Yarmouth Notes Part 64

The following was the form of apology upon which the actions against Sir E. Lacon had been settled, upon his payment of plaintiff's costs:-

"Great Yarmouth, "Nov. 29th, 1860.

"Dear Sir,-Upon full enquiry, I find that the statements made by me in a speech at the dinner at the Theatre in April last, and complained of by you as reflecting on yourself as a member of the committee therein referred to, were made under an erroneous impression of the facts of the case, as far as yourself and the committee are concerned.

"Under these circ.u.mstances, I have no hesitation in withdrawing the imputations you and the committee complain of, and the plea of justification, and in expressing my regret that legal proceedings were deemed necessary, which, being now ended, no difference will, I trust, henceforth be made in the friendly feeling that has previously existed between us.

"Yours truly, "EDM. H. K. LACON."

W. T. Clarke, Esq."

At the Police Court, Mr. Owles again called attention to the "practical"

joking question, when Sergeant Barnes stated that the jokers "were attired in cloaks, and one wore a uniform cap."

Dec. 29th.-The Rifle Corps, 180 strong, had marched to Hopton, where Major Orde "regaled them on bread and cheese, hot sausage rolls, and plenty of old ale."

FOURTH SERIES, 18611872.

"When found, make a note of"-

CAPT. CUTTLE.

1861.

Jan. 2nd.-The poor rate a.s.sessment had been raised some 14,000, and a 1s. 2d. rate thereon made.

Mr. F. Ferrier (Deputy Coroner) had held an inquest on the body of Thomas Algar, the clown who had expired at the Theatre immediately after the performance on the previous Friday. The deceased was 34 years of age, and left a widow and one child. The verdict was that deceased died from "natural causes"; Mr. C. C. Aldred (the Surgeon) and the Jury gave their fees to the family.

Jan. 5th.-The Revenue cutter, in attempting to run for the harbour, had fouled the pier and was sunk.

Jan. 12th.-"The strong frost had literally stopped the river traffic."

It had been decided to give 124 worth of coal to the poor.

Jan. 19th.-A public meeting had been held to raise funds for that purpose. The Mayor presided, and the following gentlemen took part in the proceedings:-Mr. W. Wors.h.i.+p, the Rev. B. Vaux, Mr. R. Steward, Mr. C.

C. Aldred, Mr. R. Hammond, Mr. T. Brightwen, Mr. C. Cory, Mr. L. Blake, and Mr. E. H. L. Preston. Sir E. Lacon sent a cheque for 50, and 350 was subscribed in the room.

Jan. 26th.-Dr. Stephenson had been appointed Surgeon for the South District.

The "Racehorse" (belonging to George Danby-Palmer, Esq.), had been abandoned near Cape Horn. There had been a mutiny on board her, and a naval Court was inquiring into the affair at Calloa.

Jan. 30th.-The Guardians were calling attention to the "Compulsory Vaccination Act."

Feb. 2nd.-The annual Sailors' Home meeting had been held in the new building on the Drive.

Mr. Henry R. Harmer had been appointed a Chancery Commissioner.

Feb. 6th.-At a Vestry meeting it had been determined to take a poll of the parish as to whether the Vestry Act (13 and 14 Vic. cap. 57) should be applied to the parish.

Feb. 9th.-Two hundred and eighty-eight appeals had been lodged against the Poor's Rate.

Feb. 16th-"Costerton _v._ Lacon" had been tried. In this action the plaintiff, a solicitor at Yarmouth, complained of having been slandered by the defendant, who was M.P. for the town, and who ultimately consented to a verdict against him for 40s. and costs.

Feb. 20th.-The poll of the parish had closed as under:-

For applying the Vestry Act 737 Against 414 Majority 323

Mr. Clowes then proposed, and Mr. Livingston seconded, a resolution to the effect that a Vestry Clerk be appointed at a salary of 100 per annum, and ultimately this was carried, and a vote of thanks to the Vicar and his a.s.sessor (C. J. Palmer, Esq.), terminated the proceedings.

Feb. 23rd.-The Conservatives had adopted Mr. C. H. Chamberlin (a Liberal) as their candidate for the office of Vestry Clerk, the other candidate being Mr. S. B. Cory.

Feb. 27th.-The case of Morant v. Chamberlin (which involved the right of user of part of the Quay by George Danby-Palmer, Esq.), had been decided as follows: "Verdict for plaintiff, issue on the 4th plea for defendant."

March 2nd.-The Prince of Wales had visited the town "incog."

March 6th.-One c.o.x, "a magician of Friars' Lane," had been before the Justices.

March 9th.-The Hon. Harbord Harbord had been hunting the district with his pack of harriers during the week.

Part of a house had been blown down on the Regent Road.

March 13th.-The Artillery Corps had adopted white (in lieu of blue) facings to their uniform.

March 16th.-The Fitzroy storm signals had been hoisted in the town.

March 23rd.-"Iconoclast" proposed to deliver lectures at the Theatre.

This had been stopped by the Mayor, and an action was threatened against the proprietor of that building. The following is a copy of the Bill issued:-"Theatre Royal, Great Yarmouth. Iconoclast the well-known advocate of Secularism, and co-editor with Mr. Joseph Barker, &c., will deliver three lectures in the above place, on the 25th, 26th, and 27th of March, 1861. Subjects-Monday, "Were Adam and Eve our first parents?"

Tuesday, "The History of the Crucifixion, self-contradictory and incredible." Wednesday, "The Atonement and its relation to sin and pardon." Admission-Lower boxes, 6d.; upper ditto, 4d.; pit, 3d., gallery, 2d. Iconoclast respectfully invites the clergy and ministers of Yarmouth to discuss his lectures; especially those who claim to have refuted him during his absence."

Major Orde, Mr. Chamberlin, and Captain Holmes had given readings from d.i.c.kens' works in the saloon of the Victoria gardens before the members of the Rifle Corps and their friends; Captain Holmes was expected to be appointed adjutant of this corps.

March 30th.-"Cufaude _v_ Cory" had been heard at the a.s.sizes. In this action damages were claimed by the plaintiff, Clerk to the Guardians against the defendant, Mr. S. B. Cory, for an alleged libel, he having stated in a handbill that Mr. Cufaude "cooked" the parish accounts. Mr.

O'Malley, Q.C., Mr. Power, Q.C., Mr. Keene and Mr. Cherry were for the plaintiff, and Mr. Palmer and Mr. Hotson for the defendant. The Jury found for the plaintiff with 500 damages.

April 3rd.-"The nocturnal jokes" were again the subject of inquiry; Mr.

E. O. Johnson (a Volunteer Sergeant) had been discovered by a policeman taking away Dr. Smyth's bell, but as that gentleman would not prosecute, the charge dropped.

Mr. J. H. Harrison then made a complaint to the Court of damages to his property by these "jokers."

At the Vestry Meeting, Mr. R. Hammond proposed, and Mr. W. Wors.h.i.+p seconded, the re-election of Mr. S. C. D. Steward as one of the Churchwardens, and Mr. Fenn proposed, and Mr. Laws seconded, the re-election of Mr. E. R. Aldred as the other warden, "and the Minister accepted the second nomination as his warden."