Norfolk Annals
Chapter 139 : DECEMBER.7.-Died, in his 73rd year, Mr. Charles Turner, who was Sheriff of Norwich in

DECEMBER.

7.-Died, in his 73rd year, Mr. Charles Turner, who was Sheriff of Norwich in 1824, elected Alderman in 1832, and was Mayor in 1834. He was the last Mayor who served the full term of office under the old Corporation.

9.-A six miles race for 50 was run at the Green Hill Gardens, Norwich, between Deerfoot, the celebrated Seneca Indian, Brighten, the "Norwich Milk Boy," and Long, of Middlesbrough. This was one of the so-called matches run during a provincial tour by these pedestrians. Deerfoot wore his Indian costume, decorated with sh.e.l.ls and feathers. He stood 5 ft.

11 in., was of muscular frame, but not well knitted, and his limbs were long and loose, contrasting badly with the neat, compact figure of the "Milk Boy." Among the spectators of the "match," which was, of course, won by the Indian, were the Duke of Wellington and Sir Samuel Bignold.

15.-Intelligence was received in Norwich of the death of the Prince Consort. Early on the following morning (Monday) the Mayor requested the citizens to partially close their business establishments until after the funeral. On the day of the funeral (December 23rd), business was entirely suspended, and the Mayor and Corporation, accompanied by the Rifle Volunteers, attended service at the Cathedral. The Nonconformist bodies held a united service at St. Andrew's Hall, at which the Rev. John Alexander delivered an address. Addresses of condolence with the Queen were voted by the Norwich Town Council, on December 30th, and by a county meeting, held at the s.h.i.+rehall, under the presidency of the High Sheriff (Mr. J. T. Mott), on January 18th, 1862.

26.-Mr. George Owen produced the Christmas pantomime, "Puss in Boots," at the Theatre Royal, Norwich; and Mander's Royal Menagerie was exhibited on the Castle Meadow. The African "lion tamer," Maccomo, whilst performing at the latter show, on the 28th, was severely attacked by a young lion, and narrowly escaped with his life.

1862.

JANUARY.

2.-Mr. Thomas Richmond Pinder, head master of Hingham Endowed School, was elected head master of the new Commercial School, built on the site of the old Workhouse, adjoining St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, at the cost of about 1,500. The school was designed by Mr. James S. Benest, architect to the trustees, and built by Messrs. Ling and b.a.l.l.s. It was opened as King Edward the Sixth's Commercial School, on July 28th.

19.-An alarming fire occurred in the centre wing of Swaffham prison. The inmates of the cells, who were greatly terrified, were safely removed, and afterwards conveyed to Norwich Castle. The roof of the new portion of the prison was completely destroyed, with three looms and a considerable quant.i.ty of stock in raw materials and manufactured articles.

28.-Died at Swainsthorpe, Eleanor Harrison, widow, aged 101.

30.-A rifle match, between eleven Norfolk and a like number of Northamptons.h.i.+re Volunteers, took place at the seat of Earl Spencer, Althorp Park. The teams were under the respective commands of Lord Bury and Earl Spencer. Northamptons.h.i.+re won by 170 points against 164 made by their opponents. The return match, which took place on the Mousehold Range, Norwich, on September 27th, was also won by Northamptons.h.i.+re, by 17 points.

FEBRUARY.

1.*-"A private named Thomas Nelson, attached to one of the troops of the 5th Dragoon Guards, now stationed in Norwich, is said to have become the possessor of a fortune of 70,000, besides a fine estate near Liverpool, of the value of 9,000 per annum."

3.-H.R.H. the Prince of Wales visited Norfolk, "for the purpose of inspecting the Sandringham Hall estate, with the view of purchasing it for shooting purposes, for which it is well adapted." On the 22nd it was announced that his Royal Highness had concluded the purchase for 220,000, and, it was added, "Norfolk people entertain strong hopes that they shall see a good deal of their future Sovereign."

15.-The subject of the proposed amalgamation of the Eastern Counties, the Norfolk, the Eastern Union, the East Anglian, and other railways'

communicating with Norwich obtained publicity on this date. The Norwich Town Council, on the 21st, decided to pet.i.tion Parliament against the Railway Amalgamation Bill, on the ground that the amalgamation was calculated to injuriously affect the citizens by depriving them of the advantages of compet.i.tion in railway transit.

MARCH.

1.-Died at his house at Charlton, Kent, aged 86, Professor Peter Barlow, F.R.S. He was born in the parish of St. Simon, Norwich, in October, 1776. Related to one of the leading manufacturing families in the city, the Columbines, his early life was pa.s.sed in their warehouse. He continued there about three years, and during that period acquired, by his own industry, a considerable knowledge of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, navigation, and French. Subsequently he obtained a situation in a school in Ess.e.x, and afterwards proceeded to s.h.i.+pdham, when, the master dying, he succeeded to the school, and married a s.h.i.+pdham lady. He commenced a regular correspondence with the "Ladies'

Diary," then under the management of Dr. Hutton, professor of mathematics at Woolwich, whose attention was favourably attracted by the contributions furnished by Mr. Barlow. Dr. Hutton recommended him as candidate, in 1801, for the post of additional master at the Royal Military Academy, and he was successful. In 1811 he published his first work, "The Theory of Numbers," in 1813, "The Mathematical Dictionary,"

and in the same year his "Mathematical Tables." In 1817 his work, "The Strength of Materials," was published. In 1819 he turned his attention to magnetic experiments, in which he was very successful in developing the laws of action and in the application of those laws to the correction of a long-standing error in navigation. For this discovery he received several honorary and pecuniary rewards. His "Essay on Magnetic Attraction" was published in 1819.

25.-The new Poor Removal Act came into force. It materially altered the law of settlement, and made new regulations as to the manner in which parishes contributed their share to the common fund charges of the unions.

31.-An accident occurred at a circus building at St. Stephen's Gates, Norwich, hired by Mace and King, the pugilists, for the purposes of a benefit performance. The rows of seats elevated one above the other and forming the pit were densely crowded with spectators, whose weight broke the frail supports, with the result that the centre of the pit fall with its load of human beings. Many were severely bruised and shaken, and one man, suffering from a broken leg, was removed to the Hospital.

APRIL.

10.-Madame Jenny Lind Goldschmidt appeared at a miscellaneous concert, given at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, and on the 11th sang in Haydn's oratorio, "The Creation." The other _artistes_ included Mr. Sims Reeves, Signor Belletti, Mr. H. Blagrove (solo violin), Signor Patti (solo violoncello), and Mr. Otto Goldschmidt (pianoforte). The chorus for the oratorio was composed of members of the Cathedral choir and of the Norwich Choral Society.

21.-Tom Sayers, "the pugilistic ex-champion," visited Norwich with his circus, "exhibited his belts, medals, and the diamond ring presented to him by the students of Oxford, and set-to with young Hicks, of Birmingham." Heenan, the American pugilist, brought a circus to Norwich on September 11th, and "apologised to the spectators for not sparring, as the authorities had forbidden him, and it was only on giving this promise that he was allowed to erect his tent on the Castle Hill." Mace's circus visited the city on October 6th. "The spectators were disappointed at the non-appearance of Mace, the magistrates having forbidden him to give an ill.u.s.tration of his n.o.ble art."

MAY.

3.*-"Died last week, at Rackheath, Phbe Clayburn, at the advanced age of 103 years. She had 22 children, and her eldest son is now living at Bramerton, aged 80 years; her grandchild is 50; her great-grandchild is 20, and her great-great-grandchild is now two years of age."

4.-The large tract of land known as the Middle Level of the Fens, which had been greatly improved by the construction of the Middle Level Drain, a small river which collected the waters of the district and discharged them into the Ouse near Wiggenhall St. German's, was inundated, in consequence of a breach in the sluice erected at the point where the two streams joined. The tide, no longer confined to the channel of the Ouse, rushed up the drain, broke through the bank on the west side at two places, and, in a wild torrent, overspread the adjacent lands. Efforts were at once made to strengthen the dams, by placing vast quant.i.ties of clinch and gravel at the foot of the piles. On June 20th, a meeting of the owners and occupiers of land was held at the Globe Hotel, Lynn, under the presidency of the Rev. Henry ffolkes, at which resolutions were pa.s.sed requiring the Middle Level Commissioners to take prompt and efficient measures to prevent the recurrence of such a disaster. It was also agreed that more satisfactory means for redress for damage should be given than were afforded by the Middle Level Act, and that application be made to Parliament for the insertion in the Middle Level Bill then before the House of Lords of necessary provisions for securing both objects. At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, on July 29th, before Lord Chief Justice c.o.c.kburn, commenced the long course of litigation resulting from the inundation.

Mr. William Mason, lessee of 18 acres of land at Tilney All Saints, within the Marshland Fen district, sued Mr. Wise, clerk to the Middle Level Commissioners, for the recovery of 500 damages sustained through the alleged negligence of the Commissioners in making and maintaining the Middle Level Sluice and Drain. Leave was given to both sides to move in the Common Pleas or Queen's Bench for the removal of the trial to London.

On August 16th it was announced that the expenses incident to the disaster were estimated at about 25,000, to meet which 20,000 had been taken up by way of temporary loan. A second disaster occurred on October 4th. One of the outfall sluices of the Marshland Smeeth and Fen Drain, an important arterial drain running into the Ouse about 200 or 300 yards northward of the ruined Middle Level Sluice, gave way, and again a wide extent of country was submerged. Four hundred navvies were at once set to work to form a dam of many thousands of sacks filled with earth. On the 5th the temporary dam gave way bodily, and the entire ma.s.s having been carried a score yards up the drain, sank out of sight. The tidal water having overcome the obstacle, went with a rush and a roar on its work of devastation, carrying with it great quant.i.ties of earth and timber. About 1,000 acres were flooded; 4,000 acres were under water before the completion of another temporary dam on the 8th. After that the water was removed by means of huge syphons. On November 10th the Court of Common Pleas refused a rule for the changing of the venue of the trial of the action, Mason _v._ Wise, from Norfolk to Surrey, and with this decision ended the first stage of the legal proceedings. (_See_ January 31st, 1863.)

5.-The Braham Grand English Opera Company commenced a six nights'

engagement at Norwich Theatre, with the performance of "Il Trovatore."

The other operas produced during the engagement included "The Bohemian Girl," "Robin Hood," "The Daughter of the Regiment," "Der Freischutz,"

"Cinderella," and "Lucia Di Lammermoor." Among the princ.i.p.als were Miss f.a.n.n.y Ternan, Miss Maria Ternan, Mdlle. A. Kemp, Mr. Brookhouse Bowler, and Mr. Hamilton Braham.

24.-The Norfolk Volunteer Service a.s.sociation was formed at a meeting held at the s.h.i.+rehall, Norwich, under the chairmans.h.i.+p of the Lord Lieutenant, who was elected president. Its objects were, "the promotion of rifle shooting and giving permanence to the Volunteer corps throughout the county." The first prize-meeting was held on the Mousehold Range, Norwich, from September 8th to 11th.

27.-The Channel Squadron, under the command of Rear-Admiral Robert Smart, arrived in Yarmouth Roads, and on June 1st was joined by the St. George, with H.R.H. Prince Alfred on board. The Squadron sailed for the Downs on the 4th.

JUNE.

11.-In the Divorce Court, before Sir C. Cresswell, judgement was given in the action, Burroughs _v._ Burroughs and Silc.o.c.k. This was a cross suit.

Mrs. Burroughs prayed for the rest.i.tution of conjugal rights, and her husband, in his answer, charged her with adultery, and prayed for a judicial separation. In the second case Mr. Burroughs prayed for a dissolution of marriage, on the ground of his wife's misconduct. The second case had been tried by a common jury on March 6th, 7th, 8th, and 13th, and terminated in a verdict that neither the pet.i.tioner, the respondent, nor the co-respondent had been guilty of adultery. His lords.h.i.+p had deferred judgment in the first suit, in order that his opinion might not affect the opinion of the jury in the second suit, which had not then been tried. He now said he thought Mrs. Burroughs had misconducted herself, and he could not order her husband to take her home again. He, therefore, dismissed her pet.i.tion for rest.i.tution. He refused, however, to p.r.o.nounce a decree of judicial separation, on the ground that as the parties themselves had been examined, he could not treat the husband's answer as a counter pet.i.tion.

16.-At Swaffham County Court, a jury was engaged in the trial of an action, Green _v._ Sayers. The plaintiff, a shoemaker, sought to recover 25 damages for an a.s.sault by the defendant, described as "a circus proprietor, but better known as the ex-champion of England." The case excited great local interest. "The defendant," it was said, "conducted himself with a degree of modesty, propriety, and decorum that caused no little feeling in his favour." The a.s.sault arose out of a dispute as to the withholding of change alleged to be due to the plaintiff on money tendered for admission to the defendant's show, and the jury gave a verdict for Green, damages 5.

19.-A great Volunteer review took place at Yarmouth. The first brigade of 910 men was commanded by Lieut.-Col. Astley, Norfolk Artillery; the second (1,230 men) by Lieut.-Col. Sir E. Lacon, Bart., M.P., and the third (350 men) by Lieut.-Col. Custance. The reviewing officer was Col.

Guy, C.B., and the proceedings were witnessed by many thousands of spectators.

24.-Died, in the Workhouse of the Loddon and Clavering Union, in her 105th year, Mary, widow of Samuel Lock, of Loddon.

-An extraordinary fight took place between a bull and a stallion, both the property of Mr. James c.o.ker. The animals were grazing in a field near the Chase at King's Lynn, and became engaged in a deadly combat, which ended in the bull disembowelling the horse with its horns. The stallion was valued at 60.

JULY.

1.-The marriage of H.R.H. Princess Alice and the Grand Duke of Hesse was celebrated throughout the county with great rejoicing. The day was observed at Norwich as a public holiday; at a special meeting of the Town Council a congratulatory address to the Queen was adopted; the Mayor gave a luncheon at St. Andrew's Hall, and in the evening a firework display was given in the Market Place.