Chronological Retrospect of the History of Yarmouth and Neighbourhood Part 36

June 25th. Musical Reunion Conversazione at the Bath House Reading Room.

June 29th and 30th. Mr. Gill's Midsummer Flower Show at his Nursery, Regent Road. Admission, 6d. to the Gardens.

July 8th. Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart., and C. E. Rumbold, Esq., elected to Parliament for the Borough. They were opposed by Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Napier and W. T. McCullagh, Esq. Returns next day-L., 617; R., 547; M'C., 523; N., 488. The proclamation was read on 2nd; hustings erected on north-front of Town Hall on the 5th; booths erected on 6th; and nomination on 7th.

July 13th and 14th. Yarmouth Roads Regatta.

Aug. 12th. Flower Show at Vauxhall Gardens postponed owing to bad weather, till next day.

Aug. 20th. Robbery at the shop of Mr. Mouse, George Street.

Aug. 27th. Mr. W. Cook's equestrian troupe entered the town, and their marquee erected on the Chapel Denes.

Sept. 17th. Grand Balloon Ascent at 5.30 p.m., at the Vauxhall Gardens by Lieut. Chambers, R.N., amid the cheers of a vast mult.i.tude of people.

It was postponed from the previous day owing to the wet weather. (See July 27th, 1868.)

Dr. Alfred Impey died at Cove Hall, Suffolk, aged 38.

Oct. 7th. The Lord Bishop of Norwich and the Rev. W. Hook, vicar of Leeds, and Chaplain to the Queen, preached at the Parish Church on behalf of the New Priory Schools. Between the services a cold collation was provided by Mr. Brown, of the "Angel" Hotel.

Oct. 7th. Priory National Schools opened and the restoration of the Old Hall celebrated. Built from a design by J. Flakewell, Esq. Cost, 1,850.

Library and Museum built in 1868.

Nov. 18th. Funeral of the Duke of Wellington took place. By request all shops in the town were closed.

Nov. 28th. Fire on the premises of Mr. J. W. Darnell, baker, Howard Street.

Nov. 29th and 30th. Two Concerts at the Town Hall by Mr. H. Phillips and his daughter.

Dec. 14th. Mrs. Swan gave a Reading from the Play of _Henry VIII._ at the Town Hall.

R. Steward, T. Brightwen, B. Fenn, J. G. Plummer, J. Cherry, and C. C.

Aldred, Esqs., were appointed Magistrates.

Caister Castle sold by auction to John Gurney, Esq., of Hoveton Hall.

Norfolk.

Southtown Gas Works erected; enlarged in 1859. (See March 23rd, 1876.)

Local Board of Health established, succeeding the Board of Paving Commissioners.

1853.

June 28th. On Tuesday afternoon the ceremony of driving the first pile of the Wellington Pier took place. The beach and terrace were decorated with flags, &c. The pile driven had a bra.s.s plate inlaid, bearing the following inscription:-"This, the first pile of the Wellington Pier, was driven on the 28th of June, 1853, by S. C. Marsh, Esq., Mayor of this Borough. David Waddington, Esq., M.P., chairman of the Company; Mr.

Peter Asheroft, Engineer; and C. J. Palmer, Secretary." The procession from the Hall comprised a body of police, then a band, followed by the Mayor and Corporation, the Minister of the Parish, and the Town Clerk, the Ancient Order of Oddfellows bringing up the rear. The procession entered the Pier, marched to the far end, and there several blows by the "monkey" were given to one of the piles; speeches made, colours hoisted, guns fired, &c. When they retired the public were admitted free. The pier was decorated with flags and laurels. Cosgrove's bra.s.s band was in attendance. Grand dinner at Victoria hotel at 8 p.m., and a ball at the Town Hall. The pier, which cost 7,000, was opened to the public on Oct.

31st, and the day being fine, the town was _en fete_. The structure was not finished till 1854.

July 28th. Re-opening of the Particular Baptist Chapel, after extensive alterations.

Aug. 27th. Mortlock Lacon, Esq., died at his residence, Hall Quay, aged 66, and was buried at South Walsham.

Aug. Coast visited by a very heavy gale, and on Jan. 4th of the following year, so boisterous was the wind that most of the shops in the Market had to be closed, except the doors. The market on Wednesday was suspended. The snow was of great depth.

About 90 boats employed in the mackerel fishery, each carrying ten men, and 65 trawling smacks, belonging to the Port of Yarmouth. Sale of fish realised nearly 27,000.

A herring 17 in. long by 7 in. in girth, and weighing 18 ozs., caught near Yarmouth.-In Nov., 1870, a mackerel caught weighing 2 lbs. 11 ozs., length 19 in., and girth 10 in.

The herring fishery during this year was very successful. About 100 sail of boats comprised the fleet of herring craft. Seven boats belonging to Mr. Letts and Mr. Skuckford brought in 650 lasts. The prices realised ranged from 4 10s. to 24 per last. The following s.h.i.+ps left for different parts of the Mediterranean: Isis, 2,282 barrels; f.a.n.n.y Palmer, 1,750; Acis, 1,488; Race Horse, 2,385; Stamboul, 1,811; Clarissa, 400; Tyro, 2,342; Fegossa, 1,728; Princess Royal, 1,480; Queen of the East, 1,925; Secret, 2,085; Earl Leicester, 2,800; Isma, 2,930.

Sept. 18th to Dec. 18th. The quant.i.ty of herrings sent by rail from Yarmouth:-To London, 202,844 packages, weighing 7,559 tons; to Norwich, 3,873 packages, or 387 tons; to Eastern Counties Railways, 18,298 packages, or 914 tons; Eastern Union, 5,252, or 200 tons; to stations beyond Peterborough on Midland, London and North-Western, and Great Northern, 51,782 packages, or 2,589 tons; herrings in bulk to Manchester, Birmingham, Worcester, &c., 500 tons-total, 281,850 packages, or 12,189 tons in weight.

Sept. Mr. Peter Coble, Mayor's officer, died.

Dec. 31st. The Icehouse, situate near the Vauxhall Railway Station, was partly destroyed by fire. The roof being thatched, it burnt very fiercely, so that engines were not of much avail, and the fire continued burning all night, and up to Sunday evening of New Year's Day. It is now (1884) occupied as a coal store.

1854.

July 19th. First stone of the Independent Chapel, King Street, laid.

Building opened in June, 1855; cost 3,700, including site.

One hundred and eighty-four licensed public-houses and 50 beer-shops in the town.

George John Milles, Lord Sondes, High Steward of the Borough.

Oct. 18th. The Southtown Bridge opened to the public. (See 1849.)

Nov. 18th. Messrs. Gurneys and Co.'s Bank erected and opened.

1855.

Jan. 1st. The town and neighbourhood visited with one of the highest tides witnessed for many years. The wind blew hard from N.W., and the moon was at the full. Some parts of Southtown were inundated, as also the North Quay, reaching to the Laughing Image Corner. It reached the north and south terraces on the beach, and a large boat floated near the Holkham Steps.

July 28th. First number of the _Yarmouth Free Press_ published; enlarged January 19th, 1856; and name altered to _Yarmouth Independent_, June 27th, 1857. (See August 14th, 1881.)

Aug. 11th. Collision between the Dover and Calais mail steamer "Vivid"

and the schooner "Henry," of Yarmouth, by which the latter was run down in Dover Roads.

Aug. 12th. Wesleyan Reform Chapel at Caister opened.

Aug. 20th. Affray with Militiamen. Several influential gentlemen sustained severe injuries.