Norfolk Annals Volume Ii Part 41

JULY.

14.-Mrs. Elizabeth Watts, of Badding's Lane, St. Martin-at-Palace, Norwich, attained her one hundredth year.

15.-The 2nd Administrative Battalion of Norfolk Volunteers and the 1st Administrative Battalion of Suffolk Volunteers were encamped on the North Denes, Yarmouth. Major-General F. Murray inspected the battalions on the 20th.

18.-The projected establishment of a Norfolk County School for the education of the middle cla.s.ses "on similar principles to those which have been successfully carried out in other counties," was discussed at a meeting of the West Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture held at King's Lynn.

The movement, which was initiated by the Rev. J. L. Brereton, was deemed worthy of support not only by the chamber, but by the county generally.

On September 30th the announcement was made that the school was being experimentally conducted at Great Ma.s.singham. (_See_ January 22nd, 1872.)

22.-The 1st Administrative Battalion of Norfolk Rifle Volunteers went into camp at Holkham Park. The North Walsham corps marched the whole distance of thirty miles; they started the day before, and were billeted for the night at Holt. Lieut.-Col. Wilkinson inspected the battalion on the 26th, and the camp was struck on the 29th.

AUGUST.

2.-The Eastern Counties Industrial and Fine Arts Exhibition commenced at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich. It remained open for two months.

5.-At a special meeting of the Governors of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, the Centenary Committee appointed for the purpose of suggesting a scheme for affording increased accommodation for in-patients, and for soliciting donations and subscriptions to carry out the object, reported that in consequence of conflicting opinions they had been unable to come to a decision. It was agreed by the Board that no additional building be commenced not only until the necessary funds for completing the building were provided, but until increased subscriptions for the maintenance of additional in-patients were forthcoming. (_See_ November 20th, 1876.)

7.-The first Monday in August falling upon this date, "the banks at Norwich were closed, under the Bank Holiday Act." At East Dereham "the first of the holidays mentioned in the new statute was officially observed by the various bank officials, for whose convenience the measure was pa.s.sed into law." A meeting of the merchants, manufacturers, traders, and others was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, on December 14th, "to determine whether the holidays mentioned in the Bank Holiday Act should be permanently adopted in this city." Those present pledged themselves to adopt the holidays.

15.-The Yarmouth Town Council voted an address to Sir James Paget, a native of the borough, congratulating him upon the honour of a baronetcy conferred upon him by the Queen.

22.-The D Battery, B Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery, marched from Norwich for Aldershot, and were accompanied to the city boundary by the bands of the Artillery and Rifle Volunteers.

26.-Died, Mr. James De Carle Sowerby, aged 84. He belonged to a Norwich family of naturalists, and was chiefly employed in drawing, engraving, and colouring. "There were few departments of natural history in which his attainments were not considerable, and he published many papers on sh.e.l.ls and other subjects in the Transactions of the Geological and other societies."

SEPTEMBER.

2.-Mr. Walter Montgomery, the well-known actor, committed suicide by shooting himself at Sh.e.l.ly's Hotel, Stafford Street, London. Only on the 30th of the previous month he married, at St. George's, Hanover Square, Miss Laleah B. Bigelow, an American lady. Mr. Montgomery, whose real name was Richard Tomlinson, was a native of Norwich, and for some years resided at Walsingham, where he was apprenticed to Mr. William c.o.ker, a grocer and draper. At an early age he showed a predilection for the stage, and after a series of recitals in private, made his first appearance at Norwich Theatre, and subsequently played at Yarmouth, Bath, Bristol, and other provincial towns. He went to Birmingham in 1854, and thence to the Theatre Royal, Manchester, where he became a great favourite. He performed also at Drury Lane and the Haymarket, and made a tour in Australia, where he established for himself a high reputation.

Returning to England, he sustained heavy pecuniary losses by his connexion with the Gaiety Theatre, and had resolved to emigrate to America. Mr. Montgomery was 44 years of age.

11.-Mdlle. Beatrice appeared at Norwich Theatre with "Frou-frou" Company.

During the engagement, "The Happy Pair" and "The Ticket-of-Leave Man," in which Mr. Horace Wigan sustained his original character of Hawkshaw, the Detective, were produced.

27.-The All England and Norfolk Ploughing Matches commenced at Booton, near Reepham, and were continued on the 28th. There were seven contests-three for implement manufacturers and four for Norfolk ploughmen. A public dinner was held at Hackford schoolroom on the evening of the first day, when Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., presided, and several local members of Parliament were present.

OCTOBER.

4.-The headquarters of the 7th Dragoon Guards arrived at Norwich, under the command of Lieut.-Col. Peyton. The Cavalry Barracks being under repair, the officers took up their quarters at the Royal Hotel.

6.-Great excitement was caused at Diss by the closing of the doors of Messrs. Fincham and Co.'s Bank. In a circular issued shortly afterwards, Mr. Simpson stated that he was compelled to adopt this course owing to the continued strain upon his resources. On the 7th it was announced that arrangements were being made by which it was hoped the business of the Bank would be carried on; and on the same day Messrs. Gurneys intimated that they would afford banking facilities to the customers of Messrs. Fincham and Simpson during the temporary suspension of business.

A meeting of the creditors was held on the 10th, and a committee appointed; and representatives of the London and Provincial Bank carried out negotiations which resulted in the Bank being re-opened on the 11th.

Another meeting was held on November 2nd, for the purpose of proving debts and of realising the estate. Payment to the creditors of 10s. in the pound was arranged, it being understood that further dividends would be paid as the estate was realised. The liabilities were reported to be 87,305 5s. 6d., and the a.s.sets 54,491 18s. 2d.

13.-Sir Samuel Bignold, on the completion of his 80th year, was presented by the clerks at the Union Offices with a silver inkstand and an illuminated address. Several of the Conservative Ward a.s.sociations adopted congratulatory addresses, and, on the 17th, a resolution was pa.s.sed by the Town Council expressive of the congratulations of that body. On January 9th, 1872, the proprietors of the Norwich Union Fire Office presented Sir Samuel with a service of plate and his portrait, painted by Ventnor.

15.-Died at his residence, Buckingham Palace Road, London, Mr. Richard Young, who, on the 13th inst., had been re-elected by the Livery of the Corporation Sheriff of London and Middles.e.x. Mr. Young, who was a merchant and s.h.i.+powner, and a director of the Great Eastern Railway and other companies, was born at Scarning, in 1809, and was a self-made man.

16.-Died at the house of her nephew, Mr. H. Wilkin, West Pottergate Street, Norwich, Sarah Nolbrow, aged 100 years.

17.-The Norwich Town Council accepted a portrait of Mr. Jacob Henry Tillett, painted by Sandys, to be placed in St. Andrew's Hall.

-The Sanitary Committee reported to the Norwich Town Council that the number of outbreaks of small-pox in the city was such as to occasion considerable alarm. It was stated that the necessary precautions had been taken, and, in case of death, burial within forty-eight hours had, as far as possible, been enforced, and arrangements made to prevent the bodies of children being carried to the Cemetery in cabs. Dr. Eade, at a meeting of the Town Council on November 28th, referred to the alarming spread of the disease, and urged the necessity of enforcing vaccination.

During this and the succeeding month several persons were prosecuted for neglect of precautionary measures. On December 19th it was reported to the Town Council that the Marchioness of Lothian had munificently given to the city a small-pox hospital. (_See_ March 23rd, 1872.)

18.-A new Corn Hall, erected through the enterprise of Mr. J. W. Davey, was opened at Yarmouth. It was designed by Mr. J. B. Pearce, and built by Mr. J. W. Lacey, at the cost of 3,800. "For many years past the corn merchants had met in all weathers in front of the Duke's Head Hotel, without the slightest shelter, and transacted their affairs at great inconvenience to themselves and to the annoyance of the general public."

26.-At Norwich Quarter Sessions, before the Recorder, Mr. O'Malley, Q.C., Henry Brown Woolsey (36), formerly a clerk at Carrow Works, pleaded guilty to feloniously embezzling 558, the monies of his employers, Mr.

J. J. Colman and others, and was sentenced to five years' penal servitude, although recommended to mercy by the prosecutors.

Considerable comment was made upon the disparity of the sentences in this and in the Hoskins case (_q.v._ page 210).

NOVEMBER.

9.-Mr. Robert Chamberlin was elected Mayor, and Mr. Frederick Grimmer appointed Sheriff of Norwich.

23.-A telegram was received at Norwich announcing that the Prince of Wales was suffering from an attack of typhoid fever at Sandringham.

"There are," it was added, "no unfavourable symptoms." Later bulletins were of a most alarming character, and the inhabitants of county and city soon realised that his Royal Highness was in a critical condition. The Queen arrived from Windsor on the 29th, and was met at Wolferton station by the Duke of Edinburgh, who escorted her to Sandringham. This was her Majesty's first visit to Sandringham, and her second to Norfolk. [As Princess Victoria, she, with her mother, the d.u.c.h.ess of Kent, visited Mr.

c.o.ke at Holkham, in 1835.] Her Majesty returned to Windsor on December 1st. On the 8th his Royal Highness had a very serious relapse, and his Royal mother, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Louise, hurried back to Sandringham. On December 10th a special form of prayer was used in all churches, and supplications were made at Nonconformist places of wors.h.i.+p. Public suspense continued until the 14th, when a turn for the better took place, and on the 19th her Majesty returned to Windsor. On the same day a special meeting of the Norwich Town Council was held, at which, on the motion of Sir William Foster, seconded by Sir Samuel Bignold, a resolution was adopted expressing to her Majesty and the Princess of Wales the deep sympathy felt by the citizens during the dangerous and painful illness of his Royal Highness. Throughout this trying period the newspaper offices in Norwich were besieged by anxious crowds, eager to receive intelligence. (_See_ January 4th, 1872.)

30.-A severe gale burst over the East coast, and was productive of the most terrible disasters to s.h.i.+pping and the fis.h.i.+ng fleet.

DECEMBER.

26.-The pantomime produced at Norwich Theatre, by Miss May Holt, was ent.i.tled, "The Fair One with the Golden Locks, or Harlequin Zephyr and the Peris' Paradise on the Jewelled Island." At Charles Adams' Circus was produced the equestrian pantomime, "Ride a c.o.c.k Horse to Banbury Cross, or Harlequin Mother Goose."

1872.

JANUARY.

4.-At the Norfolk Quarter Sessions, held at the s.h.i.+rehall, Norwich, the Earl of Kimberley moved an address to the Queen, conveying to her Majesty the a.s.surance that the magistracy and all her loyal subjects in the county had felt the sincerest sympathy with her during the alarming illness of the Prince of Wales; and Lord Sondes moved a congratulatory address to his Royal Highness and the Princess of Wales. The clergy of the diocese, at a meeting held at the Palace on the 27th, adopted similar addresses. "Thanksgiving Day" was observed throughout the county on February 27th. At Norwich the princ.i.p.al business establishments were closed, and services held at the Cathedral, the parish churches, and other places of wors.h.i.+p.

11.-The centenary of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital was celebrated by an entertainment given at the inst.i.tution.

22.-The Norwich, Costessey, and Taverham Tramway Scheme was considered by the Board of Trade, to whose satisfaction the promoters proved that the preliminary steps required under the Tramways Act, 1870, had been complied with.