Norfolk Annals Volume Ii Part 27

11.-Died at Norwich, aged 81, Henry Drane, for thirty-six years proprietor of the Telegraph coach.

19.-A prize-fight for 5 took place near Lynn, between Pooley Mace and Grey. Mace was declared the victor, after a contest which lasted 35 minutes.

OCTOBER.

4.-The Yarmouth Town Council, by a majority of 25 to 11, adopted the Public House Closing Act, 1864.

8.-The first sod of the West Norfolk Junction Railway was turned by Miss Ellen Simpson, daughter of Mr. Lightly Simpson, the chairman of the company. Many persons travelled to Heacham to take part in the proceedings. (_See_ January 8th, 1866.)

11.-Died, Captain Becher, "the well-known sportsman and father of steeplechase riders, whose deeds in the pigskin some 30 years back have immortalised him in the annals of that sport." Captain Becher was born in Norfolk, and was the son of a farmer, "who was very conspicuous as a horseman and the last of the leather breeches school."

16.-A new screw steamer, the Ontario, 3,200 tons, Captain Brooklin, upon her first voyage, from Shields to Alexandria, laden with coals and iron, struck upon Happisburgh Sand. Three steam tugs and the Caister lifeboat proceeded to her a.s.sistance, and her cargo was thrown overboard, but every effort made to get her off proved unavailing. On the 17th the weather became very threatening, and the lifeboat took off 56 coal heavers, but the captain and officers and 86 of the crew determined to remain with the vessel. During the night the storm increased, and the crew, apparently in great distress, sent up rockets and burned blue lights. The Yarmouth lifeboatmen were implored by the ship's agent, Mr.

Butler, to go to the ship, but in vain. They refused to launch the lifeboat unless they were paid from 400 to 500, saying that the steam tugs had begun the work and had better finish it. The Caister lifeboat stood by the vessel, which, by the 20th, had so settled down that it was hopeless to attempt to get her off. On this day 68 of the crew left in a lifeboat belonging to the steamer, but the captain and officers declined to desert her. They were, however, compelled to leave on the 22nd, when she became a total wreck, and was offered for sale. The original value of the Ontario was 120,000.

21.-The church of St. Nicholas, Yarmouth, was opened after restoration, at the cost of about 6,000. The sermon was preached by the Bishop of Oxford, and at the luncheon held subsequently, under the presidency of the Mayor (Mr. R. Steward), the company included the Bishops of Norwich and Oxford, the Bishop of British Columbia, Lord Sondes (High Steward of the borough), and many other distinguished guests.

NOVEMBER.

9.-Mr. Charles Edward Tuck was elected Mayor, and Mr. Charles Jecks appointed Sheriff of Norwich.

9.-Died at Keswick, near Norwich, in his 90th year, Mr. Hudson Gurney.

He was the eldest son of Mr. Richard Gurney, who died at Keswick in 1811.

Educated by Dr. Thomas Young, of scientific celebrity, he became connected early in life with the great banking firm of the Gurneys, of which he was for many years senior partner, as well as with the noted London brewery of Barclay and Co., his mother being the daughter and heiress of Mr. David Barclay, of Youngbury, Herts. In 1809 he married Margaret, daughter of Robert Barclay, of Ury, descended from the celebrated Barclay, the Apologist for the Quakers. Mrs. Gurney died at Keswick on December 16th, 1855. In politics Mr. Gurney was, in many respects, decidedly Conservative, though on some points he held opinions more in accordance with the most advanced Liberalism, and, as a perfectly independent member, allied himself to no party in particular. His Parliamentary career commenced in 1812, when he was elected for Shaftesbury; from the year 1816 he represented Newport, Hants., in six successive Parliaments. In 1835 he served the office of High Sheriff for the county of Norfolk. He was a man of high literary attainments, and was vice-president of the Society of Antiquaries, a Fellow of the Royal and Linnaean Societies, vice-president of the Norwich Museum, the Literary Inst.i.tute, and of the Norfolk and Norwich Archaeological Society. As an author his chief production was probably the beautiful poem in English verse under the t.i.tle of "Cupid and Psyche," a mythological tale from the "Golden a.s.s" of Apuleius; in 1801 it had reached a third edition, and was afterwards reprinted in Mr. Davenport's "Poetical Register." He also published, for private distribution, in 1843, a translation into English verse of the "Orlando Furioso" of Ludovico Ariosto; and in 1847, in a letter to Mr. Dawson Turner, "Proofs that Norwich, and not Caistor, was the Venta Icenorum." In his latter years, confined almost entirely to his own residence, "he reversed in his hours the usual custom, amusing himself with his books and writings till four or five o'clock in the morning, and, of course, rising comparatively late in the day." His estate, real and personal included, was valued at 1,200,000.

-The Lynn Town Council resolved to put an end to the absurd and obnoxious impost known as "the Lady Mayoresses' Pin Money." "For many years the custom has prevailed in the town of the constables (who perform no other duties) going round to all the inhabitants in October and November and collecting from all who were foolish enough to pay it a kind of blackmail, under the ridiculous t.i.tle of the Lady Mayoresses' Pin Money, pretending that it was legally payable under the charters, and that those who did not pay would be summoned before the magistrates or the County Court. It appears that the custom has grown out of the collection of fines for non-attendance at the Court Leet held annually by the Mayor as Lord of the Manor; but for many generations past no such attendance has been either any use or capable of enforcement. The fines have also completely lapsed, and those who collect the 'pin money' are completely ignorant of its origin. The pretence has been that the money was to buy a piece of plate for the Mayoress, but in reality the greater part of it has been appropriated by the collectors themselves, and of the many pounds obtained not more than some fifty shillings annually found its way into the borough fund."

12.*-"There appears to be some probability that the absurd system of inspection of weights and measures at Lynn by a 'jury of headboroughs'

going round the town in a posse and discharging their functions in such a manner that the innocent only are punished and the guilty easily escape detection, is about to come to an end. Several persons have refused to admit the headboroughs on their premises, and others have declined to pay the fines imposed on them by the 'jury'; and as the authority of this jury is based on ancient charters of very doubtful legal force, and there is no prospect of that authority being respected or enforced, the jury have refused to be sworn in again on the Court Leet by which they are appointed. It may be hoped, therefore, that the farce has come to an end, and that very shortly a proper and efficient officer will be appointed under the provisions of the Weights and Measures Act."

14.-The newly-erected chancel of St. Mark's church, Lakenham, Norwich, built at the cost of about 1,000, was consecrated by the Bishop of Norwich.

24.-A severe gale occurred off the Norfolk coast. Many shipping casualties were reported. The screw steamer William Hutt, 530 tons, employed as a transport during the Crimean War, was lost off Yarmouth with her crew of sixteen hands, whilst on a voyage from Sunderland to London, with coals.

DECEMBER.

17.*-"Mr. Thomas W. Rutland, carpenter, West Wymer Street, Norwich, has invented a very ingenious means of communication between the pa.s.sengers and guard in a railway train. It has the additional advantage of acting also as an extra break when required. By its use a pa.s.senger can at once communicate with both guard and driver, and at the same time a signal is exhibited which shows from what carriage the alarm is given."

20.-At a special meeting of the Norwich Town Council, a communication was received from the Dean and Chapter as to the giving up of their interest in Mousehold Heath, with the view of enabling the Council to convert the Heath into a people's park.

26.-The Christmas "burlesque and comic pantomime" produced at Norwich Theatre was written by F. C. Burnand, and ent.i.tled, "Snowdrop, King Bonbon, and the Seven Elves, or the Magic Mirror and the Fatal Sewing Machine." At Sanger's Circus, on the Castle Meadow, was produced "the equestrian pantomime," ent.i.tled, "Jack the Giant Killer, or Harlequin and the Fairies of the Crystal Fountain." A great novelty at the Christmas Fair was "the striking feature of a roundabout worked by a steam engine, which at the same time turns a barrel organ."

30.-Died at Dunston, John Fish, aged 100 years and 10 months.

1865.

JANUARY.

2.-The Prince and Princess of Wales arrived at Holkham Park, on a visit to the Earl and Countess of Leicester. On the 3rd, 4th, and 5th his Royal Highness shot over the estate, and on the latter date 2,000 head of game was killed. On the night of the 5th a distinguished company were invited to a ball, given by the Earl and Countess; and on the morning of the 6th the Prince and his n.o.ble host engaged in wildfowl shooting.

Their Royal Highnesses returned to Sandringham the same afternoon.

7.*-"Amongst the recent improvements in Norwich there are none to bear comparison with the magnificent bank of Messrs. Harveys and Hudson, which is now approaching completion by Messrs. Lucas, nor will there be one which has been erected at so small a comparative cost. The contract for the new bank, of which Mr. P. Hardwicke is the architect, does not exceed 13,000." The bank was opened for business on January 1st, 1866.

13.-The Prince of Wales visited Lord Walsingham, at Merton Hall, and attended a meet of the West Norfolk Hunt. On the 14th, after a day's cover shooting, has Royal Highness returned to Sandringham, accompanied by the Hon. T. de Grey.

31.-The agitation against the Malt Tax was re-opened this year at Lynn, when a great meeting, convened by the West Norfolk Anti-Malt Tax a.s.sociation, was held at the Town Hall, under the presidency of the High Sheriff (Mr. H. Lee Warner). On February 4th, at a preliminary meeting held at the Swan Hotel, Norwich, presided over by Mr. Clare Sewell Read, the farmers of East Norfolk formed a similar a.s.sociation, and at a public meeting which took place on February 18th, Sir Henry Stracey was elected president, Mr. Robert Gillett treasurer, and Mr. G. H. Murrell secretary.

Many pet.i.tions were signed in the district in favour of the repeal of the tax.

FEBRUARY.

3.-A meeting of the inhabitants was held at the Corn Hall, Yarmouth, "to take into consideration the provisions of the Haven and Port Bill, and to determine whether the scheme should be supported or opposed in Parliament." This Bill was intended to supersede the functions of the Haven Commissioners and to protect the shipowners and fishermen, but great opposition was raised against it by the cla.s.s in whose interests it was avowedly framed. The Norwich Town Council, at a meeting on March 21st, decided to oppose the measure. A Committee of the House of Commons, by whom the Bill was considered, on March 30th unanimously resolved that, "in the absence of unanimity of feeling among the parties affected, including the town of Yarmouth itself, it is not expedient to pa.s.s the preamble of the Bill." It was, therefore, thrown out. (_See_ April 30th, 1866.)

MARCH.

6.-The respective merits of the new iron ploughs introduced by Messrs.

Ransomes and Sims, of Ipswich, and of the common Norfolk plough, were tested on Messrs. Salter's farm at Attleborough. "In their lightness and symmetry the former presented a strong contrast. The Norfolk plough drew nearly half as heavy again as the iron ploughs, or in the proportion of 3 to 2 in the shallow work, and in the deep work one quarter heavier, or in the proportion of 4 to 5."

10.-A remarkable incident occurred at Lakenham church. A wedding had been arranged, and the Rev. C. Baldwin, of St. Stephen's, Norwich, had promised, with the approbation of the vicar, the Rev. A. Pownall, to officiate. When the wedding party arrived at Lakenham, they found the church closed. An entrance was effected, but the vestry was locked, and neither surplice nor books were provided for the clergyman. "It was suggested that a sheet should be borrowed, and the Rev. Mr. Baldwin, habited in this novel vestment, proceeded to unite the parties in the bonds of matrimony, and after having sent to the clergyman's house for the parish registers, the happy couple were at length enabled to proceed on their wedding trip. Mr. Pownall, who was himself the cause of the whole difficulty, having forgotten to inform the clerk of the forthcoming ceremony, issued the following extraordinary handbill:-'Lakenham church.

A solemn service will be held on Friday, the 24th inst., to avert the wrath of Almighty G.o.d and to deprecate His righteous judgments in consequence of the profanation of His sanctuary on Monday last . . .

Ezekiel v., 11.'" The incident gave rise to much comment.

15.-A great fire occurred at Frazer's sawmills, near St. Martin-at-Palace church, Norwich, and resulted in the loss of about 4,000 worth of property.

18.-Died at North Walsham, Mary Doughty, aged 101 years.

28.-At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, before Lord Chief Justice c.o.c.kburn, was tried a remarkable action for a.s.sault, false imprisonment, and malicious prosecution. The plaintiff, Mr. Albert Pell (son of Sir Albert Pell, of Northamptonshire), with his brother, while on a visit to Yarmouth, crossed the fields of the defendant, Mr. Mayes Wigg, at Caister. They had with them a Skye terrier, and defendant, alleging that they were poaching, gave them into the custody of a policeman, who, after detaining them at his cottage, took them before a magistrate at Thrigby. The charge was dismissed, whereupon the present action was commenced. The jury found for the plaintiff on the first count, charging a.s.sault and false imprisonment, and awarded damages 5; and for defendant on the second count, charging malicious prosecution.

APRIL.

4.-Died at Yarmouth, Mr. George Danby Palmer, aged 77. In early life Mr.

Palmer was an active supporter of the Tory party, but previous to the pa.s.sing of the Reform Bill he adopted Liberal principles, and after the introduction of the Munic.i.p.al Reform Act became decidedly Radical. He was the oldest member of the borough Bench, and a justice of the peace for the county. "Possessed of large property, he lavished his wealth with unsparing hand upon those whom he deemed worthy of his a.s.sistance, but as it was rendered so un.o.btrusively, with the exception of the recipients of his bounty, the world was not aware of his generosity. He was a straightforward Englishman, and was greatly lamented by all cla.s.ses in Yarmouth."