Part 16

May. Sir Francis Goldsmid, Bart., Q.C., F.R.G.S., died from an accident. In 1854 he was a candidate with Mr. Rumbold for the representation of the Borough.

May 9th. Quay House sold by auction for £1,720.

May 12th. Fire at Messrs. H. and E. Brand’s outfitting premises, South Denes Road.

May 23rd. Fire in a tar store at Gorleston belonging to Mr. J. Fleming Hewett; damage £80.

May 26th. Mr. H. S. Baumgartner, of Gorleston, passed the preliminary examination of the Apothecaries’ Hall.

May 29th. The Venerable Archdeacon Perowne made his first visitation since being appointed to the place of Archbishop Hopper, deceased.

June 20th. Mr. Edward T. Ayers, author of several legal works, passed the intermediate examination under the Solicitors’ Act, 1877, held by the Incorporated Law Society; and on the same date Mr. W. H. Cowl successfully passed a similar examination.

June 24th. The Wellington Pier Company let by public tender their pier to Mr. S. Boughton, for three years, the average receipts for the previous three years being £481 5s. per annum.

June 28th. The Rev. George Venables appointed one of her Majesty’s Commissioners to enquire into the law and the existing practice as to the sale, exchange, and resignation of Ecclesiastical Benefices, and to recommend remedies for abuses if any found to exist.

June. A large dredger for the Haven, named the “FitzRoy,” costing £5,495, ordered by the Port and Haven Commissioners, which arrived here April 6th, 1879.

June 28th. Major Dods, E.N.M., presented with an elaborate silver épergne, with a greyhound at the base, as a testimonial, by the gentlemen forming the Norfolk and Suffolk Coursing Meeting, in token of respect, after 15 years their hon. sec.

June. Mr. Leggett’s contract of £855 for building the north transept, aisle, and porch of St. John’s Church accepted. Entire cost, £1,050.

July 4th. The Council elected Mr. William Hurry Palmer as an Alderman; and on Aug. 26th Mr. Charles Diver to fill the vacancy in the Haven Commission caused by the death of Mr. J. W. Bunn.

July 9th. Winterton Church re-opened after being partly restored at a cost of £3,000.

July 11th. Mr. Charles Jennings, son of C. H. Wiltshire, Esq., passed the preliminary examination of the Incorporated Law Society.

July. Forty-one designs for a new Town Hall for the Borough open to public inspection at the old Town Hall, three prizes having been offered by the Corporation for the three best.

July 13th. The smack “Admiral” sunk off Southwold, and on the same day one of Messrs. Hewitt’s steam-cutters collided with the steamboat “Naiad” off Gravesend.

July 26th. Encampment on the South Denes during the past week of the 3rd and 4th Norfolk Rifles, there being over 200 tents erected for their accommodation. (See July 21st, 1877.)

July 31st. Rev. G. Venables, Vicar of Yarmouth, appointed by the Bishop of Norwich Rural Dean of Flegg.

Aug. 1st. Serious fire broke out on the premises of Mr. H. Teasdel, ship-chandler, Southtown. On Sept. 24th, 1845, Mr. Teasdel’s warehouses were destroyed by the same element.

Aug. 12th. Alarming thunderstorm, accompanied with vivid flashes of lightning, heavy hail and rainfall, and a hurricane. The electric fluid did considerable damage to several houses in the town and neighbourhood, and in more than one dwelling played sad havoc with the furniture, &c.—a house in Row 63 coming off worst. A part of one of St. Mary’s Church (Southtown) pinnacles was dislocated.

Aug. 22nd. Loss of the “Norfolk Lass” (140 tons), of this port, and five hands, including Capt. A. W. Vince and his son, aged 12, on Corton Sand. She was built by Messrs. Fellows in 1841.

Aug. An old wreck found under-water near the entrance of the Harbour, supposed to have been sunk two centuries before to prevent the old fort from being undermined by the current. In 1555 a vessel was sunk here, but whether the same, is doubtful. It was 77 ft. long by 27 ft. wide.

Aug. 28th. A horse and cart belonging to Mr. Norton fell over the Quay-head opposite Town Hall and the animal drowned.

Aug. 29th. Eight houses in St. George’s Terrace sold by public auction for £4,400.

Sept. 3rd. A member of Mr. B. Fielding’s Concert Party lost his wife and two children among the 600 drowned in the ill-fated steamship “Princess Alice,” which collided with s.s. “Bywell Castle” off Barking.

Sept. 19th. Fishing boat “Stately” wrecked on Yarmouth Beach.

Sept. 25th. New Post office at Gorleston opened.

Sept. 26th. Vice-Admiral Spencer Smyth, of this town, promoted from the rank of Vice-Admiral to that of Admiral on the retired list. (See April, 1870, and June 12th, 1873.) He died on April 3rd, 1879, aged 87 years, and his remains were subsequently interred in Gorleston Churchyard.

Sept. 28th. The body of a newly-born female babe found by two smack-boys on the beach wrapped in a white cotton bundle, and a reward of £50 was offered by Government for the apprehension of any person concerned in the murder.

Sept. 29th. A fine sturgeon, 5 ft. long, and weighing about 90 lbs., captured in the Roadstead; also a young porpoise and (in Dec.) a live seal, all of which were taken to the Aquarium.

Sept. 29th. One thousand five hundred and twenty-six police cases summarily dealt with by the Magistrates during the past year.

Sept. 29th. The Port and Haven Commissioners’ receipts from dues for the past half-year amounted to £6,883 18s.

Sept. 30th to Oct. 1st. The celebrated actress, Mrs. Rousby, appeared at the Theatre Royal as “Princess Elizabeth” in ’_Twixt Axe and Grown_. Mrs. Rousby died in April, 1879.

Oct. The high flint wall enclosing St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Regent Road, pulled down, and a low wall, surmounted with a light handsome palisading, put in its place. In 1879 the Roman Catholic Cemetery, Caister Road, was enclosed with a stone wall mounted by an iron railing.

Oct. 10th. Three men belonging to the “Sea Gull,” owned by Messrs. Hewitt and Co., drowned at sea whilst ferrying fish.

Oct. 13th. The Lord Bishop of British Columbia (Dr. George Hills) again preached in St. Nicholas’ Church.

Oct. 15th. The Right Rev. Bishop Mackenzie, Sub-Dean of Lincoln and Bishop Suffragan of Nottingham, died at Lincoln. (See 1844 and Aug., 1869.)

Oct. 21st. Messrs. Grout and Co. presented at the Paris Exhibition with a gold medal for superiority in the manufacture of pure silk crape.

Oct. 23rd. The fishing lugger “Eustace” foundered at sea.

Oct. 23rd. Inspector George Tewsley, chief-clerk in the Leeds Police Force, and son of our late Superintendent of Police, promoted to Lieutenant in the Edinburgh Constabulary, at a salary of £170 a-year. On Jan. 1st, 1879, the Leeds Force presented him with an illuminated address.

Oct. 24th. The Gorleston Storm Company’s lifeboatmen gallantly rescued the crew of the brig “Fuschia,” which foundered on Scroby Sands.

Oct. E. P. Youell, Esq., appointed by the Lord Lieutenant a Magistrate for the County of Suffolk.

Nov. 2nd. Mr. J. Green, of Gorleston, sprang into the river at the Brush and rescued a child named Warner from drowning. In March, 1879, he was awarded the Royal Humane Society’s bronze medal and clasp for his gallantry.

Nov. 4th. A wooden building constructed on the North Nelson Road, which Messrs. W. and G. Pinder used as a circus up to March 22nd, 1879. Messrs. Pinder first made their acquaintance with Yarmouth during the existence of the Regent Hall.

Nov. 5th. 80th birthdays of Mrs. Bowles and Mrs. Marshall, twin sisters, of this town, the only two surviving “children” of the late Robert Blake, fish merchant, out of a family of 22.

Nov. 8th. A terrific gale and serious damage to fishing craft (about 70) and shipping generally, with loss of life, including three hands belonging to the smack “Olive Leaf.”

Nov. 16th. Destructive floods throughout the County—Norwich on this date being the greater sufferer; part of the Great Eastern Railway was submerged, as well as the Hundreds in the Northern and Eastern Divisions.

Nov. 27th. The Town Council appointed as Burial Board for the parish of Gorleston, and in 1879 the new Cemetery at Gorleston was formed.

Dec. 14th. The news of the death of her Majesty’s second daughter Princess Alice observed in the town with the usual outward manifestations of sorrow.

Dec. Smack “Ingomar” lost through a collision.

Dec. 18th. Robert David Barber, Esq., J.P., T.C., and Actuary of the Yarmouth Savings Bank, died, aged 72 years. Mr. Barber was Mayor of the Borough in 1874. He was succeeded in the Council by Mr. Fredk. Carpenter on Jan. 16th, 1879; W. Barnard, Esq., as a Magistrate on March 7th, 1879; and Mr. Alfred Teasdel in the banking firm.

Dec. 20th. The s.s. “C. S. Butler,” with 900 tons of coal, of London, wrecked on Hasbro’ Sand, but her crew of 17 saved by the “Tyro.”

Dec. 23rd. Lieut.-Colonel James Duff, M.P. for North Norfolk, died in London, aged 47 years. His remains were interred in the quiet churchyard at Westwick, Westwick Park. As a Statesman, an officer in the army, a Freemason, or a private gentleman, Col. Duff’s general manner, his courtesy, and his hospitality endeared him to the hearts of all classes and sects who had the honour of his acquaintance.

Dec. 26th. Three Yarmouth gentlemen skated a distance of 23 miles over the rivers Thirne and Bure.

Dec. 31st. During the past half-year the Y. and N. N. Railway had carried 89,762 passengers, and taken £2,607 14s. 5d. The gross receipts amounted to £3,503 16s., and the expenditure was £1,629 8s.

Dec. 31st. The number of herrings landed at the Fishwharf during the season amounted to 10,150 lasts; and in the previous year 19,405 lasts, by about 650 fishing boats.

Dec. One hundred and eighty-four public-houses and 121 beer-houses in Yarmouth.

Dec. Three hundred and thirty-seven English and foreign vessels arrived in port during the year. Number of coasters 973. 24 vessels were totally lost off this coast in 1878, one with all hands, and 67 assisted in by lifeboat crews.

The receipts for this year’s Roads Regatta were £203 7s. 8d. The expenditure left a balance of £11 2s.

Marriages: Jan. 10th, A. E. Cowl, Esq., to Miss Emma E. Gambling; Feb. 16th, E. B. K. Lacon, Esq., to Florence A. Foster; Feb. 27th, J. S. Cobb, L.D.S., R.C.S., to Caroline S. Simpson; March 5th, Mr. Jas. Rivett to Miss A. Pike; April 30th, Rev. E. G. H. Murrell to Miss Agnes E. Aldred; May 7th, Rev. R. J. Tacon, J.P., of Rollesby, to Caroline B. Pitt; June 11th, Rev. H. J. Bode to Miss G. H. Murrell; Aug. 8th, Mr. F. W. Dendy to Miss J. Baumgartner.

Deaths: Jan., Capt. Cox, late County Court Bailiff; Jan. 18th, Mrs. Geo. Danby Palmer, aged 91; Jan. 26th, Mr. H. W. Weller, seven years manager of Southtown Gas Works, aged 47; March 17th, Mr. T. G. Ridgway Knight; May 31st, Rev. G. W. Steward, of Caister, aged 73; June 1st, Mr. Frank Noverre, aged 71; June 4th, Mr. J. T. Savage, aged 52; June 2nd, Garson Blake, Esq., J.P., aged 63; June 3rd, Capt. John Porter Laws, aged 71; June 11th, Capt. T. Davis, R.N.; June 24th, Mr. Alderman J. W. Bunn, aged 49; Dec. 18th, R. D. Barber, Esq., J.P., aged 72; Dec. 30th, Rev. J. Randerson, aged 72; Dec. 31st, Mr. T. W. Attwood, aged 60.

Launches: Jan. 2nd, dandy smack “Charlie”; Jan. 11th, smack “Rover”; Feb. 7th, smack “Daylight”; May 16th, dandy cutter “Susie”; June 5th, dandy cutter “Moggy”; June 17th, smack “Oak”; Aug. smacks “Myrtle,” “Prompt” and “Violet May”; Aug. 29th, trawling smack “Cyprus”; Sept. “Hilda”; Sept. 18th, “Progress”; same month “William Henry” and “Ettie.”

1878–9.

The winter was one of the longest and severest known for many years past, lasting over seven months. The Southtown slabs and marshes were for several weeks covered with ice.

1879.

Jan. 1st. Rateable yearly value of property in Yarmouth was £92,603. Number of paupers relieved this day—indoor, 307; outdoor, 852. Expenditure for year ending Michaelmas, 1878, in-maintenance, £3,778; out-relief, £4,413. Salaries, rations, and superannuation of officers, £1,824; maintenance of lunatics in asylums, £1,273; other expenses, £1,401; total relief to the poor, £12,689.

Jan. Mr. J. T. Bottle, architect of this town, wrote and published a poetical play entitled, _Brian Boru_, of which the Spectator says:—“There is so much that is pure, and stately, and dramatic in the tragedy, that we cannot but hope much for the author.”

Jan. 18th. Weston, the American pedestrian, started from the Royal Exchange on a walk of 2,000 miles in 1,000 hours. After completing 1,782½ miles he lectured at the Yarmouth Theatre. On Feb. 28th, Weston had walked 1,977½ miles, being 22½ miles in arrear.

Jan. 21st. Edward Birkbeck, Esq., of Horstead Hall, Norwich, elected M.P. for North Norfolk, in place of the late Col. Duff, by a majority of 490 over Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, Bart., of Warlies, Waltham Abbey, Essex. The declaration of the poll at Aylsham next day was—Birkbeck (C.), 2,742; Buxton, 2,252. About 1,600 voters polled in Yarmouth, and the remainder in the Division. The constituency comprised 6,474 electors, but 1,480 abstained from voting. It was a sharply-contested battle, and cost, according to official returns, Mr. Birkbeck, £3,496; and Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, £3,189 14s. 8d.

Feb. 9th. Mr. F. Hewitt’s smack “Henry and Polly” foundered on the Shipwash Sand, and on Feb. 10th, the “William” on Scroby.

Feb. 12th. St. John’s Church re-opened.

Feb. The smack “Himalaya” launched.

Feb. 18th. Captain Wilson presented with a handsome silver flower-stand by the Mayor, on behalf of the Gorleston Company of the 2nd Norfolk Rifles, as a testimonial.

March 6th. In the skating contest of 12 hours, at the Norwich Rink, 33 rounds to the mile, for the Championship of the Eastern Counties, 16 entered, but only eight started, the son of Mr. E. Candler, now of “Angel” Hotel, Yarmouth, taking first prize—a gold medal, in a beautiful case, bearing the following inscription:—“Twelve hours’ skating contest, champion of Eastern Counties, won by E. F. Candler. Distance skated in twelve hours, 77 miles 7 laps.”

March 7th. T. B. Steward, Wm. Barnard, W. Harrison, Walter Brown, W. H. Bessey, R. E. Dowson, J. A. Norman, J. P. Baumgartner, and R. Bryant, Esqs., appointed Magistrates for the Borough.

March 25th. Receipts of the School Board for past half-year, £1,765; expenditure, £1,521. The rate was then 1d. on the £ per quarter.

March. The steamer “Luxor” (under the command of Captain Fill, son of the late Mr. S. Fill, of Yarmouth), on fire at Gravesend; and Chief-Constable Berry (late of Yarmouth), with Captain John Lake and the Fire Brigade, subdued the conflagration after 26 hours’ hard work.

March 24th. Gallant services rendered by the Caister beachmen in rescuing the captain and crew of the Norwegian brig “Cito” on Hasbro’ during a heavy gale and sea, after 14 hours’ exposure.

March. Rev. A. Aldred, curate of Horncastle, son of C. C. Aldred, Esq., presented by the Lord Chancellor to the living of Worlingham, near Beccles.

April 3rd. Mr. W. Sexton, Lay Vicar of Westminster Abbey (formerly of Yarmouth), appointed Professor of Music and Singing at the Westminster Endowed Schools (600 boys). Was also chosen choir-master of St. Peter’s, Eaton Square, on March the 25th.

April 3rd. First Yarmouth Bicycle Club opened with 16 members.

April 7th. The “Falcon,” of this port, stranded on Fedra Rocks; and on the 9th the Italian barque “Guiseppina N.” wrecked on Yarmouth Beach—value £4,900.

April 18th. Mr. T. Saul elected a member of the Town Council for St. Andrew’s Ward by a majority of 100 shove Mr. B. H. Press. Vacancy caused by death of Mr. T. W. Gooda, whose property was sold on May 15th, and realised £3,814 14s. 6d.

April 24th. The Vicar of Yarmouth presented with a life-size portrait of himself in gilt frame by a number of parishioners as a token of respect, on his 57th birthday. It was painted in oil by Mr. Baldry (Herbert Leslie).

Messrs. Hunter and English’s charge for constructing the new dredger (FitzRoy) was £5,647. On trial it raised 360 tons of loamy clay in 3½ hours, and since then 800 tons were dredged up in six hours. The consumption of coal was one ton for every 750 tons of soil raised. The old dredger was sold by auction in June, 1880, for £125.

April. Rev. S. Hooke, minister of St. Peter’s, presented by the members of his Bible Class with a small Communion service. On July 14th this gentleman, on the death of the Rev. R. F. Palmer, was instituted to the living at Clopton, worth about £600 or £700 a year. Mr. Hooke preached his farewell sermon on Aug. 31st, and on the following evening was presented at the Rifle Drill Hall with a silver tea and coffee service, silver salts, fish carver and fork, by his congregation and friends.

May. New Barracks on the South Denes built.

May 10th. The body of a dead female child found in Row 43. It was wrapped up in rags, and weighed 8 lbs. Supposed to have been murdered.

May 28th. Mr. L Preston, jun.’s, yacht “Maud” sold by auction for £120. She is now the property of Mr. Stanley.

June. Sir John Hawkshaw made a report on the causes of the late disastrous floods in the valley of the Wensum and at Norwich.

June 10th. Mr. Wm. Howes Hunt died, aged 72. He was born on Oct. 10th, 1806, and was originally apprenticed to a bookbinder, and served his time to it; but that not proving lucrative, he afterwards turned his attention to the drapery business—first as an assistant, then as manager, and afterwards as a partner in this town with Mr. C. Miller. His leisure time was spent in painting, and he became an artist of considerable ability, his works being much valued.

June. The so-called “Captain Alwyns,” of the yacht “Cynthia,” visited Yarmouth, and will be long remembered by some of our tradesmen who were duped by him, especially Mr. Sutton, of the “Victoria” Hotel, and Mrs. Sewell, grocer, with whom he dealt heavily. He was subsequently captured at Keswick, in Cumberland, and committed for trial.

June 17th. H.R.H. the Prince of Wales came to Yarmouth, _via_ Norwich, this being his second visit, and the town was _en fête_. The principal streets were gaily decorated with bunting, and there was a grand display of fireworks from the Wellington Pier the same evening. He stayed at Shaddingfield Lodge till the 19th, during which time he inspected his own Artillery Regiment, the Volunteers, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Band. He also visited the Theatre Royal (where the Gaiety Company had made arrangements for his delectation), and Somerleyton Hall, the seat of Lady and Sir Savile Crossley.

June 18th. Sir John Coode furnished a lengthy report for improving the South Pier and Haven Works, and the Commissioners decided to spend £3,650. The Spur Breakwater, of cement concrete, was estimated to cost £10,600. Sir John’s first report was dated April, 1873.

June 23rd. Sergt.-Major Britton, who had served nearly 23 years in the army, viz., 18 months in the 17th Hussars and Military Train respectively, and 21 years in the 9th Regiment, from which he now retires upon pension, was presented with a diamond-set gold scarf-pin in case, by his brother Non-commissioned Officers of the 31st Brigade Depôt, and a meerschaum pipe by Canteen Steward Welby. He was in the Crimea for 15 months, and served at the siege of Sebastopol.

June 25th. Dr. J. J. Raven presented with a testimonial by the scholars of the Grammar School on the anniversary of his birthday, as a mark of respect to him as their Head Master.

June 29th. Fatal boiler explosion on board the s.s. “Black Swan,” while in the Cockle Gat, and three men killed, and one other severely scalded, so much so that he died in the Yarmouth Hospital on July 13th. The ill-fated steamer was brought into this port, and an inquest held at the above Institute.

June 30th. Caister churchyard closed for burials, and a new Cemetery opened.

June 30th. The smack “Wild Duck” lost at sea; and on July 3rd the “Tantivy” shared the same fate. Crews saved.

July 8th. A vote of condolence proposed by the Yarmouth Town Council to the Empress Eugénie, the Ex-Empress of France, expressive of the town’s sympathy with her on the loss of her son (the Prince Imperial) in the Zulu War.

July 14th. The great tenor, Sims Reeves, accompanied by Miss Brooke and Signor Foli, gave a Concert at the Aquarium, under the direction of Mr. W. Pyatt. _Formosa_ was performed the same evening at the Theatre Royal on the opening night of Mr. A. Terry Hurst’s season.

July 15th. A plague comprising millions of tiny spiders visited our shores, and exemplified their natural industry. A similar plague on April 24th, 1880. On Sept. 1st, 1880, there was a plague of myriads of flies on the beach.

July 18th. Fire at Mr. Smith’s fish office and premises in Row 123.

July 23rd. A handsome silver épergne, with glasses for flowers and fruit, and surmounted by a richly-chased cradle, bearing the Yarmouth Arms and Corporation Insignia, presented to the Mayor at the Town Hall. On the base of the épergne is inscribed:—“Presented to E. H. H. Combe, Esq., by the Justices and Town Council of the Borough of Great Yarmouth, in commemoration of the birth of a daughter during his mayoralty, 1878–9.” The health of the daughter was drunk in the “loving cup” after the ceremony.

July 24th. Boat capsized on Breydon, and the four men in it rescued by a wherryman, named James Paston. The wherry, however, sunk before they were got ashore, and Paston and his wife, together with the four men had a narrow escape, but were all brought to land safely in another boat which went to their rescue.

July 29th. One hundred and ninety-three building sites north of the Workhouse, and 18 to west of New Cemetery, belonging to the Corporation, offered by auction, but only a few found purchasers.

Aug. The new Police Station at Gorleston built.

Aug. 3rd. A terrible thunderstorm, accompanied by rain and lightning of a most dangerous character, at early morning, and lasted for several hours. There were also a gale and high tide. The lightning destroyed much property, Mr. Pycraft, of Exmouth Road, being among the greater sufferers, his residence being wrecked by the electric fluid; and in Gorleston several houses suffered from the same cause. Many parts of the district were flooded with water, as the rainfall was 2.43 inches, equal to 245.414 tons, or 54,972.796 gallons per acre; and on the square mile, 157,065.139 tons, or 35,182,592.919 gallons. Mr. W. H. Willis says:—“A dam, 2,000 feet long and 50 ft. wide, would require the sides and ends to be about 111 ft. 9 in. high to hold a fall of 2.43 inches.”

Aug. 8th. A smacksman attempted to murder a woman, named Alice Sutton, in George Street, by stabbing her several times with a knife.

Aug. 11th. A young man, named Harvey, saved three gentlemen whilst bathing from the beach. These made 11 he has saved from a watery grave.

Aug. 11th to 20th. The British Archæological Society held their 26th Annual Congress at Yarmouth, under the presidency of Lord Waveney, D.L., F.R.S., the Mayor being chairman of the local committee. The opening dinner was held in the Nelson Room, at the Star Hotel, and meetings every evening were convened at the Town Hall. Every place of interest in the town and neighbourhood were visited in the ten days.

Aug. 13th. The barque “Zurich” foundered on Hasbro’. Crew saved.

Aug. 25th. Eighty children baptized at St. Peter’s Church.