Norfolk Annals Volume I Part 77

SEPTEMBER.

5.-Died at Heigham, Norwich, aged 75, Mr. J. Watson, one of the original contractors of the Norwich mail coaches established in 1785.

8.-The Coronation of William IV. and Queen Adelaide was celebrated in Norwich. The Corporation attended service at the Cathedral, and the 1st Royal Dragoons fired a _feu de joie_ in the Market Place. "This day was fixed upon to pay the freemen who voted for Messrs. Gurney and Grant their sovereigns, which they received at different public-houses, pursuant to notice circulated by handbills." A dinner, attended princ.i.p.ally by the "Blue and White" party, took place at St. Andrew's Hall; and the "Purple and Orange" freemen were entertained at the York Gardens, Pockthorpe. Celebrations were held in different parts of the county.

10.-Mr. Richard Forby, a well-known farmer at t.i.ttleshall, was gored to death by a bull.

19.-Died, James Twiddy, parish clerk of St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich. "He had a taste for poetry, and occasionally wrote in verse. His prose compositions displayed considerable talent, and his leisure hours were chiefly employed in reading and improving his mind."

-Three troops of Norfolk Yeomanry Cavalry, raised in the western part of the county, consisting of the 1st or Melton troop, Capt. Sir Jacob Astley; the 2nd, or West Raynham troop, Capt. Lord Townshend, and the 3rd or Elmham troop, Major the Hon. George John Milles, a.s.sembled at Lenwade Bridge and marched to Norwich, on their way to Yarmouth for six days'

training. The band of the 1st Royals played them into the city, where they were billeted for the night. The uniform of the regiment consisted of a scarlet jacket, dark trousers, and black helmet.

27.-Died at Harold's Cross, near Dublin, aged 85, the Rev. Philip Taylor, upwards of 60 years minister of the Unitarian congregation in Eustace Street in that city. Mr. Taylor was a native of Norwich, and grandson of Dr. John Taylor, formerly minister at the Octagon chapel.

OCTOBER.

1.-At this date there were four coaches running daily on the road between Lynn and Norwich.

12.-The Cross Keys Bridge and embankment, opened on this date, afforded direct communication between Norfolk and Lincolns.h.i.+re and the North of England. By these works nearly 18,000 acres of land were recovered from the sea. The opening ceremony commenced with a procession of carriages over the bridge and embankment, and concluded with a dinner in a marquee erected near the works. Three hundred guests were present, and Sir William ffolkes, M.P., presided.

NOVEMBER.

12.-In accordance with regulations pa.s.sed by the Court of Mayoralty, the Aldermen of the small wards in Norwich, accompanied by the parochial officials, perambulated their respective wards, for the purpose of reporting upon their sanitary condition. In view of the cholera outbreak in other parts of the country, the medical men of Norwich divided the city into four districts, and apportioned a certain number of their body to each.

20.-Services were resumed in Norwich Cathedral, after extensive repairs to the fabric.

DECEMBER.

3.-At a general meeting of the county magistrates, a committee was appointed to receive communications from the justices in the different divisions and Hundreds, and to give their aid and a.s.sistance for the detection and apprehension of incendiaries. Committees were formed in every Hundred in the county.

24.*-"The trade for turkeys was dull this Christmas, owing, no doubt, to the depressed state of trade, but princ.i.p.ally to the operation of the late Act, which, by throwing a large quant.i.ty of game into the market, has proved a losing game to our excellent farmers' wives, and prevented them obtaining anything like remunerative prices."

25.-The Mayor of Norwich (Mr. J. H. Yallop), who had sent from the city a swan specially fattened for the Royal table, received from his Majesty, through the Duke of Suss.e.x, a letter thanking him for his "dutiful attention."

1832.

JANUARY.

6.-The Norfolk Court of Quarter Sessions made renewed efforts to procure the removal of the Lent a.s.sizes from Thetford to Norwich. The Norwich Court of Mayoralty, on the 14th, addressed a memorial to the Lord Chancellor on the same subject; and it was officially announced on March 3rd that the a.s.sizes would be adjourned from Thetford to Norwich, as in the previous year. On March 8th the Corporation conferred the honorary freedom of the city upon Mr. John Stracey, of Sprowston, "in testimony of the sense they entertain of that gentleman's most valuable services in bringing under the notice of the Lord Chancellor the question of the removal of the Lent a.s.sizes to this city." In the House of Commons, on the 15th, Mr. Grant gave notice of his intention to bring in the Norwich a.s.size Bill, and on April 3rd the Bill was read a first time. The second reading was carried by 44 to 13 on May 23rd; and on June 4th, in the face of strong opposition, it was read a third time and pa.s.sed. The Bill was read a first time in the House of Lords on the 5th, a second time on the 14th, and a third time on the 18th. The Royal a.s.sent was given to the measure on the 22nd, and on the 23rd the intelligence was received in Norwich with the ringing of St. Peter's bells. "It is worthy of remark that the Lent a.s.sizes for this county, jointly with those of Suffolk, were held at Thetford so early as the reign of Henry II., and that the first application for their removal to Norwich was made as far back as the year 1649. Applications have been frequently and unsuccessfully repeated at intervals until the present year."

17.-A Bill for extending the time for completing the works undertaken by the Norwich and Lowestoft Navigation Company was read a second time in the House of Commons. It afterwards pa.s.sed through all its stages in both Houses. On June 4th juries were empanelled for the purpose of hearing and determining claims in the purchase of some of the land required by the company in making the cut for connecting the rivers Yare and Waveney. The directors, on July 7th, accepted the tender of Mr.

Thomas Townshend, of Birmingham, to make the cut and to complete it by December 1st.

18.-Died at the age of 102, Mrs. Twiddy, of Snailwell, near Newmarket, mother of Mr. James Twiddy, formerly parish clerk of St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich. She was a native of Attleborough. Within a short time of her death she frequently walked six miles a day.

23.-Norwich Theatre was re-opened for the season. Mr. Power commenced a short engagement, during which he appeared in a round of Irish characters.

28.*-[Advt.] "A great main of c.o.c.ks will be fought at the Black Boys Inn, Aylsham, on February 14th and 15th, between the gentlemen of Norwich and Norfolk, for 5 a battle and 100 the odd. On Tuesday evening a turn-out for 10; and on Thursday a grand Welch main by 16 subscribers for a silver tankard. All to be fought in silver spurs. Feeders: Steward for Norwich; Overton for Norfolk."

31.-Mr. Dowton, of Drury Lane Theatre, commenced a four nights'

engagement at Norwich Theatre, as Sir John Falstaff. His other characters included Dr. Cantwell ("The Hypocrite"), Adam Brock ("Charles the Twelfth"), Sir Anthony Absolute, and Abednego ("The Jew and the Doctor"). He afterwards performed at Lynn Theatre.

FEBRUARY.

4.-The Norwich Court of Mayoralty memorialised the Committee of Buying of the East India Company not to suspend their "usual and constant order for camlets for the China market," as a numerous cla.s.s of the manufacturing population of the city derived their chief subsistence from this source.

On March 21st the East India Company invited tenders for the manufacture of 5,000 pieces.

18.-Mr. Thomas Foyson, aged 53, was accidentally drowned at Norwich by falling into a vat of vinegar which he was in the act of gauging.

22.-At a Levee held at St. James's Palace, the King conferred the honour of knighthood upon Mr. John Harrison Yallop, Mayor of Norwich, on his presenting to his Majesty the address adopted at a Common Hall held in Norwich in the previous October, on the subject of the Reform Bill.

MARCH.

2.-The funeral took place at Scole of Ann Chapman, aged 92. "Her head was placed contrary to the usual way, agreeably to her desire, which she had made known to the s.e.xton. She was 47 years old when she married, and her husband only 17. She had 18 children, 13 sons and five daughters, all of whom arrived to the age of maturity. Five of the sons served in the Army. This remarkable woman seldom took more than two or three hours' sleep of the twenty-four. She could see to thread the finest needle, and she retained her faculties to the latest period of her existence."

6.-At a ploughing match at Roughton, John Colman, aged 92, beat all compet.i.tors, and was awarded the prize.

13.-Married, at St. Cuthbert's, Thetford, Mr. Bussey, schoolmaster, aged 29, to Mrs. Judith Millen, aged 78. "A party of heroines attended the happy couple, and performed their melodious chorus upon saucepans and kettles, and to complete the band a watchman's rattle was added."

14.-Beard, the guard of the Red Rover coach, "made an attempt" to play Crack ("The Turnpike Gate"), at Lynn Theatre. "The best advice we can give him is to stick to his own stage in future. His comic singing, however, was good."

20.-Three troops of the 7th Hussars, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Keane, marched into Norwich from Birmingham.

21.-This day being appointed by Royal proclamation for fasting and humiliation, the Mayor and Corporation of Norwich attended service at the Cathedral, and collections were made at the doors for charitable uses.

Services were held at the parish churches, and alms were given for the poor. The day was similarly observed at Yarmouth.

23.-At the Lent a.s.sizes at Thetford (held there for the last time), before Mr. Baron Vaughan, the libel action, Hunter _v._ Platten, was tried by a special jury. Defendant was steward to Sir Thomas Hare, and sent to the NORFOLK CHRONICLE and "Norwich Mercury," for publication, a paragraph in which he described the plaintiff as "a person who has been for many years a notorious game buyer and a disgrace to the name of gentleman." The CHRONICLE modified the expressions contained in the paragraph; the "Mercury" published it as sent. Witnesses for the defence proved that they had seen 15 or 20 head of game on the plaintiff's premises at one time, and that he had stated "he would buy game as long as money would purchase it, as the gentry round that part of the country were mean humbugs." The jury returned a verdict for plaintiff, damages one farthing, and costs.

24.-The 1st Royal Dragoons marched from Norwich for Canterbury.

-*"Died lately at Loddon, aged 86, Thomas Reynolds. He presented to the inhabitants and caused to be erected, at his sole expense, in 1821, a finely-toned organ by which the church of Loddon is ornamented."

26.-Mr. T. P. Cooke made his first appearance at Norwich Theatre, in the character of Martin Heywood ("The Rent Day"). His other impersonations included William ("Black-eyed Susan"), Long Tom Coffin ("The Pilot"), the Demon ("The Fate of Frankinstein"), Sir Roderick Dhu ("Lady of the Lake"), and _poses plastique_.