Volume I Part 42 (1/2)
On a ballot in the common council-room there were 24 for and 24 against the addresses. The Speaker (Mr. Samuel Stone) gave his casting vote in favour of the addresses, which accordingly became acts of a.s.sembly.
6.-The birthday of Mr. T. W. c.o.ke, M.P., was celebrated at Harleston, Wells, Wymondham, and other places by public dinners.
12.-A prize fight took place on a field near Thorpe Asylum between William c.o.x, blacksmith, and John Camplin, a Norwich weaver. ”Among the spectators were a great number of females.” Camplin was seconded by Ned Painter, and c.o.x by Wharton. Twenty-nine rounds were fought in 42 minutes for 5 a side. c.o.x won. Another fight between Pegg and Short, ”who milled each other for more than an hour,” resulted in the victory of the latter.
13.-A new gallery erected in North Walsham church was opened with a grand selection of sacred music from the works of Handel, under the direction of Messrs. Fish and Card, of Norwich. The princ.i.p.al vocal performers were Mrs. Card, Mr. Frewer, and Mr. Barron, and the choruses were supported by performers from the Norwich concerts, and by the Cathedral choristers.
16.-Died at Lynn, Ann Crawforth, aged 104, supposed to be the oldest member of the Methodist Society.
18.-Miss Brunton, granddaughter of Mr. John Brunton, the former manager, appeared at Norwich Theatre as Let.i.tia Hardy (”The Belle's Stratagem”).
Her other characters during the engagement were Miss Hardcastle, Rosalind, and Lady Elizabeth (”The Day after the Wedding”).
19.-A new peal of six bells, cast and hung by William Dobson, of Downham Market, was opened at Northwold. Prizes of ten guineas and five guineas were offered to competing companies who performed the best and next best peals of 720 complete changes. The New Buckenham and Hopton ringers were adjudged equal.
-At the Norwich Consistory Court, sentence of suspension for two years was pa.s.sed by the Rev. William Young, Chancellor, on the Rev. Edward Leathes, rector of Reedham with Freethorpe, for neglecting to perform his ministerial duties in those churches for about eight months in the course of the years 1816 and 1817.
20.-Bull-baiting took place on Carrow Hills, Norwich. ”The game old bull resisted every effort of the well-seasoned dogs, and remained master of the ring. A young bull was afterwards brought in, who is to be trained up to exercise the rising generation of the canine species, and for the amus.e.m.e.nt of the lovers of this fine art.”
-A rowing match between two four-oared boats, the Swift and the Adriadne, took place from Carrow to Whitlingham. The Swift, ”rowed by four brothers of the name of Lanham, well known on the stream,” won. ”The match was for each other's boat, valued complete at 14 or 15.” (This is the first instance in which the names of the rowers are given.)
28.-The annual dinner in commemoration of Pitt's birthday was held at the a.s.sembly Rooms, Norwich, under the presidency of the Hon. Col. Wodehouse.
-Tenders were invited for taking down the existing and building the new bridge, at h.e.l.lesdon, either of timber or iron. The Corporation on June 30 accepted the tender of Mr. Frost to build an iron bridge for 1,140.
30.-Miss Byrne began a short engagement at Norwich Theatre, during which she appeared in favourite comic operas and musical entertainments. Her impersonations included Adela (”The Haunted Tower”) and Rosina.
-*(Advt.) ”A match of c.o.c.ks will be fought at the Angel Inn, St.
Stephen's, Norwich, on June 15th and 16th, between the gentlemen of Norfolk and the gentlemen of Norwich, to show fifteen mains and five byes. To fight for 5 a battle and 20 the odd. Feeders: Stafford for Norfolk, Lamb for Norwich.”
31.-Died at Wakefield, Mr. Fitzgerald, manager of the Leeds, Lincoln, Sheffield, and Hull Theatres, and many years a favourite performer in the Norwich Company.
JUNE.
1.-Mr. Charles Harvey, M.P., issued an address to the electors of Norwich, in which he announced his intention of declining to offer himself for re-election.
2.-Died at Coltishall, Mr. William Warrant, aged 100 years.
4.-The 81st birthday of George III. was celebrated in Norwich. The Mayor and Corporation, preceded by a band of music, went in state to the Cathedral.
8.-A camping match, Norfolk against Suffolk, took place at Kirby Cane for 10 a side, and, after a spirited contest, Norfolk won. ”This is the first _thorough boxing camping match_ which has taken place for these last 35 years, and considering that not five out of the twenty individuals who played had ever before been engaged in any pugilistic contest, it was astonis.h.i.+ng to observe the spirit of gallantry which animated both parties. The spectators amounted to some thousands, among whom were many gentlemen of rank and fortune.”
9.-Parliament having been dissolved and the writ for the election received, Mr. W. Smith and Mr. R. H. Gurney, the ”Blue and White”
candidates, made their public entry into Norwich. The Hon. Edward Harbord, the ”Orange and Purple” candidate, was met at Mile End on the 11th. His barouche was drawn into the city by the crowd, and a large cavalcade of freeholders and freemen was in attendance. Thence until the day of election there was an active canva.s.s in the city, and party feeling ran high.
15.-Seaman's Museum of Natural History was exhibited on Orford Hill, Norwich.
16.-Guild Day at Norwich. Many members of the freemen's clubs, with blue and white favours in their hats, and with party flags flying, marched into the Market Place in order to attend the new Mayor to the Cathedral.
Alderman Herring protested against such a display of party feeling on this day. Mr. Smith, the Parliamentary candidate, addressed the people from a window in the Market Place, saying that anything like party appeared to be indecorous on such an occasion, and he for one should put his colours into his pocket. His example, however, was not generally followed. After service at the Cathedral Mr. Barnabas Leman was sworn in as Mayor, and the guild feast, given in St. Andrew's Hall, was attended by 300 guests.