Norfolk Annals Volume I Part 115

6.-The death of the Right Rev. Dr. Edward Stanley, Bishop of Norwich, occurred at Brahan Castle, near Dingwall, Ross-s.h.i.+re. The body was conveyed from Invergordon by sea by the steamer Duke of Sutherland, and landed at Yarmouth on the 19th. It arrived at Norwich on the same day, and was deposited in the Palace Chapel, where it lay in state on the 20th, and was interred in the centre of the Cathedral nave on the 21st.

"Anthony Sparrow (50th Bishop), ob. 1685, was the last prelate buried in the Cathedral." Bishop Stanley was the second son of Sir J. T. Stanley, of Alderley, Ches.h.i.+re, and was born January 1st, 1779. He was elected to the vacant see of Norwich on the death of Bishop Bathurst in 1837. "His lords.h.i.+p was a Liberal in politics, but more of the Whig than the Radical, and although too conciliatory to Dissenters, he, of late years in particular, showed himself devoutedly attached to the Church." He was Clerk of the Closet to the Queen, President of the Linnean Society, and one of the Commissioners appointed in 1848 to enquire into the state of the British Museum.

8.-A meeting of medical pract.i.tioners was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, to consider the best means of preventing the spread of cholera. Rooms were hired in different parts of the city for dispensing medicines, and special forms of prayer were used in all the churches and chapels.

November 15th, the day appointed for thanksgiving "for deliverance from the scourge which has lately visited this land," was observed in Norwich by the entire suspension of business. All cla.s.ses of citizens attended the services held at the Cathedral and the parish churches.

OCTOBER.

2.-Victoria Gardens, Norwich, for so many generations the popular resort of the citizens, were dismantled on this date, when Mr. William Wilde, auctioneer, sold "the ranges of drinking boxes, seats and tables, the scenery, fittings, and machinery in the theatre, the fittings, benches, &c., in the circus and saloon, the materials of the firework house, the porter bar, cake-room, &c." The sale was held by order of the directors of the Eastern Union Railway Company, who had acquired the property as the site for their Norwich terminus.

3.-Mr. Joseph Hume, M.P., Sir Joshua Walmisley, M.P., Mr. George Thompson, M.P., Mr. J. H. Parry, Mr. Feargus O'Connor, M.P., and other members of the National Reform a.s.sociation, addressed a large meeting held at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, under the auspices of the local branch of the a.s.sociation. Mr. J. H. Tillett presided.

22.-Madame Sontag, Signor Calzobari, Signor Bolletti, Signor F. Lablache, and M. Thalberg appeared at a grand concert given at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich. A second performance took place on the 23rd.

-A public meeting was held at the Independent chapel, Diss, for the purpose of hearing statements from Mr. James Everett respecting the expulsion of himself and Messrs. Dunn and Griffith from the Wesleyan Conference. On the 24th a similar meeting was held at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, when resolutions were pa.s.sed condemnatory of the action of the Conference and expressive of sympathy with the expelled ministers. The agitation was continued until June 22nd, 1850, on the 19th of which month another meeting took place at St. Andrew's Hall, at which the Wesleyan Reformers uttered "violent tirades against the Conference, the Missionary Committee, and other ruling bodies of Wesleyanism." In December, 1850, a series of disturbances occurred at Lenwade, where the services of the chapel were stopped and the preacher, the Rev. C. Povah, a.s.saulted with stones and burnt in effigy. Magisterial proceedings at Reepham were followed by an application in the Court of Chancery for an injunction to restrain certain persons from interrupting Mr. Povah and other ministers in the performance of religious wors.h.i.+p at the Wesleyan chapel, Cawston.

The affidavits read disclosed a number of gross outrages upon the ministers, extending over the period of six months. Issue of the injunction was stayed upon the defendants entering into an undertaking not to disturb or molest the plaintiffs in the exercise of their duties.

26.-Immense quant.i.ties of fish were caught off Yarmouth. The herring boats had from 100,000 to 200,000 fish on board. Cartloads of fish were taken to Norwich and sold at the following rates:-Fresh herring, 10 for one penny; boaters, 25 for sixpence; cod, one penny per pound; soles, from three halfpence to twopence per pair.

30.-Died at Quidenham Hall, the Earl of Albemarle. Born on May 14th, 1772, he married, on April 9th, 1792, the Hon. Elizabeth Southwell, four years his junior, who became the mother of sixteen children. Mr. T. W.

c.o.ke, though old enough to be Lord Albemarle's father, became his son-in-law in 1822, when he espoused Lady Anne Keppel. His lords.h.i.+p married secondly, on February 11th, 1822, Charlotte Susannah, daughter of Sir Henry Hunloke, Bart.

NOVEMBER.

5.-Downham Market was lighted with gas for the first time. The event was celebrated by a dinner at the Queen's Head and by other rejoicings.

6.-The Oddfellows of the Norwich District, to the number of 700, dined at St. Andrew's Hall, under the presidency of Mr. W. M. Kitton.

7.-The Norwich extension railway of the Eastern Union line, completing the communication with London _via_ Ipswich, Colchester, and Chelmsford, was opened on this date. It was part of the plan of the Eastern Union Company, whose Act for making the railway from Ipswich to Colchester was obtained in 1844. The line was commenced in 1845, and opened on June 11th, 1846. In 1845 another Act was pa.s.sed for making a railway from Ipswich to Bury St. Edmund's, and in 1846 an Act was obtained for making the Ipswich and Norwich extension. In the latter year an Act was also pa.s.sed for the amalgamation of the Eastern Union and the Ipswich and Bury Railway Companies, and by the two united the Norwich line was constructed. Mr. Locke was the engineer-in-chief, Mr. Bruff the resident engineer, and Messrs. Mackenzie and Bra.s.sey the contractors. The first train, conveying 550 ladies and gentlemen, the guests of the directors, started from the station ("constructed in part out of the old Pantheon"), and proceeded to Stowmarket, where refreshments were served. Trains from Bury, Colchester, and Ipswich brought 600 more pa.s.sengers, and the three trains uniting ran to Norwich, where they arrived at 4.30, the band of the 16th Lancers playing the travellers into the city. A dinner took place at St. Andrew's Hall, under the presidency of the Mayor (Mr.

Bignold), and the Sheriff (Mr. Chamberlin) gave a ball in the evening, at the a.s.sembly Rooms. The line was opened for the conveyance of cattle and goods on December 3rd, and of pa.s.sengers on December 12th.

9.-Mr. Henry Woodc.o.c.k was elected Mayor, and Mr. James Colman appointed Sheriff of Norwich. Mr. Bignold reminded the Council that when he took the office of Mayor a distinct a.s.surance was given that there was to be a retention of the system of alternate Whig and Tory Mayors and Sheriffs.

He would not have accepted office but for that a.s.surance.

DECEMBER.

2.-The consecration of the Rev. Dr. S. Hinds, Bishop-elect of Norwich, took place at Lambeth Palace. His lords.h.i.+p was installed at Norwich Cathedral on January 24th, 1850.

-Intelligence was received of the death of the Queen Dowager. The day of the funeral, December 13th, was observed in Norwich by the partial closing of the shops.

20.-Died at Hampstead, the Ven. Philip Jennings, Archdeacon of Norfolk, aged 66. He was presented to his office in 1847 by Bishop Stanley.

27.-A severe gale from the N.N.W., a heavy fall of snow, and a high tide prevented railway communication with Yarmouth. The line was under water for a considerable distance. The trains on the lines to London were delayed by deep snowdrifts. An omnibus was run between Norwich and Yarmouth for the conveyance of pa.s.sengers. "The people on the road stared with wonderment on seeing the six-in-hand drawing the ponderous vehicle through the snow."

1850.

JANUARY.

3.-Mr. Sims Reeves took part in a performance of "the Messiah" at St.

Andrew's Hall, Norwich. The other vocalists included Miss Poole, Miss Kenneth, Herr Formes, and Master Mann.

10.-A sculling match from Bramerton to Whitlingham, for 10 a side, between R. b.u.t.tle, of Norwich, and Aldred, one of the crew of the "Young Company," Yarmouth, was won easily by the former.

16.-Aylsham was for the first time lighted with gas, an event celebrated by the ringing of the church bells, by the distribution of beer, and by a dinner and ball at the Black Boys Hotel. A display of fireworks ended the festivities.

18.-Acts of disorder were committed by the female factory hands in Norwich, owing to an alteration being made in the working hours. They broke with s...o...b..a.l.l.s the windows in the house of Mr. Douglas, one of the manufacturers, and waylaid him on St. Martin-at-Palace Plain. To save himself from being stripped naked, he took refuge in a neighbouring office.

20.-Died at Ranworth, the Rev. T. B. Greaves, for forty years vicar of South Lynn, and thirty-six years vicar of Wiggenhall St. Giles. He was the author of a volume of poems ent.i.tled, "Greaves' Wilderness."

28.-A meeting, convened by the High Sheriff (Col. Mason), on the requisition of 3,000 signatories, was held at Swaffham, "for the purpose of adopting means to secure the return of a Protective policy." The railway companies ran special trains for the convenience of persons desirous of attending the meeting. The High Sheriff was supported by Lord Orford, Lord Sondes, and the members for the division. A resolution was adopted to the effect that the depression under which the agricultural, commercial, and industrial cla.s.ses laboured was owing princ.i.p.ally to legislative enactments, and nothing but a return to a protective policy could restore the permanent prosperity of agriculture, trade, and commerce. It was decided to present to the Queen and to Parliament a pet.i.tion embodying these views.

FEBRUARY.

11.-A public meeting was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, to give the citizens the opportunity of expressing their opinion upon the new Water Works Bill. A resolution was adopted in its favour. On the 12th the Town Council agreed to pet.i.tion the House of Commons in opposition to the Bill, on the ground princ.i.p.ally that no provision was made for such a supply of water as the inhabitants required, and that the scale of rates was too high. On the 19th the Corporation authorised the expenditure of 250 "to defray the expense of defending the rights of the present Water Works Company and of opposing the new Water Works Bill in Parliament."

On March 27th Mr. David Stevenson, C.E., Edinburgh, held a public inquiry at the Guildhall respecting the application for the new Bill, and subsequently made a tour of inspection. He stated that Norwich was as badly supplied with water as any place he was ever in. The Bill went before the Committee of the House of Commons on May 2nd, and on the 16th was reported to the House of Lords. It pa.s.sed its third reading in the House of Commons on June 3rd. The Town Council, on June 12th, appointed a committee to confer with the promoters of the Bill as to certain clauses; and on June 15th it was announced that the promoters had adopted a course that was satisfactory to the representatives of the Council.

Opposition was then withdrawn. The first general meeting of the shareholders of the Norwich Water Works Company was held on October 15th, under the presidency of Mr. Bignold, chairman of the company.

MARCH.

13.-Festivities commenced at Shadwell Court, and were continued three days, in celebration of the coming of age of Sir Robert Jacob Buxton, who was presented by the tenantry with a ma.s.sive silver salver. The band of the 2nd Life Guards was in attendance.

24.-Snow fell to the depth of 12 inches. A drift occurred in the chalk cutting between Narborough and Swaffham, and delayed railway traffic.

26.-Died at Lambeth, aged 66, Mr. William Bath, President of the Money Order Office, St. Martin's le Grand. He was Mayor of Yarmouth in 1824 and 1826, and was the first Mayor of that borough after the pa.s.sing of the Munic.i.p.al Reform Act, when he occupied the civic chair during two successive terms.

APRIL.

5.-At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, before Lord Chief Baron Pollock, Blofield John Rix and Henry Senior were charged with stealing, embezzling, and misappropriating various sums of money, to the amount of 10,589 18s., the property of their employers. Both prisoners were employed at the Diss Bank. The proprietor, Mr. Dyson, was taken seriously ill in the month of December, 1848, and an arrangement was made that Mr. Thomas Lombe Taylor, son of Mr. Meadows Taylor, a former partner with Mr. Dyson, should be taken into partners.h.i.+p, and the partners.h.i.+p commenced in 1849.

On January 19th Mr. Dyson died, and Mr. Taylor intended to dispose of the business to the firm of Messrs. Harveys and Hudson. It became necessary to go through the accounts, and then the frauds were discovered. The prisoners were tried on a charge of simple larceny, whereupon they pleaded guilty, and were sentenced, Rix to 18 months' and Senior to 12 months' imprisonment.

-The action, Berney _v._ Delane and Co., was tried at the Norfolk a.s.sizes, before Lord Chief Baron Pollock. The question at issue was the right to the use of the stream which worked Taverham Mills. The defendants manufactured the paper for "The Times" newspaper, "and their broadsheets were every day scattered round the terrestrial globe, and were to be found in every corner of the earth." In order to carry on their business, the defendants had the right to raise the stream behind their mills; they had not only raised it to the height they were ent.i.tled to enjoy, but very much higher; so high that they had flooded the lands of Mr. Thomas Trench Berney, and had rendered them useless for sheep grazing. The case was ultimately referred to Mr. Russell Gurney, and a verdict for the plaintiff was taken on account of the damage laid in the declaration, subject to such reference.

17.-The Mayor of Norwich (Mr. Woodc.o.c.k) having offered to provide an illuminated clock and clock turret at the Guildhall, on condition that the Corporation removed the false ceiling in the Council Chamber and laid open the old roof, it was unanimously resolved to accept the clock. It was made by Messrs. Moore, of Clerkenwell, London, and fixed in a turret designed by Mr. Kerr, in the month of October.