Norfolk Annals
Chapter 213 : NOVEMBER.9.-Mr. Charles Rackham Gilman was elected Mayor and Mr. Henley Curl appointed

NOVEMBER.

9.-Mr. Charles Rackham Gilman was elected Mayor and Mr. Henley Curl appointed Sheriff of Norwich.

18.-It was reported at a meeting of the Norwich Town Council that plans had been deposited at the Town Clerk's office for a proposed tramway scheme. At a meeting of the Council on December 15th it was stated that another scheme had been introduced, and was known as the Norwich and District Light Railways. Its object was to bring into closer connection with the city the outlying hamlets of Costessey, Thorpe St. Andrew, Trowse Newton, and Eaton, and plans had been deposited by the New General Traction Company, Limited. Both schemes were referred to committee.

(_See_ January 19th, 1897.)

21.-The Duke of York, as president of the Norfolk and Norwich Christmas Show a.s.sociation, arrived at Norwich and visited the exhibition of the a.s.sociation at the Agricultural Hall. His Royal Highness, on leaving the show, had luncheon with Mr. Colman, at Carrow Abbey, and in the afternoon left Trowse station for Sandringham.

25.-At a meeting of the Norwich Board of Guardians a deputation was appointed to visit towns where the rate-books were made out in street older, and to obtain information upon the subject of an improved method of collecting the rates. This important matter, originally introduced by Mr. William c.o.ke Gee, resulted in the adoption of a system by which the rate-books were made out in street order, the daily collection of rates introduced, the rate collectors' districts redistributed, and the half-yearly collection ended in March and September.

27.-Died at Hill House, Mill Hill Road, Norwich, Mr. Thomas Ballan Stead, permanent secretary of the Ancient Order of Foresters. Mr. Stead came from Dundee on the removal of the headquarters of the society to Norwich.

Prior to his election as secretary to the Foresters, Mr. Stead was engaged in journalism, and devoted himself mainly to studying questions affecting the social well-being of the artizan cla.s.ses.

DECEMBER.

2.-Mr. Bancroft, the actor, gave a reading of Charles d.i.c.kens' "Christmas Carol" at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, in aid of the Blind School and the Norwich Lying-in Charity.

9.-A regimental ball given at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, by Colonel Rough and officers of the 7th Dragoon Guards.

12.-Mr. Caleb Barker was elected secretary to the Norfolk Agricultural a.s.sociation in place of Mr. James Bacon, resigned.

14.-A poll was opened for the election of a vicar for the parish of St.

Andrew, Norwich. The candidates were the Rev. A. G. Copeman, son of the late vicar, the Rev. S. A. D. Suffling, and the Rev. R. Middleton. Mr.

Copeman received 170 votes, Mr. Suffling 129, and Mr. Middleton 46.

28.-Died at Park Lane, Norwich, Mr. Manning Prentice Squirrell, aged 61.

He was a son of Mr. Robert Squirrell, of Stowmarket, and head of the firm of Squirrell and Utting, merchants. In 1887 Mr. Squirrell was returned as a Liberal member of the Norwich Town Council, but dissented from his party, and at a subsequent election was defeated at the poll. A well informed man, he took great interest in economic and fiscal questions, and was an active member of the Norwich Science Gossip Club.

1897.

JANUARY.

19.-The Norwich Town Council ordered a pet.i.tion to be presented to Parliament against a scheme for the construction of electric tramways in the city. This course was adopted not in a hostile spirit, but with the object of making the best terms possible for the citizens. On February 9th the Corporation gave its consent to the Tramways Bill then before Parliament, and on February 23rd a pet.i.tion signed by nearly 23,500 inhabitants of the city was presented to the Town Council, asking them to support the projected electric tramways as distinct from the proposed scheme of light railways. The Parliamentary and By-laws Committee on April 13th reported that they had considered side by side the merits and proposals of the New General Traction Company, Limited, to construct electric tramways in the city and Thorpe, and of the British Electric Traction Company, Limited, to construct light railways in the city and district, and were of opinion that the interests of the city would be best served by making an arrangement with the former company. It was understood that the company had given an undertaking to withdraw their Bill from Parliament at any time upon the request of the Corporation. On April 23rd the Council adopted the following motion:-"(a) To enable the New General Traction Company, Limited, to carry their Bill through Parliament if terms can be arranged with the company satisfactory to the committee, for the construction of electric tramways in the city; (b) to oppose the application of the British Electric Traction Company, Limited, for an order by the Light Railway Commissioners authorising the company to construct light railways in the city and adjoining districts; (c) that the committee be authorised to take such action and incur such costs as may in their opinion be necessary to carry out the above resolutions."

On May 31st the Norwich Electric Tramways Bill was considered by a Select Committee of the House of Commons, and it was announced that all opposition had been withdrawn; and on July 20th it was stated that the Bill had pa.s.sed through the House of Commons and been read a second time in the House of Lords. (_See_ February 5th, 1898.)

19.-The resignation of Mr. Robert Hitchman, of the office of Chief Constable, which he had held for 38 years, was received by the Norwich Town Council, who granted him a retiring pension of 273 6s. 8d.

-The Norwich Town Council accepted the offer of Messrs. Gurneys and Co.

to present to the Corporation a set of civic robes.

22.-The roads in many parts of the county were rendered impa.s.sable by snowdrifts; the river traffic between Norwich and Yarmouth was impeded by ice, and in the stormy weather which prevailed much damage was occasioned to the Yarmouth fis.h.i.+ng fleet and coast-bound vessels.

23.-A public meeting convened by the Lord-Lieutenant of the county (the Earl of Leicester) and the Mayor (Mr. C. R. Gilman) was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, to decide upon the method of celebrating locally the Diamond Jubilee of her Majesty the Queen. The Dean of Norwich moved "That subscriptions be invited in order to raise a sum of money, to be called the Diamond Jubilee Fund, for the purpose of building a new Jenny Lind Infirmary for Sick Children, it being the strong feeling of the meeting that no memorial could be found more typical of the tender sympathy and interest ever shown by her Majesty in the sufferings and needs of her people." Viscount c.o.ke seconded the resolution, and a committee was appointed to raise the fund. (_See_ March 15th, 1898.)

25.-At the Norwich a.s.sizes, before Mr. Justice Cave, Henry Greaves Corsbie (37), clerk, pleaded guilty to feloniously endorsing and uttering a banker's cheque for the payment of 31 12s. 1d. with intent to defraud the Norfolk and Norwich Savings Bank on July 15th, 1893, and was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. The prisoner had been guilty of frauds extending over a period of ten years.

-John George Foster (35) was indicted at the Norwich a.s.sizes, before Mr.

Justice Cave, for the wilful murder of Alice Maria Newby, at 60, Pottergate Street, Norwich, on December 8th, 1896. He was found guilty of manslaughter, and sentenced to penal servitude for life.

FEBRUARY.

2.-The Girls' Home in Botolph Street, Norwich, established by the Board of Guardians with the object of removing young children from workhouse surroundings, was opened by the Mayor (Mr. C. R. Gilman).

6.-A sudden thaw accompanied by heavy rain caused extensive floods in low-lying districts of the county. Great alarm was occasioned in Norwich by the rising of the Wensum and the flooding of premises in Heigham Street. The waters subsided on the 7th.

7.-Died at Luxor, Egypt, Mr. Alan Cozens-Hardy Colman, aged 30, son of Mr. J. J. Colman, of Carrow House, Norwich. Mr. Colman, who was a member of the Norfolk County Council, was of a studious disposition, and applied himself to mechanics. Although in affluent circ.u.mstances he voluntarily became a pupil at the Stratford works of the Great Eastern Railway Company, was for a number of years an active confrere of the workmen employed there, adapted himself to their conditions of labour, and made himself generally popular.

11.-Died at Hackford Hall, Reepham, Georgina Frances Amy, widow of Mr.

John Collyer, and eldest daughter of Sir William Johnston, of that ilk, of Hilton House, Woodside, Aberdeen. Mrs. Collyer, who was in her 92nd year, was at the time of Wellington's great campaign being educated at Brussels, where her parents resided, and were among the guests who attended the d.u.c.h.ess of Richmond's ball on the night before Waterloo.

She had a vivid recollection of June 15th, 1815. With her younger sisters, she in the early dawn watched from the windows of her parents'

house the troops pa.s.sing to the field. Later in the day the girls attended school as usual, and soon became aware that the battle had begun. The servant sent to fetch her from school lost herself in the crowd, and the children made their way home alone, groping by the walls and pa.s.sing through the throng of troops marching to the field and the thickening stream of prisoners and wounded returning. On the 17th and 18th she was all day helping her parents to hand water and wine to the wounded as they pa.s.sed the door. Mrs. Collyer had personal recollections of Mendelssohn, whose wife was long her intimate acquaintance, and of Spohr, whose playing she had often heard and admired.

18.-The members at Norwich of the National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives resolved to go out on strike. On April 17th it was stated "the desertions from the ranks of the shoe strikers and their return to work have been steady and persistent during the week, although many hundreds are still out." Several charges of intimidation from time to time occupied the attention of the magistrates. On July 20th the Mayor made an appeal to masters and men to endeavour to formulate a plan for the settlement of their differences, but without effect. The strike having lasted six months, a meeting of the men was held at the Victoria Hall, at which it was stated that 10,000 had been expended in strike pay, and it was resolved that the struggle be continued. After lasting thirty-four weeks the strike came to an end on October 22nd, when terms were signed by the representatives of the masters and of the men. The last distribution of strike pay was made on the 23rd, and the men returned to work on the 25th (St. Crispin's Day).

MARCH.

5.-Died at his residence in the Close, Norwich, the Rev. Canon James William Lucas Heaviside. In 1838 he was professor of mathematics at Haileybury College, in 1843 examiner in mathematics and natural philosophy at the University of London, and in 1858 examiner for the Council of Military Education. He was appointed Canon residentiary of Norwich Cathedral in 1860, and afterwards became examiner in mathematics to Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, who, when stationed at Norwich with his regiment, the 7th Hussars, was a frequent visitor at Canon Heaviside's residence. Her Majesty the Queen, to mark her appreciation of his services, presented him with a ma.s.sive silver inkstand and a portrait of the Duke. For many years Canon Heaviside was chairman of the governors of the Grammar and Commercial Schools, a trustee of Norman's Endowed School, and one of the trustees for the management of the local charities. When the first Norwich School Board was formed in 1872 Canon Heaviside was elected chairman.

6.-The removal of Judge Addison from the Norfolk County Court Circuit to Southwark, and the appointment of Mr. William Willis, Q.C., as judge in his place, was announced.

-Died, the Rev. Ebenezer Cobham Brewer, LL.D., compiler of the "Dictionary of Phrase and Fable," and of other well-known works. Dr.

Brewer, who was nearly 87 years of age, spent his younger days in Norwich as a teacher in his father's school. In 1832 he went to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, took his degree in Civil Law in 1835, and obtained his degree as LL.D. in 1844. He was ordained in 1834 in the diocese of Ely. At the time of his death he was residing with his son-in-law, the Rev. H. T.

Hayman, vicar of Edwinstowe, Newark.

16.-Died at his London residence, 37, Hyde Park Gardens, W., the Right Hon. Sir Edward Ebenezer Kay, of Thorpe Abbots, Scole. He was a son of Mr. Robert Kay, of Bury, Lancas.h.i.+re, and brother Sir J. Kay Shuttleworth.

Born January 2nd, 1822, he studied for the law, began his career as law reporter, and became Queen's Counsel in 1866. At the General Election in 1874 he contested c.l.i.theroe in the Liberal interest, and was defeated.

In 1878 he gave up exclusive practice in Vice-chancellor Bacon's Court and became a special. On the retirement of Vice-Chancellor Malins in 1881 Kay was made a "journeyman judge" of the Chancery Division, and in that position he remained until the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Bacon in 1886. In 1890, on the retirement of Sir Henry Cotton, Mr. Justice Kay was promoted to the Court of Appeal. He was on the commission of the peace for the county, and was formerly a chairman of Norfolk Quarter Sessions.

17.-Sir William Harcourt, leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons, addressed a meeting of the National Liberal Federation at the Agricultural Hall, Norwich. The Earl of Kimberley presided and delivered an address, which elicited severe strictures from Lord Salisbury in the House of Lords on March 19th.

21.-Died at the Ches.h.i.+re Cheese Hotel, Surrey Street, Strand, when fulfilling a professional engagement in London, Mr. Mark Knights, chief reporter on the staff of the "Eastern Daily Press." Mr. Knights was suffocated by an escape of gas in his bed-room, and at the inquest the jury returned a verdict of accidental death. He was the author of several works on archaeological and other subjects. His "Highways and Byways of Norwich" and "Peeps at the Past" are regarded as standard works. Relinquis.h.i.+ng the study of antiquarian matters, which by his skilful treatment interested a wide circle of readers, Mr. Knights had taken up the work of interpreting Shakespeare in the light of Scripture, a subject that appealed to a very limited section. He published in 1893 a book ent.i.tled "Hamlet Interpreted," which failed to bring him a reputation such as he achieved by his archaeological works. Mr. Knights was 53 years of age, and had been thirty-five years engaged on the Press.

APRIL.

13.-Mr. Edwin F. Winch, Chief Constable of Truro, was appointed Chief Constable of Norwich at the salary of 350 per annum.