distressed Lancashire operatives. 160 was subscribed in the room.

Nov. The Trustees of the Munic.i.p.al Charities received the sanction of the Charity Commissioners to erect a Grammar School at Yarmouth, which was built and opened July 29th, 1863.

Dec. 20th. High tide. On the Southtown Road the water was a foot deep, and many parts of the town were inundated. The tide was higher than that recorded in 1816. Mr. T. W. Downing lost the smack "Gem" in the gale.

Dec. 22nd. The brig "Lotus" launched from J. W. Rust's yard.

Dimensions-length, 103 ft.; breadth, 24 ft.; depth, 24 ft.; burthen, 258 tons.

Deaths: Feb. 27th, the Rev. Thomas C. Clowes, formerly Inc.u.mbent of St.

Mary's Church, and Head Master of the Preparatory Grammar School, Southtown, at Ashbocking Vicarage, aged 61.-March 20th, Mr. Henry Danby Palmer, third son of George Danby Palmer, Esq., aged 47.-Nov. 12th, Nathaniel B. Palmer, Esq., aged 37.

1863.

Jan. 1st. a.s.sembly Rooms opened by a company. On Feb. 13th, 1870, the Billiard Rooms were destroyed by fire; damage, 700.

Jan. 20th. Smack "Baron Campbell," belonging to Mr. Yaxley, foundered in a heavy gale. The crew, after battling with the fury of the waves for 13 hours, and being nearly exhausted at the pumps, were gallantly rescued by the crew of the smack "Greyhound."

March 10th. Marriage of Prince Albert Edward with Princess Alexandra of Denmark, at Windsor. The display of enthusiasm at Yarmouth somewhat resembled the Volunteer Review of June 19th, 1862, with this difference-the town in the evening was brilliantly illuminated, and a display of fireworks took place in the Market Place. Nearly 600 Volunteers were entertained by Sir E. Lacon to a sumptuous repast at his stores on the North Quay. 4,669 school children were regaled with a tea at the town's expense, which, with all other expenses, incurred an outlay of 259. The subscriptions amounted to 322.

March. 19th. The Yarmouth Gas Bill Clauses to incorporate the Company, and make further provisions for lighting the town, were agreed to by a Committee of the House of Commons. The bill was read a third time, and pa.s.sed March 23rd.

March. The Rev. John Beazor ordained as Deacon by the Bishop of Tasmania.

April 18th. A fine otter captured on the Hall Quay.

April. The Royal Marriage Celebration Committee presented R. Steward, Esq., and Capt. W. J. Foreman with a silver medal as a souvenir of the eventful occasion, and in recognition of their valuable services.

May 12th. Sardinian barque "Mississippi," with 1,000 tons of cargo, sprang a leak and was beached, but got off again by the Gorleston boatmen for 300, when (on the 16th) she stranded on the Bar. In June she was dry-docked in the yard of Messrs. Fellows and Sons.

May 26th. Charles Marsh, a n.i.g.g.e.r acrobat, went up the Nelson Monument, got outside, and after clambering up the caryatides to the figure of Britannia, performed some of his gambols, but accidentally missing his footing, fell headlong from the trident to the ground, a distance of 140 ft., and was killed.

May 31st. First service for the ordaining of priests and deacons held at St. Nicholas' Church by the Bishop of Norwich. Five ordained as deacons and four as priests.

June 17th. The Norfolk Agricultural Society held their Annual Show of Stock and Implements for the first time at Yarmouth. The prizes offered were 558 in money, 53 in silver medals, and 37 in four silver cups.

June 24th. Bishop Hills returned to England upon a visit from British Columbia, and preached at St. Nicholas' Church, Aug. 16th.

June 25th. Mr. N. Clowes, Secretary to the Young Men's a.s.sociation, was presented with "Routledge's Edition of the Poets" (19 vols.), as a mark of esteem.

June 25th. The Yarmouth Gas Bill read a third time and pa.s.sed, and received the Royal a.s.sent June 29th.

June. David Falcke, James Scott, and William Briggs, Esqs., were approved as Magistrates by the Lord Chancellor.

July 1st. The barque "Egbert," 400 tons burthen, launched from Messrs.

Fellows and Sons' yard.

July 6th. Two men accidentally killed by the falling of a hatchway belonging to the wherry "Rigby," while at Burgh Water Frolic with a freight of 90 or 100 pleasure-seekers, many of whom were precipitated into the water.

July 14th. The Channel Squadron, under the command of Admiral Dacres, visited Yarmouth Roads. It comprised the "Edgar," 71 guns; "Black Prince," 41; "Warrior," 40; "Liverpool," 39; "Royal Oak," 35; "Emerald,"

35; "Resistance," 16; "Defence," 16; and the corvette "Trinculo."

Totals-293 guns, 6,800 horse-power, and 4,799 men.

Aug. 26th. Memorial stone of the new Baptist Chapel, St. George's Park, laid. Contract for building, 1,500.