Volume I Part 49 (1/2)
-Died at the house of Mr. Robert Marsham, at Stratton, Sir Edmund Bacon, premier baronet, of Raveningham. He was in his 71st year, and his death was occasioned by a fall from his carriage on August 30th. ”Sir Edmund was director of the Loddon and Clavering Incorporation, and chairman of the committee of the Norfolk Lunatic Asylum. He had made unremitting exertions to improve the public roads. It was one of his fixed opinions that the roads might be kept in a good state of repair by the fair performance of the Statute duty without the imposition of tolls, and he practically evinced the truth of the opinion which he had formed. In the attainment of this important object he had to encounter the prejudices of the ignorant and the complaints of the interested, but he steadily pursued his course regardless of the unpopularity which he thus caused, and at length had the gratification of making converts of his most decided opponents.”
12.-Miss Macauley, from the King's Concert Room, London, gave her literary and musical entertainment, _La Pet.i.t Souper_, at Norwich Theatre. On the 14th she gave a dramatic reading at the New Concert Room, St. George's.
18.-A fire broke out on the premises of Mr. Neale, coach maker, St.
Giles' Gates. The whole range of workshops was consumed, and damage done to the amount of 2,000.
24.-Died at his seat at Nackington, Kent, Mr. Richard Milles, of North Elmham, aged 85.
25.-Cossey bells, rehung by Messrs. T. and J. Hurry, of Norwich, were re-opened. ”Five good hats” were offered for compet.i.tion.
29.-Mr. Henry Francis and Mr. E. T. Booth, Sheriffs of Norwich, gave a dinner to 130 guests at Chapel Field House. ”A turtle, weighing 130 lbs., was dressed by Mr. Snow, and so highly relished that not a fragment remained.”
Rear-Admiral Philip Wilkinson a.s.sumed this month the surname and the arms of Stephens, in compliance with the request contained in the will of his maternal great uncle, Sir Philip Stephens, Bart., for many years Secretary to the Admiralty.
OCTOBER.
1.-Died, aged 47, at Dunkirk, Mr. Charles William Jerningham, second son of Sir William Jerningham, of Costessey. ”Mr. Jerningham had served eight camps in the Austrian Army with distinguished valour, being engaged in the great battles of Jemappe and Fleurus, and was several times wounded.” His remains were interred at Costessey on October 23rd.
7.*-”It is with mingled feelings of shame and disgust that we state no less than four pugilistic battles were fought on Sunday morning last on Mousehold Heath, near Norwich, and that many hundreds of persons were present to witness the unchristianlike scene.”
16.-At a dinner held at the King's Arms Inn, North Walsham, under the presidency of Capt. Simpson, Capt. Cooper was presented with a piece of plate by the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood as a testimony of their high esteem for his public conduct and private worth.
19.-At the opening concert of the Harmonic Society, Mr. and Miss Mori made their first appearance in Norwich. Mr. Mori is stated to have been ”well known as one of the first violin performers of the present day.”
21.-The Rev. Edward Bankes, LL.B., was installed a Prebendary of Norwich Cathedral, in place of the Rev. George Anguish, A.M., resigned.
-*”Died at her father's house in Gun Lane, in this city, aged 19, Miss Smith, daughter of Mr. Smith, of Norwich Theatre.”
NOVEMBER.
3.-Died at Yarmouth, aged 70, Sir Edmund Lacon, Bart., senior alderman of the borough. He four times served the office of Mayor. He was succeeded by Mr. Edmund Knowles Lacon, of Ormsby.
11.-Soon after the arrival at Norwich of the coaches with the intelligence of the abandonment of the Bill of Pains and Penalties after its third reading in the House of Lords, the bells of ”one or two of the minor parishes” were rung, a few houses illuminated, and parties paraded the streets with flambeaux, crying ”Light up for the Queen.” An attempt to make a bonfire on the Castle ditches was prevented by the magistrates, many of the torches were put out, and eight of the torch bearers taken to the watch-house. In view of a disturbance 1,000 special constables were sworn in on the 13th, on which evening a procession was formed on Tombland. In pa.s.sing through the city the mob groaned outside houses which were not illuminated, and an iron ball was hurled through the window of Dr. Reeve's house in St. Giles'. On the 23rd a public meeting was held at St. Andrew's Hall, presided over by the Mayor, when congratulatory resolutions and an address to the Queen were adopted.
(The address was subsequently presented to her Majesty at Bradenburgh House by Mr. N. Bolingbroke, who was accompanied by Mr. W. Smith, M.P., and Mr. Edward Taylor.) After the meeting a bonfire was lighted in the Market Place. ”We understand that an impression of the NORFOLK CHRONICLE (surely not dishonoured by being obnoxious to such a crew) was committed to the flames.” Demonstrations took place at Yarmouth, Lynn, and other towns.
13.-The Olympic Circus was opened by Mr. T. Cooke at the Pantheon, Norwich.
19.-Died in St. Andrew's, Norwich, aged 81, an eccentric person named Charles Archer. ”It was his constant practice to be at his post every morning at four o'clock with his kettle of hot cocoa and saloop. His station was near the Two-Necked-Swan, and he was allowed half a pint of porter each morning for calling up the landlord at six, which custom continuing 14 years he drank at that house 2,556 half pints, or something more than 319 gallons. He had formerly been in the 12th Regiment of Foot, and lost a leg in the memorable siege of Gibraltar, for which he was granted a pension which he received 39 years. But what most affected his mind next to the misfortune of having his leg shot away was to see a hog, a circ.u.mstance related by himself, s.n.a.t.c.h it up in his mouth and run away with it without his being able to prevent it.”
28.-Died, in his 82nd year, at the Great Hospital, Bishopgate Street, Norwich, Robert Davey, ”who for several years was leader of the nocturnal band of musicians vulgarly called 'mumpers,' though their performances justly ent.i.tled them to a more respectable appellation. He personated Orpheus in the grand procession which took place in Norwich in honour of Bishop Blaize on March 24th, 1783.”
29.-H.R.H. the Duke of York pa.s.sed through Norwich on his way to Gunton Hall, the seat of Lord Suffield. On the duke's approach to St. Stephen's Gates the horses were taken from his carriage, and it was dragged through St. Stephen's Street and Rampant Horse Street to the Market Place. After changing horses at the Angel Inn, his Royal Highness proceeded on his journey. On the following day the Duke of Wellington pa.s.sed through the city on his way to Gunton.
30.-Died, aged 102, Mr. John Walden, of Wells-next-the-Sea.