Yarmouth Notes Part 68

Clowes, and Mr. S. Nightingale took part in the proceedings, and about 250 was subscribed in the room.

April 16th.-The East Suffolk Artillery Militia was stationed at the Southtown Barracks.

April 26th.-Colonel Adair (commanding that Regiment) had delivered a lecture at the Corn Hall "On the land defences of the Eastern Counties."

Upon this Regiment leaving; the Norfolk Artillery Militia, under Colonel Astley, were to occupy the Barracks for five weeks.

At the Vestry Meeting, Mr. R. Hammond proposed, and Mr. Bracey seconded, the re-election of Mr. C. S. D. Steward; and Mr. Hylton proposed, and Mr.

s.h.i.+ngles seconded, the re-election of Mr. E. R. Aldred.

April 30th.-Colonel Pippon had inspected the E.N.M. on the South Denes, when the Regiment mustered 700 rank and file.

"Tom Sayers'" Circus had attended the Fair.

May 3rd.-Owing to want of funds the Parish Beadle at Gorleston had been discharged.

May 7th.-The first stone of the New Bethel had been laid. This building was to replace the old Bethel which for so many years had been held in the ancient house, belonging for several generations to the Palmer family, near the Sailors' Home.

May 14th.-It was proposed to erect a Memorial to the late Prince Consort in the town.

Practical joking still continued in the Borough.

May 17th.-C. J. Palmer, Esq., had presented the Corporation with a scarlet silk gown and black gown formerly worn by the Mayors as robes of office.

The following table of precedence had been drawn up by the Council:-

1.-The Mayor.

2.-The Recorder.

3.-The Town Clerk.

4.-The M.P.'s for the Borough.

5.-The Members of the Council who had served the office of Mayor according to priority of election.

6.-The Aldermen and Councillors according to priority of election, the former in Wards in which they resided, the latter in the Wards for which they were elected, commencing with the North Ward.

At the Parish Audit, the Auditor remarked that "in some instances the amount (of the rate) excused exceeded the sum collected."

May 17th.-The following appears as to the Corporate Robes of Office:-

"THE ROBES OF OFFICE."

The Committee as to the Wearing of Robes of Office reported that Mr.

C. J. Palmer, had liberally presented to the Council a scarlet silk gown, and a black gown formerly worn by the Mayors as their Robes of Office; and the said were accepted by the Committee, and the thanks of the Committee were voted to Mr. Palmer for the _handsome_ donation. The Committee had resolved that the Mayor should wear the black gown as a Robe of Office on all "Ordinary" occasions and the scarlet gown on all "extraordinary" occasions.

The "Robes" or "Gown" movement, which was so much spoken of six months ago, has at length-through the exertions of the Committee to whom it was referred-come to maturity, and the Mayor now has a second hand best gown for "extraordinary" occasions, and a second-hand second best gown for "ordinary" occasions. The old people about Gaol Street, who caught a sight of the Mayor in his gown on Tuesday last, look upon the revived _costume_ as a "degenerate resurrection;" for, instead of there being completeness and congruity in the "fit out,"

there is a burlesque mixture of the ancient and modern. The gown which erst harmonised with the glorious c.o.c.ked hat, short tights, and silver buckled shoes, appears decidedly "at sea" in company with the modern hat (or "4s. and 9d.") and "peg-top" trousers. Art critics would object to so close a mixture of the mediaeval and the modern, on the ground of the same not being "in keeping." Perhaps, however, when we see the style of dress on one of the "extraordinary"

occasions so judiciously and so elaborately provided for by the Council, we may have something presented to notice which will not cause every Councillor to grin on beholding it, and to talk, as an old writer says, "most consumedly" about it afterwards. Dressed as he was on Tuesday, the Mayor of Yarmouth might, without difficulty, have been mistaken (had he been away from home) for Shylock, for one of the j.a.panese Emba.s.sy, or for an Arch Druid, so remarkably unusual was his appearance. Experience may, it is true, tone down the angularities of the affair; but at the onset the revival of the use of robes does not carry with it either the appearance of gravity or wisdom. On entering the Council Room on Tuesday, the Mayor was preceded by four officials wearing, in addition to the ordinary attire of various colours, gowns, and carrying the sword and two maces as usual, with, on this occasion, the very handsome oar-a part of the regalia which had, for some very "extraordinary" reason no doubt, been disused. Following the officers were the Mayor, who wore in addition to his every day clothing a black robe, of somewhat fierce cut, having a sort of fur or bear skin epulet at each shoulder, ornamented with a description of rough filagree; and over this finery his wors.h.i.+p wore (we believe for the first time) the gold chain of office. After the Mayor, entered the Town Clerk in a black robe of a more modest character. For some little time there was much winking and smiling amongst the Aldermen and Councillors. The business then proceeded, and, as will be seen from our report of the meeting, arrangements were made (in spite of Mr. Richard Ferrier's "chaffing") for the order of processions. It was also decided to give the Town Hall and the inhabitants the benefit of a public clock, of which the Corporation are owners. It was also jocularly suggested that the Gas Company would be most willing gratuitously to illuminate the dial, and through it the inhabitants.

May 21st.-There had been an "Uproarious Vestry Meeting," held for the object of pa.s.sing a vote of censure on the Vestry Clerk; Mr. S. C Marsh presided, and in the result, the meeting being in favour of the Vestry Clerk, a poll was demanded.

May 29th.-This poll had, after a protest by Mr. J. Clowes as to the regularity of the proceedings, been taken by Mr. C. Diver (acting as a.s.sessor). It closed on the first day-

For the Vestry Clerk 143 Against him 61 Majority 82

And next morning Mr. Marsh attended and declared the poll closed.

May 28th.-Five vessels of war (part of the Channel fleet) were in the Roads.

May 31st.-The following s.h.i.+ps were anch.o.r.ed abreast of the Jetty:-"Trafalgar" (86), Captain d.i.c.kson; the "Revenge" (91), Captain Fellowes; the "Emerald" (51), Captain Caning; the "Chanticleer" (17), Captain Sterling; and the "Porpoise" (tender to the "Revenge.")

June 4th.-This issue contains the following account of

"THE CHANNEL FLEET AND PRINCE ALFRED."

For several days after Wednesday last, a number of persons in this town were almost in a fever of expectation as to the arrival of Prince Alfred, in the "St. George;" and in spite of official intimation that the Prince is to be considered on business when with the fleet, and, as a consequence, exempt from munic.i.p.al honours and popular demonstrations, it was determined to make the most of him here. The forerunners of the "St. George" were boarded and teased by all sorts of enquiries; bills were posted about with the words "the arrival of Prince Alfred" upon them, and all imaginable measures taken to get up excitement. All, however, failed to draw a large number of strangers to the town; and we do not exceed the fact when we say that the visit of the Channel Squadron for a much briefer period in 1860, brought to the town ten times the number of strangers who have come on this occasion. The Mayor of Yarmouth, soon after the fleet arrived, offered to give the officers a dinner if they would accept the invitation; but it was declined. A ball was then offered to be got up, and it was promised that such of the officers as could attend would do so if the s.h.i.+ps still remained in the Roads and provided it were got up for the earliest possible day-Monday. A ball was, therefore, decided on for that evening. But some uneasiness was felt as to the non-arrival of the "St. George" with Prince Alfred; and when, on Sat.u.r.day, the s.h.i.+p did not appear, it began to be feared that she would not come, and the people consoled themselves with such information as that the Admiral-a jolly tar-had amused himself by playing a game of bowls at the Vauxhall Green, &c.

Although Admiral Smart and the officers declined to dine with the Mayor on sh.o.r.e, they invited his wors.h.i.+p and other gentlemen to dine with them afloat, which the Mayor accepted for Sat.u.r.day night. On Sunday morning the "St. George" came quietly into the Roads through the c.o.c.kle Gat, and anch.o.r.ed at the northern end of the line of s.h.i.+ps, abreast of the town, at about half-past eight o'clock. It was reported for some time that the s.h.i.+p which had just arrived was the "Donegal," but as it became known that it really was the "St.

George," flags were run up in all directions, and persons went to work with their spy gla.s.ses, apparently hoping to catch a sight of the Prince. The steamtugs, which ran as pa.s.senger boats round the fleet, at once got better freights, and many who took trips in them returned under the impression that they had seen the Prince in the maintop of the "St. George." Others would have it that the Prince was one of the young officers who was ash.o.r.e on Sunday afternoon, walking leisurely up and down the drive and elsewhere; this turned out to be correct. But as the Prince was, happily for him, not recognised whilst ash.o.r.e, he walked about unmolested. Few persons believed that so large a s.h.i.+p as the "St. George" (Captain Egerton) would venture to enter the Roads through the c.o.c.kle, but to the surprise of many local nautical authorities she sailed through as cleanly as any fis.h.i.+ng cutter, and dropped anchor in as familiar a manner as might have been expected from an old visitant of these waters. Soon after she had anch.o.r.ed the "St. George" was boarded by Mr. Watson, secretary of the Sailors' Home, who brought off messages and letters. Prince Alfred went on sh.o.r.e, _incognito_, in the afternoon, as did also a large number of other mids.h.i.+pmen and older officers. On Monday morning, the town authorities, and sightseers generally, were on the alert-all being in search of the Prince. But again, as few individuals had a personal knowledge of his Royal Highness, he escaped without recognition, and with Major Cowell (and, we believe, other gentlemen) he drove out into the country. As to this and other proceedings of the Prince during the day, there were scores of different reports; but we believe we are correct in saying that, after his trip inland, His Royal Highness went from the Beach, in the boat of which he is mids.h.i.+pman, on board the "St. George." On board the s.h.i.+p the Mayor and Town Clerk were, we understand, introduced to the Prince, and courteously received. Between two and three o'clock p.m., the Prince, Admiral Smart, Major Cowell, and the Hon. Manners Sutton (with whom the Prince had consented to partake of luncheon, at Kimberley Terrace), came on sh.o.r.e, accompanied in the boat by the Mayor and Town Clerk. His Royal Highness, the Hon.

Manners Sutton, and Major Cowell, then walked down to the Cricket Ground at the South Denes, where a party of officers from the fleet were playing a game of cricket with the members of the Yarmouth Club.

It had been reported that the Prince would visit the Cricket Ground, and the consequence was that a large number of persons (probably 2,000) congregated there about two o'clock, over and above those individuals who had been previously attracted to the spot by the match itself, and by the two bands-one from the fleet, and that of the East Norfolk Militia. As soon as His Royal Highness was recognised upon the ground, the crowd rapidly closed in around him, and had it not been for the protection afforded him by the two gentlemen by whom he was accompanied, he would in all likelihood have undergone an unpleasant jostling. So pressing and eager did the inquisitive public become that in a few minutes the Royal sailor and Mr. Sutton commenced a retrograde movement, whereupon the people began running and pus.h.i.+ng frantically-going in some instances as the saying hath it, "head over heels." Remarks such as "That is he!"

with comments upon the Prince's personal appearance, were loud and frequent; and much surprise appeared to be felt that the "Duke of York" should go abroad in the ordinary una.s.suming attire of a mids.h.i.+pman. Some faint attempts at cheering were a.s.sayed, but the clamour of the "hunt" which was got up, overpowered everything but the dust. The Prince took all this good humouredly, and with his two protectors walked sharply on to Kimberley Terrace, pursued all the way up the drive by an immense crowd. Most of the persons going southward, and who met the crowd, had no idea what all the row was about until they were told. His Royal Highness got safely to Mr.

Sutton's house, and in two or three minutes there was in front of the house, close from the area railing to the coping-stones of the drive on the eastward, a dense a.s.semblage, which continued to increase up to five o'clock, when we observed it still standing there.

Lunch over, the Prince, a little after five o'clock, escaped from the back door, un.o.bserved by the crowd, and was enabled to stroll into the town. He went up St. George's Road, through King Street, down Regent Street, and along the Quay, but did not venture into the Market Row. He then visited Mrs. Onslow, who son is chaplain on board the "St. George," and, we believe, a tutor of the Prince.

The cricket match terminated in favour of the naval men, who had, we hear, 69 runs to spare. In the first innings the Yarmouth players had the best of it, but in the second the bowling of Mids.h.i.+pman Lawson made sad havoc among the batsmen.

The Ball at the Town Hall was well attended, and went off with great _eclat_. The Prince, of course, was not present; but in the course of the evening Admiral Smart and a party of naval officers-who were brought up to the Quay-side, opposite the Hall, in the "Porpoise"

gunboat-joined the a.s.sembly and remained until after midnight.

The number of visitors to the s.h.i.+ps increased considerably on Tuesday (this) morning, when it became known that an order had been received for the s.h.i.+ps to hold themselves in readiness for sailing next day.

Altogether the visit of the fleet on this occasion has been a brilliant affair; and the public have had ample time to inspect the s.h.i.+ps, some of which might much oftener, with advantage, find a berth in Yarmouth Roads.

The town has not, we believe, been visited by a Royal personage since the time that Prince William (afterwards King) and the Princess Adelaide landed here, and remained for the night at the Angel Hotel.

June 7th.-At the Channel Fleet Ball among those present were the Mayor, the Town Clerk, Sir E. Lacon, M.P., Admiral Smart, Captain Fellowes, R.N., Captain Egerton, R.N., Lieutenant the Hon. F. Gordon, Mr. and Miss I. Preston, Lord W. Kerr and other naval officers, Mr. and Mrs. E. H. L.

Preston, Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Aldred, Misses Cubitt, Mr. A. and Misses Steward, &c. Next day a large number of persons visited the fleet, and dancing took place on the s.h.i.+ps' decks.

Colonel Ibetson had inspected the Rifle Volunteers on the Denes.

The "Ino" (a pleasure boat) had capsized when alongside the "St. George,"

but all the people in her were saved.

June 11th.-At the Vestry Meeting, the "Small Tenements Act" was proposed to be applied to the parish.

Several houses and men had been struck by lightning during a thunderstorm.