Norfolk Annals
Chapter 194 : Kerrison died, he was in partners.h.i.+p with him. Mr. Preston was appointed Clerk to

Kerrison died, he was in partners.h.i.+p with him. Mr. Preston was appointed Clerk to the Burials Board in 1861, and held the office until his death; he had been a director of the Norwich Union Life Insurance Society since 1867, and president since 1885; and he was the Norwich solicitor to the British Gas Light Company, Limited, to which office he was appointed in 1864. Mr. Preston was twice married-in 1854 to Maria, daughter of Mr.

Robert Waters, and in 1869 to Louisa Jane, daughter of the Rev. J.

Culling Evans, of Stoke Pogis, Buckinghams.h.i.+re. He left a family of five sons and three daughters.

-An outbreak of fire at West Beckham Workhouse caused damage to the amount of 1,500.

5.-The proceedings of the Norwich Diocesan Conference commenced at Noverre's Rooms, Norwich, and concluded on the 6th.

16.-The E and D Troops of the 19th (Princess of Wales' Own) Hussars marched from Norwich Cavalry Barracks for Hampton Court and Kensington.

The remaining troops left on the 26th, on which day three troops of the 20th Hussars marched in under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Blake.

21.*-"A party of emigrants, numbering sixty, from parishes in the neighbourhood of Diss, have left this week for Canada."

28.-Died, at 19, Hanover Terrace, Ladbroke Square, London, Lieut.-Colonel George Black, formerly Chief Constable of Norfolk, in his 79th year. It was on October 20th, 1852, that Colonel (then Captain) Black, a half-pay officer of the Royal Staff Corps, who had seen service as adjutant in Canada, was appointed to the command of the Norfolk Constabulary, and he held the post until the autumn of 1880, when he retired on a pension.

For sixteen or seventeen years Colonel Black held the command of the Norwich Rifle Battalion in succession to Colonel Brett. At the funeral, which took place at Willesden Cemetery on May 2nd, the coffin was borne to the grave by six superintendents of the Norfolk Constabulary.

MAY.

2.-Nine cottages were destroyed by fire at Hockering. Most of the furniture and belongings of the occupants were consumed, and a public subscription was opened for the relief of the sufferers.

19.-The Norfolk Artillery Volunteer Brigade went into camp at Yarmouth under the command of Lieut.-Colonel H. M. Leathes.

22.-Died, at Norwich, Mr. John Betts, in his 89th year. The head of a large wholesale and retail drapery establishment, he was appointed Sheriff in 1844, elected Mayor in 1845, and placed on the commission of the peace in 1848.

24.-Died, at Bracondale, Norwich, Major-General James c.o.c.kburn, formerly of the 79th Cameron Highlanders, aged 77. He was second son of Major-General James Patteson c.o.c.kburn, of the Royal Artillery, and was born in Norwich when his father was stationed there in 1810. After serving in Canada he received the appointment of staff officer of pensioners in the Norwich District, from which post he retired in 1877.

General c.o.c.kburn was a justice of the peace for the city, and vice-president of the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society.

-The members of the British Dairy Farmers' a.s.sociation arrived at Trowse railway station, and visited Carrow Abbey, where they were entertained to luncheon by Mr. J. J. Colman, M.P. After inspecting the Whitlingham herd, they proceeded to Norwich, and held a conference at the Agricultural Hall. In the evening the members dined at the Royal Hotel under the presidency of Mr. Clare Sewell Read; and on the 25th proceeded by train to King's Lynn and Sandringham.

30.-The Earl of Leicester presided at a public meeting at Norwich, and made an eloquent appeal on behalf of a fund for the enlargement and reconstruction of the Blind Inst.i.tution. The cost of the proposed work was estimated at 4,000. (_See_ October 16th, 1891.)

JUNE.

12.-An inter-county match between teams of twenty men each took place on the occasion of the annual meeting at Yarmouth of the Norfolk Volunteer Service a.s.sociation. Total scores: Suffolk, 1,711; Lincolns.h.i.+re, 1,697; Norfolk, 1,652; Ess.e.x, 1,557.

18.-The staff of the 4th Battalion Norfolk Regiment left Yarmouth and took up their quarters at the Infantry Depot known as the Britannia Barracks, Norwich.

19.-The Norwich Town Council adopted an address of condolence with the Queen and with the Empress of Germany on the death of the German Emperor.

Similar addresses were pa.s.sed by the Corporations of Yarmouth and Lynn.

21.-The Summer Show of the Norfolk Agricultural a.s.sociation opened at East Dereham. Mr. R. T. Gurdon, M.P., presided at the luncheon. The show was continued on the 22nd.

28.-The church of St. Thomas, Heigham, was consecrated by the Bishop of Norwich. The building was designed by Mr. Ewan Christian, of London, and erected by Mr. G. E. Hawes, at the total cost of 6,600.

30.-Dr. S. J. Barton was elected an honorary physician of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital in place of Sir Peter Eade, who retired from the post of senior physician. Dr. Beverley was elected honorary surgeon to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Mr. T. W. Crosse.

JULY.

5.-A severe thunderstorm, accompanied by heavy rain and hail, occurred in Norfolk.

7.-Died, at East Dereham, Mr. Samuel Bates, who was born in that town in 1789. He started in business in the Market Place in 1814, and was a subscriber to the dinner held in 1815 on the occasion of the celebration of peace. In 1809 he witnessed and took part in the festivities connected with the Jubilee of George III., and seventy-seven years later partic.i.p.ated in the celebration of the Jubilee of Queen Victoria.

9.-The Mayor (Mr. F. W. Harmer) opened, at the rooms of the Norwich Art Circle, Queen Street, a loan collection of works by John Sell Cotman.

14.*-"Lieut.-Colonel William Earle Gascoyne Lytton Bulwer is gazetted to the command of the Eastern Counties Volunteer Brigade."

21.-At a meeting held at the Guildhall, Norwich, under the presidency of the Deputy-Mayor (Sir Harry Bullard), a local branch was established of the National a.s.sociation for the Employment of Reserve and Discharged Soldiers.

-The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Volunteer Battalions of the Norfolk Regiment went into camp at Great Yarmouth. The marching in state was 2,000.

24.-The Fellows of the Huguenot Society of London held their summer conference at Norwich. The proceedings were continued on the 25th.

AUGUST.

6.-The Norwich Cricket Week commenced on this date, and concluded on the 11th. The princ.i.p.al match of the week was Norfolk _v._ Pa.r.s.ees. Scores: Norfolk, 13873; Pa.r.s.ees, 78129. Sir Kenneth Kemp's amateur theatrical company appeared at the Theatre on the 8th in "The Porter's Knot" and "To Oblige Benson"; on the 10th the comedy was repeated, and a "Cups and Saucers" was produced as an after-piece.

10.-Upwards of 10,000 people were present at a Primrose League _fete_ given at Houghton Park by Mr. E. Kenyon-Stow. Addresses were delivered by Lord Henry Bentinck, M.P., Mr. Weston Jarvis, M.P., and Mr. Whitmore, M.P.

18.-Died, at Norwich, Mr. Henry Stevenson, F.L.S. He was the youngest son of Mr. Seth William Stevenson, and was born at Surrey Street, Norwich, March 30th, 1833. Educated at King's College School, London, he became, on attaining his majority, a co-partner in the proprietors.h.i.+p of the NORFOLK CHRONICLE, and at the age of 22 was elected honorary secretary of the Norfolk and Norwich Museum, a position which he filled with marked ability to the close of his life. Volume I. of his standard work, "The Birds of Norfolk," was published in December, 1866, and Volume II. in September, 1870; and Volume III. was in course of publication at the time of his death. His other literary work included a memoir of his friend, the Rev. Richard Lubbock, M.A., rector of Eccles, published with a revised edition of Lubbock's "Fauna of Norfolk," edited by Mr. T.

Southwell (1879), and numerous contributions to the Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society, of which he was one of the founders, and filled the office of president in 187172. Mr. Stevenson was appointed Sheriff of Norwich in 1875. He married, in 1856, Eliza Dangerfield, stepdaughter of Mr. Edward Slater, who died from injuries received in a carriage accident on July 17th, 1862; his second wife was Ann Emilia, eldest daughter of Mr. Wm. Self, surgeon, of Hackney.

30.-Lord Walsingham killed to his own gun, on his small moor at Blubberhouses, Yorks.h.i.+re, 1,058 grouse. Of these, 1,036 were taken home the same night, and 22 were picked up the following day. "The record of his having killed 842 grouse to his own gun on August 28th, 1872, had been so freely disputed by many persons, who professed to regard it as a physical impossibility, that it was his lords.h.i.+p's intention to prove more could be accomplished."

SEPTEMBER.

6.-Died, at Ormesby Lodge, Sir Edmund Henry Knowles Lacon, Bart. He was the eldest son of Sir Edmund Knowles Lacon, and his wife, Eliza Dixon, eldest daughter and co-heiress of Mr. Thomas Beecroft, of Sculthorpe Hall. Born August 14th, 1807, he was educated at Eton and Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he took his B.A. in 1828 and his M.A. degree in 1831. In 1839 he married Eliza Georgiana, daughter of Mr. James Esdale Hammet, of Battersea. He succeeded to the baronetcy in 1839. Sir Edmund was first returned to Parliament for the borough of Yarmouth in 1852. At the next General Election, in March, 1857, Mr. McCallagh and Mr. E. A.

Watkin gained the representation of the const.i.tuency by a narrow majority over Sir Edmund and his colleague, the Hon. Charles Smyth Vereker, son of Viscount Gort. A pet.i.tion was presented, and a Committee of the House of Commons declared the election void. Thereupon Sir Edmund issued an address, but subsequently followed the example of Mr. Vereker, and retired, so that Serjeant (afterwards Mr. Justice) Mellor and Mr.

Adolphus W. Young had a walk-over. On the dissolution taking place in 1859 he and Sir Henry Stracey defeated Messrs. Watkin and Young; a pet.i.tion and enquiry followed, but they were declared duly elected. In 1865 Sir Henry Stracey retired, leaving Sir Edmund with Mr. James Goodson as his colleague, and both were returned in opposition to Mr. Alexander Brogden and Mr. Philip Vanderbyl, who presented a pet.i.tion, which, though the sitting members were undisturbed, resulted in the Committee reporting that they had reason to believe corrupt practices had prevailed. A Royal Commission and the disfranchis.e.m.e.nt of the borough followed. Then came the Reform and Redistribution Acts of 1868, under which the county of Norfolk was divided into three parts, and Yarmouth was merged in the Northern Division. At the first election under the new arrangement Sir Edmund Lacon and his colleague, the Hon. Frederick Walpole, were returned, notwithstanding the powerful opposition of the Liberal party, who had brought forward Mr. Edmond R. Wodehouse and Mr. R. T. Gurdon. A pet.i.tion was presented, and failed. In 1869 Sir Edmund was presented by his const.i.tuents with a piece of silver plate weighing 900 ozs., and valued at upwards of 600, in recognition of his services to the Conservative cause. In 1874 he and Mr. Walpole were returned unopposed, and in 1880 there was again no contest, when Sir Edmund and Mr.

(afterwards Sir Edward) Birkbeck were elected on the death of Colonel Duff, who had succeeded Mr. Walpole. Under the redistribution scheme of 1885 Yarmouth was allowed one member, but at the next General Election Sir Edmund retired, and Sir H. W. Tyler was elected in his stead. Sir Edmund Lacon was senior partner in the banking firm of Lacons, Youells, and Co., and in the extensive brewery of Lacons and Co. On the death of Lord Sondes in 1875 he was appointed High Steward of Yarmouth; he was a Deputy Lieutenant for Norfolk and a magistrate for Norfolk and Suffolk.

Sir Edmund was formerly Colonel Commandant, and at the time of his death Honorary Colonel, of the East Norfolk Militia.

9.-A serious fire occurred at the Orchard Street Saw Mills, Norwich, occupied by Messrs. Cunnington Bros, timber merchants. Considerable damage was done to the machinery and stock-in-trade, and a large building was destroyed.

11.-The detachment of Royal Engineers, who had for ten years been engaged on the Ordnance Survey, left Norwich for York. The work in Norfolk was completed in 1883, and it was found that very little alteration was needed in the map drawn thirty or forty years previously. The survey of the northern half of Cambridges.h.i.+re was then commenced and was completed in 1885; this was followed by the survey of a portion of Huntingdons.h.i.+re and Northamptons.h.i.+re, including the city of Peterborough; and finally the southern half of Lincolns.h.i.+re, which was finished in April, 1887. The detachment, including women and children, numbered 120, and the official papers, books, &c., weighed between 30 and 40 tons. The first commanding officer was Captain Macpherson, who was succeeded by Captain Day and by Major Was.h.i.+ngton.

20.-The new Hospital, erected at Dene Side, Yarmouth, was publicly opened by Sir James Paget, the distinguished physician, a native of the town.

The total cost of the inst.i.tution was estimated at 10,750.

OCTOBER.