Norfolk Annals Volume I Part 106

18.-M. Jullien gave the first of three concerts at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich.

26.-In the Arches Court, the Rev. William Henry Henslowe, perpetual curate of Wormegay, was suspended from the ministry for three months, for refusing on two occasions to bury the corpse of Sarah Bowden, a paris.h.i.+oner who had been baptised by a minister of the Primitive Methodist persuasion. The case was brought before the Court by letters of request from the Bishop of Norwich.

NOVEMBER.

9.-Sir William Foster, Bart., was elected Mayor, and Mr. John Betts appointed Sheriff of Norwich.

24.-Died at his residence, St. Catherine's Cottage, St. John de Sepulchre, Norwich, aged 73, Mr. Jonathan Matchett, senior proprietor of the NORFOLK CHRONICLE. He had been connected with the journal for 51 years, and became its head on the decease of his father-in-law, Mr.

Stevenson, in 1821.

27.-Died at his house at Costessey, aged 69, Mr. Richard Mackenzie Bacon, princ.i.p.al proprietor and editor of the "Norwich Mercury." Mr. Bacon was the editor also of "The Quarterly Musical Magazine and Review."

28.-Mr. Tom Cross, the celebrated "gentleman whip," driver of the Lynn and London coach, delivered at the a.s.sembly Rooms, Lynn, a lecture on Shakespeare.

DECEMBER.

3.-Died at Swaffham Vicarage, aged 92, the Rev. William Yonge, vicar of the parish and Chancellor of the Diocese.

5.-Mr. Edward Stracey, of St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich, the respondent in a suit respecting the tenancy of a pew in the parish church, was taken into custody and lodged in the City Gaol by a process of the Norwich Ecclesiastical Court, because of his refusal to pay the costs imposed by the Court.

14.*-"The winter has set in most severely, with an intense ground frost and the wind in the east. The navigation of the river between Norwich and Yarmouth and from that port to Beccles, Bungay, and Aylsham, has been stopped by ice, but not a particle of snow has fallen."

1845.

JANUARY.

5.-The Rev. Charles Chapman, who was elected vicar of the parish on November 5th, 1832, preached his farewell sermon at St. Peter Mancroft church, Norwich. The Rev. Thomas Wilson, M.A., was elected to the vacant living.

7.-At Norwich Quarter Sessions, before the Recorder (Mr. Isaac Jermy), John Dover, the notorious Chartist leader, was found guilty of receiving stolen silk, &c., the property of William Martin and others, and sentenced to fourteen years' transportation.

13.-Cooke's Royal Circus was opened at the Amphitheatre, Victoria Gardens, Norwich. During the season various "horse spectacles,"

pantomimes, farces, and burlettas were produced.

18.-Died at his house near St. Giles' Gates, Norwich, Mr. James Bennett, a man of great scientific attainments. By trade a watchmaker, "he invented an instrument for performing the operation of the trepan, which was mentioned with much praise by Sir Astley Cooper in his lectures, and ever afterwards used by that distinguished surgeon. He was the first man who made an electrical machine in Norwich. To different societies he sent original contributions, and presented articles of value, particularly the splendid anatomical preparations of the late Mr.

Stevenson, veterinary surgeon, Castle Meadow, which were given to a museum in London. He took great interest in witnessing surgical operations, and could dissect an eye very beautifully. He was an adept at music and drawing, and was one of the original members of the Hall Concert." Mr. Bennett served the office of Sheriff in 1826, and by virtue of seniority was "Father of the Common Council." He was the oldest surviving "brother" of the intellectual and benevolent confraternity, the College of United Friars, and was for many years a member of the Castle Corporation.

25.-The NORFOLK CHRONICLE published the results of an inquiry into the state of the manufactures of Norwich, and in its comments stated: "Norwich has lost its former prominence as a manufacturing city, partly in consequence of the high price of coals compared with the North and West, and partly from improvements in machinery being tardily introduced.

We regret that while 8,000 persons are employed in or connected with our factories and mills, a large number are constantly without work, and this is likely to be the state of things for some time to come."

26.-On this date occurred the highest tide ever recorded at Yarmouth.

The depth of water on the bar was 19 ft. 6 in. A severe gale prevailed, and several vessels were in distress. The Phnix yawl, which went out to the a.s.sistance of a brig stranded on the north end of the Scroby Sand, was lost, and seven of her crew drowned.

FEBRUARY.

19.-Died at his residence, Northrepps Hall, Cromer, Sir T. Fowell Buxton, Bart. He was in his 59th year.

23.-Died at St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich, Mr. Thomas Stannard, engraver, aged 55.

24.-The Hon. W. B. Baring, M.P., who had accepted the office of Paymaster to the Forces, was re-elected without opposition member for the borough of Thetford.

28.-Mr. Samuel Lover, author of "Rory O'More" and other Irish tales, gave, at the a.s.sembly Rooms, Norwich, his "Irish Evening, ill.u.s.trative of the national characteristics, legends, superst.i.tions, mirth, and melody of his country, ent.i.tled, 'Paddy by Land and Sea.'" The entertainment was repeated on the 29th.

-At an inquest held at Costessey, by Mr. Pilgrim, one of the County Coroners, upon the exhumed body of a woman named Jane Mary Lovett, who was alleged to have died in childbirth, in consequence of improper treatment by a medical man named Gaches, a verdict of manslaughter was returned. Mr. Gaches contrived to escape from the custody of Inspector Barrett, concealed himself in the park, and ultimately absconded from the neighbourhood. He was re-arrested on March 29th, in a railway carriage at Sh.o.r.editch, and at his trial at the Norfolk a.s.sizes on April 8th the jury, by direction of Mr. Justice Patteson, returned a verdict of not guilty.

MARCH.

5.-Died at his residence in the Upper Close, Norwich, Dr. Warner Wright, aged 70. He was founder of the Norwich Dispensary, and in 1804 was chosen a physician of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, a position which he resigned in 1840. For many years he was visiting physician to the Norfolk County Lunatic Asylum, and to the Norwich Bethel, and was placed upon the commission of the peace for the city in 1836.

12.-John Tawell, indicted at Aylesbury a.s.sizes for the murder of Sarah Hart, at Salt Hill, by poisoning her, came of a respectable Norfolk family. "Augustus Metcalfe, who served the office of Mayor of Norwich in 1716, was the maternal grandfather of Tawell's father. Thomas Tawell, uncle of John Tawell's father, served the office of Sheriff of Norwich in 1723, and died during his shrievalty. Tawell's father was a shopkeeper, and had resided in several places in the neighbourhood of Norwich." The convict, who was a Quaker, was executed on March 28th.

15.*-"The frost has now continued, with few intermissions, for eighteen weeks, a longer period than has been remembered for the last thirty years."

19.-A meeting of the princ.i.p.al inhabitants was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, under the presidency of the Mayor (Sir William Foster), "to determine on the steps to be taken for arresting the progress of the epidemic diseases so extensively prevailing, and for mitigating the sufferings of the afflicted poor." It was stated that between 1,500 and 1,600 persons had been attacked by small-pox, measles, scarlet fever, and typhus. The attention of the authorities was directed to the insanitary condition of the city, and a fund was started for cleansing and disinfecting the houses of the poor.

26.-Sir James Graham's Bill for the amendment of the Law of Settlement was considered at a public meeting held at the Guildhall, Norwich.

Disapproval of the measure was expressed. The Court of Guardians and other public bodies pa.s.sed resolutions in opposition to the Bill, which was received unfavourably in other parts of the county.

29.*-"A salmon trout, measuring 23 inches in length and weighing 5 lbs., has been taken while fis.h.i.+ng for pike in the river Wensum, near h.e.l.lesdon."

APRIL.

1.-Died at Winfarthing, aged 80, Mr. Philip G. Browne. "He was author of 'The History of Norwich,' &c., &c., and was parish clerk of Winfarthing for upwards of fifty years."

7.-At Norwich a.s.sizes, before Mr. Baron Parke, George William Wilson, formerly cas.h.i.+er of the Norwich Court of Guardians, was charged with embezzling various sums, amounting to 1,245, the property of that body.

The jury returned a verdict of not guilty. A further charge of stealing a book belonging to the Guardians was deferred to the Summer a.s.sizes, on which occasion no evidence was offered, and the prisoner was discharged.

-At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, before Mr. Justice Patteson, Robert Richard Royal, James Barnard Hall, and James Mapes were indicted for the murder of Harriet Candler, at Yarmouth, on November 18th, 1844. The princ.i.p.al witness was a man named Samuel Yarham, who had turned Queen's evidence.

The jury acquitted the prisoners. (_See_ March 27th, 1846.)

8.-Bawdeswell church was consecrated by the Bishop of Norwich. The church became dilapidated in 1740, but a portion of the ruined building was fitted with pews and used until 1843, when it was found necessary to rebuild the church, at the cost of 1,400. Mr. J. Brown, of Norwich, was the architect, Mr. William Gillham, of Rainham, contractor, and Mr.

Francis Cus.h.i.+ng, of North Walsham, sub-contractor.

14.-The east wall of the chancel of St. Julian's church, Norwich, fell with a tremendous crash, which greatly alarmed the neighbourhood. The church was re-opened on January 18th, 1846.

19.-The foundation-stone of the new church of St. John, King's Lynn, was laid by the Bishop of Norwich. The building was consecrated by his lords.h.i.+p on September 24th, 1846.