Norfolk Annals
Chapter 24 : Justice Grose, William Charles Fortescue, Lord Viscount Clermont, was charged with an a

Justice Grose, William Charles Fortescue, Lord Viscount Clermont, was charged with an a.s.sault on Sarah Lumley, a widow, residing at Saham Toney. His lords.h.i.+p was ordered to pay a fine of 50 marks to the King.

-At the same a.s.sizes the t.i.the case, Royle, clerk, _v._ Parsley, was heard. The plaintiff, who was rector of Hilgay and proprietor of the t.i.thes, sought to recover treble the value of the t.i.thes on eight acres of wheat grown on the defendant's farm. The defendant was the only occupier in the parish who paid the t.i.thes in kind, and it was alleged that he had not fairly set them out. The jury returned a verdict for the defendant.

28.-Died, aged 43, Lady Elizabeth, wife of Lieut.-General Loftus, and daughter of the Marquis Townshend.

30.*-"This week a main of 41 battles (of which 31 came in fray) was fought at the King's Head Inn, Norwich (Norwich against Cambridges.h.i.+re) for 10 guineas the battle, and 100 the odd. Neither, however, were winners, each having won 15 battles, and the odd battle being a draw."

APRIL.

2.-Miss Greenfield, an actress, made her first appearance at the Theatre Royal, Norwich.

2.-A Lancasterian free school was opened in College Court, St.

Martin-at-Palace, Norwich, for 420 boys.

6.-The receipts at Norwich Theatre on the occasion of the benefit of the manager, Mr. Hindes, amounted to 177 15s.

9.-Mr. J. Moreton, formerly of the Norwich Theatre, died at Woolwich, in his 62nd year.

11.-Miss Biffin, born deficient of arms and legs, was exhibited in a booth at Tombland Fair, Norwich. She had previously displayed her powers in miniature painting and needlework at the Angel Inn.

15.-Died in St. Simon's, Norwich, aged 86, James Fuller, who was for 51 years clerk of that parish. His funeral was attended by all the parish clerks in the city.

21.-Interred at St. Saviour's Church, Norwich, the remains of William Andrews, aged 85, many years s.e.xton of the parish. The funeral was attended by 22 s.e.xtons of the city.

26.-Died, at Buckenham, General Sir James Pulteney, Bart., from the effects of an accidental explosion of a flask of gunpowder six days previously. He was colonel of the 18th Regiment of Foot, and had distinguished himself in the American War. He served on the Continent under the Duke of York, and was Commander-in-Chief of the unsuccessful expedition against Ferrol. He was afterwards appointed Secretary of War.

The interest of the money left him by his wife, the Countess of Bath, amounting to 50,000 per annum, devolved at his death upon the four children of Mrs. Monkham, who had been divorced from her husband, a son of the Archbishop of York.

30.-Died in St. Peter Permountergate, Norwich, aged 63, William Harwin, nearly 40 years superintendent of the Unitarian Free Schools. "He had published a remarkably concise system of Stenography."

MAY.

4.*-"Lieut. Richard Brunton, of the 43rd Regiment, son of J. Brunton, Esq., late manager of our Theatre, is appointed Captain in the 6th Regiment of Portuguese Cacadores."

21.-Intelligence received of a brilliant achievement in the Adriatic by Capt. William Hoste in the Amphion, who with two frigates and a sloop defeated the combined French and Italian squadrons of five frigates, a corvette, &c. He captured and destroyed four of the enemy's frigates.

The action took place on March 13th.

25.-A Royal license was granted to Elizabeth Barber Bulwer, widow of Brigadier-General Bulwer, of Wood Dalling and Heydon, and only child of Richard Warburton Lytton, late of Knebworth Place, Herts., to take and use the surname and arms of Lytton in addition to and with those of Bulwer.

-*"This week the churchwardens and officers, and many of the inhabitants of St. John Maddermarket, St. Stephen's, St. Augustine's, and St. John Timberhill, went the bounds of their respective parishes, when the usual ceremonies of b.u.mping and ducking (inside and out) took place amid the ringing of bells, &c."

A census was taken in Norwich during this month. The population was returned as 37,256, an increase since 1801 of 424.

JUNE.

8.-A thunderstorm of great severity occurred in Norwich.

15.*-"General Money has made an offer to the Commander-in-Chief to raise 400 rough hussars mounted on Welsh horses, by men below the army standard, to be embarked in four months. The object of this corps is to relieve the fine regiments of Cavalry in the Peninsula from all the hara.s.sing duties of the camp."

18.-A new Methodist Chapel was opened in Calvert Street, St. George's Colegate, Norwich, by the Rev. T. Cooke, LL.D., successor to the Rev.

John Wesley.

-Guild Day at Norwich. "St. Giles' Broad Street was decorated with streamers, garlands, and evergreens, whilst old Snap displayed his glittering wings and gilt tail, and cleared the way for the civic procession to the Cathedral." After the service Robert Burrage, senior pupil at the Free Grammar School, and a "plebeian," delivered the customary Latin oration at the school porch, and Mr. John Hamond Cole, having been sworn in at the Guildhall as Mayor of the city, entertained a company of 650 at the Guild feast at St. Andrew's Hall.

20.-Died, at Athlone, Ireland, aged 38, James Wheeler, formerly of the Norwich Company of Comedians.

24.-Holkham Sheep Shearing commenced.

29.-A cricket match was played on Mulbarton Common between the Ashwelthorpe and Mulbarton teams, "for 22 bottles of cyder and 22 lbs. of cherries." The Ashwelthorpe players won.

The East Norfolk Militia, commanded by Col. Wodehouse, volunteered to serve in Ireland. The Government accepted their services, and the regiment arrived in Cork in the following November.

JULY.

15.-Died, in his 69th year, at his house at Keswick, Mr. Richard Gurney.

The interment took place at the Gildencroft burial-ground, Norwich.

18.-A cricket match was played on Swaffham race-course between the gentlemen of Swaffham and the gentlemen of Terrington for 50 guineas a aids. The match lasted two days. Swaffham, 122-110; Terrington, 100-69.

The return match was played at Terrington on July 22nd. Swaffham, 44; Terrington, 22-20. "Even betting on the match."

22.-A cricket match was played on the Town Close ground, Norwich, between the 2nd and 3rd Norwich clubs. 3rd club, 47; 2nd club, 19-42.

-An inquest was held in St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich, on the body of Ann Hammont, aged 28. "She destroyed herself in a manner very uncommon. She wound a piece of tape three times tight round her neck, and, finding it insufficient to effect her purpose, she resolutely put her head into a tub of water and so completed her suffocation."

26.-The anniversary meeting of the Norfolk Agricultural Society was held at East Dereham. In consequence of the increase of the members (nearly 200) new regulations were made for conducting the society.

27.-Died at Richmond, Surrey, the Marquis Townshend, Earl of Leicester, &c., of Rainham. He was President of the Society of Antiquaries.

AUGUST.

3.-Polito's menagerie was exhibited on the Castle Hill, Norwich.

6.-The portrait of Mr. Thomas Back, ex-Mayor of Norwich, was placed in St. Andrew's Hall. It was painted by Clover, a native of the city.

8.-After the lapse of half a century Heigham Water Frolic was revived in Norwich.

10.-A prize fight took place at Fakenham between "the noted" Christopher c.o.x, of Sculthorpe, and J. Withers, "the blind boy," servant to Mr. E.

Holman, of the former place. "After two rounds in which c.o.x was confronted by his adversary, the conceit was pretty well taken out of him. Some little sparring then took place, when c.o.x was knocked down by a right hand facer, and after several other rounds, which were all in favour of Withers, c.o.x was completely beat off his legs."

12.-Between six a.m. and five p.m. two persons caught by angling near Buckenham Ferry 132 lbs. of perch, bream, and roach.