Volume Ii Part 54 (1/2)

7.-The first section of the Yarmouth and Stalham Railway-the portion extending from the first-mentioned town to Ormesby-was inspected by Major-General Hutchinson, R.E., and the first train was run on the 8th.

(_See_ July 15th, 1878.)

20.-The Norwich Rifle Volunteers were, for the first time, officially inspected in their new scarlet uniform. The inspecting officer was Colonel Harenc.

21.-By the death, on this date, at Duntrune, Forfars.h.i.+re, of Miss Clementine Stirling Grahame, in her 96th year, Mr. J. Edmund Lacon, of Yarmouth, succeeded to the estate of Duntrune, and to the relics and papers of the great Viscount Dundee.

22.-The first stone of the Hunstanton Convalescent Home was laid by the Countess of Leicester. The building was erected as a memorial of the convalescence of the Prince of Wales.

24.-Died at Denton Rectory, near Harleston, the Ven. William Arundell Bouverie, B.D., Hon. Canon of Norwich, and formerly Archdeacon of Norfolk, in his 80th year. He was appointed to the living of Denton in 1839, accepted the archdeaconry in 1850, and resigned it in 1869, in consequence of ill-health.

SEPTEMBER.

17.-Died, Mr. William Cooper, barrister, and Recorder of Ipswich. He was the eldest son of Mr. W. Cooper, barrister, of Norwich, and brother of Mr. Carlos Cooper. Called to the Bar in 1831, he practised in Norwich and on the Norfolk circuit for some years, but ultimately settled in London, and devoted his attention to the Central Criminal Court, where he enjoyed a large practice. He was the author of several dramatic pieces, the princ.i.p.al of which, ”Mokanna, or the Veiled Prophet of Khora.s.san,” a play in blank verse, was produced at Norwich Theatre, with great success, on April 21st, 1843. Mr. Cooper was succeeded in the Recorders.h.i.+p of Ipswich by Mr. Thomas Calthorpe Blofeld.

22.-Norwich Theatre was re-opened for the winter season, under the management of Mr. G. H. Chaplin. The house had undergone partial and much-needed cleansing and decoration.

24.-The newly-formed Diocesan Bell Ringers' a.s.sociation held its first annual meeting in Norwich. The society was established by the Rev. G. H.

Harris, Mr. Gervas Holmes, and other gentlemen interested in bells and bell ringing.

OCTOBER.

16.-A remarkable case of fraud was tried at the Norwich Quarter Sessions, before the Recorder (Mr. J. W. Metcalfe, Q.C.). The prisoner, one William Dowman, was charged with defrauding accident insurance companies.

He insured under various names with different companies, and by a peculiar formation of his joints was enabled to a.s.sume the appearance of having been injured. By this means he obtained medical certificates, and made successful claims upon the offices. He was sentenced to fifteen calendar months' imprisonment.

25.-The sale of the Taverham Hall herd of pure-bred shorthorns and whole-coloured Jerseys was conducted by Mr. John Thornton. The total amount realised was 3,041 1s. 6d.

NOVEMBER.

1.-The restored chancel and newly-erected organ of Diss church were opened. The instrument was built by Messrs. J. Rayson and Sons, of Ipswich, at the cost of 360.

-At Ipswich a.s.sizes (where Norfolk prisoners were, on this occasion, tried), before Mr. Justice Hawkins, Henry March (59), blacksmith, was indicted for the wilful murder of Henry Bidewell, blacksmith, and Thomas Moys, shoeing-smith and farmer, at Wymondham, on October 20th. The prisoner was found guilty and sentenced to death. The execution took place at Norwich Castle on November 20th. Marwood was the executioner.

3.-Died at Camperdown Place, Great Yarmouth, Mr. William Thurtell, in his 83rd year. Mr. Thurtell, who was a staunch supporter of Conservative principles, was appointed a magistrate for the borough in 1846. His father was Mayor of Norwich in 1828.

6.-In the House of Lords, before the Lord Chancellor, Lord Penzance, Lord Blackburn, and Lord Gordon, the action, Read _v._ Bailey, was heard, on an appeal from a decision by the Lords Justices. On an inspection of the books of the Bank on the failure of the firm of Harveys and Hudsons, in 1870, it was discovered that Sir Robert Harvey had abstracted large sums of money from the coffers of the Bank, and had sought to cover the deficiency by the opening of fict.i.tious accounts, and by crediting forged bills to his private account. In consequence, the trustee under the bankruptcy of the firm preferred a claim against the separate estate of Sir Robert Harvey, amounting to the sum of 600,000, for the moneys so abstracted by Sir Robert Harvey in his lifetime. This claim was, in 1876, supported by a great ma.s.s of evidence before the Master of the Rolls, who decided in favour of the claim, and gave the trustee of Harveys and Hudsons the right to rank as a creditor against the private or separate estate of Sir Robert Harvey, in compet.i.tion with the stockbrokers and other private creditors. The importance of the decision of the Master of the Rolls, as affecting the interests of the stockbrokers, was great. But for this claim of 600,000 they would have received 20s. in the pound on their debts, whereas the allowance of the claim to rank in compet.i.tion with their debts prevented Sir Robert Harvey's private estate paying more than 6s. 8d. in the pound. The stockbrokers accordingly appealed to the Lords Justices against the decision of the Master of the Rolls, and their lords.h.i.+ps upheld the claim of 600,000, and dismissed the stockbrokers' appeal, with costs. The stockbrokers now appealed to the House of Lords, who confirmed the judgments of the Lords Justices and the Master of the Rolls, and dismissed the appeal, with costs; in other words, admitting the trustee's claim for 600,000. (_See_ December 3rd, 1880.)

9.-Mr. Joseph De Carle Smith was elected Mayor, and Mr. Harry Bullard appointed Sheriff of Norwich.

10.-It was announced that Mr. Francis Edmund Gladstone, Mus. Bac., Cantab., had been appointed organist of Norwich Cathedral, in the room of Dr. Buck, who resigned the appointment in the month of June. Regret was expressed that Dr. Bunnett's claims for the post should have been ”so strangely and perversely ignored.” Much adverse feeling was manifested, and on November 28th a complimentary concert was given to Dr. Bunnett, under the patronage of the leading inhabitants of the county and city.

11.-During a heavy gale at Yarmouth, six vessels were driven ash.o.r.e, and many other s.h.i.+pping casualties were reported.

21.-A meeting of the promoters of the Lynn and Fakenham Railway was held at Fakenham, and the necessary steps taken in furtherance of the scheme.