Norfolk Annals
Chapter 122 : 8.-George Borrow performed an intrepid act on Yarmouth beach. "The sea raged fran

8.-George Borrow performed an intrepid act on Yarmouth beach. "The sea raged frantically, and a s.h.i.+p's boat, endeavouring to land for water, was upset, and the men were engulfed in a wave some 30 feet high, and struggling with it in vain. The moment was an awful one, when George Borrow, the well-known author of 'Lavengro' and 'The Bible in Spain,'

dashed into the surf and saved one life, and through his instrumentality the others were saved. We ourselves have known this brave and gifted man for years, and daring as was his deed, we have known him more than once risk his life for others."

17*.-"If the rivalry of the different railway companies in this district has been agreeable to the public it has been attended with fearful loss to the shareholders. Excursionists are not expected to object to being carried from Norwich to London for half a crown, but we should suppose that the proprietors in the Eastern Union will have a decided objection to the great increase of their working expenses to 60 per cent. by the process. The ruinous compet.i.tion now going on can only be terminated by a union of interests, and it appears, from the reports of the Eastern Counties' and Eastern Union Companies, that an amalgamation is proposed."

-The kitchen floor of a house, occupied by Mr. Bunting, on St. Giles'

Hill (near St. Giles' Gates?), Norwich, suddenly gave way, and Mrs. and Miss Bunting, who were in the apartment, were precipitated with the chairs, table, and other furniture, into a funnel-shaped hole 27 feet in depth. When rescued they were insensible but uninjured. "Caves were some time since cut through the hill in different directions and of considerable length, and the whole of the hill has been at various periods excavated for chalk. Some of the caves were used for wine vaults, and it appears that one of these caves pa.s.sed under the back of Mr. Bunting's house. A water-pipe had been leaking for a long time, and it is supposed that the water descending through the soil caused the roof of the cave to give way, and the whole of the earth above to fall with it."

24.-A young man named E. Elson completed the task of walking from Lynn to Dereham and back, a distance of 60 miles, for six successive days.

26.-A violent hurricane of wind and rain did great damage in the county.

"The injury to orchards and gardens has been immense, and the apple crop, which was an abundant one, has been reduced probably one-half." On the coast there were many s.h.i.+pping casualties, attended by loss of life.

OCTOBER.

10.-The hand-loom weavers in Norwich struck for a rise of wages. A memorial was presented to the manufacturers, asking for an advance of twopence per dozen on all finished fabrics.

16.-Died at Liverpool, aged 70, Admiral Bell, C.B., son of Mr. J. Barker Bell, of Gorleston, Yarmouth. He entered the Navy in 1796, and distinguished himself in many actions against the enemy. He attained to flag rank in October, 1846.

26.-A public demonstration took place at Lynn in honour of Lieut. S.

Gurney Cresswell, the bearer of the despatches from Commander M'Clure, relating to the expedition in search of Sir John Franklin. Lieut.

Cresswell was presented with a congratulatory address at a meeting held at the Guildhall, and afterwards entertained at dinner at the a.s.sembly Rooms. He was third son of Mr. Francis Cresswell, a partner in the banking firm of Gurney, Cresswell, and Co., King's Lynn, and a native of the borough, where he was born in 1827. Not only was he the bearer of the despatches announcing the discovery of the North-West pa.s.sage, but he had taken an active and important part in the expedition.

29.-Died at his residence, Monmouth Road, Bayswater, Dr. Bexfield. He was born in Norwich on April 27th, 1824, and at seven years of age became a chorister at the Cathedral. At the age of eleven he composed an anthem in eight parts, which fully satisfied Mr. Buck that he possessed extraordinary talent. On the expiration of his articles in his 21st year, he was elected organist of Boston parish church, and in the same year graduated Mus. Bac. at Cambridge. He afterwards published his Concert Fugues for the organ, which were played during the Great Exhibition. In 1847 he composed his "Six Songs," and earned for himself the popular distinction of "the Poet-Musician." He was appointed, out of thirty-five candidates, organist at St. Helen's, Bishopsgate, London. At about this time he published a collection of pieces under the t.i.tle of "Musica di Camera," and at the age of twenty-four took the degree of Mus.

Doc. Dr. Bexfield was the author of a volume of "Church Anthems," which formed part of the repertoire of most English cathedrals. In 1850 he married a daughter of Mr. J. B. Millington, solicitor of Boston. The work on which his reputation mainly depended was his oratorio "Israel Restored," which on two occasions he conducted at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, viz., at its first production at the Choral Society's concert in October, 1851, and at the Musical Festival in 1852. A benefit concert was given at St. Andrew's Hall on December 16th for his widow and family.

The sum of 500, including a donation of 20 guineas from the Queen, was realised.

NOVEMBER.

6.-Died at St. Leonard's-on-Sea, the Right Hon. Lord Charles Vere Ferrars Townshend, of Rainham Hall and Tamworth Castle. He was born in 1783, and in 1812 married his cousin, the eldest daughter of General William Loftus. The funeral took place at Rainham on November 24th. He was succeeded in his estates by his nephew, Capt. John Townshend, R.N., member for Tamworth, who also became heir to the marquisate.

9.-Mr. J. R. Gough, of America, delivered a temperance oration at St.

Andrew's Hall, Norwich. He also addressed meetings on the 10th and 11th.

-Mr. Samuel Bignold was elected Mayor, and Mr. Henry Birkbeck appointed Sheriff of Norwich.

11.-A new church was opened at Wootton. It was built on the site of the old church at the sole expense of the Hon. Mrs. Howard. It cost nearly 6000.

13.-The announcement was published that Mr. David Fisher, the actor, who was so well known and highly respected in Norwich and Norfolk, had made a successful _debut_ at the Princess's Theatre, London.

DECEMBER.

1.-In the Vice-Chancellor's Court application was made in the suit Jermy _v._ Jermy for the administration of the estate of the late Mr. Jermy, of Stanfield Hall. The only question that arose was about certain timber growing on the estate and fines of copyholds. But a difficulty of a novel character had occurred. Since the murder the mansion had been untenanted. Although many persons were willing to take it they could not procure servants who would live in the house, so great was the superst.i.tious feeling which existed. It was stated that the parties were willing to allow the house to be occupied for two years for nothing, in order to overcome the prejudice. The Vice-Chancellor said that Mrs.

Jermy Jermy was ent.i.tled to a third of the timber and fines, and he expressed surprise that such prejudices existed against the house.

3.-Died, at her residence on the Castle Meadow, Norwich, in her 85th year, Amelia Opie, widow of John Opie, R.A., and only daughter of Dr.

James Alderson. After her marriage with Opie in 1798 her numerous literary productions gained her considerable reputation, and as a novelist she moved in the highest literary circles. Her works included "Father and Daughter," "Simple Tales," 4 vols. (1806); "New Tales," 4 vols. (1818); "Temper, or Domestic Scenes," 3 vols.; "Tales of the Heart," 4 vols.; "Detraction Displayed" (moral treatise); "Ill.u.s.trations of Lying," "Lays of the Dead," and other poems. Mrs. Opie was a member of the Society of Friends, and her remains were interred in the Quakers'

Burial Ground, Gildencroft, on December 9th.

17.-The provision of a time-ball connected by electric telegraph with Greenwich Observatory, and exhibited in a prominent position in Norwich Market Place, was, in consequence of the irregularities of the public clocks, advocated in the NORFOLK CHRONICLE on this date.

20.-A meeting of the landowners, farmers, and tradesmen of Harleston and the district was held at the Corn Hall in that town, to consider the desirability of promoting the construction of a railway from Tivetshall station on the Eastern Union line. In 1851 an Act of Incorporation was obtained for making a railway from Tivetshall to Bungay, but from various causes, chiefly from the depression in the railway world, no further steps were at that time taken.

22.-Died, at the house of his son-in-law at Cambridge, aged 69, Mr. Seth William Stevenson, F.S.A., one of the proprietors of the NORFOLK CHRONICLE. He was elected Sheriff of Norwich in 1828, he became alderman in the same year, and in 1832 served the office of Mayor. Literary pursuits, especially of an antiquarian character, engrossed his leisure.

In early life Mr. Stevenson made several Continental tours. The year after the battle of Waterloo, he, in company with Capt. Money, visited the scene of the struggle, and afterwards published "A Journal of a Tour through part of France, Flanders and Holland, including a Visit to Paris and a Walk over the Field of Waterloo in the Summer of 1816." The work was dedicated to the Norwich United Friars Society, of which literary body he was almost the last surviving member. In 1828 appeared the account of a second tour in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands. The book to which he devoted no inconsiderable portion of the last ten years of his life was the complete "Dictionary of Roman Coins."

24*.-"We have received from Mr. Garthon, one of the district surgeons of Norwich, a return in a tabular form showing the extraordinary number of 96 cases of small-pox in Heigham and St. Benedict's, during the last three months. These arose from the strong prejudice still existing amongst ignorant and poor people against the only preventive-vaccination."

-The funeral of the Marchioness of Wellesley took place at Costessey Hall, whither the remains had been removed from Hampton Court. "In accordance with the good old charitable practice a dole of bread was given to the poor of Costessey on the occasion of the funeral."

26.-Mr. Joseph Clarence produced at Norwich Theatre his grand Christmas pantomime, ent.i.tled, "Harlequin Prince Bluecap and the King of the Silver Waters, or the Three Kingdoms, Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral."

1854.

JANUARY.

1.-Died at his residence, Thickthorn, near Norwich, in his 71st year, Mr.

Richard Hanbury Gurney. He was the son of Mr. Richard Gurney, of Keswick, and in early life was a member of the Society of Friends. In 1818 Mr. Gurney was elected member for Norwich in conjunction with Mr. W.

Smith; he was re-elected in 1820, in 1830, and in 1831. At the General Election in 1832 he and the other Liberal candidate, Mr. Ker, were, after a very severe contest, defeated by Lord Viscount Stormont and Sir James Scarlett. Mr. Gurney was a patron of the Turf and a genuine lover of old English sports, but he was never known to bet. His remains were interred, on January 9th, at the Rosary Burial-ground, Norwich.

3.-A heavy snowstorm, accompanied by a severe gale from the north, pa.s.sed over the Eastern district. The snow was deeper than had been known for many years previously; all the roads were blocked, and railway communication between Yarmouth and London was stopped. The telegraph poles were blown down, and the wires broken. A train which left Fakenham at 6 a.m. did not reach Norwich till 5.15 p.m. At the Norfolk Quarter Sessions, at Norwich, on the 4th, it was found impossible to form a grand jury, in consequence of the non-attendance of those who had been summoned. All travelling by road was suspended for some days; the port of Lynn was frozen up, and several s.h.i.+ps were driven ash.o.r.e at Yarmouth.

5.-A serious collision occurred on the line near Thetford. A train conveying sixty navvies, who were employed to clear away the snowdrifts, ran into the down train from London. "The engines rose up into the air, and two men on them were instantly killed; two others in the train from Norwich were also killed by the tender being driven through the carriage in which they were seated." The Rev. Joseph Bell, of Barningham, a pa.s.senger in the London train, died on the 8th from the injuries he received, and Mr. Thomas Ellison, of Dove Street, Norwich, another pa.s.senger, succ.u.mbed on the 14th. The Coroner's jury, after repeated adjournments, returned, on February 6th, a verdict of manslaughter against Mr. Peter Ashcroft, superintendent of the permanent way, and Mr.

John Latham, locomotive superintendent, who, it was alleged, had acted contrary to the orders of Mr. King, station-master at Harling Road. At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, on March 24th, before Lord Chief Baron Pollock, the jury, without hearing the defence, acquitted the defendants.

15.-Died at Heigham Hall (private lunatic asylum), Norwich, aged 84, Mr.

c.o.c.kle, "the original proprietor of the antibilious pill which goes by his name, and who some years ago sold the recipe for several thousand pounds."

21.*-"An invention calculated to prove of great national benefit has been recently patented by Mr. Samuel Rainbird, carpenter, of Norwich. It is described in the specifications as an apparatus for grappling and raising sunken vessels and other submerged bodies."

-A meeting of the Deputy Lieutenants of the county decided, by 25 votes to three, that Yarmouth was the most suitable place in the district at which to centre the three regiments of Norfolk Militia. At another meeting, held on February 25th, the former resolution was rescinded, and it was agreed "that the present Committee be empowered to receive estimates and tenders for building barracks for one regiment of Militia at Norwich, and for one regiment of Militia and one regiment of artillery at Yarmouth, on such plans as they may think best suited for the purpose."

27.-Died near Holston River, in Knox County, East Tennessee, North America, Mr. William Forster, of Earlham Road, Norwich, in his 70th year.

He was a member of the Society of Friends, and a brother-in-law of Mr.

Fowell Buxton. He went out in the autumn of 1853 to carry pet.i.tions to the slave States of the Union, on behalf of the oppressed Africans.

MARCH.