Norfolk Annals
Chapter 168 : 18.-At an early hour in the morning the emigrant s.h.i.+p Humboldt, of Hamburgh, 729 t

18.-At an early hour in the morning the emigrant s.h.i.+p Humboldt, of Hamburgh, 729 tons register, bound from Hamburgh to the Brazils, with 349 emigrants on board, ran ash.o.r.e on Winterton beach. With the a.s.sistance of tugs the vessel was got off and taken to Yarmouth Roads for repair.

The master, Henrisch Detlof Busch, had lost his bearings, and believed himself to be off the coast of France!

20.-The first Starr-Bowkett Building Society was established at Norwich, by Mr. Starr, one of the originators of the system.

-The nomination of candidates for the election in the Northern Division of the county, consequent upon the death of the Hon. Frederick Walpole, M.P., took place at Aylsham. The candidates were Lieut.-Colonel James Duff, of Westwick House, and Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, Bart., of Warlies, Waltham Abbey. The polling, which took place on the 21st, resulted as follows: Duff, 2,302; Buxton, 2,192. Colonel Duff, during the election campaign, was confined to his house by sickness.

29.-A meeting of gentlemen interested in the field sports of the county was held at the Royal Hotel, Norwich, to consider the advisability of accepting the offer made by Mr. Angerstein, namely, that he would give to the county his pack of staghounds and deer, on condition that the county subscribed a sufficient sum "to hunt them in a proper manner." The meeting agreed to take over the hounds if adequate funds were forthcoming.

MAY.

15.-Mdlle. Beatrice's Comedy-Drama Company commenced an engagement at Norwich Theatre. The repertory included "The School for Scandal," "Mary Stuart," "Frou-frou," "Nos Intimes," "The Ticket-of-Leave Man," "John Jasper's Wife," and "East Lynne."

18.-Died at his residence, Theatre Street, Norwich, in his 82nd year, Mr.

William Butcher, a well-known land surveyor and auctioneer. He was a native of Brooke, and entered the office of Mr. Robert Corby, of Kirstead, a land surveyor, who had one of the largest practices in the district, if not in the kingdom. Mr. Butcher had unusual opportunities of acquiring a practical knowledge of the business at the time when enclosures of commons in Norfolk and Suffolk were being carried out, for Mr. Corby was the surveyor employed. For nearly sixty years he carried on a most lucrative practice, which was not confined to local limits, but extended throughout the kingdom, from the remotest parts of Scotland to the Land's End. Mr. Butcher served one term as an alderman of the city, and was Sheriff of Norwich in 187071.

24.-The Queen's birthday was celebrated in Norwich by an entertainment given to the inmates of the Workhouse by the Sheriff (Mr. Stevenson). It was stated that the Easter Monday and Whit Monday holidays provided by the Bank Holidays Act had affected the public observance of the day, and Volunteer reviews, sham fights, and civic feasts were no longer held to commemorate the occasion.

27.*-"The early closing of our shops on Thursdays in the summer months seems now to be the universal custom in Norwich, with the solitary exception of the chemists and druggists." (_See_ March 26th, 1879.)

-*"Some days since some men at work on Feltwell Fen found a quant.i.ty of Roman silver coins, many of them distinctly bearing the names of Hadrian, Antoninus, Trajan, Marcus Aurelius, Divas Antoninus, Vespasian, &c. They were contained in a vessel which was broken to pieces by the plough which turned it up."

31.-The ceremony of laying the foundation-stone of the new building in Little Orford Street, of the Norwich Church of England Young Men's Society, was performed by the President, Mr. F. E. Watson. The building, which was designed by Mr. Edward Boardman, architect, and erected by Mr.

G. E. Hawes, was formally opened on December 6th.

JUNE.

14.-The annual show of the Norfolk Agricultural a.s.sociation opened at Swaffham. Sir William ffolkes, High Sheriff of Norfolk, presided at the luncheon.

15.-Died at his residence, South Quay, Great Yarmouth, Vice-Admiral Thomas Lewis Gooch, aged 69, youngest son of Sir Thomas Sherlock Gooch, Bart., of Benacre Hall. Born at Bramfield, he joined the Royal Naval College in 1820, and entering the Navy, obtained Lieutenant's rank in 1828. He was appointed to the command of H.M.S. Kite, went to the West Coast of Africa, and brought home the survivors of the first ill-fated Niger Expedition. In 1865 he attained the rank of retired Rear-Admiral, and became Vice-Admiral in 1871. In 1828 he married Anne, eldest daughter of General the Hon. William Gardner, Lieutenant-Governor of Malta.

18.-Father Ignatius announced that he would commence an eight days'

mission at the Monastery, Elm Hill, Norwich. Miss Ware, a lady residing at Claydon, to whom, it was stated, the property belonged, was communicated with, and she instructed her solicitors to take the necessary steps for the ejectment of Ignatius. Mr. J. Clabburn, of Norwich, as agent to the solicitors, went to the Monastery, accompanied by three process-servers, and forcibly removed Ignatius and a brother monk as they were in the act of celebrating ma.s.s. On the 20th Ignatius summoned Mr. Clabburn and his men for a.s.sault, and, after a prolonged hearing at the Police Court, the magistrates dismissed the case.

Meanwhile Ignatius held his services in the large room at the Bell Hotel, in the yard of the Rampant Horse Hotel, and at St. Andrew's Hall.

27.-Died at Ambleside, Miss Harriet Martineau, who was born in Norwich on June 13th, 1802. "Although she was not a great she was a most industrious writer, and thoroughly in earnest in whatever she undertook."

28.-The new organ erected at East Dereham church by Messrs. Hill and Son, of London, at a cost of between 700 and 800, was opened by Dr. E. T.

Chipp, organist of Ely Cathedral.

30.-Died at Catton House, Norwich, Mr. Robert Chamberlin, aged 74. He thrice served the office of Mayor-in 18545, 18567, and 18712, and was Sheriff in 18489. Mr. Chamberlin was a magistrate for the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, and for the city of Norwich, and was a Deputy-Lieutenant of the first-named county.

JULY.

1.-The 3rd Norfolk Rifle Volunteers, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Duff, M.P., went into camp at Hunstanton Park, and were officially inspected on the 6th by Colonel Harenc, commanding the 31st Brigade Depot at Yarmouth.

2.-Two troops of the 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers) marched from Norwich, _en route_ to York; the headquarters left on the 8th.

19.-Died, Mr. Wace Lockett Mendham, Town Clerk of Norwich. He was in his 66th year, and was appointed to the office on the death of Mr. J. R.

Staff, in 1855. A Liberal in politics, "previous to his appointment he might have been a warm partisan, but in his office of Town Clerk he most carefully concealed his political feelings, and acted with strict impartiality." Mr. Mendham married Miss Tillett, a sister of Mr. J. H.

Tillett. He was succeeded as Town Clerk by Mr. Henry Blake Miller.

21.-The Norwich Central Conservative Club was formally const.i.tuted at a meeting of the party, held at the Bell Hotel.

22.-Died at Cardiff, aged 38, Mr. Henry Powel Smith, fourth son of Mr.

George Smith, formerly manager of the Norwich Theatrical Circuit.

24.-In pursuance of a writ from the Exchequer Division of the High Court of Justice, the Sheriff of Norwich, by his Under-Sheriff (Mr. F. Fox), empanelled a jury at the Royal Hotel to inquire what lands and tenements, and their yearly value, were possessed by James Frederick Neale, of St.

Andrew's Hall Plain, grocer, and what goods and chattels any person had in trust for him, as he was truly indebted to the Crown in the sum of 801 10s., "which sum was in danger of being lost unless some method more speedy than the ordinary course of procedure at law be had." These proceedings const.i.tuted another phase of the notorious Creak case. The jury found that Mr. Neale possessed property to the amount of 855, including 300 book debts, 505 stock-in-trade, and 50 paid on a life insurance policy, besides freehold property of the value of 16 a year.

The jury thought they were not bound to find what was Mr. Neale's indebtedness to the Crown, or what was the yearly value of the property he held belonging to the late Margaret Creak.

29.-The 1st Dragoons (Royal)-five troops with headquarters-arrived at Norwich, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Graham.

AUGUST.

11.-A fire, involving damage to the amount of about 10,000, occurred at Messrs. Boulton and Paul's Ironworks, Rose Lane, Norwich.

12.-Died at his residence, Unthank's Road, Norwich, Mr. Josiah Fletcher, aged 70. He was born at Henley-on-Thames, and in 1822 was apprenticed to Mr. Simon Wilkin, printer, &c., of the Haymarket, Norwich, with whom, on the completion of his term, he entered into partners.h.i.+p. Mr. Fletcher, in 1834, succeeded to the business, which was subsequently removed to the Market Place, and was there carried on by him until 1871, when, in consequence of his failing health, he retired, and was succeeded by his only son, who erected the extensive premises at Davey Place Steps. "Mr.

Fletcher may be said to have been the originator of the 'Norfolk News,'

of which journal he was for some time the editor and chief manager."

18.-Died at Ingoldisthorpe Hall, in his 88th year, Captain John Davy, R.N. He entered the Navy in 1803, was mids.h.i.+pman of the Barfleur in Sir Robert Calder's action in 1805, saw much gunboat service in 1807 and 1808 in the Faro off Messina, and was present at the reduction of the islands of Ischia and Procida.

29.-At a meeting of the Norwich Town Council, it was decided to purchase the Oxford Hotel for a sum not exceeding 2,000, for the purpose of converting it into munic.i.p.al offices. A special meeting was held on September 19th, at which it was reported that immediately after the decision of the Council a Norwich solicitor had offered 2,250 for the building. Mr. J. D. Smith, on behalf of the Corporation, offered 2,275, at which price it became city property. Considerable indignation was expressed at the action of the solicitor in question, which, it was pointed out, involved an increase in the rates of one farthing in the pound.

SEPTEMBER.

1.-Mr. and Mrs. German Reed appeared at Norwich Theatre, and were a.s.sisted in their entertainment by Mr. Corney Grain, Miss f.a.n.n.y Holland, and Mr. A. E. Bishop.

4.-Madame Blanche Cole's Crystal Palace Opera Company began a six nights'

engagement at Norwich Theatre.

6.-In compliance with a requisition signed by persons of both political parties, the Mayor of Norwich (Mr. J. H. Tillett) convened a Common Hall, "for the purpose of giving expression to the views entertained by the requisitionists on the atrocities committed in Bulgaria." The Mayor presided, and the Lord Bishop and many other leading citizens were present. Resolutions were adopted expressing indignation and horror at the atrocities perpetrated by troops in the service of the Turkish Government. Meetings of a similar character were held in many of the towns and villages of the county, sermons were preached in churches and chapels, and relief funds organized.

9.-Mr. R. T. Gurdon was presented with his portrait (painted by Mr.

Sidley, of London), in recognition of his political services to the county. The presentation was made by Sir Francis Boileau, Bart., at the Liberal Club, Norwich.

10.-Swaffham church was re-opened for public wors.h.i.+p. It had undergone extensive restoration, under the superintendence of Mr. W. O. Milne, architect, of London.