Norfolk Annals
Chapter 97 : AUGUST.1.-Sir John Patteson and Sir Edward Hall Alderson, the Judges of a.s.size, arriv

AUGUST.

1.-Sir John Patteson and Sir Edward Hall Alderson, the Judges of a.s.size, arrived at Norwich.

3.-Mr. Yates, Mr. and Mrs. Keeley, and Mr. Paul Bedford commenced a six nights' engagement at Norwich Theatre for the a.s.size week, in the new drama, "Jack Shephard." Mrs. Keeley appeared in the t.i.tle _role_, Mr.

Yates as Abram Monday, and Mr. Bedford as Joe Blueskin. Mrs. Keeley (_nee_ Goward) was formerly a member of the Norwich Company. On the 10th Miss Ellen Tree and Mr. George Bennett, of Covent Garden and Drury Lane, appeared in Sheridan Knowles' play, "Love." Mr. Bennett was the son of an old actor on the Norwich stage, and of Miss Tree it was said: "She is indeed one of Nature's _n.o.blesse_, an histrionic genius of the first order, an ornament to her arduous, anxious, and ill-requited profession."

-At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, before Mr. Justice Patteson, John Randalsome, aged 40, was indicted for the murder of his wife, at Thwaite, on June 19th. A singular feature of the case was that none of the murdered woman's relatives were aware that she was married to the prisoner.

Randalsome had formed an illicit acquaintance with a girl named Punchard, and desired to be rid of his wife. Having enticed her from the house of her father, with whom she resided, he wounded her severely about the head and face with a hedge stake, and threw her into a pond. The medical evidence proved that death resulted from drowning. The jury returned a verdict of guilty, and the prisoner was executed on the Castle Hill, Norwich, on August 22nd.

-The new Amphitheatre and Royal Albert Saloon, Ranelagh Gardens, St.

Stephen's Gates, Norwich, was opened. "The building is after a new design, constructed with great solidarity, and on a considerably increased scale of dimensions. The circle is about 150 feet in circ.u.mference, lighted up with a splendid chandelier of 20 gas burners, suspended from the centre of the cone, which is glazed from the top downwards about 15 ft. Round the s.p.a.cious arena rise lower and upper tiers of boxes splendidly fitted up. The entrance to the circle and boxes is through a lofty and well-proportioned saloon, about 70 ft. long and 30 ft. wide. The facade of the building presents above the princ.i.p.al entrance an open portico of three arches looking into the gardens; and there is an exactly similar arcade opening internally towards the theatre." A portion of the building here described is now the Victoria Station of the Great Eastern Railway.

SEPTEMBER.

2.-At the King's Head Inn, Diss, the brewery, public-houses, mansion, farm, and other property of Mr. Robert Sheriffe, of Diss, were sold by auction by Mr. W. W. Simpson, of London. The brewery and public-houses were purchased by Mr. Samuel Farrow, and the amount realised by the three days' sale was 50,000. "The great increase in the value of country public-houses apparent from the enormous prices which have lately been realised for this description of property leads us to believe that the shook which the trade suffered on the pa.s.sing of the Beer Bill some years since has been entirely recovered, and that country public-houses are now even of greater value than they were antecedent to the pa.s.sing of that measure."

9.-The two days' annual race meeting commenced on the Mousehold course, Norwich.

10.-A "great ringing festival" took place at Heydon, to celebrate the opening of the new peal of bells put up by Thomas and Joshua Hurry, of Norwich. Prizes were competed for by the ringers, and a "farmers' ball"

concluded the festivities.

12.-On this date was reported the discovery of the remains of Sir Thomas Browne, in the church of St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich. "The bones of the skeleton were found to be in good preservation, particularly those of the skull. The brain was considerable in quant.i.ty, but changed to a state of adipocere resembling ointment of a dark brown hue. The hair and the beard remained profuse and perfect, though the flesh of the face as well as of every other part was totally gone. With respect to the formation of the head, we are informed that the forehead was remarkably low, but the back of the cranium exhibited an unusual degree of depth and capaciousness. Sir Thomas Browne died on October 12th, 1682."

14.-Died at Honing, Thomas Holt, aged 105.

21.-M. Liszt, the celebrated pianist, performed at two grand concerts at Norwich, in the morning at the a.s.sembly Rooms, and in the evening at the Theatre. The other artistes were Mr. Mori, Mdlle. de Varny, Miss Louisa Ba.s.sano, and Mr. J. Parry.

22.-Under the management of Messrs. Hewlett and Trory, a morning concert was given at the a.s.sembly Rooms, and an evening concert at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, at which the performers were Madame Persiani, Signor Negri, Signor Rubini, and Signor Puzzi. "In two consecutive days we have had four concerts and heard four of the greatest performers of the present day-Persiani, Puzzi, Rubini, and Liszt."

24.-From a meadow near Bishop Bridge, Norwich, Mr. Charles Green ascended in the Na.s.sau balloon, accompanied by Mr. R. Crawshay and his sons, Messrs. F. and E. Crawshay, Mr. Nicholas Bacon, Mr. Shalders, and Mr.

Andrews. The balloon rose at four o'clock, and descended at five o'clock, at Metton, near Felbrigg.

OCTOBER.

1.-Died at his residence in the Lower Close, Norwich, aged 90, Sylas Neville, M.D. "Of this venerable gentleman, for a great many years an inhabitant of this city, living as he did in a state of perfect seclusion, there is little to record beyond the fact of his having been born in London and having taken his doctor's degree at Edinburgh, in 1775. His inaugural essay, 'De Prognosi in Febribus,' delivered on the occasion, is in print, and bears testimony to his acquirements both as a cla.s.sic and as a pathologist. During many years and to the last moments of his existence, Dr. Neville was chiefly indebted to the kindness of friends around him for the means of subsistence."

5.-George Edward Seales, known as a common informer, procured the conviction of a coach proprietor, at the Norwich Police Court, for carrying more than the regulation number of pa.s.sengers. Seales, on leaving the Guildhall, was violently a.s.saulted by the mob, and was escorted to his home by twenty police-officers.

6.-Col. Petre, of Westwick, presided at a meeting at the a.s.sembly Rooms, Norwich, at which was formed, for the prevention of cruelty to animals, a society known as "The Animals' Friend Society."

-The Countess of Leicester sustained a compound fracture of the leg by a fall from her horse whilst riding in Holkham Park.

16.-A brace of trout was taken in an eel net at the New Mills, Norwich.

The female weighed 6 lbs. 8 oz., and was 23 inches in length; the male was 4 lbs. 12 oz. in weight, and 23 inches in length.

NOVEMBER.

2.-On Mr. T. R. Buckworth's estate at c.o.c.kley Cley, near Swaffham, "a party of several gentlemen killed the extraordinary number of 630 head of game, consisting of 331 pheasants, 15 partridges, 176 hares, and 108 rabbits."

5.-Gaslight was used for the first time at Harleston; to celebrate the event a public dinner was held at the Magpie Inn.

6.-A public meeting was held at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, presided over by Mr. John Joseph Gurney, at which an auxiliary of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, for the purpose of abolis.h.i.+ng slavery throughout the world, was formed. Mr. Henry B. Stanton, secretary of the New York Anti-Slavery Society, was the princ.i.p.al speaker.

9.-Mr. Edward Willett was elected Mayor, and Mr. Richard Coaks appointed Sheriff, of Norwich.

-Died at his residence, St. Margaret's Place, Lynn, aged 63, Mr. John Prescott Blencowe, who had several times served the office of Mayor of that borough.

10.-The Norwich Polytechnic Exhibition was opened in the premises known as the Royal Bazaar, St. Andrew's. The exhibition consisted of scientific objects, paintings, drawings, machinery, &c. Professor Partington delivered a course of lectures on arts and manufactures.

18.-A county meeting was held at St. Andrew's Hall, in furtherance of the movement for suppressing the slave trade in Africa. The High Sheriff (Mr. H. Villebois) presided. The Chartists attended in force, and "gave groans for the Whigs of Norwich, for Mr. J. J. Gurney, the Bishop of Norwich, and Sir T. Fowell Buxton." The ringleader, Dover, moved a resolution affirming that the meeting "views with deep regret the many proofs of despotic slavery now increasing at home, and it therefore pledges itself to use all its exertions to put a final stop to slavery wherever it is found to exist." This was negatived, amid great uproar, and the resolutions drafted by the promoters of the meeting adopted.

22.-Intelligence was received in Norwich of the birth of a Princess (Princess Royal). The bells of St. Peter Mancroft were rung, and next day (Monday) there were further demonstrations of joy. On December 2nd a special meeting of the Norwich Court of Guardians was held, "to drink the health of the Queen and the Princess Royal"; and on the same day the Bishop, in celebration of the birth, entertained the inmates of the Workhouse. The Town Council, on the 10th, adopted a loyal and dutiful address of congratulation.

22.-A severe gale occurred on the Norfolk coast, and resulted in the loss of several lives. s.h.i.+ps were driven ash.o.r.e at Cromer.

DECEMBER.

14.-A young man named William Bunting appeared before the Norwich magistrates, charged with using threatening language to Mr. R. N. Bacon, of the "Norwich Mercury." The defendant, a groom in the service of Capt.

Ives, rode a horse named Newman Nogs at Long Stratton steeplechases on December 9th. The animal was injured, and had to be destroyed. The complainant, in his report in the "Mercury," insinuated that the rider "had too much nog in his head"; and Bunting, taking offence, called at the office, and threatened to horsewhip Mr. Bacon. It was alleged that, during the interview, Capt. Ives rode backwards and forwards in front of the office. Defendant was ordered to find sureties, and keep the peace.

26.-Navigation between Norwich and Yarmouth was obstructed by the frozen state of the river.

28.-A cricket match was played on the ice on Scoulton Mere, between two selected elevens from the parish of Hingham. "Mr. W. Waller's side went in first, and after some fine play, and still finer falls, were out for 66 runs. Mr. W. Roberts' side then took the bat, and scored 170 runs in the most slas.h.i.+ng style, hitting the ball quite off the ice in all directions. Some of the players wore skaits, and others their stump shoes, &c., to prevent falling."

30.-At a meeting held at the East India and Colonial Rooms, Pall Mall, under the presidency of Mr. W. L. W. Chute, M.P., the Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridge Railway Company was formed, for the purpose of constructing a line to proceed from Yarmouth to Bishop's Stortford, by way of Norwich, Wymondham, Attleborough, Thetford, Newmarket and Cambridge. The princ.i.p.al promoter was Mr. J. W. Rastrick, and the adoption of the scheme was agreed to on the motion of the Marquis of Douro, seconded by Mr.

Samuel Bignold. The estimated cost of the line was two millions, and of locomotives and carriages, 200,000.

31.-The weather "was warmer and more brilliant than the last days of May are sometimes found to be." In the previous week the thermometer stood at eleven degrees below freezing point.

1841.

JANUARY.

3.-A severe gale, with thunder, lightning, and hailstorms, occurred.