Norfolk Annals Volume I Part 111

11.-The Norwich Small Tenements Bill was referred to a Committee of the House of Commons. On the 12th the Committee settled the clauses determining that the owners of cottages of the annual value of 6 and under should be rated at one-third of the yearly value or rent.

28.-Mr. Henry Russell, "from America," gave his entertainment at the Concert Room, Swan Inn, Norwich. The programme included most of the favourite songs of the popular composer. The performance was repeated on the 29th. Mr. Russell made a return visit to Norwich, and appeared at the Theatre on September 6th and 8th.

JULY.

1.-The railway from Reedham to Lowestoft was opened.

3.-The Norwich Chamber of Commerce was announced to be "in full activity." It was formed for the purpose of a.s.sociating bankers, merchants, and other persons interested in the trade and commerce of the city, "so as to enable them to promote such objects as may be best calculated to benefit and protect commercial interests, and to further the carrying out or attainment of such measures as the exertions of individuals may be less adequate to accomplish."

5.-Feargus O'Connor, the leader of the Chartists, addressed a large meeting held at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich.

19.-Mr. and Mrs. Keeley commenced a week's engagement at Norwich Theatre.

26.-Madame Celeste appeared at Norwich Theatre as Madeline ("St. Mary's Eve") and Julien ("The Cabin Boy").

28.-The Marquis of Douro, Mr. Samuel Morton Peto, and Mr. John Humphries Parry were nominated candidates for the representation of Norwich. A poll was demanded, and the election took place on the 29th. The poll was declared on the 30th, as follows:-Peto, 2,448; Douro, 1,727; Parry, 1,572. The chairing of the successful candidates took place on August 2nd.

-Thetford Election: The Right Hon. W. B. Baring and the Earl of Euston were returned unopposed.

29.-Yarmouth Election: Lord Arthur Lennox, 834; Mr. Octavius Edward Coope, 813; Mr. Charles Edmund Rumbold, 729; Mr. Francis Henry Goldsmid, 698. The two first-named were returned. (_See_ February 7th, 1848.)

-The Archaeological Inst.i.tute of Great Britain and Ireland commenced its annual meeting at Norwich. The proceedings concluded on August 5th.

30.-Lynn Election: Lord George Bentinck and Lord Jocelyn were returned unopposed.

AUGUST.

3.-East Norfolk Election: Mr. Edmond Wodehouse and Mr. Henry Negus Burroughes were returned unopposed.

6.-Mary Ann Havers, of Norwich, a girl in humble life, who possessed remarkable musical ability, died on this date. She was educated at a school supported by private subscription, where singing according to the Norwich Sol-fa system was taught, and she became one of the best organizers of village choirs ever sent out of the city. Before she was fifteen years old she went to Southampton to give instruction; thence she was invited to Salisbury, and met with successive engagements in Dorsetshire, the Isle of Wight, Staffordshire, Kent, and Warwickshire.

9.-The "London Gazette" announced that the Queen had granted to Robert Blake, of Swafield, her Royal license and authority, in compliance with a wish expressed in the will of the Rev. John Humfrey, of Wroxham, to take the surname of Humfrey immediately after that of Blake, and to quarter the arms of Humfrey with those of Blake.

10.-The railway extension from Narborough to Swaffham was opened.

10.-The nomination of candidates for the representation of West Norfolk took place at Swaffham. The Conservative procession started from Friars'

Thorns, headed by the candidates, Mr. William Bagge and Mr. H. L. S. le Strange. It extended two miles in length, and included 1,000 yeomen on horseback. The Whig procession, with the candidates, Mr. A. Hamond and the Hon. Ed. Keppel c.o.ke at its head, started from Swaffham Splashes, and was in all respects as imposing as the other. At the nomination the show of hands was in favour of the Conservatives, and Sir William ffolkes demanded a poll for Messrs. Hamond and c.o.ke. The polling took place on the 13th and 14th. The contest, one of the severest that had ever taken place in the county, resulted as follows:-Bagge, 3,113; c.o.ke, 3,052; Hamond, 2,935; le Strange, 2,676.

17.-Mr. J. B. Wigham and Mr. J. L. Barber, members of the Norwich Amateur Rowing Club, launched their pair-oared boat at Villequier, on the Seine, at 2.30 p.m., and rowed to Paris, where they arrived at 9 a.m. on August 24th. The distance was upwards of 300 miles, and the actual time occupied in rowing was 57 hours 25 minutes. For more than 200 miles the men rowed against a current which flowed at four miles an hour.

"Galignani's Messenger" described it as an "unparalleled feat."

28.-The New Adelphi Theatre, Victoria Gardens, Norwich, was opened, after extensive alterations and improvements, under the management of Mr. R.

Gordon. "As You Like It" was produced, with Mr. Fred. Phillips in the part of Jacques. Mr. Phillips, who came from the Royal Pavilion Theatre, London, was subsequently editor of the "Norwich Argus."

30.-Mr. Farren and his son, Mr. H. Farren, appeared, the former as Sir Anthony Absolute, and the latter as Captain Absolute, at the Theatre Royal, Norwich.

SEPTEMBER.

11*.-"At Deopham, near Hingham, a skeleton has been found, underneath the floor of an old barn, which was being pulled down, and it is supposed to be the remains of Thomas Jolly, aged 20, the heir of the estate, who was missing 52 years since, and is supposed to have been murdered. A piece of his dress and a small portion of his handkerchief were also found."

22.-Mdlle. Jenny Lind, engaged by Mr. George Smith, late manager of the Theatre, and Mr. C. F. Hall, made her first appearance at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich. Mr. Gedge was responsible for the payment of her fee of 1,000, of which amount she gave 200 to the charities of the city.

Mdlle. Lind was accompanied by Madame F. Lablache, Signor Gardoni, and Signor F. Lablache, and Mr. W. Balfe was director of the concert. She appeared again on the 23rd and 25th. Mdlle. Lind stayed at the Palace as the guest of the Bishop of Norwich.

30.-Died at Bath, aged 65, Mr. Benjamin Plim Bellamy, for many years lessee of the a.s.sembly Rooms there. Mr. Bellamy, some 30 years previous to his death, was a favourite actor on the Norwich circuit. On vacating the stage in 1819 he took the editorship of the "Bury Herald," but in 1823 went to Bath and resumed his original profession. He became manager of the Theatre there in 1827, which he soon after resigned on becoming lessee of the a.s.sembly Rooms, and Master of the Ceremonies.

OCTOBER.

12.-Mr. George Dawson, of Birmingham, lectured at the a.s.sembly Rooms, Norwich, on "The Characteristics of the Age."

16.-The Catfield estates, formerly the property of Col. Cubitt, deceased, were sold by auction at the Norfolk Hotel, Norwich, by Messrs. Spelman and Sons, for 27,930.

-A report was presented to the Governors of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, upon the result of inquiries made into certain serious allegations by the Messrs. Dalrymple, who had a.s.serted that, compared with other hospitals of the same size, the utility of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital was in an inverse ratio to its cost of maintenance. The meeting was adjourned for a week, but discussion upon the statement and report was avoided, on the understanding "that such regulations would be framed from the two doc.u.ments as would improve the management of that n.o.ble inst.i.tution."

20.-Elihu Burritt, "the learned blacksmith," of Ma.s.sachusetts, U.S., delivered a lecture at St. Mary's chapel, Norwich, on "The Organic Sinfulness of all War."

23.-A high tide overflowed the salt marshes at Wells-next-the-Sea and drowned 240 ewes, the property of Mr. Hudson, of Warham.

25.-The East Anglian Railway, from Lynn to Ely, was opened.

NOVEMBER.

9.-Mr. G. L. Coleman was elected Mayor, and Mr. James Watson appointed Sheriff of Norwich.

23.-The Queen's Speech was, for the first time, transmitted to Norwich by electric telegraph. "Through the politeness of the Rev. A. B. Power, the superintendent of the electric telegraph along the Norfolk line, the Queen's Speech was transmitted to us before 4 h. p.m. The transmission commenced at 2 h. 15 m. p.m., and our reporter took it down till the transmission was finished at 3 h. 45 m."

DECEMBER.

3.-Rajah Brooke of Sarawak was entertained by his old schoolfellows of the Free Grammar School, at a dinner held at the Royal Hotel, Norwich.

During his stay in Norfolk he visited the Earl of Leicester at Holkham, the Earl of Albemarle at Quidenham, and Mr. H. S. Partridge at Hockham.

7.-Died in London, aged 76, Mr. William Dalrymple, "one of the most eminent of general pract.i.tioners in chirurgery and medicine in Norwich."

24.-Died at Yarmouth, in his 81st year, Sir George Parker, K.C.B., Admiral of the Red. He entered the Navy at a very early age, and served under his uncle, Sir Peter Parker. He took part in the capture of the Cannanon on the Malabar coast, and was senior lieutenant of the Phnix at the capture of La Resolve, French frigate, and of the Crescent in her gallant action and capture of the Rennon in 1793, previous to which he brought to England the despatches of Admiral Cornwallis. In 1805, when commanding the Stately, he, in company with the Na.s.sau, destroyed, after a running fight of two hours, a line of battle ship of 74 guns. He was appointed, in 1808, to the command of the squadron in the Baltic, and on his return to England he was appointed to the Aboukir (74), which he commanded in the Walcheren Expedition. In 1841 he attained the rank of Admiral of the Red.

29.-Died at the residence of his son (the Rev. W. R. Crotch), at Taunton, "that eminent musician," Dr. Crotch. He was born in Norwich in 1772, and in his twenty-second year was appointed professor of music in the University of Oxford. In 1822 he became princ.i.p.al of the Royal Academy of Music.