Norfolk Annals Volume I Part 90

29.-At St. Swithin's Church, Norwich, were baptised "a Jewish Israelite and his two children, on which interesting occasion his wife, who from Christianity had lapsed into Judaism, was again received into the Church."

NOVEMBER.

9.-At the meeting of the Norwich Town Council for the election of Mayor, Mr. T. O. Springfield nominated Mr. Samuel Shalders Beare, and Mr.

Bignold Mr. William Martin Seppings. The former was elected, by 28 votes to 17. Mr. Ma.s.sey moved the appointment of Mr. John Francis as Sheriff, and Mr. Rackham proposed Mr. James Steward. Mr. Francis was appointed, by 27 votes to 12.

11.*-"The tobacco manufacturers residing in Norwich have obtained from the Lords of the Treasury and the Commissioners of Customs the privilege of bonding that article at Yarmouth, where a warehouse has been specially fitted up for the purpose, and is now stored with manufactured tobacco of the value of about 5,000 when the duty is paid on it. Mr. Newbegin and Mr. Wigham are the first importers."

18.*-"By the official account of the duty on hops of the growth of 1837 we find Norfolk makes a return of 48 10s. 0d."

21.-At a meeting of the Norwich Town Council, it was agreed, on the motion of Mr. Barwell, to appoint a committee to consider the propriety of encouraging the establishment of a school of design, with the view to the improvement of the manufactures of the city. (_See_ May 9th, 1838.)

29.-Died at his house, St. Catherine's Close, Norwich, in his 92nd year, Mr. John Morse. "This justly respected gentleman was Father of the old Corporation of Norwich." He was elected an alderman of the North Mancroft Ward in 1777, served the office of Sheriff in 1779, and was twice Mayor, namely, in 1781 and 1803.

30.-The 24th Article of the Deed of Settlement having empowered a general meeting of the members to make bylaws for the regulation and government of the Norwich Union Life Insurance Society, to be binding when confirmed by two other general meetings summoned for that purpose, the third general meeting was held on this date, with the object of finally confirming the bylaws adopted at a general meeting on November 2nd, and confirmed by a second general meeting on November 16th. An extraordinary degree of interest was manifested, and deputations arrived at Norwich from all parts of the kingdom. The meeting, which was held in a booth erected in Mr. Bignold's garden, was attended by about 300 or 400 persons. Mr. O'Connell, M.P., the famous Irish agitator, was present.

"On this occasion his whole course was pre-eminently marked by good feeling, excellent temper, and discreet judgment, united to a gentlemanlike exercise of his acknowledged tact and talent in furtherance of a most salutory object, in which he was happily successful," namely, the obtaining of a unanimous expression of approval of the reports made by the committee for revising the bylaws.

-Mr. O'Connell, M.P., was entertained at dinner at the Angel Inn, Norwich, by members of the Whig-Radical interest. Mr. T. O. Springfield presided. At nine o'clock on the following morning, prior to his departure from the city, Mr. O'Connell addressed a large meeting at St.

Andrew's Hall.

DECEMBER.

4.-In the House of Commons a pet.i.tion was presented by Sir F. Burdett against the return of Messrs. Rumbold and Wilshere as members for Yarmouth. It was alleged that the grossest bribery had been practised.

(_See_ April 28th, 1838.)

14.-A pauper named John Cawdron died at Norwich Workhouse, of which inst.i.tution he had been an inmate 47 years, 8 months, 3 days, at the cost of 350 16s. 7d.

16.-At this date the following coaches ran from the Norfolk Hotel, Norwich:-To London, the Phenomena, every morning at 6.30. To Newark, the Union, every morning, except Sunday, at 7. To Birmingham, the Royal Mail, every evening at 7 (through Lynn, Spalding, &c.). To Lynn, the Day coach. To Yarmouth, coaches three times a day. To Lowestoft, the Pilot, every afternoon. To Fakenham and Wells, a coach every afternoon at 4.

To Watton, the Royal George.

18.-On the occasion of the benefit of Mr. and Mrs. Atkins, at the Royal Amphitheatre, Ranelagh Gardens, Norwich, was produced "a grand local historical and romantic original drama, written expressly for this entertainment by Mr. R. F. Rayner, called 'Etheldrida, Princess of Norwich, or the Kings of Mercia and East Anglia and the Wild Woman of Mosswold Heath.'"

21.-The load of Christmas fare which left Swaffham for London on this date "did not reach the Golden Cross, Charing Cross, until half-past four on the following morning, although drawn by relays of six horses all the way from Brandon."

25.-"For its extreme mildness and sunny brightness this was more like May Day than Christmas Day, with the thermometer at 55 and a southern breeze."

30.*-"The town of Diss has been lighted with gas, which produces a splendid effect, and reflects great credit on Messrs. J. and T. Whaite, ironfounders, by whom it is supplied."

1838.

JANUARY.

1.-The weather on this day was of a beautiful and spring-like character.

During the remainder of the week "the moon in her first quarter and the planet Venus made the evenings most brilliant. Never in the memory of man did the old year go out or the new one come in with such splendour as the last and the present. Both days in all respects resembled April or even May much more than December or January."

3.-A public meeting was held at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, "for the purpose of taking into consideration the present dreadful condition of the negroes, with the view of pet.i.tioning both Houses of Parliament for the abolition of the system of apprentices.h.i.+p." The Mayor presided, and the princ.i.p.al speakers were Mr. George Thompson, the eloquent advocate of the negroes' cause, and Mr. Thomas Fowell Buxton. Similar meetings were held in various parts of the county.

5.-The new District Schools at St. Augustine's Gates, Norwich, were opened by the Lord Bishop. They were intended to accommodate 450 children, and were supported by voluntary subscriptions.

6.-Wintry weather set in with great severity. The frost commenced on the 7th, and continued to increase in intensity till the 20th, "when the thermometer recorded 30 degrees below freezing point, a depression greater than in the intense frost of 1814, when, on January 9th, it stood at 28 degrees below freezing." There was a thaw on the 21st, but on the 23rd the frost recommenced, and on the 24th the weather was bitterly cold. Remarkable snowdrifts occurred on roads near the coast. "The river at Lynn was a solid bed of ice. From the eastern side to the opposite sh.o.r.es of West Lynn and North Lynn persons pa.s.sed and re-pa.s.sed with the same facility and safety as if it had been land. A similar circ.u.mstance had not occurred for half a century." A second thaw, with a southerly wind, commenced on the 29th, but on February 1st the wind veered to the east, and another frost set in. From February 13th to the 15th the weather was so severe that water indoors was frozen, and on the 16th the thermometer stood at 16 degrees below freezing point. A decided thaw took place on the 22nd, but on the 23rd a fourth frost occurred. In the week commencing March 4th a rapid thaw was followed by heavy rains, ice and snow vanished with surprising rapidity, and business was resumed on the navigable streams, which for so long had been impa.s.sable.

Throughout the frost "the poulterers were abundantly supplied with British and foreign wild fowl of all descriptions."

12.-Died at Downham Market, in his 69th year, Mr. G. W. Lemon, son of the Rev. G. W. Lemon, formerly vicar of East Walton and rector of Gayton Thorpe. He was for 40 years an annual contributor to "Fulcher's Ladies'

Pocket Book," and wrote for the newspaper Press many articles on a variety of subjects.

15.-The members of the Norwich Madrigal Society held their first public meeting at the old Library Room, St. Andrew's Hall. The programme contained a composition by Mr. J. F. Hill, son of Mr. John Hill, the Festival chorus master, ent.i.tled, "I saw fair Chloris." "It is a madrigal truly worthy of the Elizabethan age, and has been recognised as such by the London Madrigal Society, into whose stock it has been received. Not a single modern phrase is to be detected."

18.-The old Norwich Glee Club, revived under the t.i.tle of "The Norwich Glee and Harmonic Society," gave its first concert under the conductors.h.i.+p of Mr. Harcourt, organist of St. Stephen's church.

22.-The tide in Yarmouth Harbour was the lowest ever recorded. "The bed of the river was left dry more than 20 feet from the quay head."

27.*-"The severity of the weather has induced several families in the neighbourhood of Holt to adopt the American fas.h.i.+on of travelling in sledges. The greatest curiosity is caused among the natives."

FEBRUARY.

5.-Norwich Theatre was opened for the season with the engagement of the Boleno family, who appeared in a pantomime-ballet, followed by tableaux, &c.

7.-At a general meeting of the shareholders of the Norfolk and Norwich Museum, it was resolved "that the property lately used as a public library be purchased, and the building committee authorised to make such alterations and additions thereto as may be requisite for affording accommodation to the Museum, the Literary Inst.i.tution, the Norfolk and Norwich United Medical Book Society, and any other inst.i.tution of a literary or scientific nature who may wish to take rooms under the same roof as the Museum, the money to be raised by voluntary donations and shares of 5 each, bearing interest at three per cent. per annum."

9.-At a meeting of the Norwich Town Council, Mr. Bignold moved the appointment of a committee to draw up a pet.i.tion to both Houses of Parliament in favour of the adoption of the penny postage. The pet.i.tion was adopted on February 22nd.

16.-Died, aged 83, Mr. Edmund Manning, of London Street, Norwich, "the oldest and wealthiest retired tradesman in St. Peter Mancroft." He was a brazier by trade. "Some property which his father left him with what he had himself industriously acquired, was so parsimoniously h.o.a.rded during his long-protracted life it acc.u.mulated the immense sum of 70,000, of which between 50,000 and 60,000 were in the Funds. His annual income at the time of his death was upwards of 2,100 a year, and his expenses were probably not 20s. a week. The great bulk of his property was left to distant relations for whom he affected to have no regard, whilst those whose expectations he had raised (even on the day before his death) had reason to be dissatisfied. He gave to Mr. T. S. Norgate 29,000, and to the Rev. T. S. Buckle 14,500, and to Mr. Manning, of London, 14,500.

The remainder he has bequeathed, in various sums, from 1 to 300, to friends and acquaintances and to certain charitable inst.i.tutions. He also bequeathed 4,000 three per cent. Consols to the trustees of the charity schools, the dividends to be applied annually to apprenticing poor boys."

19.-A prize-fight took place at Bedingham, between Cricknell and b.a.l.l.s, of Norwich. "After a contest of 53 minutes, b.a.l.l.s was obliged to give in."

24.*-"Died lately, in the Workhouse at Downham Market, at the advanced age of 100 years, Samuel Simpson. He retained his faculties to the last, and was able to walk with astonis.h.i.+ng alacrity."

-*"We cannot but lament the loss which science sustains in the death of Mr. Samuel Woodward. He was an excellent geologist, particularly as regards his native county. His princ.i.p.al works were 'The Outline of the Geology of Norfolk' and 'Synopsis of British Organic Remains.' He was a skilful and unwearied antiquary, and through his means were recorded many valuable notices of Norfolk antiquities."

-The s.h.i.+p Benwell, Captain Moody, 300 tons burden, bound from Newcastle to London, with a cargo valued at 20,000, was lost on Sheringham Shoals.

"The crew of eleven hands, two male and five female pa.s.sengers, were landed on Burnham beach almost in a state of nudity."

MARCH.

5.-Died, aged 82, Mr. Edward Roger Pratt, of Ryston House, near Downham Market, "of whom it may be said that he exhibited in every relation of life a perfect picture of the old English gentleman." On the death of Sir Jacob Astley, in 1817, he unsuccessfully contested the county.