Norfolk Annals Volume Ii Part 13

It was resolved, "That an anglers' society be established in Norwich, with the view of aiding the authorities in preventing illegal fishing, and also for promoting the rational recreation of the members." The society was called "The Norwich and Norfolk Anglers' Society," and Mr.

Skippon was appointed honorary secretary.

13.-Mr. Thackeray gave the first of two lectures at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich. The subject was, "George the Third." The second lecture was delivered on the 15th, and was ent.i.tled, "George the Fourth." "A very general feeling of disappointment is expressed at the style and manner of the lecturer, and at the very high prices charged (4s. and 2s. 6d.). We have reason to believe that in some instances those who paid for tickets for the second evening intentionally absented themselves." Letters were published in the NORFOLK CHRONICLE expressing strong disapproval of Thackeray's strictures upon the personal characters of the Georges.

18.-The polling for the election of a Coroner for the Lynn district, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Mr. George Sayle, commenced at Lynn. The candidates were Mr. Jeffery and Mr. Wilkin. "An extraordinary degree of energy was displayed in bringing up the voters in all parts of the district, and the expenses incurred in paying railway and coach fares, breakfasts, and dinners for the voters and hangers on (to say nothing of the sum of money lavished in other ways to obtain their suffrages, added to the usual outlay upon a contested election), must have amounted to something enormous, considering the pecuniary value of the office at stake, probably at the best averaging 25 or 30 a year." The poll closed on the 19th, when Mr. Wilkin was declared elected.

18.-Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dillon commenced a three nights' engagement at Norwich Theatre in "Oth.e.l.lo," "Belphegor," and "Faint Heart Never Won Fair Lady."

-A meeting was held at the Lecture Hall, Norwich, at which resolutions were pa.s.sed condemning the Law of Settlement, and advocating the introduction of a national rate. Another meeting was held at St.

Andrew's Hall on the 20th, at which similar resolutions were agreed to.

19.-A sculling match, for 40, was rowed on the Yare, from Surlingham to Whitlingham (3 miles), between Stephen Wright, of Norwich, aged 22, and J. H. Clasper, of Newcastle, aged 18. The former was trained by John Britcher, and the latter by his father. Clasper's boat was the lighter by several pounds, and in length exceeded the Norwich man's craft by about four feet. Wright had the better of the start, but in ten strokes Clasper led by a quarter of a length. At Bramerton, however, Wright obtained a clear lead, and at Wood's End led by four lengths. Clasper made a desperate spurt, and got nearly abreast of his antagonist, who won by a length, in 23 minutes. The Newcastle man suffered severely from exhaustion, and was lifted from his boat in a helpless condition. The return match was rowed on the Tyne, on July 24th, when Wright again won.

24.-The yacht Zoe, 170 tons, belonging to the Earl of Yarborough, struck at midnight on the Lemon Sand, off Happisburgh, while on a voyage from the Isle of Wight to Grimsby. Lord Yarborough, with the captain and crew, took to the boats, and landed at Happisburgh Hill House.

26.-Mr. George Dawson lectured at the a.s.sembly Room, Norwich, on "Daniel Defoe."

30.*-"Lord Orford has addressed the following letter to the editor of the 'Morning Post':-'Sir, I enclose you a paragraph which appeared in your paper of the 21st inst., to the truth of which I desire you to give the most emphatic denial. It is a _rechauffe_ of the lie circulated some thirty years since in a London journal as a hoax, I presume, on the editor. At the time I did not think it worthy of contradiction, nor at my age should I deem it worthy of any such contradiction now, but am solely induced to do so for the satisfaction of those most justly dear to me.-Yours, &c., ORFORD. May 26th, 1857.'" (The paragraph here alluded to is the much-quoted reply purported to have been sent by the n.o.ble lord to the secretary of the Norwich Bible Society. It originally appeared in the "Freemen's Journal," Dublin.)

31.-Died at his residence, Brighton, Mr. Charles Edmund Rumbold, of Preston Candover, Hants., aged 69. He represented for more than 37 years the borough of Great Yarmouth, for which he was first returned in 1818.

JUNE.

1.-The Annual Moveable Committee of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows commenced its sittings at Norwich. There were 110 delegates present, and Mr. c.o.x ("Grand Master") presided. The meetings, which were held daily at the Bazaar (afterwards known as Victoria Hall), concluded on the 6th.

The dinner, held at St. Andrew's Hall on the 3rd, was presided over by Sir Samuel Bignold, and in the course of the proceedings, Mr. Samuel Daynes was presented with a gift of 160gs., in recognition of the valuable work he had done for the Order.

1.-Died at Costessey, aged 88, Mr. John Culley, one of the leading agriculturists of the county. "It was to him and a few others that the farmers in this locality are indebted for the establishment of the Hail Storm Society, and the subscriptions which followed the memorable hailstorm in this county a few years since." Mr. Culley took a prominent part in the movement for the erection of the Norwich Corn Exchange.

11.-A familiar object, known as the "Ba.s.singham Gateway," in London Street, Norwich, was sold by auction. The purchaser was Mr. William Wilde, and the price 12. The hope was expressed that this relic of antiquity would not be removed from the city. On September 5th it was announced: "The Ba.s.singham Gateway has been erected at the magistrates'

entrance at the Guildhall, where it is quite out of character with the building, or, at any rate, that part of it. Above the gate are the arms of Henry VII., the arms of the Goldsmiths' Company, to which its builder, Mr. John Ba.s.singham, belonged, and of the city of Norwich. Having been cleaned, the carved work is brought out in bold relief."

-An amateur sculling match took place for 10, from Bramerton to Whitlingham (about three miles), between Mr. Henry Watling and Mr. Henry b.a.l.l.s. A foul resulted, Mr. Watling claimed stakes, and the referee, Mr.

Vyall, decided in his favour.

13.*-"The Marine Parade (Yarmouth) may now be looked upon as completed, and certainly in almost every particular it has exceeded the expectations formed of it. It was planned and carried out under the immediate superintendence of the Town Surveyor, Mr. A. W. Morant, and the cost will not exceed the sum estimated, 1,700."

16.-At a special meeting of the Norwich Town Council, the Grammar School Committee reported that the hearing took place, before the Master of the Rolls, on June 10th, of the suit, the Attorney-General _v._ Hudson, when the princ.i.p.al differences which had existed in reference to the new scheme for the administration of the School and Hospital had been amicably adjusted. The sum of 1,000 per annum, exclusive of the cost of buildings, was to be taken from the Great Hospital funds and appropriated, under the management of separate trustees, to the purposes of education. Two schools were to be established-a Grammar School and a Commercial School. The course of instruction in the Grammar School would embrace English, Latin, French, and German, &c., and in the Commercial School, English, French, and the rudiments of Latin, &c. Prizes and scholarships were to be given to both schools, and the boy who obtained an upper cla.s.s scholarship in the Commercial School would be ent.i.tled to education in the Grammar School without cost. The payments for boys educated in the Grammar School were to range from 6 gs. to 8 gs. per year, and in the Commercial School 30s. per year. The masters were to be paid a fixed salary, besides which their stipends would be augmented in the Grammar School by four-sixths of the money received from the pupils, and in the Commercial School by three-sixths. (_See_ March 23rd, 1858.)

17.-A revival of the Dereham Race Meeting attracted thousands of spectators to the Common. The subscriptions amounted to 150, and horses were run by Lord Suffield and other sportsmen of the county.

18.-Workmen engaged in deepening a dry dock belonging to Mr. Ambrose Palmer, at Yarmouth, turned up in one spadeful from 700 to 1,000 silver pennies of Edward I. and of Alexander III., the contemporary King of Scotland. The coins were discovered 17 feet beneath the level of the quay.

23.-Mr. A. A. H. Beckwith, Governor of the Norwich Court of Guardians, performed the ceremony of turning the first sod upon the line marked out for the main front of the new Norwich Workhouse.

24.-Mr. Spurgeon, "the celebrated revivalist," preached two sermons at the Corn Exchange, Lynn, in aid of a fund for repairing the local Baptist chapel. Two thousand six hundred tickets were issued, and the collections amounted to 110 15s.

27.-Died of cholera, at Kurnaul, aged 59, Major-General the Hon. George Anson, Commander-in-Chief of the troops in India. He was the second son of Thomas, first Viscount Anson, and brother of the first Earl of Lichfield, served in the Scots Fusilier Guards, and was present at the battle of Waterloo. In 1818 he was returned for Yarmouth, and represented the borough in several Parliaments before and after the pa.s.sing of the Reform Bill. By hereditary descent and by personal conviction he was a Liberal in politics, and invariably sided with the leaders of the Whig party. He became Major-General on November 11th, 1851. He was a zealous patron of the Turf, on which he was better known as Colonel Anson.

JULY.

1.-A reformatory was established at Catton, by Mr. Wright, as an offshoot of a similar inst.i.tution at Buxton.

4.-Application was made in the Court of Chancery, before the Lord Chancellor, for a re-hearing of the case, Lombe _v._ Stoughton, which was decided in the year 1841, by the then Vice-Chancellor. The testator, Sir John Lombe, had left a large fund, to be applied to the purpose of building a mansion on his estate in Norfolk, with a direction that the fund should acc.u.mulate until the house was finished. Considerable delay took place in completing the house, and the fund increased to a very large amount, leaving a surplus of about 20,000. The Vice-Chancellor directed the fund to be applied to building purposes at a time when it was not known that the surplus would be so large, but the order was made without prejudice to any question as to the surplus. This surplus was now claimed by the representatives of the successive tenants for life, on the ground that they (the tenants for life) had been deprived of the enjoyment of the house, and were, therefore, ent.i.tled to the fund by way of compensation. The Lord Chancellor gave leave for the Vice-Chancellor to re-hear the case, if he found himself fettered by the wording of the decree. The Vice-Chancellor, on July 31st, ruled that what had been done was according to the intention of the testator, and held that the surplus must be considered as capital, and not income.

7.-The Bishop of Norwich laid the first stone of the new church of St.

John the Evangelist, erected at Yarmouth for the use of beachmen and sailors. (_See_ April 22nd, 1858.)

8.-Mr. Arthur Preston, hon. secretary of the Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Society, was, at a dinner held at the Bell Hotel, under the presidency of the Mayor of Norwich, presented with a piece of plate, in recognition of his valuable services to the society.

17.-The Mayor of Norwich (Mr. R. Chamberlin) was presented with a silver epergne, valued at 200 gs., "in recognition of the strict impartiality, sound judgment, and munificent hospitality which distinguished his official career as Mayor in 18545."

24.-A Committee of the House of Commons commenced the hearing of a pet.i.tion lodged by Mr. Richard Ferrier, the elder, and Mr. E. H. L.

Preston, against the return for Yarmouth of the sitting members, Messrs.

M'Cullagh and Watkin. Bribery, treating, and undue influence were alleged. The inquiry lasted five days. On July 29th the Committee found that Messrs. M'Cullagh and Watkin were, by their agents, guilty of bribery, that they were not duly elected burgesses to serve in Parliament, that the election was a void election, and bribes had been paid. On August 10th, Mr. Adolphus William Young and Mr. John Mellor, Q.C., Liberals, were returned without opposition.

29.-At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, before Lord Chief Justice Campbell, an indictment was preferred against the East Dereham Corn Exchange Company, for obstructing a certain highway over Lion Hill in that town by the erection of the hall, and further for obstructing Quebec Street and certain fairs and markets. The jury, after a long hearing, returned a verdict for the Crown, with the rider: "We find that there was a public highway over Lion Hill, and we find that there is an obstruction of that part occupied by the Corn Exchange Company, but we find that the public are materially benefited by the alteration, and on the second count we find for the defendants." (_See_ May 5th, 1858.)

AUGUST.

6.-Robert Bunn, "the celebrated pedestrian," on the Ipswich Road, Norwich, ran a mile against time for a wager of 25. "The wager was that he would not cover the distance in 4 minutes 45 secs. He accomplished the feat in 4 minutes 30 secs."

13.-A dinner was given in honour of General Windham, at the Corn Hall, North Walsham, on the eve of his departure for India, on the outbreak of the Mutiny.

15.*-"A report is going the round of the papers, copied from the Australian journals, regarding the death of the person known to our readers as Emily Sandford. We are a.s.sured by a gentleman who interested himself in her behalf in 1849 that Miss Sandford is not in Australia.

She married a highly respectable merchant in 1850, with whom and their children she returned to Europe in 1855."

20.-The battery of Royal Artillery marched from the Cavalry Barracks, Norwich, for Shorncliffe, to hold themselves in readiness for India.

24.-The annual congress of the British Archaeological a.s.sociation was opened at Norwich, under the presidency of the Earl of Albemarle. The proceedings ended on the 28th. Caistor Camp, Lynn, Yarmouth, and Burgh Castle were among the places visited.

25.-An extraordinary leap was made by a horse ridden by Mr. William Feek, horse trainer, of Norwich. "Mr. Feek, in the presence of a number of gentlemen, to show the power of the animal, jumped it over a high fence on Newmarket Road, without touching it, making a spring from point to point of 34 feet."

SEPTEMBER.

1.-Died at his residence in King Street, Norwich, Mr. Anthony Hudson, banker, aged 75. In early life he enjoyed the friendship of the Right Hon. William Windham, and had since been on intimate terms with the Windham family. For many years he took an active part in the management of the bank of Messrs. Harveys and Hudsons. After the pa.s.sing of the Munic.i.p.al Reform Bill, he was appointed a magistrate of the city, and for more than twenty years was a constant attendant on the Bench. He was chairman both of the "Church" and "General" list of Charity Trustees, a governor of the Bethel Hospital, and President of the Board of Directors of the Norwich Union Fire Office.

4.-A troop of the 15th Light Dragoons (Hussars), under the command of Major Knox, arrived at the Cavalry Barracks, Norwich. The headquarters followed, under the command of Colonel Key.

10.-A public meeting of the citizens, convened by the Mayor and Sheriff, was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, "to take into consideration the best means of affording relief to the suffering Europeans in India whose lives have not been taken by the mutineers, but by whose conduct they are rendered entirely dest.i.tute." It was decided to open a public subscription.

15.-The Norfolk and Norwich Triennial Musical Festival commenced with a miscellaneous concert at St. Andrew's Hall. Spohr's sacred cantata, "G.o.d, Thou art Great," Mendelssohn's "Hymn of Praise," and Mozart's "Requiem" were performed on the morning of the 16th, and in the evening a miscellaneous concert was given. Beethoven's "Mount of Olives" and Haydn's "Seasons" were rendered on the morning of the 17th, and a miscellaneous programme was submitted at the evening concert. "The Messiah" was the attraction on the morning of the 18th, and the Festival concluded with a fancy dress ball at St. Andrew's Hall in the evening.