Jan. Fish Wharf scheme proposed, and on April 20th the wharf was commenced by "turning the sod." The Fish Wharf and Tramway Bill cost 2,481. (See Feb. 16th, 1869.)
Jan. 16th. Loss of the "Eclipse," at Dieppe, and three lives.
Feb. 15th. The report of the Royal Commissioners laid before the House of Commons; March 15th, Pet.i.tion presented by Sir Edmund H. K. Lacon, Bart., against the Disfranchis.e.m.e.nt of the Borough; May 30th, the Borough disfranchised; June 7th, another Pet.i.tion presented to the House of Commons against the Disfranchis.e.m.e.nt; and one to the House of Lords, July 29th, but all proved unavailing.
Feb. 22nd. Mr. C. Rumbold appointed as a Relieving Officer.
Feb. 26th. The Elizabethan house of C. J. Palmer, Esq., sold by auction for 1,150, and the fixtures for 64 14s. 6d.
March 21st. Mr. S. Durrell resigned the Overseership of Gorleston Parish.
April 2nd. First meeting of the Port and Haven Commissioners under the new Act of Parliament. H. N. Burroughes, Esq., resigned the chairmanship.
April 4th. Foundation stone of the Gourlay Wesleyan Day Schools laid.
The founder, D. A. Gourlay, Esq., J.P., gave 1,000 towards the building.
April 20th. A party of gentlemen, comprising Messrs. Spence, Fenner, Everard, R. Veale, Moore, Silvers, Douglas, Neave, and Harrison, had their boat upset on Ormesby Broad, 100 yards from the sh.o.r.e, and narrowly escaped drowning.
April 21st. Heavy gale, and loss of the smacks "Swan" and "Talisman" and twelve hands.
May 8th. Service of plate presented at the Duke"s Head Hotel to W.
Heath, Esq., of Ludham Hall.
May 16th. Foundation-stone of the new Primitive Methodist Chapel, Queen"s Road, laid. Chapel opened Sept. 26th. Building cost 1,000.
May 20th. Reform meeting. Mr. Edmond Beales, the great Reformer, addressed from 2,000 to 3,000 people from the balcony of the Steam Packet Tavern.
June 1st. A halibut, weighing 161 lbs., 6 ft. in length, and 30 inches across, captured by a smack; and in March, 1868, two were caught off the coast-one weighing 198 lbs., and the other 140 lbs.
June 24th. Resolved by the Town Council to have new fire engines and a fire escape for the Borough; their capabilities were tested on Sept. 9th.
On Aug. 20th an engine was provided for Gorleston.
June. Sergeant John Quince presented with a gold-mounted meerschaum pipe by the officers of the Artillery Militia.
July 6th. First London daily pa.s.senger boat to Yarmouth.
July. E. H. L. Preston, Esq., received from the Belgian Government the Decoration of Knight of the Order of Leopold, in recognition of 28 years"
service as Consul.
Aug. 29th. Roman Catholic Mortuary Chapel opened by the Bishop of Demerara. Foundation stone laid on Aug. 15th, 1866, by Lady Stafford.
Sept. 10th. "Routledge"s Magazine for Boys"" lifeboat for Caister launched. Built by Messrs. Beeching at a cost of 300.
Sept. Mr. G. B. Kennett, managing clerk to Mr. W. Holt, appointed clerk to the Norwich Magistrates.
Sept. Permanent Fund established. The surplus of 500 remaining from the relief fund of Dec., 1863, was added to this inst.i.tution, and in Jan., 1868, the Princess of Wales sent a cheque for 25 to this Fund.
Oct. 3rd. The dead body of an infant found wrapped up in a bundle in Mr.
Knight"s yard; Jane Jarron was examined on 11th, and committed for trial at the a.s.sizes on the charge of murder on the 18th. Acquitted Dec. 5th.
Nov. 6th. Mr. James Sharman, keeper of the Nelson Monument, died, aged 82 years. He was a Trafalgar veteran, and one who a.s.sisted Lord Nelson in his dying moments.
Nov. 10th. The Rifle Volunteer Drill Hall opened by the Mayor, Captain E. P. Youell. Cost 1,200.
Dec. 2nd. High tide; the Southtown Road and various parts of the town near the river were inundated, through the banks of Breydon being broken.
On the following day there was a heavy gale, when the Gorleston lifeboat "Rescuer" was again capsized (see Jan. 13th, 1866) through collision with the fishing lugger "James and Ellen," and 23 were drowned, including 11 of the crew of the "George Kendall," for whose widows and orphans a special donation of 234 was received. The number of men lost off the coast was 85, leaving 33 widows and 71 children dest.i.tute.
Launches: April 16th, fishing boat "Express," from Messrs. Hastings Brothers" yard; May 20th, smack "Spring Flower," from Messrs. King and Baker"s yard; July 4th, smack "Pathfinder," from Messrs. J. and H.
Beeching"s yard; July 8th, smack "Hermit," from Mr. A. J. Palmer"s yard; Aug. 13th, smack "Mermaid," from Mr. Rust"s yard; Aug. 20th, model pleasure boat "Nonpareil," from Messrs. Aldred and Morl"s yard; Sept.
10th, smack "Olga," from Messrs. Fellows" yard; Oct. 24th, smack "Silver Cloud," from Messrs. Critten and Clarke"s yard; Oct. 31st, Mr. Lawrie"s small steamtug "Enterprise," she being the first iron vessel built at this Port.
Dec. 6th. The Haven Commissioners resolved to borrow 27,188 15s. for Haven improvements.
Dec. 26th. An original local Christmas pantomime, ent.i.tled _Neptune"s Decree_, &c., was produced at the Theatre Royal, written by "Felix," a local author.
Deaths: March 2nd, W. H. Bessey, Esq., J.P.-Dec. 25th, W. Mayes Bond, Esq., aged 66.-Dec. 31st, Mr. J. Norman, aged 80.
1868.
Jan. 3rd. The schooner "Roberts" driven on the North Sand near the mouth of the Harbour, 300 yards from the sh.o.r.e, and her crew bravely rescued out of her shrouds by Mr. J. M. Petts and four beachmen.-The brig "Carl Frederick" was lost the same morning on Hasbro" Sand, with seven of her crew, two boys only being saved.
Jan. 9th. F. Diver, Esq., of Yarmouth, commander of the R.M.S. "Roman,"
presented with a handsome watch, subscribed for by the pa.s.sengers of the ship for having completed a voyage from this country to Table Bay in thirty days.
Jan. 23rd. At midnight a destructive fire took place in a shop in the Market Row, and three precious lives (a lady named Mrs. Pigg, and two children) were sacrificed, and property destroyed and damaged to the amount of 3,000.
Feb. 8th. The fishing lugger "Flying Fish" fouled the sunken wreck of the barque "Lord Clyde," and foundered in the Roadstead.
March 6th. The cigar steamship "Walter S. Winans," of Havre, arrived in the Harbour. Dimensions-length, 112 ft.; deck, 66 ft. in length; width amidships, 5 ft.; 24 tons register.
April 29th. The brig "Ewerette" foundered opposite the Monument.
April 29th. The Rev. W. T. Harrison, minister of St. John"s Church, presented with a chaste silver tea and coffee pot, cream jug, and sugar basin, value 50, by 300 of the members of his congregation, previous to leaving for Thorpe Morieux, Suffolk. He was succeeded by Rev. R. J.
Dundas.
May 11th. The Regent Hall, a wooden structure on Regent Road, opened, after being converted from a circus to a music-hall. It was pulled down in 1874. (See 1866.)
May 23rd. Mr. William Jones died. In the early part of his life he served as a seaman in the navy, and was present at several engagements under Sir Charles Napier.
June. Robert Cory, Esq., pa.s.sed his examination and admitted an Attorney of the Court of Queen"s Bench and other Courts, and as a Solicitor in Chancery.
June 10th. Mr. Robert Clifton, master mariner, died at Southtown, aged 85. In early life and during the French war he was seized by the press-gang while ash.o.r.e at Newcastle, and carried on board a man-of-war, where he served several years till being landed an invalid.
July 13th to 22nd. Chang, the Chinese Giant, aged 22, and nearly 9 ft.
in height, said to be the largest man in the world, with his wife King-Foo, exhibited at the old Corn Hall.