Norfolk Annals Volume I Part 84

MARCH.

14.*-"At Didlington Hall, the only place in England at which the antient amus.e.m.e.nt of flying hawks at herons is practised, it has been customary to turn off the birds taken alive, with a ring attached to one leg, showing the time and place at which they were captured. In a late Bristol paper there is an account of a heron having been shot near Carmarthen with a ring round one leg having the inscription: 'Major Wilson, Didlington Hall, Norfolk, 1822.'"

APRIL.

3.-Lord Chief Baron Abinger, one of the Judges of a.s.size at Norwich, was waited upon at the Judges' lodgings, in Bethel Street, by the Mayor and Corporation, and presented with an address, on this his first visit to the city in a judicial capacity.

4.-At the Norwich a.s.sizes, before Mr. Justice Vaughan, Johnstone Wardell, aged 23, a bank clerk, was charged with embezzling the sum of 1,431 18s.

7d. belonging to the Governor and Company of the Bank of England. Mr.

Kelly was retained for the defence at the fee of 100 gs., and, after a trial lasting ten hours, the jury acquitted the prisoner. The defence was that the accused had been knocked down and robbed of the money on the Castle Ditches. A few months afterwards he confessed his guilt and refunded the full amount.

7.-Three hundred emigrants left Yarmouth Quay by the Baltic (Captain Newson), Venus (Captain Simmons), and Wellington (Captain Gilham), for Quebec. The Shannon sailed from Lynn for Quebec on April 16th, with 90 emigrants.

18.-James Clarke, aged 20, was executed on Castle Hill, Norwich, for setting fire to a wheat stack at Buxton. "The most singular feature attending the execution was that an old man named Wyer, a person well known for his eccentricities, declared on the Hill that he would take the sufferer's place for five shillings. The man made good his word, went home and hanged himself."

20.-Mr. Macready commenced a four nights' engagement at Norwich Theatre in the part of Macbeth. His other impersonations included Hamlet, Virginius, Werner, and Puff ("The Critic"). On the 23rd an outrage was committed by a person who "threw a chemical substance capable of ignition, in different parts of the building." A reward of 20 gs. was offered for the apprehension of the offender.

25.-The West Norfolk and Lynn Hospital, designed by Mr. Angel and built by Mr. Sugars, was opened for the reception of patients.

-A troop of the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons arrived at Norwich Barracks, and were followed by two other troops of the same regiment, from Sheffield and Nottingham.

MAY.

1.-Mr. Moore and Mr. Steward were returned to the Norwich Court of Aldermen for election as Mayor. The first-named was chosen.

4.-The 2nd Dragoon Guards marched from Norwich Barracks, on their way to Liverpool, for embarcation for Dublin. The Mayor and Corporation testified to the excellent conduct of the regiment, and expressed regret at their departure.

-The Norwich Corporation agreed not to dispose of the old City Gaol without reserving a portion of the site for the purposes of the Norwich Public Library. On September 21st a lease was granted of part of the site (70 ft. by 70 ft.) to the trustees of the Library for the term of 99 years, at the annual rent of 1, "for the erection of a library room or other building connected therewith." At a special meeting of the subscribers, on October 29th, the contract of Messrs. Darkins and Blake for the erection of the new building, at the total cost of 1,820, was confirmed, and it was decided to raise the amount in shares of 5 each.

-The honorary freedom of the city was voted by the Corporation of Norwich to Lord Walpole, M.P., and Mr. Edmond Wodehouse, M.P. Both gentlemen were sworn in on May 8th.

5.-Died of dysentery at Calcutta, aged 70, Mr. Thomas Hoseason, formerly of Banklands, near Lynn.

6.-Died, aged 69, at Furnival's Inn, Mr. Linley, "son of the writer of the music in 'The Duenna,' and brother of the first Mrs. Sheridan and of the Rev. O. T. Linley, formerly of Norwich Cathedral. He was a good composer and excellent judge of music."

8.-A dinner, attended by 650 guests, was given at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, to celebrate the establishment at the Rampant Horse Inn of the East Norfolk Conservative a.s.sociation. The Earl of Orford presided.

Prior to the dinner the members of the a.s.sociation proceeded to the Guildhall, to witness the swearing in of Lord Walpole and Mr. Wodehouse as hon. freemen of Norwich.

9.-Died, aged 66, Mr. William Blanchard, "the celebrated comedian, formerly of the Norwich Company."

11.-Mr. Butler, of Covent Garden, appeared at Norwich Theatre in the part of Hamlet. He performed on subsequent evenings the parts of Coriola.n.u.s and David Duvigne ("The Hazard of the Die").

18.-The Bill for renewing the Yarmouth Port and Haven Act, which would otherwise have expired in 1836, went into Committee in the House of Commons, and was finally agreed to by all parties.

25.-Died in Norwich, aged 67, Mr. George Lindley, author of the "Guide to the Orchard and Kitchen Garden, " &c., and father of Dr. Lindley, Professor of Botany at the Royal Inst.i.tution and the University of London.

26.-Died at his house in Magdalen Street, Norwich, aged 91, Mr. Barnabas Leman, who was elected Alderman in 1797, Sheriff in 1804, and twice served the office of Mayor, 1813-1818.

27.-Captain Sir Edward Parry, R.N., the celebrated navigator, made an official visit to Norwich, on his appointment as an a.s.sistant Commissioner under the new Poor Laws Amendment Act.

29.-At the Guildhall, Norwich, John Pilgrim, described as an attorney, was charged before Mr. Samuel Bignold and Mr. E. T. Booth with embezzling the sum of 6 13s. belonging to his employers, Messrs. Sewell, Blake, Keith, and Blake, solicitors. The case was adjourned till Sat.u.r.day, the 30th, and the hearing lasted till midnight. On Sunday, the 31st, the magistrates again sat, and remanded the defendant in custody. On June 1st it was stated that Mr. Parraman, Governor of the City Gaol, had handed the prisoner over to the custody of the Serjeant-at-Arms of the House of Commons, on a warrant from the Speaker. The Bench then adjourned the hearing _sine die_. In order to explain these proceedings, it is necessary to state the following facts:-A pet.i.tion had been presented against the return of Mr. Dundas and Mr. Kelly as members for Ipswich, and the Committee of the House of Commons, in reporting the election void, pa.s.sed a series of special resolutions to the effect that John Pilgrim and others were guilty of bribery and of absconding to avoid the Speaker's warrant; that Pilgrim, having at length been served, was prevented attending the Committee by being arrested on a charge of embezzlement, and that the conduct of the magistrates before whom he was charged appeared to the Committee to be a breach of the privileges of the House. On June 29th it was moved that the committing magistrates be sent to Newgate, but instead they were ordered to attend before the House on July 3rd. That order was discharged, and the inquiry was referred to the same Select Committee that was to investigate the charges against Pilgrim's employers. At the Norwich a.s.sizes on August 8th, before Mr.

Baron Bolland, the bill in the case of embezzlement was respited to the next court. A meeting of the Norwich Corporation was held on September 21st, at which a vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Bignold and Mr. Booth "for the performance of their duty as magistrates, which led to their being summoned before the Committee of the House of Commons on the charge of alleged breach of privileges of the House," and it was ordered that their expenses in London be defrayed by the city. (_See_ March 29th, 1836. )

31.-Died at his house in Bedford Square, London, Mr. William Smith, formerly one of the representatives of Norwich in Parliament. Mr. Smith was first elected member for the city in 1802, and retired in 1830.

JUNE.

3.-Mr. Beacham, a favourite actor at Norwich Theatre, took his final leave of the stage after a service of more than half a century.

6.-The erection of gas works at East Dereham commenced.

10.-A new drama, ent.i.tled, "The Puritan's Sister," written by Mr. George Smith, was produced for the first time at Norwich Theatre.

14.-Died at Brighton, aged 72, Sir John Harrison Yallop, an alderman of Norwich. He served the office of Sheriff in 1805, and of Mayor in 1815 and 1831.

15.-Sir Edward Parry, R.N., attended a meeting of the Norwich Court of Guardians, and laid before them the views and intentions of the Poor-law Commissioners. Sir Edward also visited other unions in the district.

16.-Guild Day was celebrated in Norwich for the last time. The civic procession to the Cathedral was headed by the regalia borne by the respective officers on horseback. "Snap," too, made his final appearance. Chambers, the senior boy at the Free Grammar School, under the Rev. Henry Banfather, delivered the Latin oration, and was presented with five guineas' worth of books by the Mayor-elect (Mr. Moore), who made a similar present to Norgate, the orator on the preceding Guild Day.

In the course of the proceedings at the Guildhall, it was decided to pet.i.tion the House of Lords against the Bill to provide for the regulation of Munic.i.p.al Corporations in England and Wales. Eight hundred guests attended the Guild feast at St. Andrew's Hall, and a ball was given at the a.s.sembly Rooms in the evening.

19.-Mr. Richard Shaw was elected an alderman of the Northern Ward, Norwich, in succession to Sir J. H. Yallop, deceased. He polled 345 votes, as against 109 recorded for his opponent, Mr. J. Winter.

26.-Pet.i.tions were presented from Yarmouth, complaining that bribery had been practised at the election of members for that borough. They were not election pet.i.tions; they did not complain of the return; and did not impute bribery to the members or their agents. But it was alleged that two guineas had been paid to many of the voters at the house of a person who had been an active partisan of the sitting members. The pet.i.tions were referred to a Committee of the House. On July 30th the Chairman of the Committee reported that Mr. Prentice, one of the witnesses, refused to answer certain questions, on the ground that the answers would incriminate himself. He was sent to Newgate on August 6th. On the same day the Chairman reported that three other witnesses, Messrs. Preston, Lacon, and Green, had refused to answer any questions at all. Mr.

Preston was brought to the bar and informed by the Speaker that the House had decided he was bound to submit to be examined by the Committee without prejudice to his right to object to any questions, the answers to which might tend to criminate himself. Mr. Preston and Messrs. Lacon and Green attended the Committee. They objected to the very first question which at all tended to bear on the matter, because, they said, the answers might criminate them. The Committee agreed that the answers would have that tendency, and discharged the witnesses from further attendance. On August 11th Mr. Prentice was likewise discharged from Newgate, and on his arrival at Yarmouth, on August 14th, was welcomed by a large crowd, who escorted his carriage through the town, with a band playing. At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, on March 31st, 1836, before Mr. Justice Parke, Messrs. Preston, Green, and Lacon were charged with the alleged acts of bribery, but each case was disposed of without one of the persons against whom the charges were preferred being required to enter upon any defence whatever.

29.-In consequence of the general recommendation of the Poor-law Commissioners that the allowances to the "surplus poor" be made in kind, instead of in money, the labourers at Great Bircham and Bircham Tofts struck work, and caused a riot, upon the ground that labourers had been imported from neighbouring villages. The houses of Mr. Ketton and Mr.

Hebgin were attacked, and the Melton and Rainham troops of Yeomanry Cavalry were called out to quell the disturbance. The preventive men from the coast and the 6th Inniskillings from Norwich were also summoned.

At Walsingham Quarter Sessions, on July 10th, several persons were sentenced to terms of imprisonment for partic.i.p.ating in the riot.

JULY.

6.-The Royal Mail coach from Yarmouth (through Norwich) to Birmingham commenced running. "In equipment and management this coach is not excelled by any in the kingdom."

-Died at Vernon House, London, from the effects of injuries received by a fall from his horse in St. James's Park, on June 30th, the Right Hon.

Lord Suffield, aged 54. The intelligence arrived at North Walsham at the time fixed for the celebration of his lordship's birthday by a dinner at the King's Arms Inn. The body of the deceased n.o.bleman reached Norwich on July 15th, and remained at the Rampant Horse Inn that night. On the following day it was conveyed to Gunton, and buried in the chapel in the park.

14.-A handbill was circulated in Norwich announcing that "the Dutch Hercules, Mynheer Kousewinkeler van Raachboomstadt, professor of gymnastics and Maitre des Armes to the 5th Regiment of Royal Jaagers,"

would give his "celebrated series of gymnastic exercises" in Chapel Field. Some thousands of persons were hoaxed.