Chronological Retrospect of the History of Yarmouth and Neighbourhood Part 48

Nov. 26th. The s.s. "Dolphin," with cattle for London, towed into Yarmouth Roadstead. To save the vessel, 150 bullocks and 250 sheep were thrown overboard.

Dec. 13th. The catch of herrings this season up to this date was 18,394 lasts, which realised no less a sum than 180,000. One boat brought in 142 lasts, another 132 lasts, and others were almost equally successful.

Last year's catch was about 13,221 lasts; and in 1868, 15,476 lasts. 12 vessels left with 28,390 barrels of bloaters for exportation.

During the summer season, the town was visited by upwards of 78,000 people, viz., 63,000 by rail, and 15,000 by the pa.s.senger steamers "Albion" and "Seine."

A mackerel, 19 in. long, 10 in. in girth, and weighing 2 lbs. 11 ozs., brought ash.o.r.e.

One hundred and fifty-six fully-licensed public-houses, 16 hotels, and 88 beer-houses, including Gorleston-making a total of 260.

Deaths: Jan. 9th, Thomas Brightwen, Esq., J.P., senior local partner in the banking firm of Messrs. Gurneys, Birkbeck, and Co., aged 57.-Feb.

24th, D. Stewart, Esq., aged 79.-Feb., Mr. Henry Jay, shipowner, and formerly a Member of the Corporation.-April 4th, the Rev. John Meffin, 50 years minister of the Countess of Huntingdon Connexion, aged 93.-May 25th, John Branch, Esq., aged 74.-May 31st, Mr. George Alexander, artist, aged 64.-June 1st, at Yarmouth, Alex. John, son of the late Samuel Grimmer, Esq., of Haddiscoe Hall, aged 61.-July 21st, Mr. Samuel Cubitt Richmond, merchant, a Member of the Town Council.-Oct. 6th, at Portsmouth, Col. Edwin Wodehouse, C.B., R.A., Aide-de-camp to the Queen, eldest son of the late Admiral the Hon. Philip Wodehouse, aged 53.-Oct.

17th, Mr. Edward Stagg, a Member of the Town Council, aged 57 (see Feb., 1866).-Nov. 14th, C. E. Bartram, Esq., J.P., and Town Councillor, aged 72.-Nov. 30th, Henry Holt Barber, Esq., a Member of the Town Council, aged 38.-Dec. 19th, Mr. Henry Fellows, shipbuilder, at Southtown, aged 69.

The cost of lighting the town (330) lamps with gas this year was 1,178 12s.

Launches: Feb. 14th, the smack "Valentine;" June 20th, the brigantine "Ethel," 100 feet long, and 200 tons register, belonging to W. J.

Foreman, Esq., launched, after being repaired, from Mr. Rust's yard; Aug.

29th, the new trawling smack "Bonny Boys;" Oct. 1st, the fishing lugger "Guiding Star;" Nov. 17th, the lifeboat "Bolton," built by Messrs.

Beeching, of Yarmouth, publicly inaugurated at Kessingland; Nov. 19th, trawling smack "Statesman;" Dec. 14th, smack "Galatea."

1871.

Jan. 3rd. A male otter caught in one of the Broads near Yarmouth. It weighed 30 lbs., and was four feet long, the tail alone measuring 21 inches.

Jan. 9th. Lady King, late of Telegraph House, died at Maddingley Hall, Cambridge.

Jan. 13th. Race for 100 on the ice covering the Southtown marshes, between Mr. Barnes' pony (ridden by the owner) and an excellent skater named Woodhouse. The rough-shod pony won by several yards.

Jan. 13th. Public subscriptions for aiding the wounded in the Franco-German war amounted to 297 6s. 7d. Jan. 27th. Forty-five screw steamers pa.s.sed up through the Roadstead within three hours.

Jan. 18,709 lasts of herrings caught during the last voyage, or 5,353 lasts more than the previous year's catch.

The rateable value of the Borough as per last poor rate, 96,556 10s., and the number of ratepayers 9,750.

Seventy-five schools provided accommodation for 5,370 pupils, viz., Yarmouth, 65 schools, 4,587 children; Gorleston and Southtown, 10 schools, 781 children.

The total receipts of the Board of Health for the past year were 6,819 8s. 8d., and the expenditure 6,698 19s.

Feb. 4th. Robert Steward, Esq., J.P., died at Cambridge, aged 57. This gentleman was five times Mayor of the Borough, and was also a Member of the Town Council for upwards of 20 years.

Feb. 7th. Fire in Broad Row at the shop of Mr. J. H. Lay. About 100 worth of damage done.

Feb. 18th. Mantby Hall destroyed by fire.

Feb. Two whitings caught by the smack "Dutch Trader"-one measured 26 inches and the other 24 inches.-The number of fishing boats belonging to Yarmouth, according to a Parliamentary return, amounted to 900, of the aggregate tonnage of 14,788, giving employment to 4,051 men and 530 boys.

March. Lieut. Fyson appointed Captain of the 2nd Company of Rifle Volunteers on the retirement of Capt. Tomlinson.

C. C. Aldred, Esq., appointed a Justice of the Peace for East Suffolk in place of the late R. Steward, Esq.

March 3rd. Police-constable George Shreeve met with a fatal accident by falling from the fire escape at the Police Station. (See Aug. 3rd, 1870.)

March 29th. Mr. A. D. Stone purchased the barque "Frederica," with stores, &c., for 1,425.

April 3rd. Census taken. Population of Yarmouth, 33,880; Gorleston and Southtown, 6,645; exclusive of about 700 absentees at sea. Number of houses: Yarmouth, 8,098; Gorleston, 1,534. Population of surrounding villages: Belton, 582; Bradwell, 387; Burgh Castle, 409; Fritton, 221; Hopton, 309; Ashby, 95; Blundeston, 716; Corton, 530; Flixton, 52; Gunton, 73; Herringfleet, 230; Lound, 422; Oulton, 860; Somerleyton, 592; Flegg Hundreds, 9,381.

April 7th. The new Tabernacle on Wellesley Road opened for Divine worship. It cost 2,496. (See May, 1870.)

April 19th. Mr. H. Fenner's smack "Sebastopol" destroyed by fire whilst at sea.

April 19th. Edmund Girling, Esq., formerly in Messrs. Gurneys and Co.'s bank, died in London, aged 75. He was a talented artist.

April 22nd. The screw steamer "Kestrel," with emigrants for America (about 150), run down by the screw collier "Frankland," near Cromer. All hands saved.

April 24th. The smack "Otter," launched.

April. A beautifully-stained window placed in St. Nicholas' Church to the memory of the late John Goate Fisher, Esq., Mayor of the Borough in 1820.

The number of wherries registered as belonging to the river Bure was 103, of 1,846 tons burthen.

May 4th. Mr. J. R. Baumgartner pa.s.sed his examination at Apothecaries'

Hall.

May 6th. Richard Hammond, Esq., J.P., died at Yarmouth, aged 78. This much-respected gentleman was the oldest Magistrate of the Borough, having been called to the Bench in 1841; he was also a Port and Haven Commissioner. On the Bench he once remarked that our smacksmen "earned their money like horses, but spent it like a.s.ses."

Under the general poor rate and compounds in Yarmouth, there were 5,136 tenements, of the total value of 81,222 10s.

May 31st. David A. Gourlay, Esq., J.P., died at Yarmouth, aged 88 years.

He was elected Mayor of the Borough in 1849, and was for many years a respected member of the Town Council. (See April 4th, 1867.)

June 6th. Salmon Palmer, J. W. de Caux, and Garson Blake, Esqs., nominated by the Town Council as new Magistrates for the Borough.

June 10th. Nearly 50 porpoises observed disporting themselves in the Roadstead.

June 13th to 24th. The D. Battery B. Brigade of Royal Horse Artillery encamped on the North Denes, under the command of Captain Strangways.

120 rank and file, having 116 horses, and 6 9-pound rifle-loading guns, &c.

June 21st. Messrs. F. S. Smyth and R. G. Bately acquitted themselves satisfactorily in their preliminary examinations at the Royal College of Surgeons, London.

June. Major W. J. Foreman, 1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, pa.s.sed his examination and received a certificate of efficiency at the School of Instruction formed at Woolwich, under Lieut.-Colonel Woolsey, R.A.

June. Messrs. J. T. Waters, F. Burton, and F. W. Dendy pa.s.sed final examination at the London Incorporated Law Society.

July 9th. Fire on the fishing premises of Messrs. Bland Brothers, Queen's Road. A public subscription was made on their behalf.