Norfolk Annals
Chapter 191 : 11.-Melton, the property of Lord Hastings, won the Liverpool Cup, beating Oberon, Bird

11.-Melton, the property of Lord Hastings, won the Liverpool Cup, beating Oberon, Bird of Freedom, Sailor Prince, and fourteen others. Ridden by Watts, Melton carried 9 st. 3 lb. and started at 100 to 8 against.

15.-At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, before Mr. Justice Field, Elizabeth Hamlinton (34), dressmaker, was found guilty of the murder of her infant daughter, at Fakenham, on October 16th. She was strongly recommended to mercy.

"The prisoner almost fainted when the judge put on the black cap; her face indicated terror, and when the dread sentence was p.r.o.nounced she moaned, and at its conclusion cried out despairingly." The Mayoress of Norwich (Mrs. Bullard) interested herself on behalf of the unhappy woman, and forwarded an influentially signed memorial to the Home Secretary. In due course the prisoner was respited.

16.-The Norwich Town Council a.s.sented to an application by Mr. Joseph Kincaird, of 3, George Street, Westminster, to construct tramways in the city upon certain routes, on condition that an amount equal to the cost of removing the lines and reconstructing the streets in case the tramways were not worked for a given period, be placed on permanent deposit.

Other conditions as to the control of traffic, &c., were imposed. The Norwich Tramways Company, Limited, with a capital of 30,000, was registered on December 23rd. (_See_ December 17th, 1889.)

27.-Died, at 41, Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, London, Mr. Octavius Edward Coope, M.P. He was first returned to the House of Commons in July, 1847, as Conservative member for Yarmouth. Mr. Coope was born in 1814, and was a partner in the firm of Ind, Coope, and Co.

30.-A military tournament by the 19th (Princess of Wales' Own) Hussars commenced at the Agricultural Hall, Norwich, and concluded on December 4th. The proceeds were in aid of local charities.

DECEMBER.

4.-A remarkable phenomenon was recorded at Yarmouth. "The tide twice flowed and ebbed within three hours. At 9.42 p.m., the calculated time for dead low water, the gauge registered only six feet above zero. Thus high and low water were practically reversed, a most uncommon phenomenon." On the night of the 8th "the barometer fell to 28.20, the lowest local reading for the past twenty years."

6.-A new fire escape for "populous buildings," invented by Captain Longe, of Spixworth Park, was tested at Thorpe Asylum. It consisted of "a movable staircase mounted on a frame on four wheels, which can be readily and expeditiously moved by two men to any window of a burning building, and raised by a double crank to a window 18 ft. from the ground, at an angle of 45 degrees, by which the inmates, stepping on a small platform, can easily descend." The Lunacy Commissioners reported favourably upon the invention.

27.-"Falka," produced by Van Biene and Horace Lingard's Comic Opera Company, was the Christmas attraction at Norwich Theatre. The dress circle, which had remained in its original state since the erection of the Theatre in 1826, was at this date remodelled and greatly improved by the removal of the uncomfortable and objectionable boxes.

28.-Considerable damage was done to the telephone wires in Norwich by a heavy fall of snow. "The whole system came to grief through the wires breaking and the derricks giving way."

-Died, at his residence, Shadingfield Lodge, Yarmouth, Mr. Samuel Nightingale, in his 84th year. He served the office of Mayor of the borough in 186869.

1887.

JANUARY.

6.-Dr. David George Thomson, senior medical officer of the Surrey Asylum, was appointed by the Norfolk county magistrates Medical Superintendent of the County Asylum at Thorpe, in place of Dr. Hills, resigned. The Court granted Dr. Hills a superannuation allowance of 600 per annum. At the Easter Sessions resolutions were presented by thirteen unions, protesting against the allowance as an excessive burden upon the county rates.

14.-A serious riot occurred in Norwich Market Place. A crowd of unemployed workmen, harangued by two Socialists, named Mowbray and Henderson, who suggested that they could not starve, and that they must procure food for themselves, became a disorderly mob, and under the leaders.h.i.+p of the agitators, made a raid upon several shops on the Walk.

The ringleaders, with two men, named Hurrell and Hall, were apprehended, and committed for trial. The case came before Mr. Justice Grantham at the a.s.sizes on the 21st, when Mowbray was sentenced to nine months', Henderson to four months', Hall to one month's, and Hurrell to one week's imprisonment, with hard labour. A similar disturbance on a minor scale took place at Yarmouth at about the same date. Owing to inflammatory placards distributed during the month of September, the Chief Constable of Norwich, on October 1st, applied to the magistrates for power to raise a force of 200 special constables. On October 11th the required number were sworn in, and informed that their active services would not be required except on a special summons from the magistrates.

25.-At the Norwich a.s.sizes, before Mr. Justice Grantham, was tried the action, the Corporation of Norwich _v._ c.o.xe. In this case the Corporation sued the Rev. Dr. c.o.xe, one of the sureties of Mr. E. S.

Steward, the late City Treasurer, to recover from him the sum of 1,000, for which amount he was bond. On behalf of the defendant it was urged that the auditors were remiss in pa.s.sing accounts that were incorrect, and the judge made strong comments upon the loose manner in which they did their work. The jury gave a verdict for the defendant.

FEBRUARY.

8.-Mr. Archibald Forbes delivered a lecture, at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, on "Ten Years of War Correspondence."

12.-A shocking murder was committed at Kenninghall Workhouse. Jonas Rivett, an inmate, aged 71, stabbed Henry Baker, a ward attendant, in the neck, severing his windpipe and jugular vein. At the combined Norfolk and Norwich a.s.sizes, held at Ipswich, on April 20th, before Mr. Justice Field, the prisoner was found guilty and sentenced to death. He was subsequently respited, and removed to Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum.

17.-Died, at Syleham, in her 100th year, Lucy Steggall, widow of Robert Steggall.

24.-Died, at Cannes, Mr. John Gurney, of Sprowston Hall, Deputy-Mayor of Norwich. On retiring in November, 1886, from the office of Mayor of the city he sought relaxation on the sh.o.r.es of the Mediterranean. A severe shock of earthquake, which occurred at Cannes at the time of his visit, is supposed to have told upon his highly sensitive and nervous organization, and to have indirectly caused his death. Mr. Gurney was the eldest son of Mr. John Gurney, of Earlham Hall, and grandson of Mr.

Samuel Gurney, of West Ham. He was born on December 11th, 1845, and educated at Harrow, whence he proceeded to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took his B.A. degree in 1866. The following year he became a member of the firm of Gurneys, Birkbecks, Barclay, and Buxton. In 1871 he married Isabel Charlotte, daughter of Mr. R. Blake-Humfrey, of Wroxham. Mr. Gurney, who was afflicted with blindness, was one of the most liberal benefactors of Norwich, and was greatly esteemed by the citizens.

MARCH.

11.-Norfolk, in common with other parts of the country, was visited by a severe spell of wintry weather.

15.-A dispute between smackowners and smacksmen at Yarmouth ended on this date. Differences had arisen over the subst.i.tution by the former of the share system for the old plan of payment by wages and poundage. The strike was beginning to have a disastrous effect upon trade, and was ended by an amicable arrangement.

18.-Died, at Stirling, Mr. J. F. Young, for many years a favourite actor upon the Norwich stage. Mr. Young was widely known as a member of the original "Caste" Company. He had been lessee of both Norwich and Yarmouth Theatres, and was greatly respected in private and professional circles.

21.-The action, Stanley _v._ the Mayor and Corporation of Norwich and the Attorney-General, was tried in the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice, before Mr. Justice Kekewich. This case raised the question of the right of the freemen to receive in perpetuity the rents of the Town Close Estate, a valuable plot of land of about 100 acres in extent, which was conveyed to the city in 1524 by the Prior of Norwich. It was contended on the part of the plaintiffs that this land became vested in the Corporation for the exclusive benefit of the freemen, the terms in the original grant "citizens" and "commonalty" being synonymous with "freemen." Mr. Justice Kekewich concurred in this contention, gave judgment for the plaintiffs, and ordered the costs of the action to be borne by the estate. (_See_ January 23rd, 1888.)

23.-A remarkable sale by auction was held at Leziate under a warrant of distress for the non-payment of t.i.the. "Mr. W. H. Boyce, of Holt House Farm, having made up his mind to object on principle to the payment of the t.i.the rent charged by the Rev. A. J. Groom, rector of Ashwicken-c.u.m-Leziate, and having also failed to induce the rector or his legal agent to make any abatement of the amount due, namely, 42 8s., a warrant of distress was issued, under which seizure was made of ten homebred steers, two cows in calf, and part of a stack of hay. The sale was conducted by Mr. W. B. Lane. It was carried out in quite an amicable manner, and the humour of the thing was enhanced by Mr. Boyce providing luncheon for those in attendance. The auctioneer had sold up to a certain point, when he announced that his duty was done, but Mr. Boyce gave him a commission to go on selling as long as he liked. This he accordingly did with excellent results. At the conclusion of the action Mr. Boyce thanked his friends for the way in which they had acted, expressed his objections to t.i.thes in general, and the present claim in particular, and afterwards entertained several of his friends at dinner."

APRIL.

5.-In the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice, before Mr.

Baron Pollock and Mr. Justice Stephen, a pet.i.tion was presented by Mr.

Joseph Arch against the return of Lord Henry Bentinck as member for North-West Norfolk, on July 9th, 1886. The pet.i.tioner alleged that the respondent was guilty of an illegal practice in paying the sum of 3 to Charles Wacey, of South Creake, in respect of expenses in the conduct or management of the election. The money was sent in a letter from Guist Hall, where Lord Henry Bentinck was staying, on January 20th. The letter was as follows:-"Dear Mr. Wacey-I enclose you a little present as some small compensation for the trouble and worry you have had in connection with the election and afterward. I am much obliged to you for all you have done, and I hope you will continue to help us in the future in the same able and energetic manner in which you have done in the past. Yours truly, Henry Bentinck. P.S. You had better not tell anyone that I sent you anything." This letter miscarried, and was delivered not to Charles Wacey, but to Thomas Wacey, who belonged to the party represented by Mr.

Arch. Thomas Wacey ultimately forwarded the postal orders contained in the letter to Charles Wacey, who cashed them and kept the proceeds. It was contended on the part of the respondent that the payment made in January, 1887, had no relation whatever to the conduct or management of the election in July, 1886. The money was paid on account of registration services, and the injunction of secrecy was made because to have paid all the district secretaries would have involved the respondent in an expenditure of 100. The pet.i.tion was dismissed with costs.

10.-A new organ, built at the cost of 450, was opened at St. Gregory's church, Norwich.

14.-The Norwich Diocesan Conference commenced at Noverre's Rooms, Norwich, under the presidency of the Lord Bishop. The proceedings were concluded on the 15th.

18.-An "Old World Exhibition" was opened at Blackfriars' Hall, Norwich, by the Mayor, in aid of a fund for rebuilding the tower of St.

Michael-at-Thorn. This remarkable collection, chronologically arranged by the Rev. W. F. Creeny, was of great historical and educational interest, and was contributed to by many of the leading residents in county and city. The exhibition closed on April 30th.

MAY.

12. A fifty miles bicycle race from the second milestone on the Dereham Road, Norwich, to Swaffham and back, was ridden by members of the Norwich Amateur Bicycle Club. The roads were heavy, and the wind, during the greater part of the journey, unfavourable. Result: 1st, H. J. Hayes, 3h.

45m. 30s.; 2nd, Overton, 3h. 46m.; 3rd, Howes.

14.-The currency question was discussed by the Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture, and a resolution adopted expressing alarm at the daily increasing difficulty experienced by the agricultural cla.s.ses in obtaining money with which to meet their obligations, a.s.serting the belief that "an increase in the circulating medium would lessen that difficulty," and urging the Government "to respond to the invitation of the great Powers who had asked this country to join with them in restoring to the peoples the free coinage and use of silver money." The following resolution was also adopted:-"Although currency may in some way affect the prosperity of trade and agriculture in this country, it is the opinion of this Chamber that the main cause of the depression is the influx of foreign produce to the ruin of the English producer and the employment of foreign labour in the place of English labour."

14.-Died, at Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich, Mr. George Alden Stevens, solicitor, in low 57th year. An entirely self-made man, he rose by perseverance and integrity to become a partner in the firm of Miller and Son. He was an ardent politician, and for several years argent to the Liberal party, and the constant adviser of Mr. Jacob Henry Tillett throughout his chequered experiences on the hustings and in the election courts. Mr. Stevens was a member of the Town Council, and an alderman, and it was largely due to his generosity and zeal that Chapel Field was transformed from a barren and useless waste into a beautiful garden.

18.-Died, at Gladstone Street, Norwich, George Wilde, aged 62, the last survivor in the city of the famous light cavalry charge at Balaclava.

Wilde was a private in the 13th Light Dragoons, and in the charge his horse was killed and himself wounded. He was in receipt of a pension of thirteen pence per day.

-The Prince of Wales visited Yarmouth and laid the foundation-stone of the new hospital. On the 19th his Royal Highness inspected the 2nd Brigade Eastern Division Royal Artillery, and in the evening attended a ball given by the officers.