April 15th.-Mr. H. H. Barber (Lib.) and Mr. S. K. Smith (Con.) were candidates for the seat thus rendered vacant in the Nelson Ward.
The following Guardians had been elected:-North Ward: Messrs. S.
Nightingale, J. B. Hylton, and I. Shuckford. Market Ward: Messrs. J.
Laws, C. C. Aldred, and J. Fenn. Regent Ward: Messrs. W. Worship, R. D.
Barber, and C. Diver. St. George"s Ward: Messrs. F. Palmer, J. Scott, and B. Fenn. Nelson Ward: Messrs. J. Clowes, W. T. Fisher, C.
Woolverton, and G. W. Moore.
The shipwrights, who had been on strike, had returned to their employment.
April 22nd.-The debt on St. Nicholas" Church was then 6,700.
The contest in the Nelson Ward had resulted as follows:-
H. H. Barber (Lib.) 150 S. K. Smith (Con.) 117
And "the proceedings throughout the day had all the characteristics of a general election."
Messrs. C. S. D. Steward and E. R. Aldred had been re-elected Churchwardens by the Vestry.
May 13th.-The "George" schooner had been launched from Mr. Rust"s yard.
May 27th.-There had been no special demonstration of loyalty on the Queen"s birthday.
The Dowager Lady Lacon had bequeathed 200 to the Hospital.
A "French Club," of which M. Butel was the tutor, was meeting at the Norfolk Hotel.
June 7th.-A meeting of the Conservative party had been held at the Star Hotel, which was attended by Sir E. H. K. Lacon and Mr. Goodson, and an active canva.s.s had been commenced on behalf of those gentlemen, as the Conservative candidates for the Borough.
June 10th.-The Liberals had met at the Angel Hotel, when Mr. E. W.
Watkin, by letter, strongly recommended Mr. A. Brogden, and Mr. J. C.
Marshman to the electors, and those gentlemen were, on the motion of Mr.
Livingston, seconded by Mr. Moore, requested to visit the Borough with Mr. Watkin.
June 17th.-H.M.S. "Dauntless," 31 guns, was anch.o.r.ed in the Roads.
Mr. S. Barge had obtained the contract for enclosing the land to the east of the Naval Hospital.
Mr. H. R. Harmer had been presented with an elegant silver salver upon the occasion of his resigning his commission of Lieutenant in the Rifle Volunteers.
June 21st.-The Liberals had held a monster meeting in the Market Place, when Mr. J. Clowes occupied the chair, and the Liberal candidates (Messrs. Brogden and Marshman) had delivered addresses.
The Conservatives had also held a meeting, convened by circular, which had been addressed by Sir E. H. K. Lacon and Mr. Goodson.
July 1st.-Both parties had held meetings at Gorleston, which had been addressed by their respective candidates; each of the candidates spoke of "certain success, with fair play."
July 5th.-The Editor states "that it is evident from the numbers who hold back their promises, that there is a great expectancy that the value of votes will rise in the market."
July 8th.-The Liberals had been holding meetings in each of the Wards, and it was stated that "both parties are professedly confident of achieving a victory."
July 12th.-Mr. Marshman had suddenly and unexpectedly retired from the contest, and Mr. Brogden had issued an address stating that Mr. Vanderbyl would take Mr. Marshman"s place as a candidate for the Borough; it was evident that "the struggle would be one of no ordinary character."
The farmers in East Norfolk were agitating for a repeal of the Malt Tax, and had adopted Mr. Clare Sewell Read as their candidate.
July 15th.-Sir Thomas B. P. Beauchamp, Bart., had been selected as a colleague of the Hon. Colonel c.o.ke, the sitting Liberal Member for that Division of the County.
At the Borough nomination the appearance of the Liberal candidates "was the signal for a regular ovation." When something like a hearing could be obtained, Mr. E. H. L. Preston proposed, and Mr. Dumbleton seconded, Sir Edmund Henry Knowles Lacon, Bart., Mr. R. Hammond proposed, and Mr.
J. Scott seconded, Alexander Brogden, Esq.; Mr. W. Worship proposed, and Mr. C. Woolverton seconded, James Goodson, Esq.; and Mr. G. Blake proposed, and Mr. J. Owles seconded, Philip Vanderbyl, Esq.
The show of hands was by an "immense majority" found in favour of Messrs.
Brogden and Vanderbyl.
The polling took place on the following day, and this description is given of
"THE ELECTION."
The very general expectation that prevailed as to the severity of the contest drew early together large numbers of persons, who thronged the vicinity of the polling places and the streets throughout the day. The polling from eight to nine o"clock was very rapid, both parties striving their utmost to bring up men so as to head the poll.
The popular feeling, which manifested itself unmistakeably in favour of the Liberal cause, was sadly damped between the hours of nine and ten o"clock by the appearance of a placard bearing the state of the poll, and showing that the Conservatives, notwithstanding the activity displayed by the other side, had stolen a march upon them, and meant winning. The result of the next hour"s polling had considerably increased the Conservative majority, and, as a large proportion of the electors had voted, it became evident that the battle, as far as Liberal interests were concerned, was all but lost.
As the day advanced, the position of the Liberals on the poll became worse, and all chance of retrieving their position was hopeless. The excitement was very great in the town, but the crowd continued to conduct themselves pretty quietly, contenting themselves with venting their disappointment by groaning heartily at every vehicle bearing placards of "Vote for Lacon and Goodson."
State of the Poll.
Nine o"clock.
Lacon 298 Goodson 294 Brogden 235 Vanderbyl 226 Ten o"clock.
Lacon 541 Goodson 526 Brogden 447 Vanderbyl 425 Eleven o"clock.
Lacon 608 Goodson 574 Brogden 506 Vanderbyl 481 Twelve o"clock.
Lacon 746 Goodson 712 Brogden 595 Vanderbyl 557 One o"clock.
Lacon 758 Goodson 708 Brogden 610 Vanderbyl 571 Two o"clock.
Lacon 798 Goodson 757 Brogden 618 Vanderbyl 573 Four o"clock.
Lacon 828 Goodson 784 Brogden 634 Vanderbyl 589
The following detail is given of the polling in the various Wards.
Lacon. Goodson. Brogden. Vanderbyl.
St. 91 86 78 74 Nicholas"
Market 146 140 120 109 Regent 152 146 106 99 St. George"s 104 100 96 91 Nelson 189 173 138 130 Southtown 146 139 96 86 Total 828 784 634 589
July 19th.-At the Nomination for East Norfolk, Sir T. B. P. Beauchamp (failing to satisfy the Malt-tax Repeal party), Mr. Clare Sewell Read was proposed as a candidate for the Division, as also were Colonel c.o.ke, Mr. Howes, and Sir Thomas; the show of hands being in favour of Howes and Read, a poll was demanded for the Whig candidates (the Hon.
Colonel Clarence Wenman Walpole c.o.ke and Sir Thomas Brograve Proctor-Beauchamp, Bart.,) who proceeded to Yarmouth, where their agent (Mr. F. Danby-Palmer) at once organised a meeting of 6,000 persons in the Market-place, Mr. R. Hammond presided, and General Sir Charles A. Windham, Colonel c.o.ke, Viscount Bury, and Sir Thomas Beauchamp addressed the a.s.sembly.
The Tories also held a meeting in front of the Crown and Anchor Hotel, which was addressed by the Mayor (R. Steward, Esq.), Mr. C. S.
Read, and Mr. E. H. L. Preston; the crowd then, however, gave "three cheers for Brogden and Vanderbyl, and as many groans for Howes and Read."
July 22nd.-The voting in the town of Yarmouth had been, with regard to this contest, as follows:-
c.o.ke 340 Beauchamp 314 Howes 297 Read 267
But the general return was-
Howes 3,100 Read 2,985 Beauchamp 2,150 c.o.ke 1,994