Norfolk Annals
Chapter 133 : SEPTEMBER.6.-The stone statue above the entrance to the Corn Exchange at East Dereham

SEPTEMBER.

6.-The stone statue above the entrance to the Corn Exchange at East Dereham was inaugurated on this date. Mr. W. Freeman, of Swanton, was the princ.i.p.al promoter of the public fund with which the statue was purchased. It weighed upwards of three tons, and was cut out of a solid block of stone weighing over seven tons, taken from the Isle of Portland.

Mr. Butler, of London, was the sculptor. The luncheon in celebration of the inauguration was presided over by Lord Sondes.

11.-Donati's Comet was viewed with interest by thousands of the citizens of Norwich. "The extreme heat of the present month has impressed many that the comet has something to do with it."

28.-A public testimonial, consisting of a piece of plate and a portrait of himself, painted by Mr. Boxall, of London, was presented by the inhabitants of Diss to Mr. Thomas Lombe Taylor, in recognition of his munificence in building, at his own expense, a Corn Hall for the use of the town, at the cost of 7,000. The presentation took place at the Corn Hall, where dinner was served, under the presidency of the Earl of Albemarle.

30.-The Congregational chapel, Chapel Field, Norwich, was opened for public wors.h.i.+p. The special preacher was the Rev. Newman Hall, LL.B.

The chapel was erected at the cost of 3,000, by Mr. Horace s.e.xton, from the plans of Mr. Joseph James, architect, Furnival's Inn. It was intended to accommodate one thousand persons.

OCTOBER.

2.-The theft was reported, from the nave of St. Michael-at-Coslany, Norwich, of a bra.s.s which measured 14 in. by 5 in., and had engraved upon it five lines of Latin verse, commemorating Richard Wallour, and bearing date 1505.

5.-A meeting was held at the a.s.sembly Rooms, Norwich, to initiate measures for insuring to schools in Norfolk the advantages afforded by the Cambridge Middle Cla.s.s examinations. Sir J. P. Boileau presided.

The first examination was held at the Free Library, on December 14th, by Mr. H. M. Butler, when 31 boys were presented.

15.-Died at Sprowston, Mr. John Stracey, in his 86th year. He was born at Fort William, on November 26th, 1772, and was fifth son of the first baronet. In 1790 he went to India as a cadet in the Civil Service, and rose afterwards to be a judge, an appointment which he held for several years. On his return to England he took an active part in the business of the county, and was instrumental in obtaining the Act of Parliament for the removal of the Lent a.s.sizes from Thetford to Norwich. He was twice married, and left three children-Col. Edward Stracey, of the Scots Fusilier Guards; the Rev. William Stracey, rector of Buxton and Oxnead; and Emma, widow of Mr. Arckwright.

23.-Died at his residence, Heigham Lodge, Norwich, Mr. Timothy Steward, aged 64. Early in life he came from Yarmouth, where he was born, to take a leading part in one of the largest commercial establishments of the city-the Pockthorpe Brewery. A member of the old Whig party, he was elected, after the pa.s.sing of the Munic.i.p.al Reform Act, to the Town Council, but after three years had expired be declined to offer himself for re-election, and retired from munic.i.p.al duties with the Gurneys, Birkbecks, and Geldarts. In 1855, however, he was unexpectedly called upon to discharge the duties of the Shrievalty. He was a director of the East of England Bank and of the Norwich Union Fire Office, and was vice-president of the Norwich Union Life Office.

31.-The William Corry and Reliance steam vessels, with the North of Europe submarine cable on board, arrived off Weybourne and commenced laying the cable to the island of Bork.u.m, at the mouth of the Ems, whence it was continued to Emden, in Hanover. The work was completed on November 4th. A line of telegraph was erected between Weybourne and Norwich, and continued along the old coach road, _via_ Newmarket to London.

NOVEMBER.

3.-The Gresham Grammar School, at Holt, founded in 1554 by Sir John Gresham, was re-opened by the Fishmongers' Company, of London, the trustees of the foundation. The new building was erected from designs by Mr. Suter, the architect to the Company, by Mr. Orman, of Ipswich. A commemoration service was held at the parish church, and luncheon was served in the school-house, under the presidency of the Prime Warden, Mr.

Thomas Boddington.

9.-Mr. George Middleton was elected Mayor, and Mr. H. S. Patteson appointed Sheriff of Norwich.

20.-A meeting of agriculturists and merchants was held at the Royal Hotel, Norwich, presided over by the Mayor, with the object of raising a fund for the erection of a new Corn Exchange, "upon a site next London Street and Exchange Street," at the cost of 20,000. (_See_ February 3rd, 1859.)

DECEMBER.

2.-Died at Bedford Place, Camden Hill, Kensington, aged 27, Robert Howlett, "well known by his successful applications of photography." He was a son of the Rev. Robert Howlett, of Longham, where he spent his early days. He determined to devote himself to the scientific application of photography to the ill.u.s.tration and advancement of the fine arts. He had just perfected a method of transferring microscopic views of minute dissections to photographic agency without the necessity of intermediate drawings. The Queen and the Prince Consort were among his distinguished patrons.

21.-Mr. T. Townsend, M.P. for Greenwich, appeared at Norwich Theatre, in the character of Shylock. He also performed the parts of Hamlet and Richard the Third. He was announced "to address the public, giving he reasons for a Parliamentary orator adopting the stage as a profession."

27.-The Christmas pantomime at Norwich Theatre was written by Mr. J. B.

Buckstone, and ent.i.tled, "The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood, or Harlequin and the Spiteful Ogress and the Seven Fairy G.o.dmothers from the Realm of Golden Flowers." The other Christmas amus.e.m.e.nts were Brown's "Royal Cirque Unique," on the Castle Meadow, and Wombwell's Menagerie.

27.-Mr. Fiddaman's ch. g. Tinker, under 14 hands high, "very cleverly performed, with some time to spare," twenty miles in an hour on the turnpike road between Lynn and Narborough.

29.-Died at Wolterton Park, Horatio, Earl of Orford, in his 76th year.

He was son of the second earl by his first wife, daughter of Mr. Charles Churchill, and granddaughter maternally of Sir Robert Walpole, first Earl of Orford. Born in Whitehall, in 1783, he married the eldest daughter of Mr. William Augustus Fawkner, one of the clerks of the Privy Council, and succeeded his father in 1822. From July, 1812, to April, 1825, he was attached to the Emba.s.sy at St. Petersburg, and was subsequently a Lord of the Admiralty and a Commissioner for the affairs of India. He was elected member of Parliament for King's Lynn in March, 1809, represented the const.i.tuency till June, 1822, and was in 1852 appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk. For many years he held a distinguished position in the county as an influential leader on the Conservative side, and was a warm patron of the Turf. He was Colonel of the West Norfolk Militia, and Lord High Steward of the borough of King's Lynn. The deceased earl was succeeded by his son, Horatio William, Lord Walpole, born in Belton Row in 1813, who married, in 1841, the only daughter of the Hon. Sir Fleetwood Pellew.

1859.

JANUARY.

6.-At the Norwich Police Court, Mr. H. Brown, proprietor of the "Cirque Unique," Castle Meadow, appeared to answer an information preferred by Mr. William Sidney, manager of Norwich Theatre, charging him with performing a stage play without licence from the Lord Chamberlain. It was contended by the prosecution that the equestrian spectacle of "Mazeppa," as presented at the Circus, was a stage play within the meaning of the Act to Regulate Theatres. The magistrates held that there was no contravention of the Act, and dismissed the case.

12.-A public meeting was held at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, under the presidency of the Sheriff, to promote the objects of "The Metropolitan and County a.s.sociation for the Equalization of the Poor Rates." A resolution was adopted, affirming that as the poor rates generally of the County of Norfolk were unequally levied, some parishes paying less than one penny and others more than four s.h.i.+llings in the pound, and as the city suffered from this inequality and great discontent was caused among the ratepayers, it was the opinion of the meeting that the rates should be equalised by establis.h.i.+ng a county rate.

31.-The Norwich Court of Guardians presented an illuminated address to Mr. A. A. H. Beckwith, on his retirement from the office of Governor of the Court, after a service of upwards of a quarter of a century.

FEBRUARY.

3.-The Norwich Corn Exchange Bill was before the examiner of private Bills in the House of Commons. The Standing Orders of the House were declared to have been complied with. The Bill pa.s.sed through its remaining stages, and on August 1st received the Royal a.s.sent. (_See_ November 9th, 1861.)

5.*-"Several primroses were gathered in the hedges near Ormesby a few days ago. The weather is exceedingly mild in this locality, which is not a little remarkable for this, almost the easternmost, part of England."

10.-Mr. Gough, the celebrated temperance advocate, made his second appearance at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich.

12.-Died at Buxton Vicarage, in his 79th year, Lieut.-General James Claud Bourchier, Colonel of the 3rd Dragoon Guards. He served under Sir Ralph Abercrombie in the expedition against Cadiz, in 1800, in the campaign in Egypt in 1801, and in the campaigns of 18111215. He was present at the siege of Badajoz, the battle of Salamanca, the cavalry affairs at Callada de Carino and Venta de Toso, the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo, and the capture of Paris.

14.-Mr. Barnum, the celebrated showman, lectured at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, on "Money-making and the Art of Humbug." The lecture was described as "a strange medley-a most anomalous production."

MARCH.

6.-East Dereham church was, for the first time, lighted with gas, through the munificence of an anonymous paris.h.i.+oner. Evening services were held from this date.

8.-The Norwich New Street Bill, the object of which was to acquire powers for constructing what is now known as the Prince of Wales Road, was before a Select Committee of the House of Lords. It was stated that a number of Norwich gentlemen had formed themselves into a company to construct a new roadway and street, and to buy the land fronting the said street to the depth of about 108 feet, leading from a point near the Eastern Counties Railway Station to King street, near Harveys and Hudsons' Bank, a distance of something less than 500 yards. Rose Lane at that time formed the only approach from the station to the city. The Committee decided in favour of the Bill, leaving the question of compensation to be determined by a jury. The Bill was considered by a Select Committee of the House of Commons on June 28th, when the whole of the clauses were pa.s.sed. (_See_ June 19th, 1860.)

20.-Died at his residence, Highgate Rise, London, Mr. M. Prendergast, Q.C., Recorder of Norwich, and Judge of the City of London Sheriff's Court. He was called to the Bar in 1820, and was appointed Recorder of Norwich on the death of Mr. Jermy, in 1848. He was succeeded in the Recorders.h.i.+p by Mr. Peter Frederick O'Malley, Q.C.

24.-Supt. Robert Hitchman, of Devonport, was appointed Chief Constable of Norwich, in place of Mr. English.

31.-The first fall of snow during the winter, which had been very mild, occurred on this date. On April 6th and 7th the thermometer recorded 90 deg. in the sun.

APRIL.