Chronological Retrospect of the History of Yarmouth and Neighbourhood Part 71

March 24th. The three-masted schooner "Orienten" (6,500 deals), stranded south of Wellington Pier.

April 5th. The property of the Earl of Lichfield at Southtown (26 lots, including the "Nine Houses") sold, by auction for 10,699.

April. Mr. George Dowey, station master (G.E.R.), resigned his position after 25 years' service, and on Oct. 25th was presented with 100 by 150 subscribers.

April 26th. Lord Suffield presented Bat.-Sergt. Major Quince with a clasp from the Royal Humane Society, and Mr. G. Ceiley with a bronze medal for their bravery in saving lives.

April 28th. James Sutton (64), gate-keeper at a level crossing on the Eastern and Midlands Railway near Hemsby, knocked down by a goods train and killed, while in the act of opening the gates at 9.20 p.m.

April. The Great Yarmouth Yacht Club established.

May 3rd. An elegant liqueur stand with three gla.s.ses presented to Mr. H.

Pechey, at the Aquarium, by the Winter a.s.sembly Cla.s.s.

May 5th. Smack "Falcon," on the North Sand, and crew bravely rescued by the Gorleston National lifeboat crew.

May 12th. The International Fisheries Exhibition in London opened by the Prince of Wales, E. Birkbeck, Esq., M.P., as president, taking especial interest in the show. Many exhibits were contributed by local gentlemen.

Exhibition closed Oct. 31st, 2,703,051 persons, exclusive of 20,000 on the opening day, having visited it during the season.

May 18th. Mr. E. W. Worlledge elected as Alderman in place of the late Mr. J. T. Bracey.

May 19th. A handsome timepiece presented by Major Dods and officers and men of the Gorleston Coastguard to Chief-boatman Bridgeland.

May 20th. Rev. E. A. Ducket, B.A., ordained at Wells Cathedral, and licensed to a Curacy at Tiverton-on-Avon.

May. Regent Street paved with blocks of wood, and afterwards a part of King Street.

May 31st. Sergt.-Major Williams, 18 years drill sergeant in 2nd N.R.V., presented with an illuminated address and 35 on his retirement.

May 31st. About 30 yards of palisading and wall on the west side of the churchyard fell down.

June 2nd. Gas explosion in Apsley Terrace. The windows, doors, &c., were completely shattered, and Mr. Rushmer, who entered the drawing room with a lighted candle, was severely injured.

June 5th. Mr. James Ling, relieving officer of Gorleston, appointed registrar of births and deaths in place of the late Dr. Arnott.

June 6th. Mr. Robert Lane, 15 years lessee of the ferries, presented with a ten-guinea silver cup and an illuminated address by his respected patrons.

June 8th. Singing platform on the beach let for 210; and in 1884 for 150 to Mr. Chappell.

June. First prize meeting of the Yarmouth Golf Club.

June. The old Borough Gaol sold for 170 12s.

July 2nd. The Royal Aquarium opened by the Mayor, after its being nearly rebuilt and beautifully decorated at a cost of about 10,000. The event was celebrated by a luncheon and concert given by Madame Alice Barth's Opera Company. The grand hall is 115 ft. by 60 ft., and 44 ft. high; and the minor hall 80 ft. by 38 ft., and 23 ft. high. The south front is faced with buff terra-cotta, the style Italian, freely treated. Messrs.

Bottle and Olley were the architects, and Messrs. Cork and Beach and Mr.

B. Springall, building contractors. (See Oct. 31st, 1881.) The same builders contracted for the new Board School, Church Road, Gorleston, on July 17th, at 4,348.

July 4th. C. C. Aldred, Esq., sworn as a Magistrate for the County of Norfolk. (See June 28th, 1884.)

July. Corporal S. J. Batchelder, 2nd N.R.V., won the champion medal of Norfolk at Norwich.

July. Invalid shelter on South Parade ordered by the Council. Cost 60.

July 9th. Retired Commander Francis Harris, R.N., a Trafalgar veteran, died at Southtown, and buried at Gorleston. He was born May 17th, 1795, and was 11 years old when the great battle was fought. He entered the Navy as First-cla.s.s Volunteer on board the "Temeraire;" was at the battle of Trafalgar with his father, at the defence of Cadiz until Feb., 1811; removed to the "Unite;" a.s.sisted at the capture in 1811 of the French store s.h.i.+p "Dromedaire," 800 tons; in the following May, in the same frigate, in company with the "Pemone" and "Scout," at the destruction of the "Giraffe" and "Nourrice." He partic.i.p.ated in many boat affairs in the Adriatic; and in the same s.h.i.+p shared in a partial action, fought, 13th Feb., 1814, with the Toulon fleet, under Sir E. Pellew. He was advanced to the rank of Lieutenant in 1815, and made Commander in 1860.

The _Graphic_, March 1st, 1879, published the portraits of the then seven survivors, including Commander Harris and Admiral Spencer Smyth, of this town.

July 13th. Sydney Stalley (20) drowned on Oulton Broad.

July 17th. Columbia Fish Market, London (built some ten years ago by the Baroness Burdett-Coutts, at a cost of 300,000), re-opened, to which large quant.i.ties of fish are consigned from Yarmouth.

July 22nd. On Sunday a man (name unknown) hung himself on one of the trees on Trafalgar Road, near the Grammar School.

Aug. 1st. The "Duke's Head" and Corn Hall let by auction for seven years to Mr. Seaman at an annual rent of 460.

Aug. 23rd. Mr. A. E. Welch saved a gentleman from drowning, and received a testimonial from the Royal Humane Society; and in Sept. Rev. G. Wilson and J. W. Duffield were similarly recognised for their bravery.

Aug. 29th. Messrs. Ferrier and Co.'s brewery, Middlegate Street, with plant, machinery, residence, &c., also 21 public-houses and beerhouses, sold in one lot for 15,750 (exclusive of 669 for rolling stock).

Sept. 2nd. Very heavy gale.

Sept. An elegant obelisk, 24 ft. high, erected in the churchyard at the north-east corner of the Parish Church. It is made of polished red Aberdeen granite, resting on die and steps of the same beautiful stone, while under these is a ma.s.sive grey granite platform, a single block, 9 ft. square, surrounded with posts of like material, and rails of s.h.i.+ning gun metal. It is erected by Mrs. Mills, of Nelson Road, to the memory of George J. Mills (died Nov. 6th, 1827, aged 37), and other members of her family. (See April, 1878.)

Sept. 17th. Steamer "Isis" stranded on Hasbro'.

Sept. 22nd. Rev. Henry Stebbings, D.D., F.R.S., died in London. He was born at Yarmouth in 1799, took his degree of B.A. at Cambridge in 1828, and ordained by Bishop Bathurst. He was the first editor of the _Athenaeum_, and wrote the "Lives of the Italian Poets."

Oct. 5th. Batt.-Sergt. Major Quince presented with a handsome timepiece by the pupils in his swimming cla.s.s, in recognition of his kindness to them.

Oct. 22nd. Destructive fire on the premises of Messrs. Robert Yaxley and John Beckett, and total demolition of the intended Salvation Army barracks. It broke out about 6 p.m., and the group of buildings, comprising fish and tan houses, stable, net stores, &c., were soon one ma.s.s of ruins. On Nov. 1st 100 worth of damage by fire was done to Messrs. S. K. Smith and Son's fis.h.i.+ng premises, on St. Peter's Road.

Nov. Remarkable sunsets, the western horizon night after night being resplendent, the sky changing from pale orange to blood red.

Nov. 19th. Smack "Puss" lost in the North Sea, through collision; and on Dec. 28th the fis.h.i.+ng boat "Raven" collided with the "Daylight," and sunk.

Nov. 27th. Mad pranks of a bull belonging to Mr. Southgate. It entered Mr. Harrison's grocer's shop in the Market, injuring one of the a.s.sistants and damaging the goods. Afterwards running down Regent Street and along the Hall Quay, it found its way to the Broad Row, where it smashed windows and did other injury, till being secured by a rope round a lamp-post, it was killed, and the carcase removed on a cart. The inhabitants were much terrified, and tradesmen quickly closed their shops.

Dec. 4th. William Holt, Esq., Magistrates' Clerk and Borough Coroner, died, aged 57 years.

Dec. 4th. Mr. C. A. Goodwin pa.s.sed a very successful examination as second mate at the London Local Marine Board.

Dec. 4th. Gale and heavy thunderstorm.

Dec. 5th. Mr. Charles Diver resigned his seat in the Council for Regent Ward, and paid the 25 fine; and Mr. Walter Brown was elected to the seat on 24th, by 224 votes, or 52 more than Mr. F. Burton. On Dec. 11th Mr.

Diver was appointed Borough Coroner, and Dec. 13th as Magistrates' Clerk.

(See June 24th, 1869, and Jan. 8th, 1884.)

Dec. 8th. John Reeve (38), of Hopton, fell off a load of hay in Gorleston, and died from injuries received.

Dec. 9th. William Jackson, porter on the Eastern and Midlands Railway, at Yarmouth, was run over by a railway carriage, and one of his legs was subsequently amputated at the Hospital.