Norfolk Annals
Chapter 30 : 15.-This day was fixed for the celebration of the victories gained over France in Spain

15.-This day was fixed for the celebration of the victories gained over France in Spain and Germany. At Norwich a bullock was roasted whole in the Market Place. The roasting commenced at nine o'clock the previous evening (Sunday, 14th). At noon a grand procession started from the Castle Meadow, and, pa.s.sing through the princ.i.p.al streets, entered the Market Place. "At one o'clock Mr. Lowden, the butcher, commenced to carve the bullock, but the crowd broke over the barriers, and there was a disgusting waste of good provision." Six hundred 2d. loaves and ten barrels of stout were given away. A public dinner took place at the Angel Inn, and in the evening a huge bonfire was lighted in the Market Place. Great depredations were committed in obtaining materials for the fire, and several offenders were committed to Bridewell. There was also a procession of stage coaches, and an effigy of Buonaparte was burned. A general illumination followed. Celebrations also took place in nearly every town and village in the county.

16.-Died at Worlingworth, Suffolk, aged 81, Lewis Johnson, 35 years parish clerk of St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich. He resigned the office in 1812.

23.-Intelligence received in Norwich of a counter Revolution in Holland.

29.-Capt. c.o.c.kburn, commanding Royal Artillery in Norwich, sent to Yarmouth 500,000 ball cartridges for the use of the Orange Patriots in Holland.

30.-A wrestling match took place at Barford between "the noted Game Chicken" and "the East Tuddenham champion. There was a vast concourse of spectators, and the odds were seven to one on the Game Chicken, who won with the greatest ease, and was offered to be backed for 100 guineas against any 11 stone man in England."

DECEMBER.

4.*-"Among the officers severely wounded in the late action in Bayonne were Lieut. James Day, of the Royal Horse Artillery, son of Mr. M. S.

Day, jun., of Norwich, and Lieut. Charles Eaton, second battalion, 95th Regiment, son of the Rev. Eaton Browne, of Elsing."

18.-Eight French officers, taken prisoners at Cuxhaven, arrived at Norwich by steam barge from Yarmouth, on parole, and on the 20th left for Chesterfield. In a letter to the Mayor they acknowledged, in warm terms, the kindness they had received from the citizens of Norwich.

19.-The Expedition coach arrived at Norwich with the intelligence of the defeat of Marshal Soult by the Marquis Wellington.

1814.

JANUARY.

1.-A remarkable funeral took place at Shelfanger. The body of Mr. Smith, a farmer, was conveyed from Fersfield in a waggon drawn by his own team.

The coffin was covered with a waggon tilt, and sacks of straw served as seats for his children and grandchildren. Behind the waggon walked his riding horse as chief mourner, and the singers of the congregation chanted a funeral dirge. "He was a person who in habits, manners, and opinions exhibited a singularity that was not easily paralleled."

4.-Died at St. Gregory's, Norwich, aged 61, Mrs. Chesnutt, wife of Mr.

John Chesnutt. For many years she was a favourite dancer on the Norwich stage.

-At a special a.s.sembly of the Corporation of Norwich, it was decided to present to the Prince Regent an address, congratulating him upon "the late glorious victories with which the Almighty had been pleased to crown the arms of his Majesty and his Allies."

5.-Died, of wounds received at Bayonne, Ensign Hardy, 31st Regiment of Foot, son of Mr. James Hardy, of Hethersettt.

6.-Died, at his house at Catton, Mr. Jeremiah Ives Harvey, Alderman of Conisford Ward, Norwich. He served the office of Sheriff in 1779, and was Mayor in 1783. He was in his 69th year.

7.-A curious incident occurred at the funeral of Benjamin Edwards, for 20 years coachman to Lord Suffield at Blickling. "The corpse was conveyed from the house to the church for interment, followed by thirty servants in their liveries. After the Rev. Mr. Churchill had retired from the grave an old acquaintance came forward and performed a promise which had been made by each party, which was done as follows:-He enquired his age, and was informed it was 64. He then took a bottle of rum from his pocket and threw it upon the head of the coffin. From the fall the bottle broke and the rum was distributed upon the lid of the coffin. He said 'G.o.d bless him. I have performed my promise as I am sure he would have done had I gone first.'"

8.*-"A few days since the harriers of Mr. J. Gooch unexpectedly found an outlying deer in Hempnall Wood, which they immediately drove from covert, and it afforded a most capital chase without a break for an hour and forty minutes, through sixteen parishes and a hard run of 28 miles."

-*"Lieut. Robert Blake, of the 3rd Regiment of Foot, was so severely wounded in the action near Bayonne that he had his leg amputated."

9.-Very severe weather was experienced this month. On the 9th at nine p.m. the thermometer fell 20 degrees below freezing point, and the severity of the frost rendered the river impa.s.sable between Norwich and Yarmouth. On the 19th occurred a heavy fall of snow, which blocked the roads and prevented traffic. The mail bags were brought to Norwich on horseback; the London waggons which should have arrived on the 19th came in on the evening of the 20th, drawn by teams of twelve or fourteen horses. Carriers who had arrived in the city were unable to return; the Yarmouth coach was preceded by an empty waggon which, drawn by six horses, made a road for it. A second sharp frost occurred on February 15th, and continued to the 25th, when the thermometer registered 17 degrees below freezing point.

10.-Mr. Crisp Brown was elected an Alderman for Coslany Ward, Norwich, in place of Mr. Jeremiah Ives Harvey, deceased.

13.-A general thanksgiving took place for the late victories. The Mayor and Corporation of Norwich attended service at the Cathedral, and at the various churches and chapels in the city collections were made for the poor.

-The portrait of Mr. T. W. c.o.ke, M.P., painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence, was presented to the county magistrates by the subscribers, and placed in the Grand Jury chamber at the s.h.i.+rehouse, Norwich.

26.-At a meeting held at the Guildhall, Norwich, presided over by Mr.

Steward Alderson, it was decided to establish a similar society to the Norwich Benevolent Society, but upon a more extensive and permanent plan.

Visitors were appointed for each parish, and 2,400 was raised.

-News was received at Norwich of the conclusion of Peace between this country and Denmark, and St. Peter Mancroft bells were rung in celebration.

29.-A main of c.o.c.ks was fought at the Swan Inn, Norwich, between the gentlemen of Cambridges.h.i.+re and the gentlemen of Norwich, for 10 guineas a battle and 100 guineas the odd. Cambridges.h.i.+re won with five battles to the good.

FEBRUARY.

5.-Died at Scratby Hall, the Countess Dowager Home, aged 68.

-*"At the last General Quarter Sessions of the peace for the borough of Lynn, before Mr. Robert Bevill, Recorder, Mrs. Ann Clarke received the awful sentence of death for wilfully and maliciously attempting to stab her husband, Mr. W. Clarke, a s.h.i.+p master, with intention to murder him."

The prisoner was afterwards reprieved, and the sentence commuted to transportation for life.

-Arrived at Yarmouth, Capt. Spencer, of that port, who had escaped from France, where he had for four years been a prisoner of war in the fortress of b.i.t.c.he.

18.-Died, at Hethel Hall, in his 89th year, Sir Thomas Beevor, Bart. An active magistrate for more than half a century, he was created baronet during the Whig administration of the Duke of Portland in 1783.

-Died, at Walsham, Suffolk, aged 69, the Very Rev. Coombe Miller, Dean of Chichester and rector of Winfarthing and Snetterton. He was buried at Eccles, near Attleborough.

22.-The Corporation of Norwich subscribed 100 to the fund for relieving the distresses of the unfortunate sufferers in Germany.

26.-In the Arches Court, Doctors' Commons, was heard a cause for the rest.i.tution of conjugal rights promoted by Mr. (afterwards Sir) Thomas Beevor, of Mangreen Hall, against Ann Beevor. The parties were married at the parish church, Hargham, on August 24th, 1795, and cohabited together until June 30th, 1802, when Mrs. Beevor left her husband's house, and some time after promoted a suit of divorce or separation by reason of his cruelty. In that suit Mr. Beevor was dismissed from the cause. In this case the court admonished Mrs. Beevor to return again to the society of her husband.

28.-Died at Cardiff, Lieut. W. H. Clifford, husband of Mrs. Clifford, of the Norwich Theatre.

MARCH.

1.-On the information of Joseph Stannard, a Norwich printer, named Stewardson, was fined "for omitting to affix his name to a song printed by him." (See July 12th, 1814.)

11.-Died, at his house in Welbeck Street, London, Mr. Henry Jodrell, of Bayfield Hall, who was for many years Recorder and Member of Parliament for Yarmouth, and one of the chairmen of Norfolk Quarter Sessions.

12.*-"Died, last week, at Woodbridge, Mrs. Fisher, wife of Mr. Fisher, manager of the Norfolk and Suffolk Theatrical Company."

15.-Died, at Bath, aged 34, Mr. R. Harley Cus.h.i.+ng, comedian, a native of Norwich.

18.-The Newmarket mail arrived at Norwich, with the horses decorated with laurel, bringing confirmation of the intelligence in the "Hague Gazette,"

of Marshal Blucher's victory over the French on March 9th. The bells of St. Peter Mancroft were rung.