Norfolk Annals Volume I Part 108

4.-A prize-fight took place near Harford Bridges, between Ben Clarke and Smith. After a contest lasting twenty minutes, the former was declared the winner.

6.-Large numbers of birds were attracted by Happisburgh light during stormy weather on this date. Forty-five dozen larks, eight and a half dozen starlings, and many other birds, were taken.

7.-Trowse Swing Bridge, erected from a design by Mr. Bidder, was swung across the river for the first time. It underwent Government inspection on December 9th, and the first trains ran over it on December 15th.

7.-Sir Lawrence Jones, Bart., of Cranmer Hall, was murdered by robbers at Macri, in Turkey. He was in his 29th year. On July 8th, 1846, his remains were interred in the family vault at Sculthorpe.

10.-Mr. John Betts was elected Mayor of Norwich, and Mr. Jeremiah Colman appointed Sheriff.

16.-Died, aged 72, Gregory Robinson, of the Bull's Head Inn, Ber Street, Norwich. "The deceased in early life entered the Navy, and was with Lord Howe on June 1st, 1794, and in several other engagements. He was one of the crew of the St. George when that vessel was wrecked on the coast of Jutland, on December 24th, 1811."

DECEMBER.

3.-A public meeting was held at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, to consider the propriety of memorialising the Government to open the ports of Great Britain and Ireland for the admission of foreign grain free of duty, in consequence of the apprehended scarcity of food. The Mayor presided, and Mr. Tillett moved that a pet.i.tion be presented to Parliament for the immediate repeal of the Corn Laws. A similar pet.i.tion was adopted by the Norwich Town Council on the 9th.

12.-In the Arches Court, Sir H. Jenner Fust gave judgment in the suit Kitson _v._ the Rev. Arthur Loftus, vicar of Fincham St. Martin and rector of Fincham St. Michael. The case came before the Court by letters of request from the Bishop of Norwich, and the articles, in substance, charged Mr. Loftus with gross immorality. Sentence of deprivation was pa.s.sed.

-A "remarkable and unprecedented" occurrence took place at the meet, on Mulbarton Common, of the Norfolk Subscription Pack of Staghounds. A bailiff, on behalf of the Rev. J. H. Steward, of Carlton House, served notices upon all who were suspected of being about to commit a trespa.s.s.

"The eccentricity of such a proceeding created much amus.e.m.e.nt, and the consequence was a change of position was ordered."

22.-The van of a menagerie travelling through Potter Heigham overturned into a ditch, and the bars of the tiger's cage giving way, "the animal escaped, after biting off the head of an eagle." The neighbouring farmers, armed with guns, and the labourers with pitchforks, went in pursuit of the beast. An unsuccessful endeavour was made to entangle him in a sheep-net. "A large hamper containing a piece of flesh was then placed in his way. Upon his jumping in to seize the food the lid was drawn down and soon secured, the animal uttering the most hideous yells."

24.-A serious accident occurred on the Norfolk Railway near Thetford.

The up-train from Norwich was proceeding at a rapid rate when the engine left the line and fell down the embankment. The engine-driver, named Pickering, was killed instantly, and the stoker, Richard Eager, had both legs broken, and died shortly after his removal from the scene of the accident. None of the pa.s.sengers were seriously hurt. The accident was supposed to be due to the excessive speed at which the train was travelling-fifty-five miles an hour.

26.-Norwich Theatre was opened, under the management of Mr. Abington, M.A., lessee of Southampton Theatre. The circuit also included the Cambridge, Bury St. Edmund's, Ipswich, Colchester, and Yarmouth Theatres.

The old company had been dispersed, and regret was expressed that the new company was not likely to maintain the reputation of the Norwich stage.

31.-The customary peals were rung at St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich. "In the centre of the circle stood the celebrated pitcher, capable of holding seventeen quarts, which was moulded by John Dearsley in the year 1749.

This the churchwardens (Mr. W. Butcher and Mr. Robert Fitch) liberally filled with punch."

1846.

JANUARY.

6.-The West Norfolk Agricultural Protective a.s.sociation held a meeting at the Town Hall, King's Lynn, under the presidency of Lord Hastings, "to preserve the Corn Laws from further violation." A similar meeting was held at North Walsham on the 8th. On January 20th a great meeting took place at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, at which addresses were delivered by Mr. Cobden and Col. Thompson in favour of the repeal of the Corn Laws, and a resolution, moved by Mr. Geary, and seconded by Col. Angerstein, "that the Corn Laws and all other laws designed to restrict trade under pretence of protecting particular cla.s.ses are unjust in principle and injurious in operation, and ought to be forthwith abolished," was carried by a large majority, in face of an amendment proposed by Mr. Wodehouse, M.P., and supported by Lord Hastings, Mr. Hamond of Westacre, and other prominent Protectionists. "Reporters from all the London daily papers attended the meeting, and the proprietors engaged special trains to carry back the report of the proceedings. The first special left Norwich Station at 8.45 p.m., and reached Sh.o.r.editch at 12.40 a.m.; the second left at 10.29 p.m. and reached London at 2.38 a.m. At half-past two p.m.

on Wednesday (the 21st) we received the 'Times' containing the speeches to the extent of rather more than four columns."

7.-Died at Malta, aged 77, the Right Hon. John Hookham Frere, of Roydon Hall, eldest son of Mr. John Frere, formerly member for Norwich. Mr.

Hookham Frere was educated at Eton, where he had Canning as a school companion. When very young he evinced a love for verse, and made, when only an Eton school boy, his clever translation of the Anglo-Saxon War Song on the victory of Athelstan, written when the Rowley controversy was at its height. George Ellis gave it a place in his historical essay before his "Specimens of the Poets," and Scott invariably spoke of it as something more than a mere curiosity. Another of Mr. Frere's works was a "prospectus and specimen" of his "Intended National Work by William and Robert Whistlecraft of Stowmarket in Suffolk, Hemp and Collar Makers, intended to comprise the most interesting particulars relating to King Arthur and his Round Table"-the precursor and original of Byron's "Beppo"

and "Don Juan." "I have written," says Byron, "a poem of 84 octave stanzas, in or after the excellent manner of Mr. Whistlecraft, whom I take to be Mr. Frere."

17.*-"All the coaches between Norwich and London have ceased to run, the last being the mail through Bury St. Edmund's, which was discontinued on the 6th inst. Six or seven coaches direct to London from Norfolk have been discontinued, and about 700 horses thrown off the road. There are, however, about 30 coaches constantly running from various towns to the princ.i.p.al stations between Yarmouth and London. There are many omnibuses, cabs, and flys. The railway has very much increased the number of horse conveyances to and from all the towns along the line. In fact, horses are dearer than ever they were and more in demand, and the consumption of oats is not likely to be diminished, but rather increased." The adverse effects of the railway were shown in the following paragraph, published on April 25th: "During the droving season last year 9,300 beasts were housed at the Bird-in-Hand public-house, Tasburgh, and the landlord purchased for their consumption, and for horses, &c., 50 tons of hay; but so great is the diminution of the traffic occasioned by the Norfolk Railway, that during the present season only twelve beasts have been taken in, and the landlord has had occasion for only eight and a half hundredweight of hay."

21.-The Norwich School of Design was opened by Sir J. P. Boileau, Bart.

31.*-"By order of the Mayor and magistrates of Norwich, the shop-keepers have had notice that no goods are to be exposed or sold after ten o'clock on Sunday morning, and bakers are not to sell or bake goods after half-past one o'clock in the afternoon." Several tradesmen were afterwards charged before the magistrates for contravention of the order.

FEBRUARY.

2.-A large sea-borne vessel, heavily laden with coal, and between 60 and 70 tons burden, was brought up to the head of the navigation at Norwich, the first vessel of the kind that had ever got beyond Foundry Bridge. It was a Dutch-built craft, drawing only two feet of water, and was the property of Messrs. Bullard and Watts, St. Michael-at-Coslany Bridge.

6.-Mr. D. N. Fisher gave the first of three subscription concerts at the a.s.sembly Rooms, Norwich. The _artistes_ included Mdlle. Schloss, Madame and Signor F. Lablache, Mr. W. L. Phillips (princ.i.p.al violoncello), Mr.

D. N. Fisher (leader), Mr. William Sterndale Bennett (director), and Mr.

James Harcourt (director of rehearsals). "The musical world of Norwich owe a debt of grat.i.tude to Mr. Fisher for introducing to them Mr. William Sterndale Bennett. As a pianist, Mr. Bennett, without the extravagance and with less fire and brilliance than Liszt, has all the expression and musical enthusiasm of that performer."

MARCH.

27.-At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, before Mr. Justice Maule, Samuel Yarham was indicted for the murder of Harriet Candler, at Yarmouth, on November 18th, 1844. The prisoner, who at the Spring a.s.sizes in 1845 turned Queen's evidence against three other men (Hall, Mapes, and Royal) charged with the murder, had made certain admissions which led to his apprehension at Gloucester, where he had gone to work. The jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to death. The execution took place on the Castle Hill, Norwich, on April 11th (Tombland Fair-day), in the presence of 30,000 spectators. "Eight hundred persons came from Wymondham in one train; it was found necessary to use bullock-trucks to convey the people, there not being a sufficient number of regular carriages." The fancy fair (the Sick Poor Repository) and all business in the city was suspended during the morning. "After the execution, gongs, drums, and other instruments commenced their uproar, mountebanks and clowns their antics, the vendors of wares and exhibitors of prodigies their cries, while the whirligigs and ups-and-downs were soon in full swing. The public-houses round the Hill were crowded, and hundreds finished the day in riot and intoxication. Royal and Hall were on the Hill during the execution, and got jostled by the crowd. They were turned out of the Golden Ball public-house and other houses where they presented themselves." Owing to the scandalous character of the proceedings, a public meeting was held at St. Andrew's Hall on April 17th, under the presidency of the Mayor, when it was decided to pet.i.tion Parliament for the abolition of capital punishment.

APRIL.

1.-The first general meeting of the Norfolk and Norwich Archaeological Society was held at the Norfolk and Norwich Museum, under the presidency of the Lord Bishop of Norwich.

8.-Died at his residence at Lakenham, aged 81, Mr. Thomas Thurtell, formerly an Alderman of Norwich, who served the office of Sheriff in 1815, and of Mayor in 1828. "He was universally esteemed as an honest and upright man." (_See_ April 30th.)

11.-George Clarke, a Norwich pedestrian, commenced a walk of 1,500 miles in 1,000 successive hours, "a mile and a half at the beginning of each hour," at the West End Retreat Gardens, Norwich. (The result was not recorded.)

16.-The Rev. R. F. Elwin, of Norwich, was presented with a silver coffee service, in recognition of "his promotion of the objects of the Norfolk and Norwich Musical Festival from its inst.i.tution, in 1824."

18.-The 7th Hussars left Norwich for Ipswich, where they joined headquarters and marched for Hounslow. They were succeeded by the 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabineers), with headquarters and staff. "This regiment received its _nom de guerre_ from being the first corps which carried the modern carbine."

20.-The Norwich Board of Health was established as a permanent inst.i.tution at a meeting held at the Guildhall. Among its objects was the encouragement of vaccination amongst the poor. The Bishop of Norwich was elected president, and the Mayor vice-president.

21.-Many hundreds of persons attended a steeplechase meeting at East Dereham. "The course from the Common was marked out by flags describing a circle round the country, over Mr. Greenacre's piece, across Mr.

Neale's land, and round to the Common again, making a distance of three and a half miles in two rounds."

-The first stone of the Cromer sea-wall was laid by the vicar, the Rev.

W. Sharp, in the presence of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon and Lord Porchester. The contractors were Messrs. Wright and Cattermole, of Norwich, and the engineer Mr. J. Wright, of Westminster. On the same day the first pile of the new jetty was driven. The works were opened amid much festivity on August 7th.

23.-The North Cove Hall estates were sold at the Norfolk Hotel, Norwich, by Mr. Simpson, for 36,960.

29.-At a meeting of "The Friends of Permanent and Universal Peace," held at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, under the presidency of Mr. J. J. Gurney, it was resolved: "That in consideration of the points now at issue between this country and the United States of America, involving, as they do, the question of war or peace, an address be presented to the magistrates and to the ministers of the several denominations of the city of Norwich in Connecticut, and generally to the people of the United States, asking them to use their endeavours to avert war."

30.-At the Norwich Police Court, Mr. George Thurtell, horticulturist, was charged with a.s.saulting a Mr. Riches, of St. George Colegate. Mr. Riches was the Norwich correspondent of the "Daily News," and he had sent to that journal a notice of Mr. Thomas Thurtell's death "and a private communication respecting one of Mr. Thurtell's sons." Mr. George Thurtell was greatly incensed on seeing the paragraph, more particularly as his father was not dead at the time, although he had been ill for some weeks, and meeting the complainant in the Market Place, he severely chastised him with a whip. The Bench, who considered the paragraph highly improper, imposed upon the defendant the nominal fine of one s.h.i.+lling. (_See_ January 5th, 1848.)