Chronological Retrospect of the History of Yarmouth and Neighbourhood Part 65

Feb. 18th. Captain Wilson presented with a handsome silver flower-stand by the Mayor, on behalf of the Gorleston Company of the 2nd Norfolk Rifles, as a testimonial.

March 6th. In the skating contest of 12 hours, at the Norwich Rink, 33 rounds to the mile, for the Champions.h.i.+p of the Eastern Counties, 16 entered, but only eight started, the son of Mr. E. Candler, now of "Angel" Hotel, Yarmouth, taking first prize-a gold medal, in a beautiful case, bearing the following inscription:-"Twelve hours' skating contest, champion of Eastern Counties, won by E. F. Candler. Distance skated in twelve hours, 77 miles 7 laps."

March 7th. T. B. Steward, Wm. Barnard, W. Harrison, Walter Brown, W. H.

Bessey, R. E. Dowson, J. A. Norman, J. P. Baumgartner, and R. Bryant, Esqs., appointed Magistrates for the Borough.

March 25th. Receipts of the School Board for past half-year, 1,765; expenditure, 1,521. The rate was then 1d. on the per quarter.

March. The steamer "Luxor" (under the command of Captain Fill, son of the late Mr. S. Fill, of Yarmouth), on fire at Gravesend; and Chief-Constable Berry (late of Yarmouth), with Captain John Lake and the Fire Brigade, subdued the conflagration after 26 hours' hard work.

March 24th. Gallant services rendered by the Caister beachmen in rescuing the captain and crew of the Norwegian brig "Cito" on Hasbro'

during a heavy gale and sea, after 14 hours' exposure.

March. Rev. A. Aldred, curate of Horncastle, son of C. C. Aldred, Esq., presented by the Lord Chancellor to the living of Worlingham, near Beccles.

April 3rd. Mr. W. s.e.xton, Lay Vicar of Westminster Abbey (formerly of Yarmouth), appointed Professor of Music and Singing at the Westminster Endowed Schools (600 boys). Was also chosen choir-master of St. Peter's, Eaton Square, on March the 25th.

April 3rd. First Yarmouth Bicycle Club opened with 16 members.

April 7th. The "Falcon," of this port, stranded on Fedra Rocks; and on the 9th the Italian barque "Guiseppina N." wrecked on Yarmouth Beach-value 4,900.

April 18th. Mr. T. Saul elected a member of the Town Council for St.

Andrew's Ward by a majority of 100 shove Mr. B. H. Press. Vacancy caused by death of Mr. T. W. Gooda, whose property was sold on May 15th, and realised 3,814 14s. 6d.

April 24th. The Vicar of Yarmouth presented with a life-size portrait of himself in gilt frame by a number of paris.h.i.+oners as a token of respect, on his 57th birthday. It was painted in oil by Mr. Baldry (Herbert Leslie).

Messrs. Hunter and English's charge for constructing the new dredger (FitzRoy) was 5,647. On trial it raised 360 tons of loamy clay in 3 hours, and since then 800 tons were dredged up in six hours. The consumption of coal was one ton for every 750 tons of soil raised. The old dredger was sold by auction in June, 1880, for 125.

April. Rev. S. Hooke, minister of St. Peter's, presented by the members of his Bible Cla.s.s with a small Communion service. On July 14th this gentleman, on the death of the Rev. R. F. Palmer, was inst.i.tuted to the living at Clopton, worth about 600 or 700 a year. Mr. Hooke preached his farewell sermon on Aug. 31st, and on the following evening was presented at the Rifle Drill Hall with a silver tea and coffee service, silver salts, fish carver and fork, by his congregation and friends.

May. New Barracks on the South Denes built.

May 10th. The body of a dead female child found in Row 43. It was wrapped up in rags, and weighed 8 lbs. Supposed to have been murdered.

May 28th. Mr. L Preston, jun.'s, yacht "Maud" sold by auction for 120.

She is now the property of Mr. Stanley.

June. Sir John Hawkshaw made a report on the causes of the late disastrous floods in the valley of the Wensum and at Norwich.

June 10th. Mr. Wm. Howes Hunt died, aged 72. He was born on Oct. 10th, 1806, and was originally apprenticed to a bookbinder, and served his time to it; but that not proving lucrative, he afterwards turned his attention to the drapery business-first as an a.s.sistant, then as manager, and afterwards as a partner in this town with Mr. C. Miller. His leisure time was spent in painting, and he became an artist of considerable ability, his works being much valued.

June. The so-called "Captain Alwyns," of the yacht "Cynthia," visited Yarmouth, and will be long remembered by some of our tradesmen who were duped by him, especially Mr. Sutton, of the "Victoria" Hotel, and Mrs.

Sewell, grocer, with whom he dealt heavily. He was subsequently captured at Keswick, in c.u.mberland, and committed for trial.

June 17th. H.R.H. the Prince of Wales came to Yarmouth, _via_ Norwich, this being his second visit, and the town was _en fete_. The princ.i.p.al streets were gaily decorated with bunting, and there was a grand display of fireworks from the Wellington Pier the same evening. He stayed at Shaddingfield Lodge till the 19th, during which time he inspected his own Artillery Regiment, the Volunteers, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Band. He also visited the Theatre Royal (where the Gaiety Company had made arrangements for his delectation), and Somerleyton Hall, the seat of Lady and Sir Savile Crossley.

June 18th. Sir John Coode furnished a lengthy report for improving the South Pier and Haven Works, and the Commissioners decided to spend 3,650. The Spur Breakwater, of cement concrete, was estimated to cost 10,600. Sir John's first report was dated April, 1873.

June 23rd. Sergt.-Major Britton, who had served nearly 23 years in the army, viz., 18 months in the 17th Hussars and Military Train respectively, and 21 years in the 9th Regiment, from which he now retires upon pension, was presented with a diamond-set gold scarf-pin in case, by his brother Non-commissioned Officers of the 31st Brigade Depot, and a meerschaum pipe by Canteen Steward Welby. He was in the Crimea for 15 months, and served at the siege of Sebastopol.

June 25th. Dr. J. J. Raven presented with a testimonial by the scholars of the Grammar School on the anniversary of his birthday, as a mark of respect to him as their Head Master.

June 29th. Fatal boiler explosion on board the s.s. "Black Swan," while in the c.o.c.kle Gat, and three men killed, and one other severely scalded, so much so that he died in the Yarmouth Hospital on July 13th. The ill-fated steamer was brought into this port, and an inquest held at the above Inst.i.tute.

June 30th. Caister churchyard closed for burials, and a new Cemetery opened.

June 30th. The smack "Wild Duck" lost at sea; and on July 3rd the "Tantivy" shared the same fate. Crews saved.

July 8th. A vote of condolence proposed by the Yarmouth Town Council to the Empress Eugenie, the Ex-Empress of France, expressive of the town's sympathy with her on the loss of her son (the Prince Imperial) in the Zulu War.

July 14th. The great tenor, Sims Reeves, accompanied by Miss Brooke and Signor Foli, gave a Concert at the Aquarium, under the direction of Mr.

W. Pyatt. _Formosa_ was performed the same evening at the Theatre Royal on the opening night of Mr. A. Terry Hurst's season.

July 15th. A plague comprising millions of tiny spiders visited our sh.o.r.es, and exemplified their natural industry. A similar plague on April 24th, 1880. On Sept. 1st, 1880, there was a plague of myriads of flies on the beach.

July 18th. Fire at Mr. Smith's fish office and premises in Row 123.

July 23rd. A handsome silver epergne, with gla.s.ses for flowers and fruit, and surmounted by a richly-chased cradle, bearing the Yarmouth Arms and Corporation Insignia, presented to the Mayor at the Town Hall.

On the base of the epergne is inscribed:-"Presented to E. H. H. Combe, Esq., by the Justices and Town Council of the Borough of Great Yarmouth, in commemoration of the birth of a daughter during his mayoralty, 18789." The health of the daughter was drunk in the "loving cup" after the ceremony.

July 24th. Boat capsized on Breydon, and the four men in it rescued by a wherryman, named James Paston. The wherry, however, sunk before they were got ash.o.r.e, and Paston and his wife, together with the four men had a narrow escape, but were all brought to land safely in another boat which went to their rescue.

July 29th. One hundred and ninety-three building sites north of the Workhouse, and 18 to west of New Cemetery, belonging to the Corporation, offered by auction, but only a few found purchasers.

Aug. The new Police Station at Gorleston built.

Aug. 3rd. A terrible thunderstorm, accompanied by rain and lightning of a most dangerous character, at early morning, and lasted for several hours. There were also a gale and high tide. The lightning destroyed much property, Mr. Pycraft, of Exmouth Road, being among the greater sufferers, his residence being wrecked by the electric fluid; and in Gorleston several houses suffered from the same cause. Many parts of the district were flooded with water, as the rainfall was 2.43 inches, equal to 245.414 tons, or 54,972.796 gallons per acre; and on the square mile, 157,065.139 tons, or 35,182,592.919 gallons. Mr. W. H. Willis says:-"A dam, 2,000 feet long and 50 ft. wide, would require the sides and ends to be about 111 ft. 9 in. high to hold a fall of 2.43 inches."

Aug. 8th. A smacksman attempted to murder a woman, named Alice Sutton, in George Street, by stabbing her several times with a knife.

Aug. 11th. A young man, named Harvey, saved three gentlemen whilst bathing from the beach. These made 11 he has saved from a watery grave.

Aug. 11th to 20th. The British Archaeological Society held their 26th Annual Congress at Yarmouth, under the presidency of Lord Waveney, D.L., F.R.S., the Mayor being chairman of the local committee. The opening dinner was held in the Nelson Room, at the Star Hotel, and meetings every evening were convened at the Town Hall. Every place of interest in the town and neighbourhood were visited in the ten days.

Aug. 13th. The barque "Zurich" foundered on Hasbro'. Crew saved.

Aug. 25th. Eighty children baptized at St. Peter's Church.

Aug. 27th. Tenders opened for erecting the new Munic.i.p.al Buildings.

Thirteen were sent in, viz.:-Messrs. Durrant and Evans, 31,300; T.

Howes, 28,572; B. Springall, 28,208; Hubbard and Co., 27,995; Cornish and Gaymer, 27,740; I. S. Cooper, 27,650; Bardwell and Bros., 27,600; E. Howes and Cooper, 27,590; P. H. Dawes, 27,417; G. E. Howes, 26,900; Jones and Co., 26,533; H. Everett and Son, 26,000; and Lacey and Co.

(Norwich), 26,200, the latter being accepted. For building the new Police Station, residence for chief constable, &c., in Middlegate Street, Mr. Bray's tender of 1,447 was accepted.

Aug. 29th. R. F. Kemp saved a man from drowning near the beach, his bravery being afterwards recognised by the Royal Humane Society.

Aug. 29th. The opening of the Yare-side Iron Works at Southtown celebrated by a dinner to the work people of Messrs. Alexander and Wright.

Sept. 6th. A rate collector charged with embezzling 362 18s. 9d., and afterwards imprisoned for 15 months. Another collector absconded in Nov., and was arrested by Inspector Dann at Liverpool, on the 21st.