Norfolk Annals
Chapter 43 : 27.-Mr. Blanchard, of Covent Garden Theatre, appeared at Norwich Theatre as General Hea

27.-Mr. Blanchard, of Covent Garden Theatre, appeared at Norwich Theatre as General Heartall ("The Soldier's Daughter"). Among the other characters impersonated by him during his engagement were Crack ("The Turnpike Gate"), Lazarillo ("Two Strings to your Bow"), Abednego ("Jew and Doctor"), Caleb Quotem ("The Wags of Windsor"), and Dr. Ollapod ("The Poor Gentleman").

-At a meeting of the merchants of the city, held at the Angel Inn, Norwich, under the presidency of Mr. Crisp Brown, it was agreed to open up a trade from Gainsborough to Yarmouth, and to employ four vessels to sail alternately from both places.

31.-Died at his house in St. James's Square, London, Viscount Anson. He married in 1794 Ann Margaret, second daughter of Mr. T. W. c.o.ke, of Holkham, and was succeeded in his t.i.tle and estates by the Hon. Thomas William Anson, M.P. for Yarmouth.

AUGUST.

12.-Two gentlemen "angling on that beautiful river at Buckenham, belonging to Sir Thomas Beauchamp Proctor," caught 210 pounds of fish, the greater part of which were bream. This was described as "a circ.u.mstance unprecedented in this or any other part of the country."

15.-The whaler Enterprize from Greenland, Capt. Sanderson, arrived at her berth at South Lynn, with eleven "fish" on board, "which it is supposed will produce about 160 tons of oil, estimated to be worth 6,000, exclusive of whalebone, &c."

28.-A cricket match was played at Bungay between the Holt and Bungay clubs, for stakes amounting to 132. Scores: Holt, 89-130; Bungay, 54-28. The return match was fixed for September 7th, but Bungay paid forfeit. In the first match, owing to men being objected to on both sides, "it was played with only ten batsmen, but with the usual numbers in the field."

SEPTEMBER.

1.-Robert Skipper, the Norwich pedestrian, began a walk of 1,000 miles in 20 successive days. He started from St. Stephen's Gates at five o'clock a.m. and returned from the twenty-fifth milestone on the Thetford road at nine p.m. He relinquished the task on the ninth day in consequence of lameness.

8.-Miss O'Neil commenced a five nights' engagement at Norwich Theatre.

She appeared in the characters of Belvidera ("Venice Preserved"), Juliet, Mrs. Haller ("The Stranger"), Mrs. Beverley ("The Gamester"), and Mrs.

Oakley ("The Jealous Wife"). "The box office was literally besieged every morning, and the spirit of politeness and gallantry maintained only a very feeble influence over the conduct of the a.s.sembled mult.i.tude. No law prevailed but that of the strongest; nothing was to be heard but shrieks, reproaches, and lamentations-nothing to be seen but bonnets cramped up, hats squeezed flat, torn gowns and coat flaps, and a motley mob in the highest state of exasperation, fermentation, and desperation.

On the nights of the performance the house was crowded in every part.

Families of the highest respectability, both of the town and from the country, were to be seen contenting themselves, many of them with inconvenient situations. Even the orchestra was occupied by the audience." The receipts averaged 200 a night, and Miss O'Neil, including her benefit, received 700.

-A public meeting was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, at which it was decided to apply to Parliament for leave to bring in a Bill for widening and deepening the Norwich river so as to render it navigable by vessels of burden from Norwich to the sea. The Mayor presided, and the project, which afterwards gave rise to the famous agitation "Norwich, a Port," was introduced by Mr. Crisp Brown.

-Buonaparte's military coach was exhibited by Mr. Bullock, of the London Museum, at Mr. Smith's coach manufactory, Swan Yard, St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich.

26.-The Phenomena day coach was advertised to run from the Angel Inn, Norwich, and the One Bull Inn, Bury, to the Bull Inn, Aldgate, London, in fourteen hours. It set out from Norwich at a quarter to six. The proprietors, William Pawson, T. Bridgeman, George Archer, and Ann Nelson, Son, and Co., prohibited racing on the part of their coachman. The rival coach, the Norwich and London Original day coach, started from the Norfolk Hotel every morning at a quarter to seven and ran to the Spread Eagle, Gracechurch Street, and the Swan with Two Necks, Lad Lane, through Bury, Sudbury, Chelmsford, and Romford. Racing was prohibited by the proprietors, namely, R. Gurney, T. Boyce, Chapman, S. Bright, J. Boldero, J. Tomlinson, Elizabeth Boyce and Son, and W. Waterhouse.

28.-Died, the Rev. St. John Priest, A.M., master of Scarning Free School, rector of Reepham with Kerdiston and of Billingford, and vicar of Parham with Hacheston, Suffolk. He was secretary of the Norfolk Agricultural Society from its inst.i.tution in 1800.

OCTOBER.

1.-Married, at York, Upper Canada, Mr. Samuel Peters Jarvis, barrister, and son of the late secretary of that province, to Mary Boyles, youngest daughter of the Hon. W. D. Powell, Chief Justice of Upper Canada, and granddaughter of Dr. John Murray, of Norwich.

3.-Sir Edmund Lacon, Kt., of Great Yarmouth, Mr. Thomas Hare, of Stow Hall, and Mr. Edward Stracey, of Rackheath Hall, were created baronets.

12.-Died at St. George's Colegate, Norwich, aged 50, Mr. Thomas Allday Kerrison, who was Sheriff in 1798, Alderman in 1803, and Mayor in 1806.

13.-A sailing match, which took place at Thorpe for a silver cup, was won by the Dreadnought (Stone), which beat the Albion (Ganning), and the Argo (Harvey).

-A trial took place at midnight of a gasometer with complete apparatus erected by Messrs. John and Philip Taylor, of London, at the factory of Messrs. Joseph Oxley and Sons, of Norwich. They were the first to introduce gaslight into a Norwich factory.

21.-At the Norfolk Quarter Sessions, Mark Woodc.o.c.k appealed against a conviction for taking toll at a turnpike gate off soldiers when on duty.

The 15th Light Dragoons, stationed at Lynn, were being "taken out for an airing" and on pa.s.sing through Gaywood gate the appellant demanded toll of them, to the amount of 4s. 4d. He alleged that the soldiers were not on duty, and that they pa.s.sed through the gate wantonly and unnecessarily, and in order to give him trouble. The court confirmed the conviction.

24.-Messrs. T. S. Coldwell and William Horne, proprietors of the Mercury coach, from the Maid's Head, Norwich, through Wymondham, Attleborough, and Thetford, to the Golden Cross, Charing Cross, London, advertised "reduced fares at what you please." The coach ran every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sat.u.r.day.

-Adams' Equestrian Troupe commenced a season at the Ranelagh Gardens, Norwich, where a stage was provided for the production of pantomime and burletta.

25.-The premises and stock of Mr. Griffiths, plane and tool maker, near St. Gregory's Church, Norwich, were destroyed by fire.

31.-Died of apoplexy, at Holt, Mr. William Stokes, Clerk of the Peace for Norfolk. He was 66 years of age, and had held the office 19 years. His eldest son died at Fakenham on the following day. Mr. Robert Copeman, of Aylsham, was appointed to the vacant clerks.h.i.+p.

-Four boys were whipped in Norwich Market Place, pursuant to sentence pa.s.sed upon them at the Quarter Sessions.

NOVEMBER.

1.-The Expedition coach from Norwich to London, carrying only four insides, with car added to carry six insides, started running on this date from the White Swan, Norwich. Fares, four insides, 18s. each; the car, six insides, 14s. each; outsides, 10s. 6d. each. The proprietors were Thomas Bryant and John Eames and Co.

2.-Thiodon's "mechanical and picturesque theatre of arts" (automata) was opened at Norwich Theatre.

4.-Married at Gissing, W. Newby, of Burston, to Susanna Fleet, of the former place, widow. "Their united ages amounted to upwards of 140 years. Nearly 40 years ago she married John Fleet, her first husband, who, after living with her several years, set out on his travels and visited the most distant parts of the world. The only report that ever reached her was the news of his death, when, having given what she considered a decent time to his memory and his loss, she again entered into the state of matrimony. After living several years with her second husband the first returned and claimed her, and his death which lately happened gave her the second opportunity of being legally united to the man of her heart, which actually took place, and she was a second time married to the same person."

5.-At a meeting of the Navigation Committee, held at the Guildhall, Norwich, a letter was received from the Mayor of Yarmouth, in which he expressed the fear that the projected scheme for widening and deepening the Norwich river would prove injurious to Yarmouth harbour. It was pointed out that there was an alternative plan of making a cut about a mile lone: across Thurlton marshes to join the Waveney about a mile below St. Olave's Bridge, and thence proceeding to Oulton and Lothing Broads and entering the sea at Lowestoft. The meeting considered the alternative scheme the more eligible one, and Mr. Cubitt, engineer, was ordered to make a survey and prepare an estimate of the expense.

9.-At Holkham eight guns killed 516 head of game in one day, namely, eight partridges, 40 pheasants, 237 hares, 216 rabbits, 14 woodc.o.c.k, and one snipe. In seven days 2,574 head were killed.

18.-On the official account being received of the death of the Queen at Kew Palace, the great bell of St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich, and the bells of the other churches in the city were tolled for two hours. On Sunday, the 22nd, the pulpits in the churches were draped with black, and on December 2nd, the day of interment, the shops were closed, and the bells tolled from six to eight o'clock in the evening. The Corporation attended service at the Cathedral. At Yarmouth and Lynn the day was observed in a similar manner. Addresses of condolence were afterwards pa.s.sed by each Corporation.

20.-Mr. William Bell, of Norwich, while shooting with a party at Sprowston, "killed at one shot five and a half brace of that rare bird called the golden plover, a shot not to be paralleled in the annals of sporting notoriety."

DECEMBER.

3.-Mr. Edward K. Lacon, who had canva.s.sed Yarmouth as a candidate for the Parliamentary election consequent upon the elevation to the peerage of the Hon. T. W. Anson, announced in an address to the electors his intention to retire from the candidature on the ground that "the prejudices so unjustly excited against him were not yet fully allayed."

The Hon. George Anson was returned without opposition on February 11th, 1819.

5.-Landed at Cromer from the Earl of Leicester packet, from Holland, Mr.

Horsley, of Islington, and his little son. The boy had been kidnapped by Charles Rennett, a cousin of Mrs. Horsley, who had entered into litigation respecting some property to which the child was ent.i.tled.

Rennett carried him to France, whence he was traced to Braker, near Bremen. The boy was recovered unharmed and handed over to his father, and Rennett, on his arrest, was tried in London on May 28th, 1819, and sentenced to seven years' transportation.

12.-Wombwell's Menagerie was exhibited on Castle Hill, Norwich.

24.-A tradesman at Beeston next Mileham made a wager that he would carry twelve stone of flour a distance of ten miles in six hours, "which Herculean task he performed in five hours and a quarter. The odds at the start were three to one against him."

26.-A county meeting was held at the s.h.i.+rehouse, Norwich, to consider the propriety of presenting an address of condolence to the Prince Regent on the death of the Queen. Col. Wodehouse was about to move an address, when Mr. Nathaniel Palmer, jun., of Yarmouth, antic.i.p.ated him by moving one of his own framing, the last paragraph of which contained an allusion to the criminal code. It was seconded by Mr. Clarke, of Berghapton, and supported by Archdeacon Bathurst. Col. Wodehouse then moved his address, which was seconded by Mr. T. Cubitt, and supported by Mr. M. Elwin and Mr. C. Harvey. Much altercation and confusion ensued, and the High Sheriff (Mr. Edward Lombe), who presided, adjourned the meeting _sine die_. Those who approved the address proposed by Col. Wodehouse adjourned to the grand jury room and signed it. It was subsequently presented to the Prince Regent.

-Died in Little Charlotte Street, London, aged 29, Mrs. Fisher, wife of Mr. David Fisher, of Drury Lane Theatre. She left a family of three children.