Chronological Retrospect of the History of Yarmouth and Neighbourhood Part 38

April. A fine sturgeon, a Royal fish, caught off Yarmouth.

A mammoth tusk picked up at sea, which measured 4 ft. on the bend and 21 in. in girth.

May 15th. Thackeray, the novelist, lectured in Yarmouth: Subject-Georges III. and IV.

May 16th. Emily Major, dressed in male attire, attempted to escape from Gaol.

May 27th. Two Russian trophies received at Yarmouth. The Mayor applied to Lord Panmure for them in June, 1856.

June 7th. Corner-stone of St. John's Church laid. This building, which cost 2,000, was opened Feb. 7th, 1858. In 1859 the southern aisle was added as a memorial to the late Miss Maurice, and opened by Bishop Hills before his departure for British Columbia.

June 8th. The Bill authorising the construction of the Britannia Pier read a third time and pa.s.sed. This Pier was opened by a public company, July 13th, 1858, which has since dissolved.

Aug. 28th. Meeting of the British Archaeological a.s.sociation at the Town Hall.

Aug. 29th. The House of Commons decided the election to Parliament of W.

T. McCullagh and E. Watkins, Esqs., as invalid. A. W. Young and J.

Mellor, Esqs., were returned to Parliament in their place; the next day a monster meeting, between 10,000 and 12,000 people being present, was held on the Quay. E. Watkin, Esq., was drawn by men, by means of a rope attached to his carriage, from the Railway Station round the town.

Sept. 15th. Two Prize Fights took place on the banks of the Yare, between Batson and Slack, and Stamp and Turner.

Sept. 18th. Meeting at the Town Hall on the Indian Mutinies; 233 17s.

subscribed in the room for the sufferers.

Sept. 24th. Organ at St. Peter's Church opened. It was built by Messrs.

Bishop and Starr, at a cost of 400.

Sept. 30th. Day of National Fasting and Humiliation.

Oct. 14th. Dinner given to Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart., at the Town Hall.

Oct. 22nd. Loss of the s.s. "Ontario" and 24 of her crew, on the Barber Sand. A dreadful gale and great destruction to the s.h.i.+pping.

Oct. Government Schools of Art and Navigation established, mainly through the exertions of the Rev. J. B. Bampton.-Exhibition of Paintings, &c., held at these schools in 1860. These schools occupy part of a Mansion formerly the residence of the Paget family.

Oct. 29th. Demonstration of the Liberal party at the Town Hall.

Nov. 12th. A warm Vestry Meeting (the second) at the Town Hall for making a Church Rate of 1d. in the , to include St. Peter's. The report of the Church property in the town was made by a committee appointed at the first meeting, and it was resolved that no rate should be made. The Church party demanded a poll, which lasted till the following afternoon, but they lost it by 121 majority. The Church party finding they were defeated, the Parish Church and St. George's Chapel Clocks were stopped till Dec. 22nd, when they were set going after nearly six weeks' rest.

Nov. 17th. T. P. Burroughs, Esq., pa.s.sed his examination for admission as a Solicitor.

Dec. 4th. The steams.h.i.+p "Rapid," of Leith, sunk on the Cross Sands, and in 1858 divers were employed to raise some of her stores, consisting of wine, drapery goods, hearthrugs, smoked meats, tins of herrings, &c., which were sold at St. George's Hall, Corn Hall, and on Hall Quay.

1858.

Jan. 1st. Fire in Jane Place, destroyed the roofing of three houses, and entirely demolished the whole of a net chamber. It originated in Mr.

Moore's workshop.

Jan. 11th. Testimonial, consisting of a splendid tea and coffee service, with an oval 24-inch waiter, weighing 203 ozs., presented to B. Fenn, Esq., by the Fishermen's Provident Society.

Jan. 18th. The Aztec Lilliputians, the reputed G.o.ds of the Pagan Temple of Iximaya, exhibited at the Corn Hall, Regent Street.

Feb. 11th. An Address voted by the Town Council to her Majesty on the marriage of H.R.H. the Princess Royal to H.R.H. Prince Frederick William of Prussia.

Feb. The Lord Chancellor appointed six (out of 15 candidates) new Magistrates for the Borough, viz., P. Pullyn, D. A. Gourlay, F. Palmer, W. T. Clarke, J. Barker, and J. Owles, Esqs.

Feb. 11th. The Town Battery ordered to be removed. The materials were sold for 84 12s.

Mar. 8th. The Fermanagh Light Infantry Militia (845 rank and file), commanded by Lord Enniskillen and the Hon. S. Crichton, arrived in Yarmouth.

Mar. 14th. The "Frederica," 420 tons register and 600 tons burthen, launched from Mr. T. Branford's yard. Between 8,000 and 4,000 persons witnessed the sight.

April 15th. Collision between the s.s. "Ernestide" and the Prussian s.h.i.+p "Thomas" off Yarmouth. The former foundered.

April 22nd. St. John's Church consecrated, and in the same month the stone pulpit and the communion plate at this church were bought out of the proceeds of sale of the book, "Story of Samuel Brock." The Church was opened Feb. 7th; enlarged in 1859, 1866, and 1868.

May 4th. Riot at Southtown between the Fermanagh Militia and some coalheavers.

May 19th. The brig "Nil Desperandum," 800 tons register and over 500 tons burthen, launched from Mr. J. Rust's yard. Thousands of persons witnessed the sight.

May 26th. The Corn Exchange, Regent Street, sold to R. Steward, Esq., for 1,540; and in 1870 was purchased by Government for the New Post and Telegraph Offices, &c.

June 10th. Sir E. N. Buxton, M.P., died at Cromer, aged 46 years.

June 15th. Congratulatory address voted by the Town Council to J. Paget, Esq., on his appointment as Surgeon-Extraordinary to her Majesty the Queen.

June 20th. Dawson Turner, Esq., M.A., F.S.A., F.R.S., &c., died at Brompton, aged 83 years, and his will was sworn under 70,000 personality. He was born Oct., 1775, at Yarmouth, where his father was a banker. He was educated at the Grammar School at North Walsham, and entered Pembroke College, Cambridge, in 1793. At his father's decease he became a partner in the firm of Messrs. Gurneys and Co., and managed the Yarmouth bank. He married the daughter of the late William Palgrave, Esq., of Coltishall. His library comprised 40,000 volumes.

June 29th. County Election between Cooke and Stracey, for the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Buxton. The former returned by a large majority. Each party had a booth in the Yarmouth Market Place.

July 4th. Rev. William Tritton, of Cambridge, preached his first sermon at the Independent Chapel, King Street.

July 13th. Britannia Pier opened. _Dejener_ given in the afternoon on the Pier to the shareholders and their friends, 150 in number. The structure cost about 6,000.

July 16th. Grand Procession of the Freemasons to and from St. Nicholas'

Church to the Town Hall, where about 125 gentlemen sat down to an excellent dinner.

July 20th. Nottingham Order of Oddfellows opened a new Court in Middlegate Street, and next day was publicly commemorated by a procession through the town, headed by Hulley's Saxhorn Band.

July. Fifty-seven invalids, mostly Indian sufferers, arrived at the military Hospital on the South Denes from Chatham.

Aug. 26th. The Norfolk Hotel sold by auction to Messrs. Hills and Underwood for 2,160.

Aug. 30th. G. Wells Holt, Esq., Magistrates' Clerk, tendered his resignation to the Magistrates. He ably filled the office for over 22 years. His son William succeeded to the office, to whom a dinner was given at the "Crown and Anchor" on Oct. 4th. (See Dec. 4th, 1884.)

Sept. 2nd. Riot in Charlotte Street and Broad Row with the Fermanagh Militia. Tradesmen obliged to close their shops.