Third Edition—Updated and Enhanced.

CONTAINING ABOUT
5,000 Important Local Events, etc.;
AND AN
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF MAYORS.

By William Finch-Crisp,

Author of “Printer’s Business Guide,” “Printer’s Book of Reference,”
“Punctuation Simplified,” “Handbook to Angling,” etc., etc.

Great Yarmouth:
WILLIAM FINCH-CRISP, No. 20, ALMA PLACE.
London: J. Haddon & Co., 3, Bouverie St., E.C.

Few words are needed to introduce this Third Edition to our readers, other than to express hope that the content will be generally appreciated and that readers will enjoy it now and for many years to come. We would like to ask, as a SPECIAL FAVOR, to help ensure wider circulation by recapping the media’s comments and recommending this History of Yarmouth as “worthy of a place in every library.” It has been seven years since the Second Edition, without any additions, was published.

No greater honor could have been granted to the Author than when the Heir Apparent to the Throne of England (His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, K.G.) visited Yarmouth in 1882 and, through Colonel Teesdale, shared his appreciation for receiving a copy of this History as a gift; it was also rewarding to have this work, along with a supplement (A.D. 46 to 1879), placed in the main stone of the New Town Hall in 1880 by the then Mayor (C. C. Aldred, Esq.).p. 4

Edward Birkbeck, Esquire, M.P., writing to us from the House of Commons on March 19th, 1884, says:—“I don’t think my name deserves a book dedication, but I will still be proud to have it placed where you suggest.” The people of Yarmouth will support our views when we say that for his dedication and tireless efforts in advancing various causes in the “good old town,” he deserves more praise than we can give, and so we extend our heartfelt thanks to him for his kindness in allowing this volume to be dedicated to him—a privilege also extended to us in an earlier edition by his predecessor in the Imperial Parliament, the late Colonel Duff. We must also express our gratitude to a select list of subscribers to the work.

Great Yarmouth, April 1884.

p. 5TO
EDWARD BIRKBECK, ESQ.
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR NORTH NORFOLK,
THIS BOOK
(WITH PERMISSION)
IS
MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED
BY
HIS LOYAL AND MODEST SERVANT,

WM. FINCH-CRISP.

The following dates refer to the time of election, November 9th, after the year 1836.

Notice—Those marked with an *, refer to Historical Pages.

From 1688 to 1700, two Bailiffs were appointed instead of a Mayor.

The Romans came to this part of Britain when the valleys of the Yare, Waveney, and Bure, along with the sandbank that Yarmouth is built on, were underwater.

Burgh Castle, a Roman fort, is believed to have been established.

Cerdic, a Saxon prince, and his son Qenrick arrived at the port of Yarmouth with five ships and named it Cerdic Shore. This Cerdic Shore appears to have been a large sandbank created along the coast between two branches or channels of the Yare known as Havens, through which the river flowed into the sea—one channel passing close to Caister and the other near Gorleston.

Between this and the year 640, a Saxon monastery was established at Burgh by Fursey, an Irish monk.

Lodbrog, the Dane, caught in a sudden storm, crossed the sea from Denmark and landed at Reedham while the court of Edmund, King of East Anglia, was there. Lodbrog is said to have gained the king's favor but was soon murdered in a forest by the king's huntsman, Bern, out of jealousy. This led to Edmund's imprisonment and execution, marking the end of the Saxon dynasty in East Anglia, after Hinguar and Hubba, two Danish leaders, ravaged all of East Anglia with 20,000 men.

First houses and homes built in Yarmouth on Fuller’s Hill, which was at that time the only dry land in Yarmouth.

Yarmouth was owned by the King during Edward the Confessor's reign and had 70 burgesses, along with several soccagers.

Bishop Herbert was born, and in 1091 he was made Bishop of Thetford.

Cocklewater, or Grubb’s Haven, was blocked with sand.

St. Bennet’s Church was torn down. It was built during the time of Edward the Confessor.

Yarmouth was managed by a Provost, the first official magistrate, whose public office was located in the Congé, North Quay. Foreigners were only permitted to visit Yarmouth during the yearly free fair.

Bishop Herbert de Lozinga, the first Bishop of Norwich [translated from the See of Thetford in the 7th year of William II. (Rufus), whose Chamberlain he was], founded St. Nicholas’ Church and rebuilt a chapel on the North Denes. He became Lord High Chancellor to Henry I of England in 1104 and died on August 11, 1119.

St. Nicholas’ Church was consecrated. Enlarged in 1123, 1250, and 1338. The final attempt, after 10 years of work trying to build a west aisle, failed, and the ruins were used to construct a Chapel-of-Ease.

Forty thousand lives lost at sea during the war between King John and the Barons; a large number washed up on Yarmouth beach.

Monastery of Black Friars established by St. Dominic.

Yarmouth had three galleys or warships. Two were crewed by140 sailors.

First charter granted by King John, and Yarmouth incorporated as a borough. The document is still preserved (1834).

All ships in the port that had Scottish goods on board were seized.

Henry III granted certain rights. In 1261, he allowed the town to build fortifications; and on September 28, 1262, he issued a charter to surround the town with a wall and moat to defend against invading enemies. (See 1396.)

The Tolhouse Hall, Middlegate Street, built.

Yarmouth was first called Magna (Great) during the reign of Edward I to differentiate it from Little Yarmouth, or Southtown.

The town wall and ditch started at the north end of town.

St. Mary’s Hospital was established. It started as a free Grammar School in 1551 and was set up as a school for underprivileged children in 1634.

The Carmelites, or Whitefriars, were established in Yarmouth and took responsibility for the northern and some other areas of the town. (See 1509.)

King Henry’s Tower built at the northeast corner of St. Nicholas’ churchyard.

St. Nicholas' Church and its churchyard were consecrated by Bishop Middleton of Norwich.

The sea flooded St. Nicholas’ Church with 4 feet of water, and the town was submersed.

A beautiful ship was built at Yarmouth for King Edward II and sent to Norway for the king's daughter, in anticipation of her marriage to the then prince. She was the heiress of Norway and Scotland.

No one is allowed to serve wine after the curfew bell has rung.

Yarmouth was first called to send four representatives to Parliament each year.

Sir J. De Botetourt, a knight from Norfolk, was in charge of a fleet of fifty-three ships based in Yarmouth. Fresh herrings sold for 37 shillings per last.

Simon Blaking, from Martham, ran into St. Nicholas’ Church and admitted to breaking into a house in Hemsby, escaping from the jail at Southtown, and killing W.F.N. Blaking. Back then, the law stated that if a murderer made it to a church or churchyard before being captured and confessed his crime to a coroner, justice, etc., he would be freed without going to trial.

William Fastolf and H. Rose, Esqs., returned to Parliament, held at Lincoln.

Leather was used for a variety of military purposes and made up a significant part of everyday clothing for people before and during the early stages of wool production.

Yarmouth established itself as a free Borough by the Burgesses.

William Fastolf and H. Rose, Esqs., once again returned to Parliament, which took place in Nottingham.

Price of a barrel (120 gals.) of “red wine,” 20 shillings.

During the reigns of Edward II and III, Richard II, Henry IV, V, and VI, and Edward IV, over 160 representatives were sent to Parliament, 72 of which were held in Westminster, 6 in York, 1 each in London, Ripon, and New Sarum, and 2 in Gloucester.

Two Parliaments met, but with different representatives.

A castle stood where the King Street Independent Chapel is now, but it was torn down in 1621.

Great disagreements between the Barons of the Cinque Ports and the Bailiffs of this Borough about the free fair that the former tried to eliminate.

Burgesses are exempt from serving on juries, inquests, or at assizes within the borough.

Blackfriars Tower finished.

Forty warships ordered to Yarmouth roads.

The Yarmouth navy, made up of 20 warships, was instructed to head to the port of Dort to escort the King’s four envoys from that area to the Court of Hainault and then to England. On their way back, they captured two Flemish ships along with their cargo. The Bishop of Glasgow, who was on one of the ships, died from his injuries at Sandwich.

Thomas De Drayton, a man from Yarmouth, who had served as bailiff fifteen times, was appointed Admiral of the North Fleet.

Yarmouth magistrates, etc., arranged a fleet of warships, fully equipped, at their own expense, to battle the enemy at sea for a month.

John Perebrown, a member of the Yarmouth council, commanded the King’s North Sea Fleet during the major battle of Sluys and provided excellent service; 230 ships and 30,000 French soldiers were lost.

Oct. Edward III boarded the Yarmouth squadron for his unsuccessful mission to Brittany.

The main residents were fined 1000 marks for trespassing, etc., on the coastline.

The first Haven release.

Yarmouth helped Edward III. during the siege of Calais with 43 warships and 1,075 sailors, which was 18 more ships than London contributed, and more than any other port, except Fowey.

Plague claimed 7,052 lives out of the population of 10,000 at that time.

Yarmouth granted the St. George’s College of Windsor by charter a shipment of red herrings, to be delivered every year on St. Andrew’s Day, which has led to many disputes since.

Passenger boat from Yarmouth to Norwich sank near Cantley, and 38 people drowned.

Fastolf, the father of the famous Sir John Fastolf, one of the bailiffs.

Six Yarmouth ships were captured and burned in the Bay of Brittany.

John Lawers was hanged for not paying the Customs House fees.

Yarmouth was the first to designate a staple port.

August 22nd. Kirkley Road was connected to the town and port of Yarmouth by a charter from Edward III, but this was revoked four years later.

Price of coal, including shipping, £5.30 per chaldron.

The memorable rebellion of Wat Taylor. The town was attacked by 20,000 rebel archers, who looted homes and caused significant damage, but they were defeated after a lot of bloodshed.

June 20th. A violent earthquake hit, causing a lot of damage.

June. King Richard II visited Great Yarmouth.

Market Place paved, and a Cross and Pillory constructed.

William Bardolf, Baron Bardolf, passed away. He owned large estates near Yarmouth.

Sir Henry Percy and Fauset Percy were sent to Yarmouth with 300 soldiers and 600 archers to secure the coast, as an invasion from France was feared.

A horse ferry operated at Gorleston.

The second Haven was created, and a third one in 1408.

Several small Yarmouth and other ships were captured by Danish pirates in a fierce battle off the coast. Lost £20,000 in cash.

After 111 years, the town's fortifications were finished—20 towers, 10 gates, and a wall that stretched 2,280 yards. (See 1544.)

Coals were first imported here from Newcastle. Wood was used as fuel before that.

Henry IV granted, with Parliament's approval, that the shipping, weighing, and packing of wool, hides, and skins should be done in Yarmouth, as it is a border town.

Third Haven haircut.

The yearly election of four Bailiffs was cut down to two, and this continued until a Mayor was appointed in their place.

Yarmouth Bridge, featuring 8 arches, was built after a horse-drawn cart, cattle, and a foot ferry existed there. This was replaced by 4 successive drawbridges in 1553, 1570, 1785, and 1836. (See 1849.)

About 60 pilgrims set out from Yarmouth on the ship "Falcon" heading to the shrine at Santiago in Spain, and in 1434, 20 more departed.

The freedom of the Borough bought for two marks.

Ralph Wadiswyke was appointed Customs Comptroller for capturing Lord Doisemond, a French lieutenant.

Caister Castle is thought to have been founded by Sir John Fastolf, K.G. He was born in 1377 and died in 1459 at his Hall in Caister, at the age of 82. He was buried in the Abbey Church of St. Bennet at Holme, leaving his estate to John Paston, Esq.

July 24th. Lord Lieutenants of Counties first appointed.

Sacred dramas and mysteries performed at St. Nicholas’ Church.

John Pedle, a laborer from Yarmouth, was executed for producing and passing off 18 groats made of copper and lead as legitimate money of England.

Our Lady’s organ in St. Nicholas’ Church was built; the old and new organs in 1485; the great old organs in 1486; and Jesus’ organ in 1550.

John Paston died in Fleet Prison after his estates were seized.

Fourteen people hanged at the same time on a gallows set up on the beach.

The Duke of Norfolk, leading 3,000 men, laid siege to Caister Castle, which was given up to him. He died in 1475, and Caister Castle again returned to the Paston family.

Yarmouth was under threat from the French fleet. 200 armed men were sent from Norwich.

A whale washed up south of Grubb’s Haven, which was sliced up and taken away in carts.

The Bailiffs hosted a feast for Sir John Paston, the son of the late John Paston, featuring porpoise, which was considered a royal delicacy at the time.

May 16th. By charter of Henry VII, Burgesses were authorized to appoint Justices of the Peace.

The fourth Haven was created; and the fifth Haven was established during the reign of Henry VIII, in 1529.

House of Carmelites, or White Friars, destroyed by fire; founded in Edward I’s time, 1278.

Southtown merged with Gorleston.

Queen of France and her husband, Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, hosted events here for three days.

Church of the Dominicans burned down.

Great shortage of corn. The expensive sale price at that time was 26s. 8d. per quarter. Several men were hanged for participating in a riot that resulted from this.

Gorleston started to be developed. (See 1511.)

The first Yarmouth crane built by Richard Bishop.

Duke of Suffolk put down a riot caused by the high prices of grain.

Nov. 1st. Tumult in St. Nicholas’ Church; twenty-four people, led by William Swarton, the chaplain, disrupted the congregation while Rev. D. R. Cotton was preaching.

The high altar of St. Nicholas’ Church, notable for its richness and beauty, with the figures and paintings of the saints, now broken and ruined.

Oct. 28th. Four merchant heretics came into St. Nicholas’ Church and caused a huge disruption during the service.

Nov. 2nd. A merchant and a shoemaker were fined 2s. each for negotiating and selling a load of white herring in the church.

Sir Humphrey Wingfield returned to Parliament, held at Westminster.

Ordered that Aldermen should wear red gowns, with fur collars and straight stockings, at gatherings and celebrations.

Height of town wall, 23 feet. When war was declared the following year with France, a large rampart was built on the eastern side and later extended along the north and south walls. (See 1396.)

Sir H. Wingfield returned to Parliament again.

At corporate meetings, no member was allowed to leave without permission from the Bailiffs; otherwise, they would be fined for disorderly conduct. Members of the Corporation were required to wear scarlet gowns and fitted hose, subject to fines for noncompliance.

Two French ships and 120 prisoners captured by the town.

A house built for country butchers.

The sixth Haven was created. It was decided that the money, plate, ornaments, robes, vestments, tunics, albs, and other items belonging to St. Nicholas’ Church, along with the bells in the steeple and other property of the Church, should be sold off, and the proceeds (£1,816 9s. 7d.) used for its construction. Work on the Haven then began, employing 100 men each day.

A rebellion occurred in the town. Kett’s followers advanced, destroyed all the materials for the Haven, and left it in ruins; the Harbour construction was paused until the following year. The next attempt was also unsuccessful. Another report states that the Norfolk rebellion, led by Kett, the tanner, began; however, their plans were thwarted by the men from Yarmouth, who set fire to a haystack on the west side of the Haven, allowing them to attack the enemy unnoticed and defeat them. Many insurgents were killed, 80 were captured, and six pieces of artillery were secured. They were later defeated by the Earl of Warwick at their headquarters in Norwich, losing about 4,500 men; the leaders, William and Robert Kett, were suspended alive in chains on a gallows.

Another great plague. (See 1349.)

The Castle was used as a Borough Jail. During later times of unrest, it was repaired again. The upper part was removed in 1620, and the next year, the entire structure was ordered to be taken apart and destroyed.

Many of the brass plates surrounding the inscriptions on the walls of St. Nicholas' Church were sent to London to be melted down into weights and measures for the town's use.

John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, K.G., High Steward of the Borough.

A grammar and free school operated in Yarmouth, with the "Parson of Haddiscoe" appointed for a trial period of three months. He was replaced later that same year by an "expert man," and it was decided that each of the twenty-four Aldermen would contribute 18d. towards his salary, and each of the forty-eight Common Councilmen would pay 8d. a year in addition to the salaries, based on the schoolmaster's performance. From 1551 to 1757, twenty-eight individuals were appointed as masters. In 1757, the school appears to have closed, as the master left and resigned his position; on February 5th, 1773, the chamberlains were instructed to make necessary repairs and lease the school to Mr. Richard Eaton, the younger, for £4 a year. The school was re-established in 1863.

Sir W. Wodehouse, Knt., and N. Frymage, Esq., returned to Parliament. Every resident caught smoking tobacco or passed out from drinking in any bar was arrested.

Oct. 1st. Robert Eyre and Simon More were elected as representatives in Parliament.

Drawbridge built to link Southtown with Great Yarmouth, replacing the one constructed in 1427, which was swept away by the tide in 1570.

Beer sold for 3 shillings and 4 pence per thirty-two gallons.

This year and the two that followed, six Aldermen were elected to Parliament.

Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, High Steward of the Borough.

Fifty ships sank off Yarmouth in just 24 hours.

A fire beacon positioned on top of the Castle, since the Haven was quite perilous.

No one is allowed to brew in the town unless appointed by the Bailiffs.

p. 19Another attempt to create a Haven, sinking a ship at the entrance to block the flow. But this project was abandoned the next year, and it was filled in with bundles of furze in 1557.

The Hermitage on the west side of the Haven was given to the town.

Dec. 1st. The town was flooded. People paddled up and down the streets in boats, and several ships were dragged over the dunes with winches.

The area on the south side of Town Hall was, during Queen Elizabeth's time, known as “The South Foreland” or “Furlong’s End.” In 1568, William Garton donated the houses there to the churchwardens for the Church's use. They were renovated in 1622 and rebuilt in 1674. John Fastolf, the father of Sir John Fastolf from Caister Castle, had a house in the “Foreland,” but its exact location is unknown today. The current owner updated these houses in 1866.

Sir T. Wodehouse, Knight, and William Barker, Esquire, returned to Parliament.

The Market Cross is fixed.

May 26th. Queen Elizabeth issued a Charter for the improved security, defense, and protection of the town.

Jan. 8th. The current (seventh) Haven began. Joyce Johnson, the renowned Dutch engineer overseeing the construction, received 4 shillings a day. This Haven was dug close to where the one from 1529 was located. Nearly 1,000 people, including women and children, worked on the project, which was finished on March 4th to the satisfaction of the local residents. In 1566, the water broke through and flowed back into its original channel toward Newton Cross.

First jetty built, with a crane at the end to help unload goods from boats. Rebuilt in 1767.

Three town wells are open.

Thomas Timperley and William Grice, Esqs., were elected to Parliament; the latter was also elected in 1570 alongside William Barker, Esq.; in 1571 with John Bacon, Esq.; and in 1584 and 1585 with Thomas Damett, Esq.

Three small silver maces, owned by the Corporation, made.

Herrings are very scarce and sold for £9 a barrel.

Piers were built on both sides of the Haven's entrance.

The London Privy Council loaned the town of Yarmouth £1,000 with no interest, for repairing the Haven, which was paid back in installments of £100 a year.

Three warships were forced to leave by the town's cannons.

Haven expenses for the year, £1,230.62.

The Paston family sold Caister Castle to settle their debts.

Herrings sold for £8 a lot; a tun (4 hogsheads) of wine was also worth the same.

Part of the town wall collapsed due to being overloaded.

Mr. Vincent Goodwin is the first preacher appointed at St. Nicholas’ Church.

Drawbridge was swept away by high tide, and another was built in 1785 at a cost of £403 15s. 9d., even though £225 had been spent the year before on repairs.

Thatched roofs on houses are not allowed, and wood was used instead.

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, K.G., High Steward of the Borough.

Brewers instructed to use coals instead of wood for brewing.

Every alehouse licensed by the Bailiffs.

Regulations created to stop goods from being left on the Quay longer than needed.

A Bill was introduced in Parliament to designate Yarmouth as a Cinque Port, but this was not properly implemented. In 1702, the Government of Yarmouth was established under Anne in its current form.

Feb. 10th. Mr. Harbrowne was elected to Parliament to replace John Bacon, Esq., but only served for one day, as Bacon was re-elected.

Edward Owner was born. He represented the town in Parliament four times and died on August 13, 1650.

A section of the Hospital, Market Place, turned into a Correctional Facility.

Burgh Water Frolic is mentioned for the first time, being a big event and supported by the Mayor and the City Council.

Inhabitants are not allowed to wash their clothes near the public wells.

Lord Burleigh and the Earl of Leicester visited Yarmouth and were hosted at the Priory. Queen Elizabeth was expected, and a silver cup shaped like a ship, worth £16, was made for her Majesty, but she only made it as far as Norwich.

Scratby Sand turned into completely dry land, rising well above the high-water mark, allowing grass and other plants to grow on it, and sea birds to build their nests. It was named “Yarmouth Island” and became a popular spot for Yarmouth locals during the summer.

May to Sept. Great plague; 2,000 people died, and the Grammar School was closed for six months. (See 1349 and 1550.)

August 2nd. Dinner was provided for 43 gentlemen on a sandbank out at sea, called Scratby Sand. In 1582, it was washed away by a strong easterly wind and tide, much to the disappointment of Sir Edward Clare, Knt., who had laid claim to it. Valuable wreckage was often found there.

2,000 lasts (2,640,000 individual fish) of herrings caught in a single tide.

Large fish, 17 yards long, with a jaw measuring 3¼ yards and a body thickness of 4½ yards, caught at Caister.

No one could be elected as a Burgess in Parliament unless he was an Alderman.

The Privy Council asked the town to supply ships for transporting 400 soldiers to the Low Countries. To gather funds, each Alderman contributed £5, and each Common Councilman gave £2 10s., with the remaining money collected through assessments.

Pulpit set up at the west end of St. Nicholas’ Church; taken down in 1635. Another put up in the southeast corner of the south aisle, which was also taken down in 1846.

Number of “bars” in Yarmouth limited to 16.

John Stubbs and Roger Drury, Esqs., elected to Parliament.

William Cecil, Lord Burleigh, K.G., High Steward of the Borough. In 1578, he visited Yarmouth with the Earl of Leicester.

Preparations to receive the Spanish Armada. The fortifications were put into the best defensive state, a boom was thrown across the Haven at the south gates, and a mound of earth was raised higher than the walls, known as the “South Mount,” where several pieces of artillery were placed. Another mound, the “New Mount,” was later constructed near St. George’s Chapel, and p. 23 a warship was outfitted at the town's expense to disrupt the enemy at sea, along with preparations made to house and supply a garrison of 1,000 men. The total amount of £1,355 4s. 9d. was assessed on the County.

No food seller or innkeeper is allowed to sell any "strange beer," under the risk of forfeiture.

An alehouse or tavern could only be run by a Freeman or the widow of a Freeman.

Two ships from Yarmouth were needed to transport 150 soldiers to Normandy.

T. Damett, Esq. was once again elected to Parliament alongside John Felton, Esq.

The fishing nets used by boat owners were worth £50,000.

John Felton, Esq., returned to Parliament once more with Sir H. Hobart.

Elizabethan House on the Quay, built by Benjamin Cowper. It was sold to John Carter, a friend of Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell's supporters often gathered in this house, and it's believed that the decision regarding the death of Charles I was made here. For many years prior to Feb. 26th, 1867, it was the home and property of the late Charles J. Palmer, Esq., F.S.A.

Arthur Wilson was born in Yarmouth. He published a detailed account of the life and reign of James I, written with remarkable frankness and showing a deep understanding of Court intrigues. However, the boldness he exhibited in revealing the tendencies of that king and his son towards the Catholic cause brought strong criticism from supporters of the Stuart family, who argued that he wrote based on guesses rather than actual records, claiming his work resembled a satire more than a genuine history. He served for many years as an attendant to the Earl of Essex and later became the steward to the Earl of Warwick. He died in 1652.

Seven hundred ships in the harbor at one time.

The number of rows was 140.

The south side of the Hospital School was used as a Correctional Facility.

Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, K.G., High Steward of the Borough.

Rev. Thomas Nash published “Lenten Stuffe,” which includes a poetic and satirical portrayal of Yarmouth, among other things, as well as a play called “Praise of a Red Herring.” He was born in Lowestoft in 1567 and died in 1600. Dr. Lodge referred to him as “the true English Gifford or Aretino.” His name appears in works by Michael Drayton and also in the play “Return from Parnassus.” (See page 486, Pimperley’s “Encyclopædia of Literary and Typ. Anecdote.”)

One penny per load during the day and 1½d. at night were charged for carting herrings from the beach.

Caister Castle abandoned as a home.

Sir Henry Hobart and T. Damett, Esq., returned to Parliament once more; the latter, along with John Wheeler, Esq., was also re-elected when James I came to the throne.

The Dutch Chapel at South Quay was built and later turned into a theater.

Every Alderman, or their deputy, along with a constable, is required to visit all pubs and taverns twice a week and check in on the customers.

The washing and rinsing of nets near the public wells is prohibited.

The town needed to provide and supply ships to transport 600 soldiers to the Low Countries.

Charles Howard, Earl of Nottingham, K.G., Lord High Admiral of England, was elected as the High Steward of the Borough.

A third Market Cross built.

The three local rivers were frozen for 40 days.

James I. made Yarmouth a free Borough by charter, using the title of Bailiff, Aldermen, Burgesses, and Commonalty; this charter was surrendered to the King in 1683 (Charles II.). (See July 22nd, 1684.)

Drapers, mercers, grocers, and haberdashers are not allowed to have stalls in the market.

Herring Fair took place. There's a huge shortage of herrings this year—one last batch of Windsor herrings was sold for £15 5s.

Great damage was done to the piers by a raging tide.

Aldermen who had served as Bailiffs were required to wear scarlet gowns with tippets, or face a fine of 40 shillings. (See 1541.)

The current Haven was completed at a cost of £38,682, and from this date until 1770, a total of £215,644 was spent on the Haven and Piers.

Sir Theophilus Finch and G. Hardware, Esq., returned to Parliament, but soon after, Sir Henry Hobart took over for the former.

One hundred jacobuses (a gold coin minted during the reign of James I) were given to King James I by the town as a sign of loyalty and affection.

At corporate meetings, no gentleman is allowed to make inappropriate and offensive speeches out of turn, or cause a disturbance when discussing any matter of public interest, nor can anyone make a comment until the previous speaker has finished, under the penalty of a fine or dismissal.

About 50 fishermen from Yarmouth grounded their boats since they didn't have licenses for exporting.

License granted for the export of 600 lasts of herring, which was renewed every year until 1624.

The Cage or Stock-house set up.

An ordinance was established requiring that all doors opening outward into the Rows must swing inward; otherwise, the constables would nail them shut and impose a fine of 5 shillings on the owners.

The final request from the Crown for providing warships was made until Charles I turned to that method of generating revenue without Parliament's approval.

Dec. 21st. John Cowldham, J.P., who served as Bailiff four times, passed away at the age of 84.

B. Cowper and Edward Owner, Esqs., free Burgesses, elected to Parliament.

“Bars” had increased to 40, and were limited to that number.

Benjamin Cowper, Esq., was re-elected along with G. Hardware, Esq., to serve in Parliament.

Artillery yard where the current Unitarian Chapel is located.

Dec. 29th. Poor people were told they couldn't marry unless they had written approval from the Chief Alderman and Chief Constable.

Manship, who wrote the “History of Great Yarmouth,” passed away. He was the Town Clerk in 1579.

Sir John Corbet and E. Owner, Esq., were elected to Parliament, and in the same year, Sir John was re-elected alongside Thomas Johnson, Esq.

Fish Market, located on the current site, was covered and paved. The covering was removed in 1844.

Robert Sydney, Earl of Leicester, K.G., High Steward of the Borough.

Nicholas Felton, Bishop of Ely, passed away. He was originally from Yarmouth and was one of the bishops appointed by James I. for the new translation of the Bible.

Sir John Wentworth and Miles Corbet, Esq., elected to Parliament.

The town got permission to export 1,000 lasts of herrings, which continued until 1637, when the Trinity demanded £50 a year for 10 years, and then later for 40 years.

1,200 households in Yarmouth.

Edward Sackville, Earl of Dorset, K.G., High Steward of the Borough.

Fishing with a trawl is banned by proclamation.

£1 a quarter paid by the town to the Postmaster of Ipswich for transporting letters to and from Yarmouth for London.

Tobacco can only be sold in this town by one apothecary, six grocers, two hosiers, one merchant, and one chairmaker.

June 26th. Four French men executed for murdering Nicholas Harpley.

Aldermen’s wives were required to wear velvet hats until this ordinance was canceled.

Thirty-four breweries in Yarmouth.

Miles Corbet, Esq., was re-elected, along with Edward Owner, Esq., as members of Parliament.

The East and West Flegg was granted to the Cornwallis family.

Oct. 12th. A ship with 140 armed soldiers on board, due to bad weather, docked at Yarmouth port; the townspeople took control of it, and its crew and soldiers were locked up on behalf of the Parliament.

Sept. Earl of Warwick, Lord High Admiral, visited Yarmouth and was hosted by the Corporation.

Dec. 23rd. A charge of £1,200 imposed on the residents for the fortifications.

The town raised £136 to help people in need in Ireland.

Feb. Lord Grey of Werke asked Yarmouth to send 80 dragoons to Cambridge.

The number of “drinking houses” grew to 80, along with large inns and taverns; and in 1705 it increased to 120.

Letters between Yarmouth and London were only sent once a week.

Twenty fishing boats from Iceland, owned by Yarmouth merchants, were captured by pirates, with only three managing to escape.

Additional fortifications were constructed. Breastworks and platforms were built by the seaside, and cannons were mounted on them.

The Earl of Lauderdale visited Yarmouth and was lavishly hosted at the town's expense.

Sep. 9th. Lord Fairfax marched into Yarmouth, and the town became a military base.

Three warships sent to escort the fishermen and protect the coast.

The Burgesses raised 600 infantry and 50 cavalry soldiers, instead of having other forces brought into the town to perform garrison duty.

Four Aldermen and 16 Common Councillors left their positions in the Corporation; 6 were later reinstated.

The Puritans took out an old organ from St. Nicholas' Church.

The Presbyterians created an entrance in the north wall of the Parish Church and opened the north aisle of the chancel for public worship.

Up to now, prayer has always been used before starting public business.

Admiral Blake sent several ships he had taken from the Dutch to Yarmouth.

Dr. Thomes Soame died. He was the son of a fisherman from Yarmouth but was connected to a wealthy family of the same name in Burnham. He lived during the reign of Charles I. After entering the clergy, he became the minister of Staines in Middlesex and a Prebendary of Windsor. During the civil wars, he was so passionately loyal to the monarchy that he sent everything he had to the King. When the rebels came to rob him, he had nothing left, which led to his imprisonment first in Newgate and later in the Fleet Prison, where he died.

June 6th. Yarmouth sent 5 members to the "Little" Parliament called by Cromwell. Resigned Dec. 12th.

Aug. 29th. General Monk issued a warrant to release Yarmouth fishermen from being forced into state service.

Lord Henry, the youngest son of Oliver Cromwell, High Steward of the Borough.

Norfolk sent ten representatives to Parliament.

Dec. 16th. Oliver Cromwell announced in the Market Place that he is the Protector of the Commonwealth of the United Kingdom.

Colonel William Goffe and Thomas Dunne, Esq., were elected as representatives to Parliament by 3 Aldermen and 26 Common Council members.

William Burton and C. G. Cock, Esqs., were elected to Parliament.

W. Burton and C. G. Cock, Esqs., re-elected to Parliament.

p. 30People from Yarmouth sent 30 coombs of wheat and 10 coombs of rye to Southwold for those affected by a fire that destroyed a large part of the town.

Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, High Steward of the Borough.

A "Healing Parliament" was called, and Sir J. Palgrave, Bart., and Miles Corbet, Esq., were elected.

Sir William D’Oyley, Bart., and Sir W. Coventry, Bart., Secretary to the Admiralty, returned to Parliament.

Contention and bloodshed from overlapping authority stopped when the Cinque Ports ended their government with Yarmouth.

Dec. 10th. James Smith was fined £10 for saying about Sir Thomas Medowe, a Bailiff, “He’s a fool, and I’ve killed a bull worth 80s. that had better brains than Sir Thomas does.”

Jan. 22nd. Rev. John Brinsley, Sr., lecturer in Yarmouth, passed away at the age of 64.

Two thousand five hundred people died of the plague, including two ministers from St. Nicholas’ Church. (See 1349, 1550, and 1579.)

June 3rd. A major naval battle took place off Lowestoft, where the Dutch Admiral (Opdam) was defeated.

Every person getting parish assistance had to wear a pewter badge on their left arm, which was called "the badge of poverty."

John Carter, who served as Bailiff twice and was one of the Elders, passed away at the age of 73.

Town farthings created by the Overseers "for the benefit of the poor." In 1673, they were rejected, and the town was fined £90 for establishing a local mint. Lord Townshend asked the King on their behalf to forgive their wrongdoing.

Twenty-two thousand seven hundred sixty chaldrons of coal imported.

An Act of Parliament was passed to appoint Haven Commissioners, specifically three for Norfolk, three for Suffolk, two for Norwich, and two for Yarmouth.

April 21st. Mitchell Mew, twice Bailiff and once Mayor, passed away at the age of 71.

Sep. 27th. Charles II visited Yarmouth, along with the Dukes of York, Monmouth, and Buckingham, and was publicly entertained at a cost of £1,000. The Corporation gave the King four golden herrings and a chain worth £250. The King knighted three gentlemen from the Council.

May 28th. The Duke of York, leader of the English fleet, defeated the Dutch fleet led by De Ruyter in Sole Bay, or Southwold Bay. The sound of the guns could be heard in Yarmouth, and the sick and wounded were brought here afterward. Before the battle, Yarmouth sent gifts of wine, sheep, lambs, lemons, chickens, and fish to the Duke of York.

April 8th. William Burton, senior, twice the town's Bailiff, passed away at the age of 65.

Son of Sir William Paston, who was made Baron Paston and Viscount Yarmouth; he was also made Earl of Yarmouth in 1679. In 1676, he was shot and injured while riding in his coach. He passed away in 1682.

Robert Paston, Viscount Yarmouth, selected as the High Steward of the Borough.

The famous “Yarmouth Troll Cart” in use. At this time, they were referred to as “Yarmouth Coaches,” as they were more elegantly designed and rented out to leisure groups.

Bell factory supposed to have existed.

Haven expenses this year: £2,099.47.

Grand celebration in Yarmouth for the marriage of William III, Prince of Orange, and Princess Mary.

Captain Booth was executed in town for stabbing a sailor.

The land between the walls and the east side of the town, from the Market Place, along King Street to Friars’ Lane, was sold for £2,265.88 to various individuals for construction.

Bonfires, ordered by the Corporation, were made in the Marketplace and other areas of the town, following the passing of the “Test Act” by both Houses of Parliament.

Sir W. Coventry, Knight, was re-elected to Parliament, along with Lord Huntingdon.

Richard Huntingdon and George England, Esqs., returned to Parliament.

Oct. 21st. Sir William Gooch, Bart., was born in Yarmouth. He joined the army early in his life and made a name for himself during the Rebellion of 1715. George I appointed him Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia in 1727; in 1740, he became Colonel of an American Regiment and took part in the famous siege of Carthagena. For his contributions, he received promotions, first to Brigadier and then to Major-General, in which role he commanded the expedition to Quebec in 1747. He passed away in Bath on Dec. 17th, 1751.

The entire group of Freemen asserted their right to elect members for the town and chose Sir James Johnson, Knight, and George England, Esquire. Previously, the Corporation typically handled this task, sometimes through a majority vote of the assembly and other times by an inquiry involving six Aldermen and six Common Council members.

H.R.H. the Duke of York hosted an extravagant dinner in Yarmouth. After that, he boarded the frigate “Gloucester,” but on May 6th, the ship ran aground on the Leman and Ower sand, 12 leagues from Yarmouth, p. 33 and began to fill with water. The Duke managed to escape in a small boat, along with Colonel Churchill, the Earl of Aberdeen, the Duke of Montrose, and a few other notable figures.

William Paston, Earl of Yarmouth, High Steward of the Borough.

Spire of St. Nicholas’ Church, made of wood and lead, was struck by lightning and caught fire. John Grice was given a piece of silverware worth £10 by the Corporation for putting it out.

April 26th. First Yarmouth Fair took place.

May 7th. John Hall, Esq., passed away at the age of 61. He was a merchant, served as Alderman under both the old and new charters, and was twice Bailiff of the town.

July 22nd. The charter was granted which replaced the 2 Bailiffs with a Mayor, 18 Aldermen instead of 36, and 36 Common Councilmen instead of 18. By Charles II, a High Steward, a Recorder, a Sub-Steward, 2 Coroners, 2 Chamberlains, and a Clerk of the Courts were also appointed. Southtown was added to the liberties of the Borough. (See 1608, 1687, and 1763.) This charter also allowed them to hold two fairs a year. The document was brought from London by the eldest son of the Earl of Yarmouth to Haddiscoe and given to George Ward, Esq., the first elected Mayor. He, along with a large procession of carriages and between 300 to 400 horsemen, went to Haddiscoe to receive it. There was great celebration in the town.

Lady Yarmouth, wife of the Earl mentioned above, passed away.

The Corporation Sword of Justice, carried in front of the Mayor, was adopted.

Sir Thomas Medowe, Mayor, was elected for the second time that year. Before this, bailiffs were chosen instead of a Mayor.

Lord Huntingdon and George England, Esq., returned to Parliament; this also happened in 1686 and 1688.

Town Charters gave up to Charles II.

May 1st. The Earl of Yarmouth invited Sir A. Dean and Sir H. Shiers to check out the Haven and Piers. The latter was given 100 guineas at the “Three Feathers” Inn for his trip. He also visited the town in 1687, along with Lord Dartmouth, who suggested that a ship be sunk, or a jetty built, north of the north Pier to stop the sand from entering the Haven, and that a basin be created west of the “brush,” with a sluice to force the water out into the Haven as the tide went out.

Lord Huntingdon and George England, Esq., were elected by the Freemen to serve in Parliament. The Corporation always accepted the right of Freemen to vote.

Aug. 12th. Prince George of Denmark arrived at Yarmouth and traveled quickly to Windsor.

James II removed 5 Aldermen and 12 Common Councilmen from the Corporate Body; and in the next year, he replaced 3 Aldermen and 4 Councilmen with others. This right to remove members of the Corporate Body was kept by the King.

June 24th. Chaos and uproar occurred in the town due to the intolerant actions of King James II.

Lord Huntingdon and G. England, Esq. were elected again and sent to the Convention Parliament the same year. They were re-elected in 1690 and 1695.

Prince George of Denmark's regiment of Dragoons was sent to Yarmouth, and in 1696, two companies of Lieutenant-General Bellasis' Royal Fusiliers were stationed in the town.

The Mayor's office ended, and the town's government went back to two Bailiffs, following King James II’s proclamation. This lasted until Queen Anne's time. (See 1702.)

Haven expenses for the year: £2,323.27.

Feb. 16th. Prince of Orange and Princess Mary announced in the Marketplace.

George England and Samuel Fuller, Esqs., returned to Parliament in 1695, 1698, and 1700.

May 16th. Edmund Thaxter, Alderman and two-time Bailiff, passed away at 62.

The maces carried by the Mayor's officers were ordered to be made. At New Romney, there are currently (1884) two maces used here at the Herring Fair.

Anthony Ellys, Bishop of St. David’s and author of several theological works, was born in Yarmouth. Died in 1761.

Oct. 18th. William III landed at Yarmouth and was received with great enthusiasm. The Corporation spent £106 to entertain him.

All Boroughs were brought back by proclamation to the same form of government as before the surrender of charters to Charles II. (See 1702.)

Two hundred ships and almost 1,000 lives lost in a single night off this coast.

Sept. 11th. Thomas, the second son of Sir George England, Alderman and twice Bailiff, passed away at the age of 48.

Oct. 28th. John Albertson, Esq., Alderman and Bailiff in 1655, died at the age of 71.

A bar formed across the harbor's entrance, and the precarious condition of the haven was announced by the sound of a drum. The residents wanted to cut and dig a channel or trench through the bar.

Proposed to tear up the streets and install pipes to provide the residents with spring water from a large reservoir, gathered from the wells on the Denes. Also in 1810. (See 1835 and 1855.)

Corporation voted to send a message to the King celebrating his safe return and the peace with the French King.

John Nicholson and John Burton, Esqs., returned to Parliament.

June 30th. George England, Esq., the eldest son of Sir George, passed away at the age of 58. He held the position of Recorder and was a member of Parliament for the Borough several times. (See 1693 and 1711.)

Fishermen's Hospital (for 40 people) built by the Corporation.

The Corporation got a new charter from Queen Anne, which allowed them to elect a Mayor on September 29th, instead of two Bailiffs. (See 1692.)

Benjamin England and J. Nicholson, Esqs., returned to Parliament; also in 1705.

July 3rd. Thomas Bradford, Esq., Mayor, passed away at the age of 74.

March 11th. The twenty-fifth and final Charter granted by Queen Anne, re-appointing certain governors of the town. (See 1684.) When the Parliamentary and Municipal Reform Acts were passed (1832 and 1835), the Mayor was again required to be chosen from the entire Corporation, whether Aldermen or Town Councillors.

A terrible fire started at the north end of town, and several houses were blown up to stop it from spreading.

April 30th. Thomas Godfrey, who served as Bailiff twice and was the Town Clerk of this Borough for many years, passed away at the age of 63. He was succeeded by John Carlow, who was then followed by Francis Turner upon his death in 1710.

The expenses of Yarmouth Haven totaled £2,710.35.

April 27th. Thomas Bendish, Esq., passed away at the age of 61. He descended from the historic family of Sir Thomas Bendish, Bart., of Essex, who served as ambassador from Charles II to the Grand Seigneur. He married Bridget, the daughter of H. Ireton, Esq., of Ireton, who was once the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Hon. Roger Townshend and Richard Ferrier, Esq., returned to Parliament.

A Quaker received his Burgess Letter by making his solemn affirmation alone.

Nov. 7th. William Browne, Esq., Mayor, passed away at the age of 46.

Richard Ferrier and Benjamin England, Esqs., returned to Parliament. Poll—F. 278; Eng. 269; Townshend 231; Ellys 173. Also in 1713.

April 30th. Benjamin England, Esq., the third son of Sir George, passed away. He served multiple times as Bailiff, Mayor, and Member of Parliament for the Borough.

Henry Borrett, Esq., was the Mayor, but after he passed away before finishing his term, Samuel Wakeman, Esq., was elected.

Ordered that no license shall be granted to anyone to sell or serve ale or any other alcoholic beverages at any establishment by the seaside, except during the fishing seasons.

Oct. 3rd. Twenty people drowned on Breydon when a wherry capsized.

An Act was passed to build a causeway over the Denes from Yarmouth to Caister.

The Charity School was established in the Market Place by a few caring individuals; and in 1724, the Corporation constructed two large rooms.

First Town Hall built at a cost of £880.  (See April 20th, 1880, and May 31st, 1882.)

Mayors and Justices are allowed to wear different gowns than other Corporate members.

p. 38St. George’s Episcopal Chapel was completed. The contractors were Price and Son, who also built the Town Hall. The Chapel was consecrated on December 8, 1815. It cost £3,800.

South Denes was set up as a racecourse by John Holdrich and other innkeepers from Yarmouth, but annual races didn't take place until 1810.

Easter Fair was held on Good Friday up until now, when the Corporation decided it should happen on the Friday after.

Geo. England, Esq., and Hon. Horatio Townshend returned to Parliament.

It was agreed that the last two Mayors and every one after them would each receive £100 instead of the fishing rights.

The Vicar's house was built by the Corporation.

An Act was passed requiring half of the regular duties on the Haven to be used for improving the Haven, Piers, and Jetties; one-fourth to be used for deepening and cleaning the three rivers, and repairing the bridge and public quays at Yarmouth; and the remaining one-fourth for cleaning and deepening Breydon.

Oct. 2nd. William Spooner, Bailiff, and later Mayor, passed away at the age of 67.

Hon. Charles Townshend and Hon. Horatio Walpole returned to Parliament. The latter was made a Baronet in 1756.

Guildhall, located near St. Nicholas’ Church, was demolished and replaced by an unattractive building, where corporate meetings took place until 1835.

The Charity School for 50 boys and 30 girls was funded by donations. (See, 1713).

Jan. 28th. James Artis, Esq., Bailiff, Mayor, and Captain of Fusiliers, passed away at the age of 68.

Corbridge published his "West Prospect of Yarmouth." Buck released one in 1741, and Laing's Map was published in 1867.

July 14th. Mrs. Bridget Bendish, granddaughter of Oliver Cromwell, passed away in Southtown.

Hon. W. Townshend and Hon. Horatio Walpole came back to Parliament.

The Norwich Mercury of today reports:—“The people selected to choose a Mayor for the town of Great Yarmouth (as is tradition) were locked in a room last Tuesday at 12 o’clock and didn’t finalize the election until 9 o’clock Thursday morning, when Samuel Artis, Esq., a man known for his loyalty and integrity, was declared Mayor-Elect for the coming year, much to the disappointment of the Tories.”

The pillory taken down.

£50 raised by the town to help the English prisoners in Mequinez.

July. A remarkable storm and tempest; giant hailstones fell.

Sir Robert Walpole, Earl of Orford, K.G., High Steward of the Borough.

Dec. 20th. The organ at the Parish Church was first played. The Rev. Thos. Macro, D.D., minister of Yarmouth, delivered the sermon on “The Melody of the Heart.”—Eph. 5, 19 verse. (See Jan. 25th, 1869.)

A poor fisherman named Danby won a verdict with £15 in damages against William Brown, Esq. (the Mayor), Justice Artis, and Masters (the Bridewell man) for whipping and falsely imprisoning him.

p. 40The Mayor's gold chain and medal featuring the Corporation's coat of arms on one side and a sailing ship on the other, to be worn by every Mayor forever. (See 1746.) It was contributed for. The cost of the chain alone was £141 18s. 3d.

Organ at St. George's Chapel built by Jordan.

Hon. Edward Walpole and Hon. William Townshend returned to Parliament, but the latter passed away in 1737, and was succeeded by his brother, Hon. Roger Townshend.

Sarah Johnson, a widow, was paraded on a cart around the Market Place for stealing three gold rings and a silver spoon. In 1763, two sailors were treated similarly, receiving four lashes beneath each pub sign for stealing goods.

Elizabeth Thompson was hanged for the murder of a Dutchman in the Gaol-row.

Jan. 14th. George II. landed a few miles south of Yarmouth.

Sir R. Walpole sent 50 guineas to be used for coal for the poor.

Robert Ferrier was appointed Town Clerk, and eleven years later he took on the role of mayor.

Chris. Bernard, Esq., was elected Mayor but died before finishing his term.

Expenses of Yarmouth Haven were £3,299.79.

Amelia Sophia de Walmoden, believed to have been the mistress of George II, was made Baroness and Countess of Yarmouth for life. She passed away in 1750.

Hon. Roger Townshend and E. Walpole, Esq., returned to Parliament. Votes—T., 400, W., 391; Howling Luston, 104; Richard Fuller, 97.

John Thacker was hanged for shooting John Auger with a bullet in a shop near the “Wheel of Fortune.”

The inquest, held to elect a Mayor, was confined to the Guildhall for ten days; in 1765, six days; in 1767, three days and three nights; and in 1814, fifty-four hours.

Samuel Killett, Esq., Alderman, presented the Corporation of Yarmouth with a double-gilded silver oar, the emblem of the Admiralty Court.

Ancient Order of Foresters was first established.

Robert Walpole, Earl of Orford, High Steward of the Borough.

Nov. 25th. The mayor's medal that was attached has been sold; its value will be used to add links to the chain, both being valued at £166. (See 1734.)

Hon. E. Walpole and Hon. Chas. Townshend were elected to Parliament.

The cage or stockhouse removed.

Nov. 30th. John Dobson Tongue was hanged for robbing Mr. Halsden on the Southtown road.

Oct. 13th. John Sullivan was hanged for stealing from Mrs. Meed on the Denes.

John Barcham, sailor, executed for the murder of Robert Bullen.

An Act was passed to appoint a committee of twelve residents of Yarmouth to oversee the Haven projects and to call on the Commissioners when necessary.

Mrs. Cromwell, a direct descendant of Oliver Cromwell, passed away in Yarmouth at an old age.

A live baby named Sarah Pycraft was found in a basket in St. Nicholas' Churchyard and was taken to the Workhouse, where she died 96 years later.

George Walpole, Earl of Orford, High Steward of the Borough.

p. 42Dr. John Butler, pastor at St. Nicholas’ Church, and later Bishop of Oxford and Hereford. He passed away in 1802.

An Act was passed to open the port of Yarmouth for importing wool and wool yarn from Ireland.

Chris. Taylor, Esq., Mayor, passed away before finishing his term, and was succeeded by Giles Wakeman.

The Gallows-house on the North Denes has been taken down.

Expenses of Yarmouth Haven totaled £3,360.39.

April 18th. Right Hon. C. Townshend and his former colleague, then Sir E. Walpole, K.B., and Chief Secretary for Ireland, were elected to Parliament. Votes—T., 541; W., 518; R. Fuller, 397; and William Browne, 342.

Mr. Thos. Olivers tried to bring Methodism to the town but didn't succeed. He and a friend were attacked on Sunday with dirt, stones, and all sorts of projectiles, without any pity, and were forced to leave the town. Mr. Howell Harris made an attempt in 1760 that was more successful, though it put his life in serious danger.

July 23rd. William Burton, M.D., passed away at the age of 53.

Sept. 1st. Naval battle off Lowestoft between H.M.S. “Hazard” and a French privateer, “La Subtille,” which had 12 guns and 86 crew members. After six hours, the French ship surrendered off Winterton, and the next day (Sunday) the captured crew members were brought ashore and put in jail. By digging under the prison wall, fourteen escaped, and only four were recaptured.

C. Townshend, Esq., of Honingham, a cousin to the Hon. Charles, was elected to Parliament with a majority of 32 votes after the latter accepted the position of Treasurer of His Majesty's Chamber. Mr. C. Townshend was elected eight times in thirty-three years.

An Act for improving the recovery of small debts within the boundaries of the Borough obtained.

Oct. 7th. Joseph Ames, F.R.S., passed away. He was born in Yarmouth on January 23rd, 1688, and authored “Typographical Antiquities,” which is a historical account of printing in England, including memoirs of our early printers and a register of the books they printed from 1471 to 1600, along with an appendix covering printing in Scotland and Ireland up to the same period. It was dedicated to Philip, Earl of Hardwick, who was the Lord High Chancellor of England. He initially worked as a piano maker and later became a ship chandler in Wapping, a trade he continued until his death. He had a deep passion for history. In 1741, he was appointed secretary of the Society of Antiquaries. Mr. Ames also printed a "Catalogue of English Printers from 1471 to 1700", "An Index to Lord Pembroke's Coins", and "A Catalogue of English Heads, or an account of about 2,000 prints," detailing what is unique about each one. He prepared the "Parentalia, or Memoirs of the Family of Wren." His collection of coins, curiosities, books, etc., was sold in 1760. Among these was a copy of Tindall's New Testament, believed to be the only one that survived the flames when the Bishop of London (Tonstall) ordered them to be burned. Vide "Timperley's Encyclopedia of Literary and Typ. Anecdote," 1842, p. 703.

Yarmouth Sea Baths were built at a cost of £2,000. A beautiful public room was added in 1785.

Terrible brawl with the 2nd Dragoons (Scotch Greys) and 6th Irish Dragoons (Enniskilling), who were stationed in the town. They clashed with swords.

John Willis, Esq., was elected as Mayor but passed away before finishing his term.

Hon. Sir Edward Walpole, K.B., and C. Townshend, Esq., are back in Parliament.

The number of boys and girls at the Hospital School went down from 49 to 41.

Gorleston Parish, along with the Hamlet of Southtown, in Mutford and Lothingland Hundreds (Suffolk) was established for the support of the poor in its 24 parishes. This was also updated by an amended Act in 1833.

Dec. 10th. Rev. Christopher Spendlove, senior, lecturer from Yarmouth, passed away at the age of 69.

Jan. 8th. A lot of distress was caused by the high price of food, and a subscription was started and generously supported by the locals—60,138 quarter loaves, each weighing 4 lbs. 14 ozs., at 3d. each, distributed over three months to the poor until April 25th.

100 ft. of the jetty was washed away by high tide.

C. Townshend, Esq., returned to Parliament with the Hon. Richard Walpole. (Also in 1770, 1774, and 1780.)

Sept. 16th. Elizabeth Martin was executed for the murder of her illegitimate child.

April 18th. The day of John Wilkes's release from the Tower was celebrated in Yarmouth with great festivities. He was a prominent English politician.

Nov. 8th. Rev. John Manclarke, the parish minister, passed away at the age of 38.

During a storm, thirty ships and two hundred men were lost.

Four of the town gates were taken down.

One guinea reward offered to every able seaman in Yarmouth who would join the fleet to help end the war with Spain.

“Clappermen” assigned to monitor the boats in the Harbour and stop any fire or light from being used on board.

Jan. 11th. Henry Swinden, a dedicated historian, who spent twenty years gathering and compiling a significant amount of information about his hometown, author of “History of Great Yarmouth,” passed away the same year his book was published, and while the final pages were being printed, at the age of 55. (See 1776.)

Charles Townshend and the Hon. Richard Walpole came back to Parliament. Votes—T., 310; W., 310; W. Beckford, 218; Sir Charles Saunders, K.B., 216. In 1777, Charles Townshend left his seat but was re-elected along with W. Beckford. Votes—T., 502; B., 199.

The overseers’ report for the past year, ending at Easter, was—Money received: £2,694.16; money spent (including everything and a new building costing £201.10) left a balance of £61.15.7.

The "Nine houses" at Southtown built by John Eggoty, on the site of public tea gardens and a creamery.

“The History and Antiquities of Yarmouth,” by the Rev. Charles Parkin, M.A., Rector of Oxburgh, published.

John Ives, F.R.S., F.S.A., passed away. He was born in Yarmouth in 1730 and became well-known for his expertise in antiquarian studies. He published "Manship's History," wrote the preface, and installed a marble monument in St. Nicholas' Church in memory of Manship.

Dec. 4th. Theatre built and opened with the comedy of English Merchant. Building cost £1,500. Renovated in 1828.

Jan. 1st. A huge storm and flood caused a lot of damage to shipping.

First Map of Yarmouth published by Mr. M. J. Armstrong. It was created by Swinden in 1722.

March 6th. A Monthly Book Club founded by Rev. R. Turner, B.D.

Militia groups formed at Yarmouth.

William Penn, a pirate, was hanged in London and later displayed on a gallows on the North Denes.

Two batteries were set up on the North Denes.

A fort built on Gorleston heights, equipped with six 24-pound cannons and a battery of nine 18-pound cannons, for the defense of St. Nicholas' Gate. An invasion is anticipated.

The Fisheries are protected by armed forces.

Parliamentary reform stirred things up, and the town was filled with troops, much to the annoyance of the residents.

An Act was passed to better secure the duties owed on the importation of coal and cinders.

The Norfolk Rangers were formed.

The famous John Wesley preached in Yarmouth and opened a chapel on October 22nd. He visited the town several times, with his last visit in 1790, just five months before his death in 1791 at the age of 87.

Right Hon. C. Townshend re-elected to Parliament.

First Census conducted. Population 12,608.

Two ships equipped for the Greenland whale fishery.

Mr. S. Bream from Yarmouth proposed extending the North Pier to eliminate the Bar. Mr. J. Nichalls, an engineer, recommended in a report that the river should be straightened and a weir installed near the river's junction with Breydon.

June 22nd. A large portion of the outer wall at the east end of the Parish Church collapsed, damaging the tombs and gravestones for a considerable distance.

Mr. Barrett passed away at the age of 100.

Oct. The Prince of Wales (later George IV) was invited by the Corporation to have dinner at the Town Hall. He did not accept.

Sir John Jervis, K.B., returned to Parliament with H. Beaufoy, Esq.

Another town gate demolished.

The Dutch sent over 87 boats for the herring fishing off our coast.

Wooden drawbridge across the stream near the Town Hall was built and existed until 1843.

Second drawbridge connecting Yarmouth with Southtown over the Yare has been rebuilt and is now open to the public.

Josiah Curtis was appointed town crier, a position he held for 32 years.

Martha Stanninot, a strange woman known as “Queen Martha,” who believed she should be the Queen of England, lived and died in Row 28.

Nov. 1st. Forty ships washed ashore between Yarmouth and Southwold; 80 fishing boats destroyed, and 120 bodies found washed up between Yarmouth and Cromer.

An official day of thanks for the King’s recovery, and the town was lit up.

Seven hundred loads of herrings caught by 180 boats.

June 18th. Right Hon. Charles Townshend and Henry Beaufoy, Esq., returned to Parliament. Votes—T., 632; B., 455; J. T. Sandys, 182.

A pottery shop in Yarmouth.

George Townshend, Marquis Townshend, High Steward of the Borough.

p. 48Feb. 3rd. A section of the jetty was washed away by a powerful high tide, and the Denes were submerged. On Southtown Road, the water was deep enough for boats to navigate.

Oct. 27th. Riot due to the high cost of food, but shut down by the authorities.

Feb. 7th. House of Commons petitioned by Yarmouth for the abolition of the slave trade.

May 29th. The “Church and King Club” was established, and the first meeting took place at the “Wrestler’s Inn.”

Dec. Meeting took place in Yarmouth, where they committed to supporting the Constitution of the King, Lords, and Commons, as established in 1688.

Feb. 11th. All ships at Yarmouth are under embargo.

Feb. 28th. H.M.S. “Savage” brought in the French privateer, “Custine,” which was the first prize taken in the war.

Matthew Champion died at the age of 111.

The title of Earl of Yarmouth was reestablished as the secondary title of the Marquis of Hertford.

July. A subscription was started, and a benefit performance took place in Yarmouth to support the widows and orphans of those who died during the fleet's victory under Lord Howe on June 1st.

May 29th. On the passing of H. Beaufoy, Esq., Colonel S. Howe was elected to Parliament alongside George Anson, Esq. Votes—H., 483; A., 347.

Sir Edmund Lacon, Knt., Mayor. This honorable gentleman was knighted for putting down the riot that started in the Market Place, caused by the high price of food.

The Distillery, located on the site of the Silk Factory bought by the Government, and the wooden Barracks built there for 1,600 men.

p. 49Jan. 19th. The renowned fugitive, the Princess of Orange, along with her daughter-in-law, her little granddaughter, and the child's nurse, joined by two gentlemen, boarded a fishing boat. They settled in the hold of the vessel and were covered with the sails for protection against the bad weather. After they were safely landed at Yarmouth, the military was lined up, and their Royal Highnesses were driven around the Market Place twice, before being hosted by the Mayor. The Prince unexpectedly arrived as well and took his wife away. The following day, the Duke of York came to Yarmouth to welcome them, and although he was disappointed, the locals gave him an enthusiastic reception.

Another unfortunate princess was close to landing on our shore. Princess Caroline of Brunswick, accompanied by the English envoy, Lord Malmesbury, boarded the "Jupiter," which had 50 guns, and due to bad weather, came within six leagues of the beach.

A line of boats to Cuxhaven was started from our Port, and the Dover and Harwich boats were taken away.

Congratulatory message from the Corporation and residents of Yarmouth presented to George III. on his escape from the attack on him while heading to Parliament House.

June. Lord C. P. T. Townshend and Colonel S. Howe returned to Parliament. Lord Charles was found dead in his carriage the day after his election, shot in the mouth by a bullet. Later that year (Oct. 26th), Major-General W. Loftus and H. Jodrell, Esq., were elected to Parliament. Votes—L., 599; J., 561; Sir J. Jervis, K.B., 418.

June 25th. First time a squadron of warships entered Yarmouth Roads. There were 13 British and 3 Russian ships, commanded by Admiral Macbride.

p. 50Freedom of the Borough awarded to Captain Trollope for defeating 8 French warships off the coast of Holland.

Aug. 19th. While Thelwall, a political speaker, was giving a talk in a room at Yarmouth, a group of armed sailors from the ships in the harbor barged in, and in their effort to grab the speaker, they knocked down everyone who tried to stop them. Over 40 people were injured in the brawl; the speaker got away unharmed.

June 1st. Mutiny on board the North Sea Fleet at Yarmouth, and several ships of the line raised the red flag of defiance.

Sept. 18th. Admiral Duncan took over the command of the North Sea Fleet in the Roadstead, vice Admiral Macbride.

Oct. 3rd. Admiral Duncan arrived at Yarmouth Roads, and six days later set out to find the Dutch fleet, which was completely defeated (Oct. 11th) off Camperdown. The British fleet returned triumphantly to Yarmouth Roads, bringing seven ships of the line as prizes. The injured men were taken ashore and transported to the Barracks and Norwich—since there was no Naval Hospital. Yarmouth was crowded with visitors for several days, eager to see the victorious British fleet and their prizes. A fundraiser was organized for the wounded.

A high tide almost destroyed the Bath House.

Somerset Militia stationed in the town.

Captain Rysoort, of the “Hercules” (one of Admiral Duncan’s trophies), passed away in Yarmouth and was laid to rest with military honors.

A boat on the Breydon River capsized, and six out of seven young men drowned.

Freedom of the town granted to Lord Duncan and Sir Richard Onslow for their victories against the Dutch fleet; also to Earl St. Vincent for the victory over the Spanish fleet on February 14th.

Mutiny broke out at the Nore and spread to the ships in Yarmouth Roads, but it was quickly put down.

Mar. 2nd. Due to financial pressure at the Bank of England, Yarmouth banks cashed in their own notes, and the remaining amounts were paid in coins.

Two volunteer companies of Yeomanry Cavalry were formed at Yarmouth under Samuel Barker and H. Worship, Esqs.

Oct. 1st. News of Admiral Viscount Nelson's unforgettable victory at the mouth of the Nile was received at Yarmouth with great celebrations.

Oct. 1st. The Times reports: At 12:30 PM, the following warships in Yarmouth Roads set sail to patrol off the Texel:—“Monarch,” 74 guns, Admiral Sir Richard Onslow, Captain Sutton; “Monmouth,” 64, Deane; “Belligneux,” 64, England; “Ardent,” 64, Bertie; “Agamemnon,” 64, Fancourt. Remaining in the Roads:—“Kent,” 74, Lord Duncan; “Ganges,” 74, Captain M’Dowall; “America,” 64, Smith; “Veteran,” 64, Mosse; “Glatton,” 54, Cobb; along with the “Europa” and “Mististoff” warships.

Sept. 28th. The Duke of York’s army returned from an unsuccessful campaign, and the Guards along with 24 other regiments, making up 25,000 troops (infantry and cavalry), were brought back to Yarmouth from Holland.

An embargo has been placed on all shipping at Yarmouth.

Hospital for sick and injured soldiers built on the site of Grout’s Silk Factory. The injured from Copenhagen were brought here.

Sept. 25th.  Freedom of the Borough was awarded to Sir A. Dickson and Mr. Pitt.

Nov. 6th. Admiral Lord Nelson landed here after the battle of Aboukir, having been away for 2½ years from his home county, and received an enthusiastic welcome and the freedom of the town. He stayed at the “Wrestler’s” Inn, Church Plain, and during a speech he gave there, he said, “I am a Norfolk man, and I take pride in that.” When he later visited the Parish Church, the organ played, “See the p. 52Conquering Hero comes.” He was joined by Lady and Sir William Hamilton.

Nov. 20th. The herring fishery off Yarmouth was especially productive this year, with such a huge catch that one of Mr. Batley’s boats, after loading 14 lasts, had to throw two lasts back into the sea.

Jan. 1st. This day marks the first of the 19th century and the day when Great Britain and Ireland united. The Durham Militia fired a feu de joie at Yarmouth; and the ships in the Roadstead gave a royal salute and raised their new colors to celebrate the union.

Mar. 7th. The St. "George," equipped with 98 guns and flying the flag of Lord Nelson, arrived in the harbor.

Mar. 12th. The massive fleet of 47 warships, with 3,000 sailors, led by Admiral Sir Hyde Parker on the “London,” 98 guns, along with Lord Nelson as his Vice-Admiral, set sail from Yarmouth. After being joined by seven more ships in Leith Roads, they headed to Copenhagen to take out the Danish navy.

Mar. 16th. The “Invincible,” a 74-gun ship built in 1766, was on her way to join the grand fleet when she got stuck on the ridge near Hasbro’ Sand. She stayed there until daybreak the next morning, but as soon as she floated into deeper water, she sank along with her captain (J. Lawford), several officers, and about 300 men. Thanks to the efforts of Daniel Grigson, the captain of the fishing boat “Nancy,” the Admiral, 7 officers, and about 190 crew members were rescued.

April 14th. Intelligence received at Yarmouth about the destruction of the Danish navy in Copenhagen by the British fleet on April 2nd, after four hours of fighting. There was great celebration in this town and in the country overall.

July 1st. Due to Lord Nelson’s poor health, he once again landed at the Jetty from the gun-brig, “Kite.”

Nov. 2nd. The Prince of Orange arrived at Yarmouth from London, and on the 6th, he sailed on the packet "Diana" to Cuxhaven.

p. 53Census taken. Population of Yarmouth, 14,854; with Gorleston and Southtown, 16,573.

The batteries set up at the edge of the beach had 32-pound cannons. The harbor was also protected on both sides by two bastions made of stone. They were taken down after the peace was established, and the cannons were sent back to Woolwich.

Jan. 6th. The Public Library was initially established by a certain group of subscribers. In 1808, the Corporation granted the lease for the current building. The Dutch clock (removed in 1861) was installed on the outside in 1600 when the building served as a Dutch Chapel for the Hollanders; it was later used as an English Chapel, and before the Theatre was constructed, the back area was turned into a room for dramatic performances. The new Reading Room opened on February 19th, 1859.

May 5th. The town lit up at the announcement of peace.

May 24th. The Duke of Cambridge set sail from Yarmouth on the frigate, "Amphion," heading to Hanover, where he was appointed Regent. (See June 13th, 1803.)

June 28th. Custom House opened.

July. Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Trowbridge, Bart., and Thomas Jervis, Esq., returned to Parliament. The boat made for Sir Thomas to be carried in, crafted from oak, 14 ft. long and 3 ft. 9 in. wide, is still preserved (1884). On the back is “Trowbridge and the Navy,” beneath which is a naval crown and trophy. It was made by Mr. James Hurry.

Three hundred people were impressed, but 250 were later released. (See 1805.)

Montgomeryshire and Cheshire Militia departed from the town.

May 5th. An active press in Yarmouth.

May 16th. A ban is placed on all ships in the harbor.

June 13th. H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge and his team left Yarmouth for Norwich. They traveled on the same p. 54frigate that brought Prince William of Gloucester from Cuxhaven, where the Royal Highnesses almost became prisoners of the French army's advance guard. If they had stayed there another hour, they would have faced the same fate as the Hanoverian army. The French General in Holland requisitioned a large number of fishing boats with the intention of invading England.

Oct. 25th. The Volunteer Regiments in Norfolk and Norwich decided to take on permanent duty in Yarmouth in case of an invasion. On Nov. 9th, two troops of the Norfolk Rangers (established 1782), led by the Marquis Townshend, the Lord Lieutenant, and commanded by Captain Sir M. B. Ffolkes, Bart., and Capt. Beauchamp, marched to Yarmouth for permanent duty, along with the Norwich and Fakenham Volunteers.

Nov. 5th. The Lord Lieutenants of the coastal counties received orders under the King's signature, instructing them that, “since there was a real threat of invasion,” to take the necessary actions according to the recent law, which stated that upon the enemy's approach, all wagons and carts, livestock, and stores of grain likely to be captured should be removed or destroyed, and that all women and children should also be evacuated. The property owners would be compensated.

Nov. 7th. Lieutenant Colonel Harvey’s battalion of Norwich Volunteers arrived here for garrison duty; also the Norfolk Rangers and Norwich and Fakenham Corps.

Nov. 10th. The Yarmouth Volunteer Infantry received their colors (given by the Corporation) from the Mayoress.

Dec. 6th. On the Norwich Volunteers’ return to Norwich, this regiment was replaced for their two weeks of garrison duty by the Yarmouth Volunteer Infantry (550), led by Lieut.-Colonel Gould.

Dec. 15th. The Lynn and Freebridge Yeomanry Cavalry, along with the Artillery and Rifle Corps, marched through Norwich to Yarmouth to replace the Dereham and South Erpingham troops.

p. 55Dec. 22nd. The Dereham and Swaffham units of Yeomanry Cavalry marched through Norwich to Yarmouth to relieve the Lynn and Freebridge troops; and the Diss, North Walsham, Wells, and Old Buckenham Volunteer Infantry Companies marched into Yarmouth for two weeks of duty.

Dec. 30th. The Hingham and Wymondham troops marched to Yarmouth to replace the Swaffham and Dereham troops.

Tower and spire of St. Nicholas' Church taken down; rebuilt in 1807 for £1,890. (See 1806.)

The county's militia regiments gathered at Yarmouth and were organized.

April 4th. The "Antelope," (Commodore Sir W. Sydney Smith), the brig "Cruizer," and the cutter "Prince of Wales," reached Yarmouth from the Flushing station, where they tried and failed to capture an armed brig near the Scaw. They were attacked by an armed schooner and had to abandon their mission, resulting in five deaths and ten injuries.

April 11th. Rear-Admiral Sir W. Sydney Smith left Yarmouth for Norwich. The hero of St. Jean d’Acre continued the next day on a trip around the country before joining the King of Portugal on his journey to Brazil.

May 2nd. The gallows where Payne was hanged in 1781 was taken down by order of the Corporation.

May 14th. Lynn Volunteers and (May 26th) North Walsham Light Infantry came for two weeks of training.

The first newspaper, The Yarmouth Herald, was published in the town by Mr. Black.

May 23rd. The Blickling and Gunton Rifle Corps have arrived here for a two-week garrison duty.

May 25th. A general fast was observed. The Shropshire Militia and the Volunteers at Yarmouth (almost 25,000 men) attended church services.

May 26th. The sloop “Helena,” with 20 guns, and on September 4th the brig “Musquito,” with 18 guns, were launched from Mr. J. Preston’s yard.

p. 56Sept. 6th. The war sloop "Cygnet," with 18 guns, was launched from Mr. Nathaniel Palmer's yard.

Oct. 28th. Lord Viscount Chedworth, of Ipswich, passed away, leaving an estate valued at £500,000. Thomas Penrice, Esq., a surgeon from Yarmouth, received a legacy of £20,000 and was also named the residuary legatee, resulting in his acquisition of at least £300,000.

Nov. 26th. The Corporation and merchants of Yarmouth voted their thanks to Captain Hancock and his officers for capturing the infamous Blackman, who commanded a French privateer with 18 guns, and 98 prisoners were also taken.

Nov. 22nd. The “Romney,” a 50-gun ship, left Yarmouth Roadstead on the 18th carrying cattle and vegetables for the blockading fleet off the Texel, led by Admiral Russell, but it was lost in a terrible storm on the South Haak Sand. All the officers and crew managed to save themselves on rafts, but they were captured by the Dutch. The officers were later released on their word of honor by the Dutch Admiral Kikkert.

William Gould, Esq., appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the 6th (Yarmouth) Norfolk Volunteer Infantry.

Night signals set up along the coast, and special officers sworn in at Yarmouth.

Yarmouth Volunteer Infantry served for 14 days of garrison duty.

The Rows were first numbered; they used to be named after houses in or near them, or people living nearby.

The public was very stirred up by the potential French invasion led by Napoleon, and many Volunteer and Militia Regiments from Norfolk and Suffolk were stationed here for duty.

The Gorleston Volunteers had a great time when the maneuvers were executed expertly under Captain J. B. Bell. They later had dinner at the “Feathers” Inn.

Hay was sold for £4.50 per ton.

The winter was extremely harsh, even more so than in 1740. Coal was 2 shillings a chaldron.

p. 57Capt. Dickens, from the Shropshire Militia, walked from the “Angel” Inn in Yarmouth to the “Angel” Inn in Norwich and back (47 miles) in 11½ hours, as a bet.

A huge sale of 50 prize ships was announced to happen in Yarmouth on the 25th. These were mainly Dutch ships used as privateers and fishing boats, and the description took up about one column of space. No auctioneer was specified, but catalogs were available from Mr. A. H. Steward, of Great Yarmouth.

Mr. Aldred from Yarmouth experienced a significant loss after being robbed on Long Lane, Smithfield, of cash, bills, and jewelry worth £2,000. A bold street robber grabbed him from behind a carriage and managed to escape the police’s watchful eye.

April 27th. Two gun brigs, each with 14 guns, built in Mr. J. Preston’s yard, launched.

May 9th. One of the most intense impressments ever recorded in Yarmouth occurred. No fewer than 300 people from the town were impressed, of whom only about 50 were ultimately kept. (See 1802.)

Nov. 7th. News arrived about the stunning victory over the combined fleets of France and Spain off Cape Trafalgar on October 21st, though it came at the tragic cost of Vice-Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson’s life, who was born in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk, on September 29th, 1758. Yarmouth voted to send congratulatory messages to his Majesty; a feu de joie was fired by the military and volunteers.

Several regiments of Volunteers were stationed in the town until the Shropshire Militia took over.

April 19th. The frigate, “Boreas,” 28 guns, launched from Stone and Constance’s yard; the sloop, “Ariel,” 18 guns, from N. Palmer’s yard.

June 9th. Vice-Admiral Russell, along with several officers from the North Sea Fleet based in Yarmouth, visited Norwich.

p. 58July 26th. French frigate “La Guerrière” was brought into the harbor by the frigate “Blanche.” The former was captured on the 18th after a fierce 45-minute battle; she had taken eight Greenland ships and one from Yarmouth, all of which she destroyed.

Aug. 14th. Frigate “Comus,” launched from Messrs. Constance and Co.’s yard.

Nov. 4th. Hon. E. Harbord (second son of Lord Suffield) and Stephen Lushington, Esq., returned to Parliament, but on June 25th, 1808, Dr. Lushington gave up his seat for Giffin Wilson, Esq.

An Act of Parliament was passed to repair the Parish Church of Great Yarmouth and rebuild its tower. (See 1803.)

Southtown Armoury, built by Wyatt, cost £15,000. During the war, it housed 10,000 weapons arranged in a similar way to those in the Tower of London. After the war, the weapons were taken to the Tower.

The gun-brig, “Fancy,” was built in Mr. J. Preston’s yard.

Feb. 17th. Gun-brig “Snipe,” carrying 30 French prisoners, wrecked on the beach. Many of them drowned, along with some of the crew and a few women, totaling over 60 people. There were several other wrecks as well, since the wind was like a hurricane, and the drifting snow made the roads impassable for a while.

Feb. 18th. Capt. G. W. Manby, the barrack-master at Yarmouth, successfully launched a line over a stranded ship for the first time. On Feb. 12th, 1808, seven lives were saved from a vessel just 150 yards from the beach. Parliament recognized his efforts with grants totaling £6,000 at different times. He was born in Hilgay, Norfolk. At 88 years old, Captain Manby took pride in knowing that he had helped save over 1,000 lives around the world thanks to his invention. The two talented painters, the Joys, who were brothers and the sons of a mail-guard, owed much of their success to the support and guidance they received in their youth from Captain Manby.

May 9th. Hon. E. Harbord and S. Lushington, Esq., returned to Parliament. Votes—H., 627; L., 604; William Jacob, 341; A. Upcher, 21.

July 3rd. Mrs. Cooper, widow of Rev. D. Cooper from Yarmouth, passed away. This woman, with a strong commitment to promoting Christian values, wrote several works, including “Fanny Meadows,” “The Daughter,” “The School for Wives,” and “Exemplary Mother.”

July 26th. The fleet, led by Lord Gambier and Vice-Admiral Stanhope (a total of 69 ships), set sail from Yarmouth Roads. Sir W. Sidney Smith was onboard Gambier’s flagship, the “Prince of Wales,” which had 98 guns. Soon after, the second battle of Copenhagen took place (Sept. 7th). Most of their captured ships were brought to Yarmouth—64 vessels with 1,994 guns.

Aug. 14th. E. H. K. Lacon was born. He was educated at Cambridge and became a baronet in 1820 after his father's death.

Sept. 7th. Norwich Volunteer Infantry marched to Yarmouth for garrison duty.

Oct. 29th. Several transports were lost near Yarmouth and Lowestoft.

Nov. 14th. Privateer “Le Décide” was brought into this port by the frigate “L’Amiable.” She had captured no fewer than 30 prizes.

Nov. 2nd. Louis XVIII (under the title of Count de Lille) arrived at Yarmouth from a Swedish frigate. The Dukes d'Angoulême and De Berri, along with several French nobles, accompanied him. This was the first time since the famous battle of Poitiers in 1356 that a King of France had been in England.

Dec. A telegraph set up on the hill at Thorpe communicating with Yarmouth. An order from the Admiralty Office in London was received in Yarmouth in seventeen minutes.

North Gate was taken down to widen the road. It was bordered by square towers with unusual craftsmanship.

p. 60One hundred and forty-four dead bodies washed up on the shore in this area after a fierce storm.

A new set of ten bells was installed in the tower of St. Nicholas’ Church and rang for the first time on May 2nd, 1808. The cost was £1,161 8s. 4d. The church's spire was also rebuilt that same year.

Jan. 10th. Lord Hutchinson and Lord Gower arrived here on the “Bellette” sloop-of-war from St. Petersburg.

March 30th. Silver eel, 6 ft. long and 21 in. in circumference, weighing 42 lbs., caught a mile below Yarmouth bridge in the harbor.

May 10th. Expedition, made up of 105 transports, led by Admiral Keats, departed the harbor for the Baltic to support Sweden. Sir John Moore was in charge of the troops. He sailed on the “Mars,” while Major-Generals Paget and Murray were on the “Audacious.”

Aug. 20th. The first pile of the current jetty was driven, and it was completed and opened to the public on Jan. 13th, 1809, at a cost of £5,000; it measures 450 ft. long and has a platform that is 21 ft. wide. It was extended by 60 ft. in 1846 at a cost of about £900, and again by another 60 ft. in 1870 at an additional cost of £859 10s. It was built on the site of a structure that was constructed in 1560.

Charles Townshend, Lord Bayning, High Steward of the Borough.

Shropshire and Cambridgeshire Militia left the town.

Jan. 28th. Due to a quick thaw and the flooding of the meadows, the barges traveling from Norwich to Yarmouth had to turn back because the crew couldn't locate the river channel.

Oct. 25th. The fiftieth anniversary of King George III’s reign was celebrated in Yarmouth as a jubilee.

One thousand four hundred sixty-four pounds of fresh salmon from Scotland arrived in one day and was sold in Yarmouth market due to the shipping ban.

A highly productive herring fishery.

May 10th. Vice-Admiral Sir J. Saumarez’s fleet departed the Roadstead for the Baltic; along with it went the “Victory” (100 guns) and seven other ships of the line.

May 20th. The Honorable Charles, Lord Bayning, of Honingham Hall, a member of the Privy Council and High Steward of Yarmouth, passed away in London at the age of 81.

Aug. Yarmouth Annual Races were first established by the Officers of the Berkshire Militia.

Berkshire Militia departed the town.

Mrs. Hunter passed away at 102.

By the Paving Act, rules were established to prevent leaving materials on the Quays or other public areas for longer than needed for their removal and storage.

Nov. 2nd. The beach from Yarmouth to Wells was covered with wrecks and dead bodies after a severe storm. Another storm and high tide on the 10th caused more ships and lives to be lost.

Nov. 14th. Gustavus Adolphus IV, the former King of Sweden, who had stepped down from his throne, landed on the beach from the sloop “Tartar.” He took on the title of Count Guttorp and then traveled to London.

March 28th. Count Guttorp set sail from Yarmouth on his way back to the Continent.

Vice-Admiral Murray was assigned to the Naval command of Yarmouth. In 1815, Admiral Drake became the Port-Admiral of Yarmouth, the last person to hold that position.

Census taken. Population of Yarmouth, 17,977; with Gorleston and Southtown, 19,691.

The Royal Hospital or Asylum was constructed by the Government at a cost of £120,000. The foundation stone was laid by Admiral Billy Douglas in 1809. (See 1815.) The building was created by Mr. Peto (father of Sir S. Morton Peto), based on designs by H. Parkington, Esq., intended for a naval hospital. The 11 acres of land to the east cost the Government £11,000 in 1875.

March 13th. The South Gate was sold for £26 to Jonathan Poppy.

p. 62July 27th. General Viscount Cathcart’s mission to the Russian Court departed from the harbor on the frigate “Aquilon.” Lord Walpole, the secretary of Legation to Lord Cathcart, sailed on the “Calipso” to the headquarters of the Russian army.

Oct. 6th. Edmund Knowles Lacon and William Loftus, Esqs., returned to Parliament. Votes—Lacon, 607; Loftus, 387; G. Wilson, 329.

Oct. 26th. Huge storm, and eight ships washed ashore nearby.

Royals passed away at 103.

Feb. A strong wind knocked down and completely destroyed the Conventual Church at Gorleston, which was dedicated to St. Nicholas.

Feb. 18th. Gorleston steeple (about 100 ft. tall), which stood near the mouth of the Haven as a long-standing sea marker, was knocked down in a storm.

March 24th. The Volunteer Corps of Infantry was disbanded and turned in their weapons to be stored at the local Militia.

April 15th. The Prince of Orange arrived at the dock.

April 29th. H.R.H. the Duke of Cumberland arrived at Yarmouth and boarded the frigate “Nymphen” to head to the Continent.

July 4th. News of Wellington’s victory over the French at Vittoria in Spain was received here with great celebrations.

Aug. 10th. The first steam barge left Yarmouth for Norwich, traveling at a speed of five miles per hour.

Sept. 29th. Regent Street was created and opened at a cost of £30,000. Before this street opened, there was no road between King Street and the Quay, except for Fuller’s Hill and Friar’s Lane, the latter of which was widened in 1866.

Nov. 14th. Great celebrations in Yarmouth over the impressive victories achieved against the French in Spain and Germany.

The Lancasterian or British School was built and expanded in 1861.

p. 63William III arrived at the dock.

North Mayo Militia left the town, and the Wexford Militia followed the next year.

Sept. 3rd. John Hannah (70) was tried at the Yarmouth Sessions for murdering his wife, Elizabeth, making him the last person executed in the town for murder. A bill issued, with the imprint of Clark, Broad Row, Yarmouth, read as follows: “Monday Morning, Sept. 6th, at about 11 o’clock. Everything being ready, the prisoner, accompanied by the jailer and several constables, along with a large crowd of onlookers, left the jail at 11:15. They walked slowly, and at the entrance of Regent Street, the Mayor and other Borough Officers joined them. It was past 12 o’clock when the prisoner arrived at the execution site; on the way there, he remained calm, looking from side to side at the crowd. After climbing the scaffold, he spent some time in prayer, and when the hangman placed the noose around his neck, he was asked if he had anything else to say. He then confessed: ‘I am the one who killed my wife by strangling her with my hands, not with a rope as had been said; we had lived an unhappy life for many years because my wife spent time with other men, which led me to commit the murder.’ Just before he was hanged, he particularly requested to see his daughter, but he was told it wasn't possible since she was in Bedlam; he also asked the jailer to look under the step of his cell, where he would find four shillings and sixpence. A signal was then given, and the unfortunate man was immediately sent into eternity. After hanging for the usual amount of time, his body was given to the surgeons for dissection. Upon returning, the jailer found the money as described in the cell.”

July 6th. Peace was announced in Yarmouth; the Mayor and Corporation paraded through the streets, and the town was lit up at night.

p. 64The Duke of Clarence (who later became King William IV) arrived in Yarmouth with his Duchess (Queen Adelaide) and spent one night at the "Angel Hotel."

March 11th. Henry Joddrell, Esq., Bayfield Hall, longtime Recorder and Representative of Yarmouth, Chairman of the Norfolk Quarter Sessions, passed away in London.

April 21st. Restoration of Louis XVIII to the throne of France. The people of Yarmouth raised £1,106 8s. 6d. to provide a grand dinner for all residents who wanted to join. Fifty-eight tables were set up outdoors along the Hall and South Quays, where 8,028 people sat down to enjoy a delicious meal of roast beef and plum pudding. A man dressed as Neptune, accompanied by Tritons and other deities, paraded through the town, led by a music band. That evening, a huge bonfire was lit on the North Den, where the effigy of Napoleon was burned amidst a celebration in front of nearly 30,000 people.

July 14th. The first division of the West Norfolk Militia arrived at Yarmouth from Edinburgh, marched to Norwich, and joined their Colonel, the Earl of Orford.

Aug. 11th. The Hon. John Wodehouse proposed, and T. W. Coke, Esq., seconded, resolutions recommending that a subscription be opened to build a monument in Yarmouth in memory of the late Lord Nelson. Lord and Lady Wodehouse, the Hon. Colonel Wodehouse, and Mr. and Miss Coke kicked off the fundraising with £700. The Corporation of Norwich contributed £200. (See Aug. 15th, 1817.)

Jan. 24th. A sea eagle shot at Rollesby, which measured 7 ft. 6 in. from tip to tip of its wings.

May 10th. Strong demand for sailors at Yarmouth.

John Thomas Townshend, Viscount Sydney, High Steward of the Borough. He passed away in 1831.

Six hundred injured men from Waterloo were staying at the Naval Hospital.  (See 1811.)

p. 65March 29th. The Nelson Monument Committee in Thetford, after reviewing 44 impressive plans and designs, chose an Athenian Doric Column submitted by William Wilkins, a London architect originally from Norwich and the author of “Magna Græcia.” Almost £7,000 was raised.

Feb. 16th. Very high tide, the sea and river coming together over the South Denes. A similar event hasn’t happened since Feb. 3rd, 1791.

Feb. 19th. Corporation asked Parliament to continue the Property Tax.

Feb. 26th. Mr. Incledon, Master Taylor, and Mr. Collyer performed at the Theatre Royal, in The Minstrel; or, a Tour Through England and Ireland. Prices—£4, £3, £2.50, and £1.

Nov. 2nd. Thomas Penrice, Esq., of Yarmouth, who inherited most of the considerable estate from the late Lord Chedworth of Ipswich, passed away at Narford Hall, the residence of A. Fountaine, Esq., his son-in-law. (See Oct. 28th, 1804.)

Jan. 1st. £1,000 donated in Yarmouth to support and provide jobs for the laboring poor; 460 men were hired to build roads to the Bath House, Jetty, etc.

Feb. 4th. The Corporation voted to send a loyal message to the Prince Regent, expressing their outrage at the attack on him during his return from opening Parliament on the 28th of last month. It was presented at the levee by Isaac Preston, Esq. (Mayor), along with the High Steward and the Borough Members.

Feb. 13th. The new silver coins of crowns, half-crowns, shillings, and sixpences were exchanged for the old ones at the Town Hall.

Between 7,000 and 8,000 lasts of herring caught by 193 boats.

An Act was passed to extend two previous Acts aimed at widening and improving the road from Yarmouth Bridge to Gorleston.

p. 66April 4th, Good Friday morning. An explosion occurred on the Norwich and Yarmouth steamer—ten people were killed and five were injured—just as it was leaving the Foundry Bridge, Norwich. There were 22 men, women, and children on board. £350 was raised for relief. These steamboats were first used on August 10th, 1813.

June 5th. The famous Mr. Betty performed at the Theatre in the Iron Chest, playing “Sir Edward Mortimer;” and as “Frislam Fickle” in The Weather Cock.

June 11th. Mr. Matthews appeared at the Theatre as “Goldfinch” in Road to Ruin; and as “Somno” in Sleep Walker. On the 12th, he took on the roles of “Sir David Dundee” in Ways and Means, “Chip” in A Chip of the Old Block, and “Buskin” in Killing no Murder. On the 16th, he performed as “Rover” in Wild Oats; and in Adventures of a Mail Coach.

June 23rd. Munden took the stage at the Theatre as “Sir Abel Handy” in Speed the Plough, and as “Crack” in The Turnpike Gate. On the 25th, he performed as “Old Rapid” in A Cure for the Heartache, and as “Dozey” in Past Ten o’clock. On the 26th, he appeared as “Sir Anthony Absolute” in The Rivals, and as “Sam Dabbs” in Who’s Who? On the 28th, he took on the roles of “Bonus” in Laugh When You Can, “Nipperkin” in The Rival Soldier, and “Lazarillo” in Two Strings to Your Bow.

Aug. 15th. The first stone of the Nelson Monument was laid by Col. Wodehouse. The column stands 144 ft. tall and can be climbed via a flight of 217 steps. The architect was Mr. Wm. Wilkin, R.A., from Norfolk. There was a grand civic, military, and masonic procession from the Town Hall. After the ceremony, the Mayor, Isaac Preston, Esq., hosted a dinner for the guests; and in the evening, he held a grand ball for 350 of the elite at the Town Hall.

The Rev. Fisher Watson, M.A., was elected as the minister of St. George’s Chapel after the death of the Rev. S. L. Cooper in June. On August 9th, 1821, the Rev. John Homfray and on April 16th, 1833, the Rev. Mark Waters were appointed with salaries of £100 per year.

p. 67Aug. 20th. The great Edward Kean performed at Theatre Royal in Richard the Third, and all tickets were sold at full price—Lower Boxes, £5; Green, £4; Pit, £3; Gallery, £1—and part of the Pit was moved into the Boxes, while part of the Gallery was sectioned off for the Pit's use. The free list was suspended during this engagement. On the 21st, Mr. Kean took on the role of “Sir Giles Overreach” in New Way to Pay Old Debts. On the 22nd, he performed in Othello. On Sept. 5th, he played “Shylock” in The Merchant of Venice. On Sept. 6th (Mr. Kean’s benefit), he appeared as “Octavia” in The Mountaineers and as “Paul” in Paul and Virginia.

Nov. 19th. The remains of Princess Charlotte were buried at Windsor. The bells tolled, the shops closed all day, and the day was solemnly observed.

Dec. 3rd. The Corporation voted to send condolences to the Prince Regent and Prince Leopold of Saxe-Cobourg on the death of Princess Charlotte.

Dec. 31st. At the Concert Room, Mr. Matthews, the famous Irish comedian, performed in the entertainment of the Union, featuring English, Irish, and Scottish characters.

Jan. 19th. £6,000 raised to help a project to extend the navigation of the River Waveney from Bungay to Diss by the residents of Yarmouth at a meeting at the New Hall.

March 4th. Several ships were blown ashore in a strong storm coming from the southeast.

June 1st. Miss Bryne played the role of “Adela” at the Theatre Royal in the Haunted Tower. On the 2nd, she performed as “Rosella” in Love in a Village and took on the role of “Margaretta” in No Song No Supper. On the 4th, she portrayed “Rosina” in Rosina and “Leonora” in the Padlock. On the 6th, she was “Lilla” in Siege of Belgrade and “Virginia” in Paul and Virginia.

June 8th. Mr. Bartley performed at the Theatre Royal as “Sir John Falstaff” in Henry IV. On the 9th, he played “Solas” in Every One has His Fault, and “Michael” in The Adopted Child. On the 11th, it was “Sir John Falstaff” again, this time in The Merry Wives of Windsor. On the 13th, he took on the role of “Governor Heartall” in The Soldier’s Daughter.

June 19th. Hon. T. W. Anson and C. E. Rumbold, Esq., returned to Parliament. It was a three-day poll and one of the toughest contests ever seen in the Borough. Anson received 780 votes; Rumbold, 760; E. K. Lacon, Esq., 651; General Loftus, 612.

Aug. 3rd. At the Theatre Royal, Mr. Blanchard from Covent Garden performed in The Soldier’s Daughter as “Governor Heartall,” and “Crack” in Turnpike Gate. On the 5th, he played “Dr. Ollapod” in The Poor Gentleman, and “Abnego” in The Jew and Doctor. On the 6th, he appeared as “Tobby Allspice” in The Way to Get Married, and “Caleb Quotem” in The Wags of Windsor. On the 8th, he was “Dr. Panglos” in The Heir at Law, and “Davy” in Bon Ton.

Sept. 4th. Miss O'Neil took the stage at the Theatre as "Belvidere" in Venice Preserved. On the 5th, she performed as "Juliet" in Romeo and Juliet. On the 7th, she appeared as "Mrs. Haller."

Sept. 30th. Lord Viscount Anson died in London, at 57; and the newly-elected Member of Parliament took over the title.

Oct. 3rd. Sir Edmund Lacon, Knt., of Great Yarmouth; Thomas Hare, Esq., of Stow Hall; and Edward Stracey, Esq., of Rackheath Hall, were made Baronets.

Dec. 2nd. The day of the burial of her late Majesty Queen Charlotte at Windsor was marked with deep respect. Condolence messages to the Prince Regent regarding the death of her late Majesty were approved by the Corporation of Yarmouth on the 7th.

John Bennie, Esq., engineer for the Haven Commissioners, prepared a report for enhancing the Bar and Haven. On October 4, 1821, he passed away in London at the age of 64.

The Yarmouth Savings Bank was established. The deposits in 1843 totaled £80,246 19s. 7d., belonging to 2,550 depositors and 67 charities and friendly societies.

Nearly 100 ships being built at the same time in our shipyards.

p. 69The gun-brig "Havoc" was built in Mr. Stone's yard.

Borough Gaol expanded and a House of Correction was added; it was reinforced in 1835. The original was built 609 years earlier.

Feb. 15th. The Hon. George Anson was unanimously elected as Member of Parliament for the Borough (since there was no other candidate), taking the place of his brother, Lord Viscount Anson.

April. Velocipedes or Pedestrian Hobby-horses were used this year. A person could walk from eight to ten miles an hour on them. Like the Kaleidoscope, they were only “a nine-days’ wonder,” until 1872, when velocipedes came back into general use.

June 1st. Mr. Thomas Sutton (as surveyor) died on top of the Nelson Monument while giving directions. Aged 66 years.

June 14th. Mr. Edmund Kean performed at the Theatre again as “Brutus” in Brutus; and on the 15th as “Mortimer” in the Iron Chest.

July 18th. Mr. N. B. Palmer was given a piece of silverware (an épergne) worth 100 guineas for his efforts in the election and strong support of his beliefs, which helped secure the Hon. G. Anson and C. E. Rumbold, Esq., as Members for the Borough.

Sept. 6th to 9th. The famous Young performed at the Theatre in Hamlet, Revenge, Macbeth, King Lear.

Duty on coal, £6.30 per chaldron.

Paxton's "Picture of Great Yarmouth" published, illustrated with engravings of public buildings.

Jan. 29th. Death of George III, at 82 years old and after 60 years of reign. On Feb. 1st, George IV was proclaimed in Yarmouth with great ceremony and celebration.

Feb. 28th. Parliament was dissolved; and on March 10th, after four days of intense competition, Hon. George Anson and C. E. Rumbold Esq. were elected to Parliament for the Borough. Hon. G. Anson received 754 votes; C. E. Rumbold, Esq. got 752; p. 70Lieut.-General John Michell received 612 votes; and J. H. Stracey, Esq. also received 612 votes.

March 1st. A number of ships ran aground along the Beach. A high tide and a massive storm, unlike anything seen since January 1st, 1779. On November 4th there was another severe gale.

April 19th. Frigate “Boreas,” 28 guns, launched from Stone and Constance's shipyard.

July 19th. Coronation day of George IV at Westminster Abbey, which was celebrated in Yarmouth with a public dinner at the Town Hall; bonfires, roasting a bullock, fireworks, and other festivities also marked the occasion.

Aug. 15th. A big music festival at the Town Hall. The next morning, selections from the Messiah were performed at St. Nicholas’ Church; on Wednesday at the Town Hall; and again on the following Thursday, the entire first part of the Creation was presented at the Church, along with two miscellaneous pieces chosen from the Requiem, Mount of Olives, Judas Maccabeus, Israel in Egypt, and other well-known works. The Church looked really impressive, lit up by the many lamps and candles that adorned the orchestra (specially built for the occasion) and other parts of the building. Among the notable musicians who participated in the festival was Lindley, the famous cello performer; Mr. Eager, along with his main assistant Mr. Cooper, led the instrumental group, and Mr. Buck played the organ.

Aug. 20th. Mrs. Bartley performed Collins’ Ode to the Passions at the Theatre Royal.

Sept. 6th. Mrs. Davidson appeared at the Theatre Royal in Jealous Wife, as “Mrs. Oakley.” On the 7th, in The Belle’s Stratagem, as “Letitia Hardy.” On the 9th, in The School for Scandal, as “Lady Teazle.” On the 11th, in Know Your Own Mind, as “Lady Bell.”

Nov. 3rd. Sir Edmund Lacon, Bart., died at Yarmouth, deeply mourned, at the age of 69. He was the senior Alderman of the Borough.

Feb. 28th. An unusual amount of herring was caught off Yarmouth and sold in town at twelve for one penny.

March 13th. Petition submitted by E. Wodehouse, Esq., to the House of Commons from the landowners and tenants near Yarmouth, requesting the repeal of the Malt tax and a revised property tax.

April 10th. A committee was formed and subscriptions were collected to create a fund to reward boatmen who rescue people from shipwrecks.

Nov. 4th. A huge storm—many ships sank in the harbor, and several ended up on the beach near Yarmouth. It was exactly like the storm noted on Nov. 1st, 1789.

Dec. 23rd. A great new East Indiaman, the “Indian,” 400 tons, completely wrecked off Yarmouth. The crew of twenty was rescued, along with a small portion of the supplies. The value of the ship and cargo is estimated at £10,000.

Dec. 25th. The season is unusually mild; the thermometer was at 50, and it stayed that way throughout the following winter months. There were many notable examples of early vegetation, and swallows were spotted flying around Yarmouth. Since September 1st, there had only been eighteen days without rain.

There were 1,229 men, women, and children receiving outdoor parish assistance, and the parish's income was £10,770. The income in 1875 was around £15,000 a year.

Census completed. Population of Yarmouth, 18,040; with Gorleston and Southtown, 19,968. Houses occupied, 3,981; occupied by families, 4,318; vacant, 157; under construction, 20—total, 8,476.

Jan. 31st. George IV arrived and anchored his ship in the Roads.

July 29th. Samuel Tolver, Esq., was elected Town Clerk. He was succeeded by Henry Palmer, Esq., on June 6th, 1848; John Clowes, Esq., on November 26th, 1850; and Chas. Cory, Esq., on November 9th, 1851. (See June 9th, 1869.)

p. 72Oct. 14th. The revenue cutter “Ranger” sank at sea.

Oct. 21st and 22nd. Miscellaneous concert, directed by Mr. Sippe, held at the Theatre. Leader, Mr. Eager. The main performers were Mrs. Salmon and the Misses Sapis and Beale.

Exported from the Port of Yarmouth—flour 105,377 sacks; barley, malt, oats, beans, peas, rye, and wheat, 298,147 quarters.

J. Matchett, from Lakenham, published “The Norfolk and Norwich Remembrancer and Guide.”

March 3rd. Samuel Hurst, Esq., passed away in Southtown.

Exported from the Port of Yarmouth—126,768 sacks of flour; 264,546 quarters of barley, malt, oats, beans, peas, rye, and wheat.

Grout and Co.’s Silk Crape Factory is built.

Admiralty Sessions for the trial of Pirates were last held in Yarmouth.

Porpoise discovered on the beach—7 ft. long and weighing 4 cwt.

Masonic Hall built on Gaol Paved Row.

James Sayer, son of a block-maker from Yarmouth, a famous caricaturist and author of many satirical poems that addressed the political issues of his time, died in London.

Exported from the Port of Yarmouth—flour 148,252 bags; barley, malt, oats, beans, peas, rye, and wheat, 326,789 quarters.

Gas Works built; expanded in 1862 and 1864, with new additional facilities constructed later. About five miles of main iron pipe were installed in the streets, and on December 6th, the street lamps, totaling 150, were lit for the first time.

Five lifeguards drowned while trying to rescue a crew.

Luke Waller passed away at the age of 105.

The total number of registered vessels of all types at the Customs House was 549.

Sept. 3rd. Miss Cranmer appeared at the Theatre Royal in Don Giovanni; and “Adela” in the Haunted Tower.

Sept. 8th. Mr. Chippendale performed as “Useph” in The Siege of Belgrade; and “Chip” in Chip of the Old Block at the Theatre Royal.

Oct. 11th. The Catholic Chapel on George Street (the first one built in the town) is completed and was consecrated by Rev. Joseph Tate.

The mackerel sold in Yarmouth made £17,000.

River overflowed the docks and flooded the houses and stores, causing a lot of damage.

M. A. Jefferies jumped off the bridge.

May 15th. Lord Anson and C. E. Rumbold, Esq., were given the freedom of the town and returned to Parliament on June 9th. Votes—R., 649; A., 645; Sir E. K. Lacon, 250; Lord Suffield, 250.

May 25th. The old crane on South Quay was knocked down by a strong windstorm, and a new one was built at a cost of around £1,400.

Mariners’ Chapel built by George Palmer, Esq., services were previously held on a vessel called the “Ark,” which deteriorated and became unusable.

“Historical and Topographical Notices of Great Yarmouth and its Environs,” by John Henry Druery, published. The work was dedicated to the Right Hon. George William, Lord Stafford, Baron Stafford and Baronet, of Costessey Park, Norfolk.

Feb. 6th. Mary Welch died at the age of 73, leaving behind 102 children and grandchildren.

Vaughan and Murphey, two well-known body snatchers, stole several bodies from St. Nicholas’ churchyard, causing a lot of commotion in the town. As a result, the railings on the west side were put up.

Mr. David Service, the poet from Yarmouth, has passed away.

May 29th. The bells chimed joyfully on the opening day of the Suspension Bridge. This structure, located on the North Quay, was primarily made of iron and built across the river Bure by Robert Cory, Esq., under the authority of a law passed in 1827. It cost around £4,000.

Feb. 8th. Intense frost; the river is frozen all the way down to the Public Library.

July 31st. Hon. Colonel G. Anson and C. E. Rumbold, Esq., returned to Parliament. Votes—A., 946; R., 945; H. Preston, 751; T. E. Campbell, 754.

Launches: March 8th, schooner “Sea Witch;” March 15th, brig “Ocean,” from Mr. Palmer’s yard; Aug. 1st, brig “Earl Grey,” from Mr. Teasdel’s yard.

March 15th. Marriage at Stokesby Church of Samuel Taylor, the only son of Wm. Huke, of Yarmouth, and Charlotte Crowe Norton, of Stokesby.

May 2nd. Hon. G. Anson and C. E. Rumbold, Esq., have returned to Parliament once more.

July 7th. The first stone of St. Peter’s Church was laid, and it was completed and consecrated on Aug. 26th, 1838. The total cost was £12,000.

Sept. 12th. Mr. Power, from Covent Garden, appeared at the Theatre Royal as “Colonel O’Dillon” in The Married Lover.

Census completed. Population of Yarmouth: 21,115; with Gorleston and Southtown, 28,231.

St. Mary’s Church, Southtown, built. Site donated by the Earl of Lichfield; total cost, funded by donations, around £3,000.

April 3rd. The Hon. and Rev. E. Pellew was appointed Chaplain of St. Nicholas’ Church, at £40 a year.

April 17th. Mr. Wm. Hazard passed away at the age of 72.

May 27th. Messrs. Grout and Co.’s Silk Crape Factory burned down. A new one has been built in the same location. A hospital originally stood here. (See 1828.)

p. 75Oct. 11th. Russian Horn Band Concert at the Town Hall.

Dec. 11th. The Hon. G. Anson and C. E. Rumbold, Esq., returned to Parliament after the passing of the Reform Bill.

Edw. Pellew, Admiral Viscount Exmouth, High Steward of the Borough.

District Visiting Society was established but didn't succeed due to lack of support; however, another attempt to revive it was made on April 10th, 1861.

Yarmouth Glee Society held their first concert.

By the Municipal Reform Act, the remainder of Gorleston parish was added to Yarmouth Borough.

Launches: January 18th, schooner “Cornelia” from Mr. Holmes’ yard; May 6th, brig “Hudson” from Mr. Preston’s yard; July 12th, schooner “Abeona” from Messrs. Fellows’ yard; July 21st, brig “Margaret” from Messrs. Fellows’ yard; same year, the barque “Harmony;” December 10th, schooner “Fairy Queen,” and December 12th, brig “Pioneer” from Mr. Lubbock’s yard.

Bishop of Norwich checked the plate at St. Nicholas' Church and St. George's Chapel.

Horatio Walpole, Earl of Orford, High Steward of the Borough.

Jan. 15th. Divine Service held in the Chancel of St. Nicholas' Church for the first time.

Jan. 24th. Brig “Pioneer,” from Yarmouth, ran aground near the Dungeness Light.

May 12th. Proprietary Grammar School at Southtown opened. It was torn down in July 1858 to make way for the Goods Station of the East Suffolk Railway. The school cost £1,500.

June 16th. Yarmouth and Southtown Ferry opened.

Aug. 1st. First Annual Marine Regatta took place.

The Fort is gone.

p. 76Launches: May 18th, brig “Alexander,” from Mr. Preston’s yard; June 21st, schooner “Racer,” and Sept. 11th, schooner “Maria,” from Mr. Lubbock’s yard; Sept. 17th, brig “Vivid,” and Oct. 16th, schooner “Nora Creina,” from Messrs. Fellows’ yard.

An investigation started at the Tolhouse Hall, led by J. H. Hogg and J. Buckle, Esqs., two of Her Majesty’s Commissioners, regarding the condition of the Yarmouth Corporation. After nineteen days of inquiry, it was postponed sine die. The evidence presented was published that same year by Mr. Henry Barrett.

Jan. 7th. Thomas Baling and W. M. Praed, Esqs., returned to Parliament.

Jan. 23rd. Lord Walpole and E. Woodhouse, Esq., returned to Parliament.

April 7th. The “Baltic,” “Venus,” and “Wellington” left the harbor with 200 emigrants heading to Canada.

Oct. 6th. Samuel Brock, a beachman from Yarmouth, and a crew set off in the yawl “Increase” to rescue the crew of a Spanish ship, about twelve miles from shore. They got to the vessel, but on the way back, in a storm, the yawl capsized, and nine men drowned. Brock, the only survivor, fought against the waves for seven hours and was finally rescued and taken on board the brig “Betsy” at 1 a.m. the next morning, then brought ashore at Lowestoft. (See 1873.)

Dec. 26th. In accordance with the Act, 6 William 4th, cap. 76, for the better regulation of municipal corporations in England and Wales, the first election of councillors (under this Act) took place, and the results were as follows:—North Ward—R. Hammond (108 votes), W. N. Burroughs (99), A. Sewell (94), Chas. G. Doughty (91), Benj. Sherrington (90), E. H. L. Preston (89). Market—Simon Cobb (135), Wm. Johnson (134), Wm. Hammond (131), B. Cobb (129), Edw. N. Clowes (128), Edw. Sewell (124). Regent—John Brightwen (98), S. T. Palmer (98), S. Charles Marsh (98), J. Tomlinson (98), Cufaude Davie (97), Benjamin Dowson (95). St. George’s—C. Sayers (91), Wm. Grave (91), G. Penrice (91), Wm. Barber (91), H. V. Worship (90), T. Lettis (89). Nelson—G. D. Palmer (147), R. Palmer Kemp (137), G. Garson (127), Matthew Butcher (124), John Symonds (122), S. Robinson (118). St. Andrew’s—J. S. Bell (115), T. Hammond (111), J. W. Dowson (105), Wm. Barth (101), Hezekiah Martin (91), Patrick Stead (87). At a meeting of the Council on Dec. 31, 1835, the following gentlemen were elected as Aldermen for the Borough:—John Brightwen, Benj. Dowson, Captain Wm. Larke, Richard Sibbs Lonsdale, J. B. Palmer, Joseph Starling, Robert Teasdel, George Jeffries, Benjamin Fenn, Robert Wall, Thomas Pitt, Charles Nichols.

The practice of electing Mayors through an inquiry has been abolished. They were elected before this date, September 29th.

Scheme proposed for providing the Town with fresh water through a reservoir on the high grounds at Burgh Castle, but not backed up.

The Hon. and Rev. Edward Pellew, the fourth son of Admiral Lord Viscount Exmouth, was appointed to lead St. Nicholas' Church after Mr. Turner resigned.

The two stuffed figures representing John and Betty Goblett, displayed every year in front of Tolhouse Hall, were not allowed to be placed there.

Death penalty eliminated.

William Barth, Esq., was elected Mayor on January 1st, and again on November 9th.

Feb. 27th. Brig “Isis” wrecked on South Beach. “The History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk, including Great Yarmouth,” by Mr. William White, of Sheffield, published; second edition in 1815.

Thomas William Anson, Earl of Lichfield, High Steward of the Borough.

Great storm, twenty-three ships stranded on Yarmouth Beach, and more than forty lost along the coast.

p. 78The last Market Cross taken down.

Rev. R. Pillans, while driving his carriage into the Angel yard, hit his head against a beam and broke his neck.

Nov. 12th. Captain William Watts passed away at the age of 70.

Dec. 2nd. Brig “Valeria” launched from Mr. Lubbock’s yard.

First stone of the Wesleyan Chapel was laid. The building cost £4,200.

On Queen Victoria taking the Throne, C. E. Rumbold, Esq., was re-elected to Parliament, and the election of W. Wilshere, Esq., was confirmed as his colleague.

G. D. Palmer, Esq., appointed as a Magistrate.

Aug. 28th. William Wilshere returned to Parliament once again.

The new workhouse opened. The total cost of the building up to 1860 was about £10,000.

Sergeant John Wright passed away at the age of 110.

The last of the Town Gates (Pudding) was taken down.

Yarmouth Hospital was established, largely thanks to the efforts of Mr. Wm. Steward, and finished in 1839.

Crew of ten people drowned from the fishing boat “Walter and Ann.”

Feb. 14th. Brig “James” from Yarmouth sank off the coast of Scotland.

March 7th. A massive hurricane, and the streets and blocks were covered with debris from the roofs of houses, which were heavily damaged.

Sept. 25th. Arthur Beevor, Esq. passed away at the age of 82.

Launches: June 13th, schooner “Rob Roy,” from Mr. Lubbock’s yard; Aug. 29th, schooner “George Lord,” from Mr. Preston’s yard; Oct. 2nd, brig “Elizabeth,” from Messrs. Fellows’ yard; and Nov. 11th, schooner “Star,” from Mr. Teasdel’s yard.

Jan. 10th. The uniform penny postage started working today and faced a lot of mockery, with many predicting it would fail quickly. Railways were just beginning to develop. Book post was established in 1855, and postal cards were introduced in 1870.

Jan. 30th. William Finch-Crisp, the compiler of this work, was born in Hackney and later lived in Erith, Kent, for 11 years (where his father passed away on March 12th, 1850). He then moved to Great Yarmouth at the end of 1854, where he married Mary Ann, the second daughter of the late Robert Boyce Crisp, on June 25th, 1870. His beloved mother died in Oxford on December 5th, 1869, and she was buried in Jericho Cemetery, Oxford.

Nov. 4th. A selection of sacred music from Handel’s oratorios, Judas Maccabæus and the Messiah, performed at St. Nicholas’ Church by the Yarmouth Choral Society. Conductor, Mr. Woolman. Price (by ticket only), £2.50, and for young ladies and gentlemen under 14 years old, £1.50; booklet of lyrics, £0.30. Concert in support of Yarmouth Hospital and Dispensary.

Dec. Mr. James Burman conducted a complete peal of Bob Major on the Parish Church bells, consisting of 5,040 changes, which took 3 hours and 25 minutes to ring. In January 1843, a true and complete peal of Grandsire caters was rung, containing 4,004 changes, in 3.5 hours (composed by Burman), the only recorded peal of its kind; also that same year, a peal of Treble Bob Royal, 5,040 changes, was rung in 3 hours and 35 minutes. (These records are now in the belfry.)

The old Post Office in Row 63 moved to Hall Quay. The first office was in Row 107, around the year 1695.

John W. Shelly and Wm. Johnson, Attorneys, were appointed Magistrates.

Gorleston National Schools established.

John Clowes, Esq., received the silver medal from the Lifeboat Association for his personal efforts during the November gale.

March 22nd. First stone of the Victoria Buildings laid.

June 29th. C. E. Rumbold and W. Wilshere, Esqs., returned to Parliament.

Nov. 14th. The Birmingham Gazette from 100 years ago (1741) says:—“We’re hearing from Yarmouth that there are major complaints this year about their herring fishery; all the men have been pressed into service, leaving only boys in town to handle that work.”

Nov. 18th. The ship "Iron Duke" came ashore and sank near the Britannia Pier. (See Oct., 1879.)

The Sawyers’ Arms pub on Fuller’s Hill was destroyed by fire, and the Albion Tavern was later built on that site.

They were 49 people in the Children’s Hospital, 223 in the Workhouse, 6 in the Royal Hospital, 37 in the Borough Jail, 134 fishermen, etc., in boats and barges, and 173 missing sailors, according to the report.

Launches: March 17th, the brig “Norfolk Lass,” and May 24th, the barque “Maria Soanes.”

Richard Hammond, J. F. Costerton, E. H. L. Preston, J. C. Smith, and W. Yetts, Esqs., were appointed as magistrates.

Sir E. Lacon and Sons tried to dig an Artesian well on their property, but an accident with the pipes after boring 600 feet forced them to give up on the project. They found sand and gravel to a depth of 111 ft., then 49 ft. of dark sand, followed by very fine clay down to 350 ft., then a 5 ft. thick layer of flint, and below that was chalk, which they didn't manage to get through.

Census taken. Population: 24,529—10,780 males and 18,529 females; Gorleston and Southtown added 3,779—total: 28,038. Of Yarmouth's residents, 3,340 were not born in Norfolk, and 13,430 were over 20 years old—5,515 males and 7,915 females. Gorleston covered 3,201 acres of land and had 6,223 houses; of these, 5,408 were counted in Yarmouth, 164 were unoccupied, and 61 were under construction.

Lifeboat Station was first set up at Caister.

Deaths: John Berney Crome.—August 18th, Giles Borrett, Esq., M.D.

Nov. 21st. First Concert of the Great Yarmouth Amateur Musical Society held at the Town Hall. Band leader, Mr. A. Suggate.

The current Hospital School is built on the site of the one constructed in 1278.

The fees charged on ships arriving at the Port and unloading cargo from the Roadstead totaled £10,074 17s.

Police Court, Station House, and detention cells added to the Town Hall. (See Sept. 30th, 1879.)

Corn Exchange, Regent Street, linked to the Commercial Clubhouse, opened by a Company that owned both. The former was demolished in January 1871, and a new Post Office was built.

Aug. 3rd. Children's Hospital School opened after being rebuilt.

Oct. 15th. Sarah Martin, the prison visitor, passed away; and in 1858, a memorial window in her honor was installed in St. Nicholas’ Church. She was born in 1791 in Caister and became an orphan at a young age.

The Round Tower next to the hospital was built and can be reached by a flight of 42 stairs. It was constructed by merchants and shipowners as an observation tower at a cost of £150.

May 1st. The railway connecting Norwich and Yarmouth officially opened, celebrated with much festivity and joy. Messrs. Grissell and Peto were awarded the contract for the project at £10,000 per mile. Before this, steam boats ran twice daily on the Yare, between Norwich and Yarmouth.

Oct. Fish Market was built and opened at the location of the old one, which was moved to widen the road.

Nov. 18th. Mrs. Harriet Chandler was murdered in her grocery store on Howard Street by Samuel Yarham, who was tried in Norwich on Mar. 27th, 1845, and executed there on April 11th. The prosecution cost £542. (See Jan. 30th, 1882.)

Dec. 13th. Paget’s Brewery, North Quay, demolished.

p. 82Rev. Henry Mackenzie, who was the vicar of Bermondsey, was appointed to St. Nicholas’ Church but resigned in July 1848 after being given the vicarage of St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields in Westminster. On February 15, 1870, the Town Council voted to congratulate him on his appointment as Suffragan Bishop of Nottingham. This marked the first appointment of a Suffragan Bishop in England in 200 years.

The Naval Hospital was turned into a Mental Health Facility. The building was renovated in 1868, adding 37 new wards by Mr. G. Tyrrell. 80 patients were admitted the same year (September) from Haslar, bringing the total to 169. (See 1811.)

The mackerel exported this year earned £14,500.

Gorleston Museum, featuring many artworks, curiosities, antiques, etc., is established.

Her Majesty Queen Victoria sailed through the Roadstead on her way back from Scotland, not far from the shore. The beach was filled with spectators, and several pleasure boats approached the Royal yacht to show their loyalty.

Jan. 20th. Schooner “John,” from Jersey, ran aground on South Beach.

Jan. 26th. The yawl "Phoenix" and seven lives lost. Meeting held on the 29th to support the widows and orphans left without means.

April 16th. First stone of Unitarian Chapel, Middlegate Street, laid. Opened October 13th. Built on the site of the Old Meeting House.

May 2nd. Fall of the Suspension Bridge. 400 people fell into the water, of which 79 drowned. A massive crowd gathered around the bridge and its surroundings for an event on the River Bure. The announcement for the evening’s entertainment read, “Is it going to be a benefit or not?” along with a clown pointing to the above words. Next is a statement from Mr. Nelson as “a candidate for public favor,” who declares that p. 83“Friday night will be a grand banquet night,” and adds, “The following extraordinary event will definitely take place, Mr. Nelson, the famous clown and modern Yorick, will sail on the River Bure, starting from Yarmouth Bridge to Vauxhall Gardens, at 5 o’clock on that day in a regular washing tub, pulled by four real geese, elegantly harnessed and adorned.” The tub was 18 inches deep. The verses were placed on either side of a woodcut of the clown:—

The following performers were scheduled to appear at the Circus (a wooden structure on the Theatre Plain)—Master Barlow, the four sons of Siberia, Mr. Alfred Cooke, Signor Germani, Mr. Charles Adams, Mr. George Cooke, Madame Culine, and Mr. W. Cooke.

Sept. 24th. Mr. Henry Teasdel’s warehouses burned down.

Gorleston Wesleyan Chapel rebuilt.

Yarmouth exported 327,000 quarters of corn, and in 1855, 258,000 quarters.

Sept. 2nd. Burgh Castle sold to Sir J. Boileau, Bart., of Ketteringham.

W. H. Palmer, W. Thurtell, J. Fenn, B. Jay, and W. H. Bessey, Esqs., were appointed as Magistrates.

Lord Wodehouse, the Lord Lieutenant of the County, passed away in Kimberley.

County Court first held at Yarmouth.

Steamer “Enterprise” confiscated for smuggling tobacco, and the engineer fined £100.

The seawall in front of Britannia Terrace built by C. Cory, Esq. cost £2,000.

p. 84June 17th. The schooner “Ann and Jane” was launched from Mr. King’s yard.

July 29th. Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Lennox and O. Coope, Esq., returned to Parliament.

Aug. 31st. Jewish synagogue, in Row 42, constructed and dedicated. It was built on the site of an earlier one.

Nov. 29th. A cartload of hay burned on the Hall Quay.

Deaths: June 6th, Captain H. Barrett, ballast-master.—Dec. 24th, Admiral Sir George Parker, K.C.B.

April 8th. The brig "Agenoria" ran aground on the North Beach.

May 17th. Address of Loyalty presented to Her Majesty by the Mayor.

June 30th. A bill was presented in Parliament that took away the voting rights of the Freemen of Yarmouth. The number on the Register was 1,106. Only those householders who were on the Register were permitted to vote in the upcoming election, during which J. Saunders and C. E. Rumbold, Esqs., were elected to Parliament.

Aug. St. Nicholas' Church reopened after restoration.

Sept. 22nd. Richardson's Rock Band Concert at the Town Hall.

Oct. 7th. Mr. Norman's warehouse on Blind Middle Street burned down.

Lord Fairfax arrived in town with a large group of followers.

Nov. 6th. Murder at Stanfield Hall of Mr. Isaac Jermy and his son, by James Blomefield Rush, who also shot the son’s wife and a household member. The victim’s family lived in Yarmouth. (See Dec. 27th, 1879.)

Deaths: Feb. 26th, at Southampton, Rev. H. G. Maul, formerly curate of St. Nicholas’ Church.—Sept. 1st, Rev. Alexander Creak.—Nov. 20th, James Gidney, Esq., at Southtown.—Dec. 9th, John Lacon, Esq., at Hopton.—Dec. 27th, James Norton Sherrington, Esq.

Feb. 12th. A stone coffin, holding a complete skeleton wrapped in a hemp sack, was found in the north wall of St. Nicholas’ Church.

p. 85The fishing boat "William Tell" from Yarmouth and its crew went missing off North Foreland.

Sept. 18th. Mr. John Driscoll was buried in the Roman Catholic Cemetery; this was the first burial there.

Nov. 15th. General Thanksgiving Day for Deliverance from Cholera.

The remains of Bishop Stanley arrived at Crane Quay.

The new bridge over the River Yare, linking Southtown to Yarmouth, has started. Cost: £50,000, which includes the land. A total of 2,600 tons of stone and about 300 tons of iron were used in the building, with the two iron leaves weighing around 45 tons each. (See 1427 and 1854.)

Jan. 28th. Parliamentary and Financial Reform Meeting held at the Corn Hall.

Mar. 31st. Mr. Waters' mill burned down.

Sept. 5th. Primitive Methodist Chapel opened. The schoolroom next door opened on Oct. 29th, 1855, and cost around £450. (See Aug. 3rd, 1874, and June 22nd, 1875.)

Sept. St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church completed. Cost £10,000.

St. Peter’s National Schools built.

Mr. Archard, along with Mr. C. C. Wilkinson (who lived in Yarmouth in 1880 and was related to Mr. J. W. Argyle from this town), introduced the invention for perforating postage stamps. Before this, stamps were cut out with scissors. Mr. Archard received a Government grant of £4,000 as the inventor, and Mr. Wilkinson got £150 for building the machine. (See March 14th, 1881.)

Deaths: March 21st, William Glenister, Esq., architect. — March 24th, Rev. G. S. Barlow, rector of Burgh. — June 7th, Capt. Larke, R.N. — July 11th, J. Pritchard, Esq., surgeon.

Feb. 22nd. Sailors’ Riot for a raise in wages. 11th Hussars sent from Norwich to control it. 18 people arrested.

p. 86The Duke of Northumberland awarded Mr. James Beeching £105 for the Best Model of a Lifeboat. There were 280 competitors for the prize.

Census taken. The results were as follows:—Population of Yarmouth, 11,867 males, 15,014 females, total 26,881—321 males included who were at sea. Gorleston, 1,195 males and 1,391 females. Southtown, 572 males and 840 females. The number of houses in Yarmouth was 6,328; in Gorleston and Southtown, there were 948 houses—6,886 were occupied.

Deaths: March 18th, Cufaude Davie, Esq., J.P., aged 56.—Oct. 23rd, Rev. J. Watson, D.D.—Lady Arabella Parker.

Jan. 1st. A parade of sailors through the town.

Jan. 3rd. Mr. Ransom's mill burned down.

Jan. 17th. Douglas’ Traveling Theatre arrived here and left on the 29th.

Jan. 18th. The brig "James and Margaret" from Newcastle was found to be on fire while passing through the Roadstead, so she was run ashore opposite the Victoria Hotel. The fire was extinguished, and she was towed into the Harbour by the tug "Robert Owen." After some temporary repairs, she was sent home.

Feb. 5th. Mr. Bales’ Dance at the Town Hall.

Feb. 12th. Seventh Anniversary and Conversazione of Young Men’s Institute at Town Hall; Sir E. H. K. Lacon in the chair. A fantastic collection of British and foreign goods, art, and curiosities was on display.

Feb. 20th. Mr. Ellis Mickleburgh, 80 years old, was accidentally killed by Mr. Roll’s van on Lowestoft Road.

Feb. Gersham Davie, the head of the Charity School, passed away.

Mar. 22nd. Jacobs, the Wizard, at the theater.

Mar. 22nd. Mr. Eccleston’s clothing store, Broad Row, was burned down at 11 p.m.

April 11th. A fire started in a Malt House on Row 70, Howard Street. No significant damage.

p. 87April 19th. Miss Fanny Kemble did a reading at the Town Hall. Topic: As You Like It. On September 8th, there will be another reading from the Play of Measure for Measure.

May 17th. Grand Masquerade and Fancy Dress Ball at the Theatre Royal

May 30th. Public Anti-Mormon Meeting in the Chapel Denes to expose Mormonism. A Meeting also at Masonic Hall on Aug. 30th.

June 25th. Musical Reunion Conversation at the Bath House Reading Room.

June 29th and 30th. Mr. Gill’s Midsummer Flower Show at his Nursery, Regent Road. Admission, 6d. to the Gardens.

July 8th. Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart., and C. E. Rumbold, Esq., were elected to Parliament for the Borough. They faced competition from Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Napier and W. T. McCullagh, Esq. The results were announced the next day—L., 617; R., 547; M’C., 523; N., 488. The proclamation was read on the 2nd; the hustings were set up on the north front of the Town Hall on the 5th; booths were constructed on the 6th; and the nomination took place on the 7th.

July 13th and 14th. Yarmouth Roads Regatta.

Aug. 12th. Flower Show at Vauxhall Gardens postponed due to bad weather, until the next day.

Aug. 20th. Robbery at Mr. Mouse's shop, George Street.

Aug. 27th. Mr. W. Cook’s horse-riding team came to town, and their tent was set up on the Chapel Denes.

Sept. 17th. Grand Balloon Ascent at 5:30 p.m. at the Vauxhall Gardens by Lieutenant Chambers, R.N., amid the cheers of a large crowd. It was postponed from the day before due to the rainy weather. (See July 27th, 1868.)

Dr. Alfred Impey passed away at Cove Hall, Suffolk, at the age of 38.

Oct. 7th. The Bishop of Norwich and Rev. W. Hook, vicar of Leeds, and Chaplain to the Queen, preached at the Parish Church in support of the New Priory Schools. Between the services, a light meal was provided by Mr. Brown, of the "Angel" Hotel.

p. 88Oct. 7th. Priory National Schools opened and the restoration of the Old Hall was celebrated. Designed by J. Flakewell, Esq. Cost: $1,850. Library and Museum built in 1868.

Nov. 18th. The funeral of the Duke of Wellington took place. At his request, all shops in the town were closed.

Nov. 28th. Fire at the property of Mr. J. W. Darnell, baker, Howard Street.

Nov. 29th and 30th. Two concerts at the Town Hall by Mr. H. Phillips and his daughter.

Dec. 14th. Mrs. Swan gave a reading from the play Henry VIII. at the Town Hall.

R. Steward, T. Brightwen, B. Fenn, J. G. Plummer, J. Cherry, and C. C. Aldred, Esqs., were appointed as magistrates.

Caister Castle sold at auction to John Gurney, Esq., of Hoveton Hall, Norfolk.

Southtown Gas Works built; expanded in 1859.  (See March 23rd, 1876.)

Local Board of Health established, succeeding the Board of Paving Commissioners.

June 28th. On Tuesday afternoon, the ceremony for driving the first pile of the Wellington Pier took place. The beach and terrace were decorated with flags, etc. The pile that was driven had a brass plate inlaid with the following inscription:—“This, the first pile of the Wellington Pier, was driven on the 28th of June, 1853, by S. C. Marsh, Esq., Mayor of this Borough. David Waddington, Esq., M.P., chairman of the Company; Mr. Peter Ashecroft, Engineer; and C. J. Palmer, Secretary.” The procession from the Hall included a group of police, followed by a band, then the Mayor and Corporation, the Minister of the Parish, and the Town Clerk, with the Ancient Order of Oddfellows bringing up the rear. The procession entered the Pier, marched to the far end, and there several strikes by the “monkey” were delivered to one of the piles; speeches were made, colors were raised, guns were fired, etc. When they left, the public was admitted free. The pier was decorated with flags and laurels. Cosgrove’s brass band was present. A grand dinner was held at the Victoria Hotel at 8 p.m., followed by a ball at the Town Hall. The pier, which cost £7,000, was opened to the public on October 31st, and since the day was nice, the town was en fête. The structure wasn't completed until 1854.

July 28th. Reopening of the Particular Baptist Chapel, after significant renovations.

Aug. 27th. Mortlock Lacon, Esq., passed away at his home, Hall Quay, at the age of 66, and was laid to rest at South Walsham.

Aug. Coast experienced a very strong storm, and on January 4th of the following year, the wind was so fierce that most of the shops in the Market had to close their doors. The market was canceled on Wednesday. The snow was very deep.

About 90 boats used in the mackerel fishery, each carrying ten crew members, and 65 trawling smacks, owned by the Port of Yarmouth. The sale of fish brought in nearly £27,000.

A herring that is 17½ inches long with a girth of 7½ inches, weighing 18 ounces, was caught near Yarmouth. In November 1870, a mackerel was caught that weighed 2 pounds 11 ounces, measured 19 inches in length, and had a girth of 10¼ inches.

The herring fishery this year was very successful. About 100 boats made up the herring fleet. Seven boats owned by Mr. Letts and Mr. Skuckford brought in 650 lasts. The prices ranged from £4.10 to £24 per last. The following ships departed for various locations in the Mediterranean: Isis, 2,282 barrels; Fanny Palmer, 1,750; Acis, 1,488; Race Horse, 2,385; Stamboul, 1,811; Clarissa, 400; Tyro, 2,342; Fegossa, 1,728; Princess Royal, 1,480; Queen of the East, 1,925; Secret, 2,085; Earl Leicester, 2,800; Isma, 2,930.

Sept. 18th to Dec. 18th. The number of herrings shipped by rail from Yarmouth:—To London, 202,844 packages, weighing 7,559 tons; to Norwich, 3,873 packages, or 387 tons; to Eastern Counties Railways, 18,298 packages, or 914 tons; Eastern Union, 5,252 packages, or 200 tons; to stations beyond Peterborough on Midland, London and North-Western, and Great Northern, 51,782 packages, or 2,589 tons; herrings in bulk to Manchester, Birmingham, Worcester, etc., 500 tons—total, 281,850 packages, or 12,189 tons in weight.

Sept. Mr. Peter Coble, the Mayor's officer, passed away.

Dec. 31st. The Icehouse, located near the Vauxhall Railway Station, was partially destroyed by fire. With a thatched roof, it burned very intensely, making the fire engines not very effective, and the fire kept burning all night and into Sunday evening of New Year’s Day. It is now (1884) being used as a coal store.

July 19th. The first stone of the Independent Chapel on King Street was laid. The building opened in June 1855 and cost £3,700, including the land.

One hundred eighty-four licensed bars and 50 beer shops in the town.

George John Milles, Lord Sondes, High Steward of the Borough.

Oct. 18th. The Southtown Bridge opened to the public. (See 1849.)

Nov. 18th. Gurneys and Co.’s Bank was built and opened.

Jan. 1st. The town and nearby area experienced one of the highest tides seen in many years. The wind was blowing strongly from the northwest, and the moon was full. Some areas of Southtown were flooded, as well as the North Quay, reaching all the way to Laughing Image Corner. It made its way to the north and south terraces on the beach, and a large boat was floating near the Holkham Steps.

July 28th. The first issue of the Yarmouth Free Press was published; it was expanded on January 19th, 1856; and the name changed to Yarmouth Independent on June 27th, 1857. (See August 14th, 1881.)

Aug. 11th. Collision between the Dover and Calais mail steamer “Vivid” and the schooner “Henry,” of Yarmouth, resulting in the latter being struck in Dover Roads.

p. 91Aug. 12th. The Wesleyan Reform Chapel in Caister opened.

Aug. 20th. Altercation with Militiamen. Several prominent individuals suffered serious injuries.

Aug. Laing’s Map of Yarmouth was published. It took fifteen months to finish and cost £600. (See March, 1856.)

Sept. 5th. Brig “Venilia” launched from Mr. Rust’s yard.

Sept. 25th. Address voted by the Town Council to the Queen, on the fall of Sebastopol.

Sept. 30th. National Thanksgiving Day for the successful outcome of the Crimean War.

Oct. 3rd. Three French gunboats arrived in the harbor.

Oct. 6th. Russian schooner “Sampo” captured by H.M.S. “Tartar,” and brought into our harbor.

Oct. 25th. Loss of the steamer "Isle of Thanet" near Yarmouth, resulting in three deaths.

Oct. 26th. Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart., hosted the East Norfolk Militia at Hopton.

Oct. The New Cemetery was enclosed and blessed by Bishop Spencer on July 16, 1856. (See Sept. 7, 1876.)

Nov. 3rd. Two warships, "Phoenix" and "Meander," anchored in the Roadstead.

Nov. 28th. Miss Fanny Kemble read Shakespeare’s Julius Cæsar at the Corn Hall.

Dec. 17th to 20th. Strong winds; fifteen ships forced onto the beach.

Yarmouth Water Works Company finished installing the water pipes all over the town and opened the facility in Ormesby.

Deaths: Jan. 25th, Rev. Lithgoe, minister of the Roman Catholic Church.—April 24th, Charles Day, Esq.

The Rev. C. Smyth, who used to be a curate at St. Nicholas’ Church, climbed to the top of Monte Rosa and Mont Blanc.

The Yarmouth mackerel fishery made £20,000, and 14,045 tons of various fish were sent from this town by train. 20,248 barrels of herring were shipped from Yarmouth to foreign ports.

p. 92The Dene Well on Albion Road was sealed off, and the old method of fetching water was substituted with a pump. This pump was ordered to be taken out in November 1876 due to the water being contaminated.

Yarmouth Elocution Society founded.

Jan. 30th. The Norfolk Artillery Militia departed by train for the camp at Colchester.

Mar. 19th. Sarah Hunnibell tried to set fire to the jail.

Mar. J. Laing, Esq., was appointed Town Surveyor of Hastings, a position he had previously held for several years in Yarmouth, and was succeeded by A. W. Morant, Esq. (See Aug., 1875, and July, 28th, 1881.)

April 16th. The steam tug "Robert Owen" sank at the mouth of the haven.

May 29th. Peace celebration at the end of the Russian War.

May. The Rev. J. H. H. McSwinney, minister of St. Peter’s Church, was presented with a silver platter before he left for Cronstadt. He was appointed minister of St. John’s upon his return in 1884.

July 13th. Wesleyan Free Church, Regent Road, opened.

Sept. 24th. First general meeting of the directors of the Yarmouth and Haddiscoe Railway held at the Star Hotel.

Oct. 20th. Brigantine “Lizzie Lee” launched from Mr. J. Powell’s yard.

Oct. 23rd. “Parallax” gave a lecture at the Corn Hall and sparked a lot of excitement with his public discussions.

Nov. 25th. Very high tide and strong wind.

Dec. Rev. W. D. Wade was appointed as the pastor of St. Mary’s Church, Southtown.

Commander Kisbie, R.N., received a medal from the National Lifeboat Institution for saving 90 lives.

Thirty thousand two hundred and twenty-seven barrels of herrings were shipped from Yarmouth to foreign destinations.

Marine Parade started. (See Mar. 7th, 1876.)

p. 93Deaths: Aug. 10th, Henry Humphrey, at the age of 100.—Aug. 21st, Captain Charles Pearson, age 72.

Jan. 8th. "Volunteer" steam tug is on fire in the harbor.

Jan. 13th. Inauguration Dinner of the Eastern Star Provident Association Friendly Society held at the Corn Hall. The society began with almost 900 members across 12 branches set up in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Jan. Rorqual whale, 45 feet long and weighing around 20 tons, caught at Winterton and displayed on Wrestler’s Plain.

Feb. 6th. Mr. J. B. Beales was appointed Inspector of Weights and Measures, followed by Mr. E. D. Louttid, who resigned from the position in January 1871; then on February 27th, 1871, Mr. F. W. Robinson was appointed. (See 1874.)

Feb. 20th. Warship “Blenheim,” 74 guns, anchored in the Roadstead.

Feb. 28th. The schooner “Branch” was launched from Mr. Fellows’ yard.

Mar. 1st. The iron screw-collier “Isby” ran ashore south of Caister.

Mar. 28th. E. Watkin and W. Torrens McCullagh, Esqs., were re-elected to Parliament for the Borough, winning by a majority of 158. Parliament was dissolved on Mar. 21st. There was a grand parade of the United Seamen’s Association.

Mar. Mr. George Tewsley appointed as Superintendent of the Borough Police. (See 1872, 1877, and 1878.)

April. A great sturgeon, a royal fish, caught off Yarmouth.

A mammoth tusk found in the ocean, measuring 4 feet at the bend and 21 inches in circumference.

May 15th. Thackeray, the novelist, gave a lecture in Yarmouth: Subject—George III and IV.

May 16th. Emily Major, wearing men's clothing, tried to escape from jail.

May 27th. Two Russian trophies were received at Yarmouth. The Mayor requested them from Lord Panmure in June 1856.

p. 94June 7th. The cornerstone of St. John’s Church was laid. This building, which cost £2,000, was opened on February 7th, 1858. In 1859, the southern aisle was added as a memorial to the late Miss Maurice and was opened by Bishop Hills before he left for British Columbia.

June 8th. The bill authorizing the construction of the Britannia Pier was read for the third time and passed. This pier was opened by a public company on July 13th, 1858, which has since dissolved.

Aug. 28th. Meeting of the British Archaeological Association at the Town Hall.

Aug. 29th. The House of Commons declared the election to Parliament of W. T. McCullagh and E. Watkins, Esqs., as invalid. A. W. Young and J. Mellor, Esqs., were elected to Parliament in their place; the next day, a huge meeting, with between 10,000 and 12,000 people present, took place on the Quay. E. Watkin, Esq., was pulled by a rope attached to his carriage, from the Railway Station around the town.

Sept. 15th. Two Prize Fights happened on the banks of the Yare, between Batson and Slack, and Stamp and Turner.

Sept. 18th. Meeting at the Town Hall about the Indian Mutinies; £233 17s. donated in the room for the victims.

Sept. 24th. The organ at St. Peter’s Church was opened. It was built by Messrs. Bishop and Starr for a cost of £400.

Sept. 30th. Day of National Fasting and Humiliation.

Oct. 14th. Dinner held for Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart., at the Town Hall.

Oct. 22nd. Loss of the s.s. “Ontario” and 24 of her crew on the Barber Sand. A terrible storm caused significant damage to the shipping.

Oct. Government Schools of Art and Navigation established, primarily due to the efforts of Rev. J. B. Bampton. An exhibition of paintings, etc., was held at these schools in 1860. These schools are located in part of a mansion that used to belong to the Paget family.

p. 95Oct. 29th. Demonstration of the Liberal party at the Town Hall.

Nov. 12th. A productive Vestry Meeting (the second) at the Town Hall to discuss a Church Rate of 1½d. in the £, which would include St. Peter’s. A report on the Church property in the town was presented by a committee formed at the first meeting, and it was decided that no rate would be set. The Church group requested a poll, which continued until the next afternoon, but they lost by a margin of 121 votes. After realizing they were defeated, the Parish Church and St. George’s Chapel clocks were stopped until Dec. 22nd, when they were restarted after nearly six weeks of being inactive.

Nov. 17th. T. P. Burroughs, Esq., passed his exam for admission as a solicitor.

Dec. 4th. The steamship “Rapid,” from Leith, sank on the Cross Sands, and in 1858 divers were hired to recover some of her cargo, which included wine, fabric goods, rugs, smoked meats, cans of herring, etc., that were sold at St. George’s Hall, Corn Hall, and on Hall Quay.

Jan. 1st. Fire in Jane Place destroyed the roofs of three houses and completely demolished the entire net chamber. It started in Mr. Moore's workshop.

Jan. 11th. Testimonial, featuring a beautiful tea and coffee set, with an oval 24-inch tray, weighing 203 ozs., given to B. Fenn, Esq., by the Fishermen’s Provident Society.

Jan. 18th. The Aztec Lilliputians, known as the Gods of the Pagan Temple of Iximaya, were showcased at the Corn Hall, Regent Street.

Feb. 11th. An Address approved by the Town Council to her Majesty on the marriage of H.R.H. the Princess Royal to H.R.H. Prince Frederick William of Prussia.

Feb. The Lord Chancellor appointed six (out of 15 candidates) new Magistrates for the Borough, namely P. Pullyn, D. A. Gourlay, F. Palmer, W. T. Clarke, J. Barker, and J. Owles, Esqs.

p. 96Feb. 11th. The Town Battery was ordered to be taken down. The materials were sold for £84.12.

Mar. 8th. The Fermanagh Light Infantry Militia (845 soldiers), led by Lord Enniskillen and Hon. S. Crichton, arrived in Yarmouth.

Mar. 14th. The “Frederica,” 420 tons register and 600 tons capacity, was launched from Mr. T. Branford’s yard. Between 8,000 and 4,000 people witnessed the event.

April 15th. Collision between the s.s. “Ernestide” and the Prussian ship “Thomas” off Yarmouth. The former sank.

April 22nd. St. John’s Church was consecrated, and in the same month, the stone pulpit and the communion plate for this church were purchased with the proceeds from the sale of the book, “Story of Samuel Brock.” The Church opened on Feb. 7th and was enlarged in 1859, 1866, and 1868.

May 4th. Riot in Southtown between the Fermanagh Militia and some coal workers.

May 19th. The brig “Nil Desperandum,” 800 tons register and over 500 tons burden, was launched from Mr. J. Rust’s yard. Thousands of people watched the event.

May 26th. The Corn Exchange, Regent Street, was sold to R. Steward, Esq., for £1,540; and in 1870 was bought by the Government for the New Post and Telegraph Offices, etc.

June 10th. Sir E. N. Buxton, M.P., passed away in Cromer at the age of 46.

June 15th. Congratulatory message from the Town Council to J. Paget, Esq., on his appointment as Surgeon-Extraordinary to Her Majesty the Queen.

June 20th. Dawson Turner, Esq., M.A., F.S.A., F.R.S., etc., passed away in Brompton at the age of 83, with his will valued at under £70,000. He was born in October 1775 in Yarmouth, where his father worked as a banker. He attended the Grammar School in North Walsham before joining Pembroke College, Cambridge, in 1793. After his father's death, he became a partner at Messrs. Gurneys and Co., overseeing the Yarmouth bank. He married the daughter of the late William Palgrave, Esq., from Coltishall. His library contained 40,000 volumes.

June 29th. County Election between Cooke and Stracey for the vacancy left by Mr. Buxton's death. Cooke won by a large majority. Each party set up a booth in the Yarmouth Market Place.

July 4th. Rev. William Tritton from Cambridge delivered his first sermon at the Independent Chapel on King Street.

July 13th. Britannia Pier opened. Lunch was served in the afternoon on the Pier to the shareholders and their friends, totaling 150. The structure cost about £6,000.

July 16th. Grand Procession of the Freemasons to and from St. Nicholas’ Church to the Town Hall, where around 125 gentlemen enjoyed a fantastic dinner.

July 20th. Nottingham Order of Oddfellows opened a new Court in Middlegate Street, and the next day it was publicly celebrated with a parade through the town, led by Hulley’s Saxhorn Band.

July. Fifty-seven patients, mostly Indian, arrived at the military hospital on the South Denes from Chatham.

Aug. 26th. The Norfolk Hotel was sold at auction to Messrs. Hills and Underwood for £2,160.

Aug. 30th. G. Wells Holt, Esq., Magistrates’ Clerk, submitted his resignation to the Magistrates. He served in the role for more than 22 years. His son William took over the position, and a dinner was held for him at the “Crown and Anchor” on Oct. 4th. (See Dec. 4th, 1884.)

Sept. 2nd. Riot on Charlotte Street and Broad Row involving the Fermanagh Militia. Local business owners were forced to shut down their shops.

Sept. 4th. Royal yacht “Grille,” owned by the King of Prussia, arrived in the harbor.

Sept. 8th. Two Prussian frigates, “Thetis” and “Gefion,” led by High Admiral Prince Adalbert, arrived in the Roadstead.

p. 98Sept. 23rd. The Louth Rifles, led by Sir John Robinson and consisting of 500 soldiers and 24 officers, arrived in Yarmouth.

Oct. 1st. First Evening Service held at St. George’s Chapel after the gas was installed.

Oct. 6th. An elegant church service, bound in turkey morocco, was presented to Rev. Robert Boyle, LL.D., by the residents of Gorleston as a farewell gesture of their admiration.

Nov. 15th. The s.s. “Hunwick” sank off the Jetty. Ship and cargo valued at £8,500. The crew was saved.

Nov. The Rev. G. Hills, B.D. stepped down as the pastor of St. Nicholas’ Church following his appointment as the Bishop of British Columbia. He received his Doctor of Divinity degree by diploma at a convocation in Durham on the 30th.

Nov. Mr. G. Dowey was appointed Station Master and resigned in 1884.

Dec. 13th. The Rev. W. D. Wade, B.A., pastor of St. Mary’s Church, Southtown, was presented with a purse of 60 guineas.

Dec. 23rd. S. C. Burton, Esq., lawyer, sworn in as a Commissioner to Administer Oaths in the High Court of Chancery of England.

Dec. Rev. H. R. Nevill, the pastor of St. Mark’s Church in Lakenham near Norwich, has been appointed to take over Yarmouth; and Rev. G. I. Pellew, the assistant pastor at St. Nicholas’ Church, has been appointed to fill the vacancy at Lakenham.

Dec. Mr. J. M. Petts, former chief officer at the Coast Guard Station in Gillingham, Chatham, was promoted by the Admiralty to be the chief officer of the Yarmouth Coastguard. In March 1866, he received a gold watch and chain (valued at £65) and a silver cup (valued at £85), funded by 121 local gentlemen, presented at the Town Hall by the Mayor (C. C. Aldred, Esq.), in recognition of his numerous acts of bravery in saving shipwrecked crews. He resigned from the position on October 1, 1870. Between October 5, 1859, and February 14, 1870, a total of 40 ships were wrecked on the beach and off the coast, and Mr. Petts, along with his team, played a crucial role in rescuing 295 lives. He joined the service on June 22, 1827.

Deaths: Jan. 17th, Rev. J. Pike, the highly respected minister of the Independent Chapel in Gorleston, passed away right after leaving the pulpit where he led the service.—Mar. 4th, Sir Eton S. Travers, age 69.—Mar. 15th, Mr. S. V. Moore, a valued member of the Town Council.

The winter was unusually nice, with no wind, rain, or snow disrupting the good weather until March 31st, when it snowed, and a harsh frost came afterward.

Jan. 1st. Sailors’ Home established. Its completion on Feb. 2nd was celebrated with a tea party for a large group of beachmen and their wives at the Norfolk Hotel. The Home cost around £2,000.

Jan. 12th. Mr. James Buddrell, captain of the fishing vessel “Hosannah,” was awarded a first-class silver medal and diploma from the Emperor of France for saving the lives of 11 men, the crew of the French brig “La Prospère,” off Hasbro’.

Jan. 12th. The Queen established the Colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver Island as a Bishop’s See and appointed Rev. George Hills, D.D., to be ordained and consecrated as its Bishop. This ceremony took place at Westminster Abbey, performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishops of Norwich and Oxford, on Feb. 24th. In January, Dr. Hills received a beautiful communion service from the members of his congregation, and on May 26th, he was honored at the Town Hall with a testimonial valued at £400 as a sign of appreciation. He arrived in his new diocese in March 1860.

Jan. 17th. The Rev. H. Hitcham passed away at the age of 40.

Jan. 19th. The sloop “Eliza” was launched from Mr. J. Rust’s yard.

Feb. 10th. An address approved by the Town Council to her Majesty on the birth of a grandson, heir to the Throne of Prussia.

p. 100Feb. 17th. Cuthbert Collingwood Hall, Esq., of Beach House, on the Marine Parade, passed away at his home, Collingwood Court, near Windsor. Mr. Hall was one of the first supporters of our Marine Parade and contributed £50 towards its construction. He married the granddaughter and co-heiress of the famous Admiral Cuthbert Lord Collingwood, who commanded at Trafalgar after Lord Nelson was mortally wounded.

Feb. 20th. The “reading-in” ceremony and first sermon delivered by Rev. H. R. Nevill at St. Nicholas’ Church. The chosen text was 1 Cor. ii. 1, 2.

Feb. Portrait of Lord Sondes, High Steward of the Borough, displayed in the Town Hall.

Mar. 17th. St. Patrick’s Day was welcomed at dawn by the Louth Rifles band playing in our streets the Irish tune dedicated to the patron saint.

Mar. 21st. East Suffolk Railway Bill read for the third time in the House of Commons and passed. The line was opened at Southtown on June 1st.

April 5th. E. W. Watkin and A. W. Young, Esqs., spoke to a large crowd of around 2,000 to 3,000 people at Hall Quay; and again on the 15th.

April 13th to 16th. Charles Stratton, better known as “General Tom Thumb,” performed with a group at the Theatre.

April 19th. The “Athelstan” was launched from Messrs. Fellows’ yard. This beautiful ship was captained by John Braccy, from Yarmouth. (See Aug. 18th, 1882.)

April 29th. Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart., and Sir Henry J. Stracey, Bart., returned to Parliament.—Votes—L., 693; S., 653; Watkin, 568; Young, 537. This was the first time voting was done in the wards. No campaign stages. Nominations were made from the “Crown and Anchor” balcony.

May 12th. Cardinal Wiseman, along with Lord Stafford and a group of friends, visited Yarmouth.

May 26th. The house of Mr. Bradnum in Gorleston was hit by lightning, which knocked a chimney pot through the roof, smashed the windows and frames, and caused other damage.

p. 101May 27th. First meeting, organized by the Mayor at the Town Hall, regarding the enrollment of Rifle Volunteers in Yarmouth.

June 7th. Miss Ann Turner, daughter of the late Dawson Turner, Esq., presented the Town Council with 17 rolls, etc., related to the History of Yarmouth.

July 11th. Eighty patients, mostly Indian individuals, arrived at the Military Hospital on the South Denes from Chatham.

July. The schooner “Alma” delivered nine 68-pound and one 54-pound gun from Woolwich to Yarmouth for the North and South Batteries. Each battery was equipped with six guns, consisting of three 82-pounders, two 68-pounders, and one long 24-pounder, with some of them weighing as much as five tons.

July. B. Dowson and F. Worship, Esqs., appointed Deputy Lieutenants of the County.

Aug. 12th. The impressive ship “Himalaya,” 375 feet long, with a 100 ft. salon, brought part of the Donegal Militia to Yarmouth, where they were unloaded by the steam-tug “Robert Owen” at the Barrack Wharf; and on the 14th the ship departed after previously taking on the Louth Rifles for Preston.

Sep. 1st. Appointment of officers for the Rifle Volunteers, and the services of the men accepted by the Government.

Sept. 7th. Rev. W. Griffiths, M.A., minister of the Congregational Church, ordained at King Street Chapel.

Sept. 12th. Fire at Mr. S. Ives’ property on Howard Street; estimated damage, £150. Another fire broke out at the same location on June 5th, 1867, causing damage amounting to £600.

Sep. 26th. C. P. Molly, Esq., from Liverpool, donated a wall-mounted drinking fountain for the Borough. R. Steward, Esq., donated another one in November, which is now located in front of the Sailors’ Home.

Sept. 28th. Services of the Artillery Volunteer Corps accepted by the Government, and the appointment of officers confirmed.