Norfolk Annals Volume I Part 76

24.-The grave was discovered, in the south aisle of St. Stephen's Church, of Robert Browne, a former Mayor of Norwich. Nothing remained but some pieces of bones. Upon a stone was the inscription: "Of your charitie praye for the soule of Robert Browne, Esquire, some time Mayor of this city, who died 1534."

-The Norfolk Lent a.s.sizes (adjourned from Thetford) were held at Norwich for the first time. Mr. Justice Alderson, an honorary freeman of the city, was one of the judges.

25.-At the Norfolk Lent a.s.sizes, at Norwich, before Mr. Justice Alderson, Richard Nockolds was indicted for setting fire to stacks, the property of William Blake, at Swanton Abbott, and Robert Hunt, Josiah Davidson, and David Davidson were charged as accessaries. The jury found the prisoners not guilty. On the 26th they were indicted for setting fire to a stack the property of Richard Ducker, of the same place. Nockolds was found guilty, and sentenced to death; Josiah Davidson was convicted of being an accessary before the fact, recommended to mercy, and afterwards respited; Hunt and David Davidson were acquitted. Nockolds was executed on the Castle Hill, Norwich, on April 9th. His body was subsequently exhibited at his cottage opposite the Barrack gates, Pockthorpe, "and a considerable sum of money was in this way raised for the widow."

26.-A Bill "for the better management of the Poor in the several parishes and hamlets of the city of Norwich," had, it was announced on this date, been presented in the House of Commons. The princ.i.p.al object of the measure was to abolish the right of the Corporation to elect Guardians.

It was read a first time in April, pa.s.sed through its remaining stages during the first Session of the new Parliament, and the first meeting of the Court of Guardians elected under the new Act was held at the Guildhall on October 4th.

APRIL.

5.-Lynn Market Cross was sold by auction for 160. It had long been dilapidated. "The Market Place in its present state, covered with vegetation sufficient to graze sheep, presents a most melancholy appearance."

8.-Mr. Henry Dover was elected a chairman of Norfolk Quarter Sessions, in the room of Sir E. H. Alderson, appointed one of his Majesty's Judges.

11.-Miss Smithson appeared at Norwich Theatre in the character of Juliet; and on three subsequent evenings as Mrs. Simpson ("Simpson and Co."), Belvidera, Mrs. Oakley ("The Jealous Wife"), and Theresa ("The Orphan of Geneva").

13.-The new road from Acle to Yarmouth, saving a distance of three miles five furlongs, was opened for public inspection, and was shortly afterwards used for traffic.

14.-A ballot for filling up the peace establishment of the East Norfolk Militia was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, before Mr. Isaac Preston, D.L. "Subst.i.tutes were easily obtained from 2 to 3 per man."

29.-The nomination of Parliamentary candidates for Norwich took place.

Mr. R. H. Gurney and the Right Hon. Robert Grant were proposed by the "Blue and White" party, and Sir Charles Wetherell and Mr. Michael Thomas Sadler by the "Purple and Orange" party. A poll was demanded, and opened on April 30th. The polling-booths closed on May 3rd, when the result was declared as follows:-Gurney, 2,158; Grant, 2,163; Wetherell, 977; Sadler, 964.

-Yarmouth election commenced on this date, and the poll closed on the 30th. Result:-Col. Anson, 904; Mr. Rumbold, 903; Mr. Colville, 549; Mr.

Bliss, 543.

30.-Lord H. Cholmondeley and the Hon. F. G. Howard were re-elected members of Parliament for Castle Rising.

MAY.

1.-This day (Sunday) Mr. Alderman Leman and Mr. Alderman Yallop were elected to be returned to the Court of Aldermen for appointment to the office of Mayor of Norwich. Mr. Yallop was chosen Mayor on the 3rd.

2.-Lord George Bentinck and Lord William Lennox were elected without opposition members of Parliament for King's Lynn.

3.-The use of the ballot box at meetings of the Norwich Corporation was discontinued, on the motion of Mr. W. J. Utten Browne, who characterised it as "a sneaking mode of proceeding."

4.-Died in Harley Street, London, aged 69, the Viscountess Nelson and d.u.c.h.ess of Bronte, "widow of the immortal hero of Trafalgar." The funeral took place at Littleham, near Exmouth.

6.-Mr. T. W. c.o.ke and Sir W. B. ffolkes were returned unopposed members of Parliament for the county of Norfolk. Mr. c.o.ke announced that he would not again seek re-election.

28.*-"Last week a lobster was taken out alive from one of the branches of the river Waveney, at Frenze, in this county. The river is intersected by several locks, and the place where it was taken is nearly 40 miles from the sea."

JUNE.

1.-Died at Thorpe, aged 47, Mr. Marsham Elwin, of Thurning, formerly one of the chairmen of Norfolk Quarter Sessions.

6.-A vessel named the Carrow, of 80 tons burden, was launched from the timber-yard of Mr. Batley, at Carrow.

-A two days' cricket match commenced on Lord's ground, between Norwich and Marylebone. Norwich, 115-142. Marylebone, 145-67. Betting at the start was 6 to 4 on Marylebone, and at the end of the first day's play the odds were 7 and 8 to 1 in favour of Norwich.

11.*-"The census which has just been taken shows that the inhabitants of Norwich number 60,998, an increase in ten years of 10,700. The population of the county, exclusive of Norwich, but including other boroughs, is 331,014, an increase of 36,934."

20.-Mr. Alderman Patteson resigned his seat after fifty years' membership of the Norwich Corporation. Mr. Samuel Bignold was elected to fill the vacancy thus created in the Great Mancroft Ward.

-A meeting, presided over by Mr. J. J. Gurney, was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, for the purpose of promoting a subscription for the relief of sufferers from the Irish famine.

21.-Guild Day at Norwich. Mr. J. H. Yallop was, for the second time, sworn in as Mayor, and afterwards entertained 800 guests at the Guild feast.

22.-Mr. Charles Green made a balloon ascent from Richmond Hill Gardens, Norwich, in company with Mr. Richard Crawshay, and in 1 hour 10 minutes descended upon a marsh at Oby near Acle. He made a second ascent from the same gardens on July 2nd, accompanied by Mr. Alderman Marshall, and descended at Blofield. Mr. Crawshay accompanied the aeronaut in the ascent at the opening of London Bridge by the King on August 1st. Owing to a strong wind, the ascent was made with great difficulty; the aeronauts barely escaped with their lives, and on descending at Charlwood were severely bruised and shaken.

JULY.

7.-The first stone of a new church at Yarmouth, dedicated to St. Peter, and erected on a site granted by the Corporation, was laid by the Mayor (Mr. Edmund Preston). Mr. Scoles was the architect. The church was consecrated on August 16th, 1833, by the Bishop of Winchester, on behalf of the Bishop of Norwich.

23.-The interment took place at Rainham church of the remains of General Loftus. He entered the Army in 1770, and in 1775 embarked with the 17th Light Dragoons for America. He was in the action of Bunker's Hill, at the battle of Bedford, at the taking of New York, at the battles of Pelham Manor and the White Plains, and led the Hessian Grenadiers across the river Brunx, where he was wounded. He was wounded again in the attack on the lines at King's Bridge. In 1794 he raised the 24th Light Dragoons, largely composed of Norfolk men; in 1796 was made Major-General and appointed to the English staff, and in 1797 was transferred to the Irish staff, and commanded a brigade at the battle of Vinegar Hill. He commanded the Eastern District in 1809, and at the time of his death was Lieutenant of the Tower and Colonel of the 2nd Dragoon Guards. General Loftus for several Sessions represented in Parliament the borough of Great Yarmouth.

25.-At the Norfolk a.s.sizes held at Norwich, before Lord Lyndhurst, an indictment was preferred against several farmers and labourers living at Edingthorpe, for having conspired to compel the rector, the Rev. Richard Adams, to take less in t.i.the than he was ent.i.tled to by law. The great and small t.i.thes together averaged 6s. per acre; under intimidation Mr.

Adams signed a doc.u.ment by which he agreed to accept 4s. per acre during his life. At the suggestion of his lordship, a settlement was arrived at. He intimated, however, that a clergyman had a right to his t.i.thes, and the parishioners had no authority to dictate to him.

26.-At the same a.s.sizes, an action was brought against the Rev. Dean Wood, vicar of Middleton, by Mr. Howes, a farmer in the same parish, for a libel contained in a pamphlet published by the defendant, ent.i.tled, "A Defence of the Clergy, founded upon facts." The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, damages 100.

28.-Paganini performed at a concert given under the management of Mr.

Pettet, at the Corn Exchange, Norwich. He appeared again on the 29th, and on the 30th was engaged at the Theatre. He was described as "the fascinating, but by no means fair-dealing, foreigner."

AUGUST.

1.-Mr. Wallack, of Drury Lane Theatre, commenced a short engagement at the Theatre Royal, Norwich, in the character of Rolla ("Pizarro"). His other impersonations included Don Felix ("The Wonder"), Sir Edward Mortimer, Alessandro Ma.s.saroni ("The Brigand"), and Dashall ("My Aunt").

8.-A cricket match, lasting two days, between Marylebone and Norwich, commenced on the Norwich ground. Marylebone, 96-109. Norwich, 69-94.

Lillywhite and Sir St. Vincent Cotton played for the former, and Fuller Pilch, W. Pilch, and N. Pilch for the latter club.

10.-The 1st Royal Dragoons were inspected on Mousehold Heath, Norwich, by General Sir Charles Dalbiac. "This fine regiment, several of whose officers are sons of Norfolk families, has been lately augmented by the enlistment of a large number of Norfolk men."

18.-A two-days' cricket match commenced on the Dereham ground, between Marylebone and Norfolk. Marylebone, 44-67. Norfolk, 11-38. "Both at Norwich and at Dereham the Norfolk men were evidently beaten by the system of bowling."

30.-At the election of freemen's Sheriff, at Norwich, the candidates were Mr. John Cozens (1,086 votes) and Mr. W. J. Utten Browne (506 votes).

31.-A camping match took place on Norwich Cricket Ground, between Norwich and Blofield. The latter gave up. "Neither the camping nor the subsequent wrestling were either of them well contested."