Norfolk Annals
Chapter 85 : AUGUST.1.-Mr. Charles Kemble made his first appearance at Norwich Theatre in the charac

AUGUST.

1.-Mr. Charles Kemble made his first appearance at Norwich Theatre in the character of Julian St. Pierre ("The Wife"). During the remaining nights of his engagement he performed the parts of Benedict, Mercutio, Colonel Freelove ("The Day after the Wedding"), Octavian ("The Mountaineers"), Petruchio, and Charles Surface. He afterwards visited Yarmouth.

6.-Evidence was given before the House of Lords in opposition to the Munic.i.p.al Reform Bill by Mr. E. T. Booth, Col. Harvey, Mr. Isaac Preston (Recorder), and Mr. E. Newton, of Norwich. A pet.i.tion, adopted at a meeting of the freemen on July 11th, and signed by 1,600 persons of both parties, had already been presented, praying their lords.h.i.+ps "to preserve to Norwich the privileges granted by the charters of 700 years ago." The Bill was pa.s.sed on September 9th, and on October 3rd the NORFOLK CHRONICLE stated: "St. Michael 'shone no festive holiday' either at Norwich, Lynn, or Yarmouth. For many centuries until this _annus mirabilis_ of _Liberalism_ the Sheriffs of Norwich (from 1403), the Mayors of Lynn (from 1268) and of Yarmouth (from 1684), were sworn into office on new Michaelmas day. . . . Under the new Act the present Mayors and Sheriffs are to continue to hold their respective offices until January 1st next, and their immediate successors-_one_ Sheriff until the first, and the Mayors until the 9th of November, on which days the elections of Sheriffs and Mayors of boroughs will in future take place."

7.-At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, before Mr. Justice Bolland, Frances Billing, aged 46, and Catherine Frarey, aged 40, were found guilty of the murder of Mary Taylor, of Burnham Westgate, by administering a.r.s.enic to her.

They were also convicted of the murder of Robert Frarey, husband of the last-named prisoner. The execution took place on the Castle Hill, Norwich, on August 10th. Frarey was dressed in deep mourning for her husband, and wore a widow's cap. They held each other by the hand when upon the scaffold. "The silence which had hitherto pervaded the immense concourse who stood intently gazing on this dreadful exhibition was broken by a piercing shriek when the drop fell; then all was still again." Mrs. Billing had had eleven children, eight of whom were living at the time of the execution. Both women had been in the habit of consulting reputed witches at Burnham and Sall (_See_ April 1st, 1836.)

14.-Died, aged 79, Mr. William Mason, of Necton. "He was accomplished in literature, and was one of the favourite scholars of the late Dr. Parr."

22.-Died, aged 78, the Hon. George Walpole, second son of Horatio, first Earl of Orford and fourth Lord Walpole of Walpole. He commanded the troops employed in suppressing the rebellion of the Maroons in Jamaica.

On his retirement from the Army he went into Parliament, and was Under-Secretary of State during the Fox Administration in 1806.

23.-Died, aged 65, Mr. Francis Stone, architect, Norwich, and for nearly 30 years Surveyor of the County of Norfolk.

25.-The last election for the office of freemen's Sheriff took place at Norwich. Mr. Paul Squire was returned, with 829 votes. Mr. Edward Willett, his opponent, polled 437.

SEPTEMBER.

18.-At nine o'clock in the morning, Mr. Green, the aeronaut, who had ascended in his balloon from Vauxhall Gardens, London, at six o'clock in the evening of the 17th, descended between North Runcton and Hardwick, about a mile from Lynn South Gates.

22.-The d.u.c.h.ess of Kent and Princess Victoria, on their way from Burleigh House, Stamford, to Holkham Park, on a visit to Mr. c.o.ke, pa.s.sed through Lynn, and were received with great enthusiasm. The horses were removed from the Royal carriage, which was dragged through the town to the Duke's Head Inn. The relay of horses having been sent towards Gaywood, the populace drew the carriage, amid most loyal demonstrations, to the eastern boundary of the town, where the horses were put to and the journey resumed. At Holkham the preventive service formed a guard of honour, and the whole of the tenantry were in attendance. On the 23rd their Royal Highnesses were presented by the inhabitants of Wells with a loyal address, to which the d.u.c.h.ess of Kent graciously replied. Their Royal Highnesses left Holkham on the 24th for the seat of the Duke of Grafton at Euston, and pa.s.sed through Swaffham, where the race meeting was delayed in order to give the large concourse the opportunity of greeting their future Sovereign.

OCTOBER.

6.-The Young Company's yawl Increase was launched from Yarmouth beach at one p.m., with a crew of eight hands, Budds (a pilot), and a Mr. Layton.

It went to the a.s.sistance of a brig flying a signal of distress. Layton and one of the men remained on board the brig. The yawl, when returning to sh.o.r.e, was capsized in a squall, and seven of the crew drowned. Two, named Brock and Emmerson, swam for their lives. Emmerson sank, but Brock continued swimming until he reached Corton Bay, where he was picked up by a vessel after he had been seven hours in the water and had swum fourteen miles.

10.-The Revising Barristers (Mr. S. Gazelee and Mr. W. A. Collins) commenced an inquiry at Norwich as to the settlement of the new munic.i.p.al boundaries. On the 13th they announced that they had decided to arrange the city in eight wards, based upon the relative proportions of property and population.

13.-At a convivial meeting at the Three Turks public-house, Charing Cross, Norwich, William Cork, an artisan, was singing "the well-known song written on the death of General Wolfe," and after repeating the words, "And I to death must yield," fell down and, to the consternation of the company, instantly expired.

23.-At a meeting held at the Norfolk Hotel, Norwich, under the presidency of Sir Jacob Astley, Bart., M.P., it was agreed that the line of railway most advantageous to Norfolk and Norwich was that proposed by Mr. James Walker, engineer, from Yarmouth to Norwich and thence to Cambridge and London. A similar opinion was expressed at meetings held at Yarmouth on October 30th and at Thetford on November 3rd.

28.-The libraries, works of art, curiosities, &c., of Captain Marryat, C.B., were sold by auction at his residence, Langham, near Holt.

"Captain Marryat has broken up his establishment in Norfolk as his devotion to literature will oblige him to reside constantly in London."

NOVEMBER.

1.-Died at his house, Buckworth, near Romsey, the Right Hon. Earl Nelson, aged 50. He was born at St. Michael-at-Plea, Norwich, and married, in 1821, Frances Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Mr. John Maurice, and was succeeded in his t.i.tles and estates by his eldest son, Horatio Bolton Nelson, Viscount Trafalgar, aged 12 years.

9.-The schooner Harriet, on her pa.s.sage from St. Petersburg to Liverpool, was lost, with her crew of eight hands, off Hunstanton. "The wreckage washed ash.o.r.e was immediately broken up, and part of it converted to private purposes. It is shocking to contemplate the lawless scrambling of the wreckers of this coast to obtain possession of their prey, in which they appear to be encouraged by the conduct of persons whose especial duty it is to prevent rather than to encourage the abominable plunder here carried on."

14.-Extensive flour mills at Hardingham, occupied by Messrs. Taylor and Tingay, were destroyed by fire.

27.-Mr. Charles Turner, Deputy-Mayor of Norwich, was presented with a piece of plate by the subscribers who had placed his portrait in St.

Andrew's Hall. The portrait was painted by H. P. Briggs, R.A.

DECEMBER.

1.-Messrs. Collins and Gazelee, revising barristers, commenced at Norwich the first revision of the munic.i.p.al voters' lists.

7.-A fine male specimen of the sea eagle was shot at Hunstanton Hall.

The crop and stomach contained 15 herring; the wings from tip to tip measured 7 ft. 3 in.

9.-Professor Sedgwick commenced his course of lectures on geology at the Norfolk and Norwich Museum. Upwards of 200 new subscribers added their names, in order to have the privilege of attending.

15.-Died at his uncle's house, Lancaster Place, London, Mr. James Smith, surgeon, son of the manager of Norwich Theatre.

22.-The first general meeting of the proprietors of the East of England Bank was held at the Norfolk Hotel, Norwich, the Mayor (Mr. W. Moore) presiding.

-Forty _amateurs de bonne chere_ presented Mr. William Snow, "the Ude of Norwich," with a silver gridiron, on the occasion of his 64th birthday.

24.-The new Octagon chapel at Diss was opened. Sermons were preached by the Revs. J. Alexander and J. B. Innes, of Norwich.

26.-The first elections under the new Munic.i.p.al Reform Act took place at Norwich. The polling commenced at eight polling-places at nine o'clock, and closed at four o'clock, "when the Mayor went round to the different departments and received the boxes from his deputies." The method of voting was thus described: "The voters delivered to the deputies their signed lists containing the names of the candidates for whom they gave their suffrages. A clerk entered the name of the voter and the candidates in a book, and the list was then deposited in a box by the deputy." The election resulted in the return of the Whig-Radicals by a majority of eight.

1836.

JANUARY.

1.-The first quarterly meeting of the new City Council was held at the Guildhall, Norwich. Mr. T. O. Springfield was elected Mayor.

4.-The first act of the Yarmouth reformed Town Council was to remove from office the Earl of Orford, Lord High Steward of the borough, and to elect the Earl of Lichfield in his place. The Earl, writing from Wolterton on January 26th, informed the Mayor that the only intimation he had received of his dismissal was through the newspaper paragraph in which it was announced, and added: "The honour which your late Corporation conferred upon me was received with pride and grat.i.tude. My dismissal by the present Corporation confers almost equal honour, upon, Sir, your obedient servant, ORFORD."

13.-The Norwich Corporation voted an address to his Majesty, expressing grat.i.tude to him for effecting the moral alterations in the state of his Empire called for by the progress of knowledge, and confidence in his Majesty's advisers, and promising to make effectual for the general happiness, comfort, and prosperity of the citizens the new Corporation Act, under authority of which they were met together.

22.-Italian opera was produced at Norwich Theatre, under the management of Miss Leslie. The works included "Il Barbiere di Siviligia," "La Ceverentola," and "Il Don Giovanni." The princ.i.p.al artistes were Madame Carri Paltoni, Miss M. A. Leslie, Signor De Val, Signor Paltoni, Signor Giubelli, Signora Cellini, and Signor Tryano. Mr. Schipins was conductor, and Mr. T. Jackson leader.

26.-A meeting was held at the Town Hall, Lynn, to pet.i.tion Parliament to grant a Committee to enquire into the distresses of agriculture. The High Sheriff (Mr. Hudson Gurney) presided. It was represented that the price of corn and wheat was barely equal to what it was in 1793, while the taxation of the country was three times greater than at that period.

The meeting agreed that the prices of agricultural produce be raised to meet existing burdens, or such burdens be lowered to meet existing prices.

FEBRUARY.