Norfolk Annals Volume Ii Part 1

Norfolk Annals.

by Charles Mackie.

PREFACE.

In the terms of the publishers' announcement the two volumes of "Norfolk Annals" were to have contained 800 pages; the work has really exceeded that estimate by 255 pages.

Although the period from 1851 to 1900 was marked by many incidents of great importance in the history of Norfolk and Norwich, the record thereof in Volume II. of "Norfolk Annals" lacks several of the features which made Volume I. acceptable to the lover of folk lore and to the student of local events in the earlier days of the Nineteenth Century.

If, however, the present volume be less interesting than Volume I., it may yet be useful for the verification of the dates of occurrences regarding which the public memory is proverbially shortlived and unreliable.

1851.

JANUARY.

2.-Died at s.h.i.+pdham, Mary, widow of Mr. Henry Tash, farmer, in the hundredth year of her age.

3.-At the Norfolk Court of Quarter Sessions a report was presented upon the expenditure of the county, into which a committee had inquired in consequence of representations made at public meetings in various districts, to the effect that the ratepayers were unable to control the finances. The Court pa.s.sed a resolution affirming that the evidence given before the committee had tended to prove that the financial affairs of the county had been conducted by the Court of Quarter Sessions with proper attention to economy, with just regard to the public interests, and with the publicity required by law.

18.*-"A few days since the steeple of Drayton church fell to the ground with a tremendous crash, the lead which covered the falling ma.s.s being completely buried in the _debris_."

20.-A prolonged magisterial inquiry took place at Reepham, into disturbances at Lenwade arising out of the Wesleyan schism. Two parish constables, Samuel Fairman and John Elliott, were fined for refusing to perform their duty when requested by the Rev. C. Povah. At Aylsham Petty Sessions, on February 4th, four persons were charged with disturbing the Wesleyan congregation at Cawston on January 19th, and three were committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions. One of the defendants, Elizabeth Southgate, was ordered by the Court, on March 13th, to pay a penalty of 40; the other two were discharged on their own recognisances to appear at the next Quarter Sessions. A singular case arising from the same disruption came before the Vice-Chancellor, Lord Cranworth, on May 7th. The relators and plaintiffs were the Rev. William Worker and the Rev. George Badc.o.c.k, and the defendants the trustees of two deeds dated 1814 and 1837, declaring the trusts of the Methodist chapel at Holt subject to the trusts of a deed executed in 1784 by John Wesley, by which the Wesleyan body was organized. The funds for building the chapel were advanced in 1814 by Mr. Hardy, who, in 1821, received from the trustees a mortgage of the chapel to secure his advances, which amounted to about 700. In 1833 the debt was reduced to 350. The congregation having increased, it was determined, in 1837, to build a new chapel, and a site was purchased and conveyed to the trustees upon the trusts of a deed of another chapel, prepared in 1832, and known to the Methodist body as the "model deed," to which all subsequent deeds were conformable. By the trusts then declared, such persons only were to be permitted to preach as should be duly approved by a Methodist body called the Conference. Mr.

Hardy a.s.sisted in advancing money to build the new chapel, and received as security a mortgage on the chapel. When the schism occurred it was alleged that the majority of the trustees of the chapels mortgaged were among the schismatics, who now called themselves Wesleyan Reformers, and that they had all formed a scheme of wresting the chapels from the preachers appointed by the Conference. The defendant united with the character of mortgagee those of acting trustee and treasurer of the two chapels, and it was alleged that he was using his powers as mortgagee, and had publicly recommended others to do the same-most of the Wesleyan chapels being mortgaged-for the purpose of carrying the general scheme into effect, and thus to deprive the Conference of the old body of Methodists of the use of their chapels. Mr. Hardy accordingly advertised the chapels for sale, and actually sold the old chapel, which was then in possession of the Reformers for their preachers. Similar proceedings by ejectment were resorted to by a person named Hill, to whom Mr. Hardy had transferred his second mortgage, for the recovery of the new chapel, and led to the filing of this information, which disputed the propriety of the transactions. His lords.h.i.+p was of opinion that Mr. Hardy, as mortgagee, had a right to a.s.sert a t.i.tle adverse to the trust, and to transfer his mortgage to Hill. It might be proper to appoint new trustees in the place of those who had ceased to have any sympathy with the religious body from which they had seceded, but there was no ground for immediate interference. The motion was therefore refused, and there was no order as to costs.

20.-A great Protestant meeting was held at the a.s.sembly Rooms, Norwich, under the presidency of Mr. Samuel Bignold, at which were adopted addresses to the Queen and the Archbishop of Canterbury, protesting against the aggression of the Pope, and condemning the Tractarian movement in the Church of England.

FEBRUARY.

1.-Douglas's Theatrical Company, which performed in several of the towns previously visited by the Norfolk and Suffolk Company of Comedians for so many years under the management of the Fishers, concluded a successful season at East Dereham. "Those who have witnessed the performances have been agreeably surprised at finding so great an amount of talent in an itinerant company."

3.-Died at Lynn, Mr. James Smith, many years manager of the Theatre Royal, Norwich. He was in his 74th year.

11.-A performance of "Speed the Plough" was given at the Theatre Royal, Norwich, for the benefit of Mr. George Bennett, the "Father of the Norwich Stage," and "a member of the company in the palmy days of the drama in the city." Mr. Bennett appeared in the character of Farmer Ashfield. "The Mayor gave his patronage, and in every part of the dress circle were to be recognised parties of high respectability, including the old familiar faces of those who, thirty or forty years ago, were wont to uphold and maintain the then palmy but now very depressed cause of legitimate drama." The night's receipts amounted to upwards of 90.

-The Norwich Town Council resolved to pet.i.tion the House of Commons for the total repeal of the Window-tax.

18.-Mr. Peter Master Yarington was presented with a silver salver and a purse of 283 sovs., in recognition of his efficient discharge of duty as Superintendent of the Norwich Police. He was appointed Governor of the City Gaol on July 31st, and was succeeded as head of the police force by Mr. Dunne, formerly of the Kent constabulary. Mr. Yarington died, in his 41st year, on July 21st, 1852, and on October 19th of that year Mr.

Robert Campling was appointed Governor of the gaol.

19.-Mr. Albert Smith gave his "new literary, pictorial, and musical entertainment," ent.i.tled, "The Overland Mail," at the a.s.sembly Rooms, Norwich.

22.-A serious riot occurred at Yarmouth. Samuel Graystone, mate of the Ant, from Yarmouth to Plymouth, had signed articles to go the voyage, but was forcibly prevented by seamen from boarding his s.h.i.+p. Masters of other vessels complained to the magistrates that they had been subjected to similar treatment. The staff of the East Norfolk Militia and the Coastguard were called out to keep the riotous seamen in check, and two troops of the 11th Hussars were conveyed by special trains from Norwich to a.s.sist in quelling the disturbance. The cavalry rode through the town, and quickly cleared the streets. "The rioters, frightened by the mere appearance of the troops, flew in every direction up the narrow rows of the town, and in a few hours tranquillity was restored." It was stated that, but for the timely arrival of the troops, a body of Gorleston seamen would have made an attack upon the town. Several of the rioters were tried at the Quarter Sessions on March 6th, when, to the surprise of the Court, a verdict of not guilty was returned.

26.-Died at his family seat, Kirby Hall, the Hon. and Rev. Lord Berners.

"He succeeded to the t.i.tle and estates on the death of his brother Robert, Lord Berners, better known in the sporting world as Col. Wilson.

He only attended at the House of Lords on a few occasions, one of which was to vote for the Reform Bill; but though absent in person, his proxy was always given to the support of the Whigs, of which, through life, he was a firm and constant supporter."

-An exhibition of hawking was given on h.e.l.lesdon Brakes, near Norwich, by Mr. Barr, the celebrated Scottish falconer. Many hundreds of persons were present. Mr. Barr used four young hawks of the peregrine species.

They were flown at pigeons which were let loose, and in two hours two dozen were brought to the ground. "The first two or three were so frightened, that when pursued by the hawk they took refuge among the people, and one of them alighted on the back of a horse, and was taken by hand." Mr. Barr gave a second exhibition on March 10th, on Mr. George Gowing's land at Trowse.

MARCH.

9.-A fire occurred at the office of the "Norwich Mercury," Castle Street, Norwich. The roof of the building fell in, and the compositors' room, with most of the cases of type, was destroyed.

13.-Dr. White, the eminent translator of "D'Aubigne's History,"

delivered, in the old Council Chamber at the Guildhall, Norwich, a lecture on "The Causes and Consequences of the Reformation."

27.-At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, before Lord Chief Justice Jervis, the libel action, Abbott _v._ Bacon and Another, was tried. The defendants published a statement in the "Norwich Mercury," to the effect that the plaintiff, a superintendent of the County Constabulary at East Dereham, had stolen certain articles from the shop of Mr. Abram, a chemist and druggist in that town. The jury a.s.sessed the damages at one farthing.

On April 16th a motion was made in the Court of Exchequer for a new trial, on the ground of misdirection of the jury, and a rule _nisi_ was granted. At a meeting held at the Norfolk Hotel, on April 5th, it was resolved, "That the recent trial offered a most painful ill.u.s.tration of the gross injustice which may be inflicted upon the editor of a newspaper who honestly and fearlessly comments on matters of general interest," and a public subscription was opened to recoup the proprietors of the "Mercury" the loss they had sustained by their successful vindication of the liberty of the Press. In the Court of Exchequer, on June 27th, both sides agreed to a verdict being entered for one farthing damages.

28.-George Baldry (33) was found guilty, at the Norfolk a.s.sizes, before Mr. Justice Erle, of murdering Caroline Warnes, at Thurlton, by striking her on the head with a hammer. The sentence of death was commuted to transportation for life.

29.-At the Norwich a.s.sizes, before Mr. Justice Erle, John Whitley Cooper and Edmund Slingsby Drury Long, solicitors, and Frederick Goose, dealer, were indicted for unlawfully conspiring to obtain, by false pretences, from Sarah Roberts Tooke, widow, divers goods, furniture, and effects, with intent to defraud. Cooper was at the time undergoing sentence of twelve months' imprisonment, pa.s.sed upon him at Norwich Quarter Sessions on December 31st, 1850, for fraud. He was now sentenced to two years'

imprisonment in the Common Gaol; Long was acquitted, and Goose, who had absconded, forfeited his recognisances. The victim of this conspiracy, said the Judge, had been reduced from a position of respectability to one of absolute ruin.

APRIL.

12.-Mr. Fred Phillips, while performing the part of Rob Roy at Norwich Theatre, fell from a "fict.i.tious precipice" and sustained a compound fracture of the bones of the leg "implicating the ankle joint." He was removed to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, and "upon a consultation among the surgeons it was deemed necessary to amputate the lower extremity of the bone, an operation which was borne with heroic fort.i.tude by the poor sufferer." A performance was given at the Theatre on May 6th for the benefit of Mr. Phillips, when Mr. George Bennett made his last appearance on the stage, in the part of Farmer Ashfield, and Mrs.

Phillips sustained the character of Miss Blandford in "The Ladies' Club."

Mr. Phillips received a second benefit on April 20th, 1852, and on July 9th, 1853, announced that he had taken the Boar's Head Inn, Surrey Street.

23.-The headquarters of the 11th Hussars, commanded by the Earl of Cardigan, marched from Norwich Barracks for Nottingham, and were succeeded on the 25th by the 2nd Dragoon Guard's (Queen's Bays).

-Samuel Woodhouse, of Plumstead, and William Pyle, of Holt, were buried alive in a well 115 feet deep, at Docking, by the falling in of 36 feet of soil. "Some of the inhabitants proposed to fill up the well and let them remain in it, stating that the same thing had been done at t.i.ttleshall, where an inquest was held at the mouth of the well and the body or bodies remain there to this day." Efforts were made, however, to recover the bodies. That of Pyle was found on May 14th, and of Woodhouse on the 15th. "Though the bodies had been buried exactly three weeks, on their being brought to the surface and moved about blood flowed freely from both of them."

30.-Died, aged 78, Mr. Richard Slann, of Southtown, Great Yarmouth, historical engraver to her Majesty the Queen.

MAY.

3.-The Census returns for the city of Norwich were published. The number of inhabited houses was 14,990, of uninhabited 339, and in course of building 101. The population was 68,706, of whom 31,213 were males, and 37,493 females.

4.-A pauper named John Rowland, who had had a remarkable career, died at Lynn Workhouse. He was educated at Eton, and was afterwards a Fellow of King's College, Cambridge. Ordained deacon and priest by Bishop Horsley, he officiated at St. James's, Westminster, and went out to St. Petersburg as chaplain to the Emba.s.sy. Subsequently he either threw off his gown or had it taken from him, and became a blacksmith and coach-spring maker in Norfolk Street, Lynn. He was apprehended, tried, and transported for stealing iron, the property of Mr. Bottomley, of South Gates, in that town. At the expiration of his term of transportation he returned to Lynn, made a settlement in the town, and was for several years an inmate of the Workhouse. He died at the advanced age of 78 years.

12.-Died, at the age of 63, at his residence, the Close, Norwich, Mr.