Volume I Part 82 (1/2)
APRIL.
12.-William Thirkettle, 27; William Pye, 32; and Gilpin Reynolds, 24, were executed on Castle Hill, Norwich, the first-named for the attempted murder of his wife, and the others for arson.
14.-The two troops of the King's Own Light Dragoons marched from Norwich for Hampton Court and Kensington Barracks.
25.-The Yarmouth Port and Haven Bill was considered by the House of Commons' Committee, presided over by Mr. William Windham. On the 28th the pet.i.tioners announced the abandonment of the Bill.
30.-The Bishop of Rochester, officiating for the Bishop of Norwich (who was then in his 90th year), confirmed 1,700 persons at North Walsham. On subsequent days 1,000 were confirmed at Holt, and 1,050 at Diss.
-Fifty-four convicts, sentenced at the County a.s.sizes and Sessions to transportation, were taken on board the Sarah (Capt. Moore), lying in Norwich river. ”The hatchways were closed at twenty minutes after two in the morning, and this London trader sailed immediately for Lowestoft, which harbour was reached about eleven o'clock; in three hours the vessel was out of sight and on her way to Portsmouth. Their being sent off by sea (through the Norwich and Lowestoft Navigation) instead of by land conveyance will be a very considerable saving of expense to the county of Norfolk.”
MAY.
1.-Mr. Charles Turner and Mr. William Moore were returned to the Court of Aldermen, who elected the former as Mayor of Norwich for the year ensuing.
-May Day was celebrated at Lynn with the usual display of garlands and devices emblematical of the season, by persons arrayed in fancy costumes.
5.-Two troops of the 2nd Queen's Dragoon Guards, under the command of Major Kearney, marched into Norwich Barracks from Nottingham, to relieve the 3rd Dragoons, who, on the same day, marched for Ipswich.
8.-The leading postmasters of Norwich announced that they had reduced the rate of posting to 1s. 4d. per mile.
13.-A pet.i.tion to Parliament against the proposed measure for separating religious instruction from the system of education hitherto prevailing at the Universities was unanimously adopted at a meeting summoned by requisition and held at the Guildhall, Norwich, under the presidency of the Mayor (Mr. Bignold).
16.-The dwelling-house, outbuildings, and corn stacks of Mr. Helsden Larner, at North Walsham, were destroyed by fire. A labourer named Jeremiah Cutting was buried beneath the falling roof of the stable and burned to death.
21.-The West Norfolk Agricultural a.s.sociation held its first annual meeting at Downham Market. A second division of the society was formed at Fakenham on June 19th.
26.-A new drama, ent.i.tled, ”Sir Roger de Coverley, or the Old English Gentleman,” written by Mr. G. Smith, second son of the manager, was produced for the first time at Norwich Theatre. It was described as ”a composition which exhibited talent of no common order.”
28.-The King's birthday was observed in Norwich with great festivity.
The first business at the special a.s.sembly of the Corporation was to pa.s.s an address of congratulation to his Majesty, ”praying him not to sanction the proposed measure for admitting Dissenters to graduate in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.” The Mayor and Corporation then went to service at the Cathedral, and at noon the Queen's Bays fired a _feu de joie_ in the Market Place. The officers were entertained at the Guildhall, the sum of 5 was distributed among the privates, and in the evening the Mayor (Mr. Bignold) gave a dinner at Chapel Field House.
29.-Died at Hingham, aged 93, the Right Hon. Lord Wodehouse. He was elevated from a baronetcy to a seat in the House of Lords in 1797, after having represented the county for many years. His lords.h.i.+p was succeeded in his t.i.tle and estates by Col. Wodehouse, Lord Lieutenant of the county. The remains of the deceased n.o.bleman were buried at Kimberley with great pomp on June 9th.
31.-At the close of the Norwich theatrical season, Mr. George Smith delivered an address, in which he lamented that ”theatrical taste had of late years declined in the city, either from commercial depression or from the still more fatal growth of indifference.”
JUNE.
13.-Died at Southampton, aged 65, Rear-Admiral Manby, of Northwold. He was one of the companions of Captain Vancouver, in his voyage round the world; was actively employed in conveying troops to Ireland at the time of the Rebellion; and during the war with France commanded the Bourdelais, Thalia, and Africaine frigates on various important services.
Admiral Manby was a native of Norfolk.
17.-Guild Day was observed in Norwich. ”When the civic procession arrived at the west door of the Cathedral, the nine knocks were given according to immemorial usage, and the Corporation pa.s.sed in regular order through the rush-strewn nave.” The Latin oration at the porch of the Free Grammar School was delivered by Fred Norgate, youngest son of Mr. T. S. Norgate, of Hethersett; Mr. Charles Turner was sworn in as Mayor at the Guildhall, and entertained 800 guests at the Guild feast held at St. Andrew's Hall. The festivities concluded with a ball at the a.s.sembly Rooms.
18.-The great cricket match, Yorks.h.i.+re _v._ Norfolk, for 100 gs. a side, commenced on the Norwich ground, and was continued on the 19th. Among the players were Marsden, Dearman, and the three Pilches. Norfolk: 1st innings, 216 (Fuller Pilch 87); 2nd innings, 91. Yorks.h.i.+re: 1st innings, 37; 2nd innings, 97. The return match was commenced on Hyde Park Ground, Sheffield, on July 21st, when Yorks.h.i.+re won by 123 runs. Yorks.h.i.+re: 1st innings, 191; 2nd innings, 296. Norfolk: 1st innings, 75; 2nd innings, 289. Norfolk abandoned the match in consequence of the rain. ”Many thought that with three bats to go in and Fuller Pilch still standing, the game might have been won had there been the means of playing it out.”
21.-A severe thunderstorm occurred. Many cattle were killed by lightning, and the tower of Redenhall church sustained considerable damage.