Norfolk Annals Volume Ii Part 29

8.-A prize-fight took place on Grimstone Common, between Pooley Mace and a man named Rackaby. After five rounds had been contested, the police stopped hostilities, and Rackaby's party declining to resume the fight, the stakes were awarded to Mace.

30.-Died at Clive House, Beckenham, Kent, in his 71st year, Lieut.-Col.

Henry Alexander, 96th Foot. He was born at Caister, and entered the Army as ensign in the 28th Foot in June, 1811. He received the war medal with six clasps for Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, and Toulouse.

OCTOBER.

3.-The first Church Congress commenced at Norwich. The Congress sermon was preached at the Cathedral by the Archbishop of York, and the first general meeting was held at St. Andrew's Hall, presided over by the Bishop of Norwich. The final meeting took place on the afternoon of the 5th, after which the members of Congress attended luncheon, given at the new bank by Mr. R. J. H. Harvey, M.P. Two thousand guests were present.

On the morning of the 6th, the Bishop of Oxford preached the annual sermon at the Cathedral on behalf of the Five Religious Societies.

9.-Died at the house of Mrs. Church, Lady Lane, Norwich, Bartholomew Gattey, "the eccentric but clever flute-player at the Theatre Royal."

For forty years he had scarcely been absent from his place in the orchestra of the theatres in the Norwich circuit, "a position to which he fondly clung, in spite of many most favourable offers of engagement that were made to him, and which, if accepted, would, no doubt, have resulted in his obtaining a position in the musical world of honour and emolument.

At length a mind never very strong gave way, and he was obliged to have recourse to the a.s.sistance of his friends. Mr. Hewlett and other gentlemen got up a concert for him in December, 1863, and 50 was realised, which, with Mr. Gattey's simple habits, was sufficient for his maintenance until his death." He was a son of Mr. Gattey, a yarn manufacturer, and a native of Norwich, and had attained his 64th year.

14.*-"Died at his residence, Bury St. Edmund's, Mr. Frederick Ladbrooke, portrait painter. The deceased was the youngest son of the late Mr.

Robert Ladbrooke, one of the founders of the celebrated Society of Norfolk and Norwich Artists. He was a painter of considerable power."

18.-The ceremony of cutting the first sod of the East Norfolk Railway was performed on the estate of Mr. C. Jecks, Sheriff of Norwich, by Lady Suffield, in the presence of a large number of spectators. In the evening a dinner, attended by representatives of most of the princ.i.p.al families in the county, was held at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, in celebration of the event. Lord Suffield presided. (_See_ August 13th, 1870.)

21.*-"The Queen has been pleased to grant to Edward John Stracey, of Sprowston, Lieut.-Colonel of the Scots Fusilier Guards, her Royal licence and authority that he and his issue may, in compliance with a clause contained in the last will and testament of James c.l.i.therow, take and use the name of c.l.i.therow in addition to that of Stracey."

25.-A new lifeboat, named the James Pearce, was launched at Yarmouth. It was built at the cost of 350, subscribed by the artisans of Birmingham, and presented through the Royal National Lifeboat Inst.i.tution to the Caister station.

30.-Died at Hilgay, aged 110 years (as was originally stated), Mr. John Naylor, formerly landlord of the Crown Hotel, Downham Market. An amended notice, published on November 18th, says: "The late Mr. John Naylor, who died on the 30th ult., and was supposed by his eldest son to be _only_ 110 years of age, appears from the parish register of Welney to be 117, he having been born on the 29th of May, 1748. In 1825 the deceased retired from his business as a publican, he having kept the Crown at Downham and the George and Dragon at Hilgay in succession, and had since lived on a small property of his own in the latter village. He was always a smart, active man, and constant in taking his walk up to October, 1860. Since that time he had been confined to his house, but used to sit up in his chair for some portion of the day until June, 1864, when he did so for the last time. His sight had failed him, but his hearing was so good that he could distinguish the voices of his friends, and he was rational until within six weeks of his death."

NOVEMBER.

1.-Died of apoplexy, at his residence, Acton Green, Middles.e.x, John Lindley, F.R.S., Ph.D., and formerly Professor of Botany at University College. He was born at Catton, near Norwich, in 1799, and was the son of a nurseryman. His first literary effort, after devoting much of his early youth to the practical details of botany, was the translation of Richard's "a.n.a.lyse de Fruit" from the French, and the contribution of some papers to the Transactions of the Linnaean Society. Afterwards he proceeded to London, where he was engaged by Mr. Loudon to a.s.sist in the production of the "Encyclopaedia of Plants." In 1832 he published his "Introduction to Systematic and Physiological Botany," but his _chef d'uvre_ was the "Vegetable Kingdom." For more than a quarter of a century Dr. Lindley filled the chair of Botany at University College, London, and in 1860 was appointed examiner in the University of London.

He was a member of several learned bodies, and edited the horticultural department of the "Gardeners' Chronicle" from its commencement in January, 1841, to the time of his death.

7.-Lord Hastings, master of the East Norfolk Foxhounds, was presented with his portrait in oil, subscribed for by 400 gentlemen of the Hunt.

The portrait was painted by Mr. Eddis, and his lords.h.i.+p was depicted in hunting dress, mounted on Archer, his favourite hunter. Sir Willoughby Jones, Bart., made the presentation, on behalf of the subscribers.

8.-The Marquis and Marchioness Townshend, whose marriage had taken place a few weeks previously, were welcomed with great enthusiasm on their return to Rainham, and were presented by the tenantry with a handsome silver epergne.

9.-Mr. William Peter Nichols was elected Mayor, and Mr. William Jary Cubitt appointed Sheriff of Norwich.

DECEMBER.

2.-Died at Necton Hall, Colonel William Mason. He was the head of an old county family, whose head, Paul Miller Mason, a citizen of London, built Necton Hall in the time of Henry VII. Col. Mason served the office of High Sheriff in 1849, was for many years a chairman of Quarter Sessions at Swaffham, and was Lieut.-Colonel of the East Norfolk Militia.

4.-The Prince and Princess of Wales left Sandringham, on a visit to Lord and Lady Suffield, at Gunton Park. Their Royal Highnesses travelled by special train from Wolferton to Lynn and thence to East Dereham, where they were received by Lord Suffield, Viscount Hamilton, and the Hon.

Harbord Harbord. A guard of honour was formed by the 15th Norfolk Volunteer Company, under the command of Capt. Bulwer, and their Royal Highnesses, entering a carriage drawn by four greys, proceeded along Norwich Road and the Market Place. Three triumphal arches were erected in the town, which was handsomely decorated, guns were fired, and the church bells rung, and in the evening there was a display of fireworks.

After leaving Dereham, the Royal visitors proceeded by way of Swanton, Bylaugh, and Bawdeswell to Reepham, where the Aylsham Volunteers, commanded by Capt. Scott, provided a guard of honour. At Aylsham their Royal Highnesses were welcomed with great enthusiasm, and at Gunton Park gates the North Walsham corps, commanded by Major Duff, mounted a guard of honour. On the 5th and 6th the Prince shot over the estate, and on the evening of the last-named day a dinner and ball were given at the hall. On the 7th his Royal Highness attended a meet of the East Norfolk Foxhounds, and on the 8th shot on the Hanworth side of the hall. The visit terminated on the 9th. The Prince and Princess had arranged to honour Lord Sondes by attending luncheon at Elmham Hall, but, owing to intelligence received of the critical condition of the King of the Belgians, the visit was postponed. Their Royal Highnesses left Elmham station by special train, and arrived at Sandringham the same afternoon.

7.-The Rev. J. M. Bellew gave public readings from the great poets and other authors, with organ accompaniments, at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich.

He was described as "a perfect master of the elocutionary art."

20.-Died at Yarmouth, in his 71st year, Mr. Edward Cubitt, of Honing Hall. He served in the Peninsular War with the 4th Dragoons, was at the retreat from Burgos, and received the medal with clasps for Vittoria, Pampeluna, and Toulouse.

26.-The Christmas pantomime at Norwich Theatre was ent.i.tled, "Camaralzaman and Badoura, or the Little G.o.d of Love and the Good Fairy of Lake Lovely."

1866.

JANUARY.

6.-At a meeting of the Norfolk Agricultural a.s.sociation, held at the Swan Hotel, Norwich, it was decided to abandon the annual show for that year, "because the bringing of cattle from all parts of the country would be inconsistent with what is being done to prevent the transit of cattle during the prevalence of the cattle plague."

8.-The Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by the Hon. T. de Grey, arrived at Holkham, on a visit to the Earl and Countess of Leicester.

"Their Royal Highnesses _de facto_ opened the new line of the West Norfolk Junction Railway, which had been pushed forward by the contractor so as to be ready for the purpose." It was by this line that the Prince and Princess travelled to Holkham. Their Royal Highnesses returned to Sandringham on the 13th.

11.-The first wintry weather of the season was experienced on this date, when there was a considerable fall of snow, accompanied by showers of rain and sleet, followed by a sharp wind frost. Telegraphic communication with London was suspended, in consequence of the blowing down of several miles of the telegraph line.

-Lost in the Bay of Biscay, by the wreck of the steams.h.i.+p London, on her voyage to Australia, the Rev. John Woolley, D.C.L., formerly headmaster of Norwich Grammar School, Fellow of University College, Oxford, and princ.i.p.al and professor of cla.s.sics and logic in the University of Sydney. Mr. G. V. Brooke, the actor, formerly a member of the Norwich Company, went down in the same ill-fated vessel.

13.-The new building, then known as the Consolidated Bank, London Street, Norwich, was opened for the transaction of business. It was designed by Mr. R. M. Phipson, of Norwich and Ipswich, and built by Mr. Hall, of Pottergate Street, at the cost of 4,000. It is now known as the National Provincial Bank.

-A vessel running through Yarmouth Roads was observed to be flying a "waif." Two lifeboats, the Rescuer, belonging to the Ranger Company, and the Friend of All Nations, the property of the Young Company of Beachmen, put off to her a.s.sistance. The Rescuer, in attempting to pa.s.s through the rough water at the bar, uns.h.i.+pped her rudder, was capsized, and twelve of her crew of sixteen were drowned.

15.-Judgment was given in the Arches Court by Dr. Lus.h.i.+ngton, in the action, Edwards and Mann _v._ Hatton, otherwise known as the "Mattishall Church Rate case." The plaintiffs were the churchwardens, and the defendant a paris.h.i.+oner of Mattishall. Hatton having refused to pay the Church Rate, proceedings were taken in the Arches Court to enforce it.

The whole sum in dispute was 6s. 8d., but it had given rise to many months of litigation, to much unpleasantness and ill-feeling in the parish, and to rioting and disturbance. Two objections were urged against the rate: (1) That proper notice had not been given on the church doors, as provided by the Act of Parliament; and (2) that the rate was unequal and unjust. The Court entered judgment for the churchwardens, and condemned the defendant in the costs of the protracted proceedings.

FEBRUARY.

1.-Under the Prisons Act, 1865, the old borough jail at Lynn ceased to be used as a prison.

2.-Mr. F. W. Windham, who for five or six years had enjoyed unenviable notoriety, died suddenly at the Norfolk Hotel, Norwich. He had been unwell for several days, and was seen by his medical attendant, Mr. F. C.

Bailey, on January 31st. Mr. Windham became better on February 1st, and still further improvement was manifested on the 2nd; but later in the day his symptoms were completely altered, and became so alarming that Mr.

Bailey called in Dr. Bateman and Dr. Eade. Every effort was made to restore animation, but without avail; this victim of an ill-spent life gradually sank, and in a few hours expired, in the presence of the medical men and of some of the servants of the hotel. Death was due to the obstruction of the circulation by a clot of blood in the pulmonary artery. On the 7th the body was removed to Tucker's Hotel, Cromer, and the interment took place on the 8th, in the family vault at Felbrigg.

Mr. Windham had completely dissipated the residue of the extensive property which he inherited, after payment of the law expenses contingent on the great suit, Windham _v._ Windham (_q.v._ November 22nd, 1861), and became dependent for a livelihood on the little income he made as driver of the Cromer coach. His uncle, General Windham, had made arrangements by which he was supplied with the means of living respectably. He had rooms at the Norfolk Hotel, but generally spent his time in one or other of the low public-houses in the city. The effect of his death was to deprive Mrs. Windham of the annuity granted on Mr. Windham's life, and of any interest whatever in the Hanworth estate.

16.-A case was heard at East Dereham Petty Sessions, in which the points urged in the Corn Hall litigation in 185758 were again brought prominently before the public. George Squire, a Lincolns.h.i.+re merchant, was charged with a.s.saulting Charles Howard, the keeper of the Corn Hall.

He had paid twopence for admission, and Howard informed him that he ought to take a merchant's ticket and hire a stand. In the course of the altercation, defendant took plaintiff by the collar and pinched his neck.

Mr. J. C. Chittock, solicitor, on behalf of the defendant, contended that any person had a right to go into the hall, whether he paid for doing so or not, because at the Summer a.s.sizes in 1857 the proprietors were indicted for obstructing a highway and a verdict was given for the Crown.

The hall was built upon a highway known as Lion Hill, and Lion Hill had never ceased to be a highway. The Bench determined that they had no jurisdiction, and dismissed the case.

18.-Died at Great Yarmouth, Mr. Isaac Preston, aged 92 years. One of the oldest inhabitants of the borough, he had, previous to the pa.s.sing of the Munic.i.p.al Reform Act, held several important offices in connection with the Corporation, and was twice Mayor. He was a justice of the peace and a deputy-lieutenant for the county, and was one of the promoters of the movement for the erection of the Nelson Column on the South Denes.