Chronological Retrospect of the History of Yarmouth and Neighbourhood Part 70

Sept. 5th. The Army and Navy Tavern, Blackfriars' Road, sold by auction for 2,100, and 68 fixtures.

Sept. 5th. Commander Parker, R.N., presented with a handsome silver and polished oak salad bowl as a mark of esteem by the Caister Life-Saving Volunteer Corps; and on Sept. 23rd, the Gorleston L.S.V.C. gave him a marble timepiece and bronze ornaments; and Commander Parker presented the chief officer with a beautiful clock, and chief boatman Bridgeland with a book, "The World of Wit and Humour."

Sept. 29th. 11,247 8s. 8d. had been expended on the Gorleston Spur Breakwater. 6,000 more required to complete the work.

Sept. 30th. This being the eve of the 88th birthday of the veteran ringer, Thomas Gooch, a merry peal was rung on the Parish Church bells.

(See Aug. 27th, 1883.)

Sept. The council decided to allow the Tolhouse Hall to be retained by the Archaeological Society, as a monument of antiquity, and the trustees subsequently accepted Mr. R. Davy's contract (485) for its restoration.

Oct. 3rd. St. John's Church organ, after being enlarged and renovated by Mr. W. C. Mack, was opened. It has two manuals CC to F 54 notes, and pedal CCC to F 30 notes; 18 stops and 726 pipes, viz.:-Great organ, 408 pipes, swell, 288, and pedal, 30. The anchor lashed to a cross on the front panel of the case was designed by Mr. Chas. Harrison (a local artist of wide-spread popularity), and carved by Mr. Homes.

Oct. 10th and 11th. Board of Trade Fisheries Enquiry at the Town Hall, by Messrs. C. M. Norwood, M.P., E. Birkbeck, M.P., E. Heneage, M.P., Alderman Leak (Mayor of Hull), and T. Gray, sec. of the Marine Department.

Oct. 11th. St. George's Chapel re-opened after extensive renovation, inside and out, at a total cost of 1,700.

Oct. 20th. Mr. G. R. Ceiley rewarded by the Humane Society for bravely saving the lives of James Simonds at Yarmouth, and four persons at Lowestoft.

Oct. 23rd. Cabmen's shelter placed on the Hall Quay.

Oct. 24th. Heavy gale. Loss of the lugger "Edward and Ellen," smack "Nancy," the Yarmouth brigantine "Let me Alone," and ketch "Hannah."

Oct. 26th. The wife of Capt. Bunn presented with an elegant silver epergne, as a wedding present, by the A Company Rifle Volunteers, out of respect to their captain.

Oct. 28th. Gale of great severity, and another on Nov. 14th, when the brig "Kettland" came ash.o.r.e on the South Beach, and great bravery was displayed by the Gorleston lifeboat, and also Mr. Lloyd, Inspector of Naval Reserve, in rescuing the crew. Commander Poynder presented Lloyd with two medals. Fifty fishermen were lost during the late gales, together with the fis.h.i.+ng dandies "Sceptre," "Silver Streak," "Children's Friend," "Ich Dien," &c., leaving 14 widows and 44 orphans.

In Yarmouth there are 621 fis.h.i.+ng boats, 333 being smacks and the remainder luggers; their value is 372,000, and their nets and gear, 100,000 more. Their owners number 498, and crews 5,160. Scotch boats 800, and 120 smacks from Gorleston. Value of fish caught by trawlers of this port, 325,000. Number of herrings caught in five years, 71,458 lasts, which at an average of 10 a last gives a total of 714,580. The Corporation had up to date spent 34,916 in building the fishwharf, offices, &c., which latter let for 1,438 a year. Trawl fish caught in 1877, 11,863 packages; 1878, 39,508; 1879, 31,072; 1880, 28,400; 1881, 24,003. The dues were as follows:-In 1877, 1,574 on herring, and 59 on trawl fish; 1878, 846 herring, 164 trawl; 1879, 978 herring, 129 trawl; 1880, 1,163 herring, 118 trawl, 1881, 1,393 herring, and 100 trawl.

Nov. 11th. Mrs. Harriet Vade, wife of R. H. V. Walpole, of Yarmouth, and Suffolk Hall, Cheltenham, died.

Nov. 3,349 14s. 4d. spent about the erection and fittings of new nave of St. James' Church.

Nov. 20th. The steamtug "Andrew Woodhouse" sold for 90.

Nov. 21st. J. C. Smith, Esq., elected Alderman of the Borough in place of the late Wm. Wors.h.i.+p, Esq. Seventeen voted for Mr. Smith, and 11 for Mr. E. Worlledge.

Oct. 20th. The Swedish man-of-war frigate "Vanadis," in the Roadstead; and on 26th, German war-s.h.i.+p "Leipzic," 16 guns and 483 men.

Oct. 23rd. Fires at Mrs. Rigg's wool shop, St. Peter's Row, E; Nov. 16th at Mr. Jas. Ayers' fis.h.i.+ng premises, S. Market Road; Nov. 23rd, at Mr.

H. Fenner's, steam tannery works, S. Denes Road; Nov. 24th at Mr. Wigg's jewellery shop, Regent Street; Dec. 10th, the net chamber of Mr.

h.e.l.lenburgh, Ordnance Road; and at Mr. G. B. Palmer's, Market Place.

Nov. 9th. Mr. F. Arnold presented with an elaborate salad bowl and pair of silver ladles on the opening of the Park Young Men's Inst.i.tute.

Nov. Rev. E. Venables appointed to the church and district of St. John's the Evangelist, Drury Lane, London.

Nov. 12th. Wm. Wors.h.i.+p, Esq., solicitor, died at Ormesby, aged 70 years.

1,000 was subsequently subscribed by the town for the founding of a scholars.h.i.+p at the Yarmouth Grammar School to perpetuate his memory.

The fis.h.i.+ng smack "John Cooper" sunk by a steamer, and one man drowned.

1,028 lbs. 13 ozs. of tobacco (value 284 8s. 9d.) smuggled into Yarmouth during the year.

This year 99,422 coins were collected for various objects in the Parish Church, viz., 36,816 half-pence, 36,817 pennies, 10,756 threepenny pieces, 300 fourpenny pieces, 9,872 sixpences, 4,061 s.h.i.+llings, 412 florins, 289 half-crowns, _nil_ crowns, 68 half-sovereigns, 28 sovereigns, and three notes. Total amount, 1,038 14s. 7d.

One thousand eight hundred and fifty plaints entered in the County Court for sums amounting to 10,639. In 1881, 2,591 plaints for 12,967.

Launches: March 7th, a steam launch launched from the Yare-side Iron Works; March 30th, smack "Morning Star"; July 4th, fis.h.i.+ng boat "Muscotte."

Marriages: Feb. 28th, Alexander Mitch.e.l.l, Esq., M.D., to Ellen Eugenie Ramsdale, of E. Dereham; April 10th, Mr. W. H. Kempton, of London, to Miss H. M. Gamble; Mr. E. S. Brown to Miss A. M. Ulph, in London; April 6th, Mr. T. Ambrose Palmer to Miss E. J. Sheewan; June 8th, Mr. F. H.

Smith, of Bradwell, to Miss Grace Dendy, of Gorleston.

Deaths: Jan., Henry B. Thompson, serjeant-at-mace and bellman, aged 65; March 25th, Caroline Louisa Bartlett, widow of Capt. H. J. Lacon, R.N., at Ipswich; March 31st, Mr. W. A. Hardingham, 45 years in the service of Messrs. Grout and Co., aged 59; May 4th, Mr. R. Dumbleton, ex-Town Councillor, aged 63; May 18th, Mr. W. R. P. d.i.c.k, senior cas.h.i.+er at Messrs. Lacon's Bank, aged 50; Aug. 12th, Mr. John Clowes, grocer, aged 73; Sept. 24th, Chas. John Palmer, Esq., F.S.A., aged 78; Dec. 17th, Wm.

Johnson, Esq., J.P., at Caister, aged 82.

1883.

Jan. 2nd. Frederick Redgrave (8), of Row 122, fell under the wheels of a railway truck on South Quay, and both his legs had to be amputated. 52 9s. 9d. was collected for his benefit.

Jan. Mr. Fisher's smack "Reindeer" lost.

Jan. 23rd. Schooners "Jim Crow" and "Try," of this port, stranded and became total wrecks.

Jan. 24th. Mr. James Brown, Beach Station Master, presented by the staff employed on the railway, with a silver-mounted inkstand and pencil case, on his birthday.

Jan. 24th. Very low tide, the water being 3 ft. 10 in. below zero, and 6 ft. 2 in. on the bar.

Jan. 25th. St. Paul's Mission Church opened.

Feb. Mr. R. S. C. Keymer appointed organist of Gorleston Church.

Feb. A pike, weighing 20 lbs., caught at Horsey Mere.

Feb. Mr. F. W. Rolfe, organist, presented with a handsome timepiece by the choir of St. Peter's Church.

March 1st. The upper and lower ferries let by auction for five years to Mr. A. Green, at the annual rent of 780, viz., lower, 410; upper (with cottage), 370.

March 6th. Heavy gale and high tide, the drive being inundated, and some of the boats "moored" at the lamp posts. Part of the Jetty was torn up, and "Uncle Tom's Cabin," under the Britannia Pier, made a complete wreck.

The water was 21 or 22 ft. on the bar, and there was a flood tide in the harbour for 21 hours. Several trawlers were lost, including the "Musquito," "Sea Flower," "Clarence," "Reaper," and "Muscotte," and 36 lives, leaving 15 widows and 16 children. 132 19s. 8d. was contributed by the Mansion House Fund. Mr. W. P. Brown's brig "Mary" was lost on the following day with her crew.

March 11th. Major John Gillespie, 31st Brigade Depot, died, and on 15th was buried with grand military honours in the Cemetery. About 500 of the military and 50 officers were present. Three military bands (including 9th from Colchester, 54), played at intervals, and thousands of civilians lined the streets.

March 12th. New Railway line from Yarmouth to Acle opened for traffic.

March 22nd. The iron gates leading to the Parish Church knocked down by a horse.