Volume I Part 97 (1/2)

AUGUST.

1.-Sir John Patteson and Sir Edward Hall Alderson, the Judges of a.s.size, arrived at Norwich.

3.-Mr. Yates, Mr. and Mrs. Keeley, and Mr. Paul Bedford commenced a six nights' engagement at Norwich Theatre for the a.s.size week, in the new drama, ”Jack Shephard.” Mrs. Keeley appeared in the t.i.tle _role_, Mr.

Yates as Abram Monday, and Mr. Bedford as Joe Blueskin. Mrs. Keeley (_nee_ Goward) was formerly a member of the Norwich Company. On the 10th Miss Ellen Tree and Mr. George Bennett, of Covent Garden and Drury Lane, appeared in Sheridan Knowles' play, ”Love.” Mr. Bennett was the son of an old actor on the Norwich stage, and of Miss Tree it was said: ”She is indeed one of Nature's _n.o.blesse_, an histrionic genius of the first order, an ornament to her arduous, anxious, and ill-requited profession.”

-At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, before Mr. Justice Patteson, John Randalsome, aged 40, was indicted for the murder of his wife, at Thwaite, on June 19th. A singular feature of the case was that none of the murdered woman's relatives were aware that she was married to the prisoner.

Randalsome had formed an illicit acquaintance with a girl named Punchard, and desired to be rid of his wife. Having enticed her from the house of her father, with whom she resided, he wounded her severely about the head and face with a hedge stake, and threw her into a pond. The medical evidence proved that death resulted from drowning. The jury returned a verdict of guilty, and the prisoner was executed on the Castle Hill, Norwich, on August 22nd.

-The new Amphitheatre and Royal Albert Saloon, Ranelagh Gardens, St.

Stephen's Gates, Norwich, was opened. ”The building is after a new design, constructed with great solidarity, and on a considerably increased scale of dimensions. The circle is about 150 feet in circ.u.mference, lighted up with a splendid chandelier of 20 gas burners, suspended from the centre of the cone, which is glazed from the top downwards about 15 ft. Round the s.p.a.cious arena rise lower and upper tiers of boxes splendidly fitted up. The entrance to the circle and boxes is through a lofty and well-proportioned saloon, about 70 ft. long and 30 ft. wide. The facade of the building presents above the princ.i.p.al entrance an open portico of three arches looking into the gardens; and there is an exactly similar arcade opening internally towards the theatre.” A portion of the building here described is now the Victoria Station of the Great Eastern Railway.

SEPTEMBER.

2.-At the King's Head Inn, Diss, the brewery, public-houses, mansion, farm, and other property of Mr. Robert Sheriffe, of Diss, were sold by auction by Mr. W. W. Simpson, of London. The brewery and public-houses were purchased by Mr. Samuel Farrow, and the amount realised by the three days' sale was 50,000. ”The great increase in the value of country public-houses apparent from the enormous prices which have lately been realised for this description of property leads us to believe that the shook which the trade suffered on the pa.s.sing of the Beer Bill some years since has been entirely recovered, and that country public-houses are now even of greater value than they were antecedent to the pa.s.sing of that measure.”

9.-The two days' annual race meeting commenced on the Mousehold course, Norwich.

10.-A ”great ringing festival” took place at Heydon, to celebrate the opening of the new peal of bells put up by Thomas and Joshua Hurry, of Norwich. Prizes were competed for by the ringers, and a ”farmers' ball”

concluded the festivities.

12.-On this date was reported the discovery of the remains of Sir Thomas Browne, in the church of St. Peter Mancroft, Norwich. ”The bones of the skeleton were found to be in good preservation, particularly those of the skull. The brain was considerable in quant.i.ty, but changed to a state of adipocere resembling ointment of a dark brown hue. The hair and the beard remained profuse and perfect, though the flesh of the face as well as of every other part was totally gone. With respect to the formation of the head, we are informed that the forehead was remarkably low, but the back of the cranium exhibited an unusual degree of depth and capaciousness. Sir Thomas Browne died on October 12th, 1682.”

14.-Died at Honing, Thomas Holt, aged 105.

21.-M. Liszt, the celebrated pianist, performed at two grand concerts at Norwich, in the morning at the a.s.sembly Rooms, and in the evening at the Theatre. The other artistes were Mr. Mori, Mdlle. de Varny, Miss Louisa Ba.s.sano, and Mr. J. Parry.

22.-Under the management of Messrs. Hewlett and Trory, a morning concert was given at the a.s.sembly Rooms, and an evening concert at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, at which the performers were Madame Persiani, Signor Negri, Signor Rubini, and Signor Puzzi. ”In two consecutive days we have had four concerts and heard four of the greatest performers of the present day-Persiani, Puzzi, Rubini, and Liszt.”

24.-From a meadow near Bishop Bridge, Norwich, Mr. Charles Green ascended in the Na.s.sau balloon, accompanied by Mr. R. Crawshay and his sons, Messrs. F. and E. Crawshay, Mr. Nicholas Bacon, Mr. Shalders, and Mr.

Andrews. The balloon rose at four o'clock, and descended at five o'clock, at Metton, near Felbrigg.

OCTOBER.

1.-Died at his residence in the Lower Close, Norwich, aged 90, Sylas Neville, M.D. ”Of this venerable gentleman, for a great many years an inhabitant of this city, living as he did in a state of perfect seclusion, there is little to record beyond the fact of his having been born in London and having taken his doctor's degree at Edinburgh, in 1775. His inaugural essay, 'De Prognosi in Febribus,' delivered on the occasion, is in print, and bears testimony to his acquirements both as a cla.s.sic and as a pathologist. During many years and to the last moments of his existence, Dr. Neville was chiefly indebted to the kindness of friends around him for the means of subsistence.”

5.-George Edward Seales, known as a common informer, procured the conviction of a coach proprietor, at the Norwich Police Court, for carrying more than the regulation number of pa.s.sengers. Seales, on leaving the Guildhall, was violently a.s.saulted by the mob, and was escorted to his home by twenty police-officers.

6.-Col. Petre, of Westwick, presided at a meeting at the a.s.sembly Rooms, Norwich, at which was formed, for the prevention of cruelty to animals, a society known as ”The Animals' Friend Society.”

-The Countess of Leicester sustained a compound fracture of the leg by a fall from her horse whilst riding in Holkham Park.