Nov. 25th.-The nomination for North Norfolk had taken place at Aylsham, when the Rev. H. Lombe proposed, and Mr. E. H. L. Preston seconded, Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart.; Mr. H. R. Upcher proposed, and Mr. J. W. Sh.e.l.ly seconded, Mr. Edmond Robert Wodehouse; Mr. E. Fellowes, M.P., proposed, and Mr. R. Leaman seconded, the Hon. Frederick Walpole; Mr. Bulwer proposed, and Mr. Richard England seconded, Mr. Robert T. Gurdon; and the High Sheriff (Lord Ranelagh) having declared the show of hands equally divided between the candidates, a poll was demanded on behalf of all of them.
Nov. 28th.-The poll had been declared as under:-
Walpole 2,642 Lacon 2,574 Wodehouse 2,237 Gurdon 2,081
At Yarmouth it was stated that:-
"the proceedings throughout the day in connection with the polling for this part of the district were characterised by considerable excitement. The Conservatives from the opening of the poll took a prominent position, and as hour by hour pa.s.sed away their majority steadily increased, until by three o"clock they were, according to their published returns, nearly 400 ahead. No statement of the poll was made during the day by the Liberals, but every exertion was made to reduce the Conservative majority. Cabs and carriages bearing placards of "Vote for Wodehouse and Gurdon" were dashing about in all directions, keeping up the excitement; but, despite every effort, the influence of the local candidate proved too strong to be successfully resisted, and at four the Conservative declaration of numbers showed the following result:-
Lacon 948 Walpole 890 Wodehouse 505 Gurdon 469
The polling at Ormesby for the Hundreds of East and West Flegg was also, as might have been antic.i.p.ated, greatly in favour of the Conservative candidates. Despite these adverse returns, the Liberal agents were sanguine of better results in other parts of the district, but their majorities at Cromer, Wells, and Holt, failed to make any material change, so far as the issue of the election was concerned, and it became at length apparent that the hopes of the Liberal majority in North Norfolk were at an end. Notwithstanding the excitement engendered by the contest, the election was conducted throughout with great good humour. During the day the streets and approaches to the polling places were thronged by persons who amused themselves by cheering and shouting in favour of their respective candidates, but there was, during the afternoon, an entire absence of the drunkenness and violence that characterised previous borough elections. If the numbers polled be examined, it will be found that in the county (excluding Yarmouth) Mr. Wodehouse and Mr. Gurdon are in a slight majority. It was in Yarmouth where the majority was obtained, and which, we hear, will yet be found to have been obtained by illegal practices."
Dec. 12th.-Mr. Nutman (Relieving Officer for the North District) had died.
It was alleged that an "aged imbecile pauper," had been taken out of Rollesby Workhouse by a Guardian to vote for the Tory candidates.
Dec. 19th.-The directors of the Britannia Pier Company had decided to hand over that structure to Mr. Isaac in consideration of his taking over the mortgage upon it.
Admiralty Jurisdiction had been conferred on the Yarmouth County Court.
Dec. 30th, contains the following notice of the death of Richard Ferrier, Esq.:-"We regret to announce the death of Mr. R. Ferrier, who expired at his residence, Trafalgar Road, on Sunday morning, after a protracted illness. The deceased gentleman represented St. George"s Ward for many years in the Town Council, though for some time past his ill health had incapacitated him from the discharge of his public duties. He was a man of sound judgment and excellent business habits, and his opinion on all practical matters had great weight with the Council. Mr. Ferrier was in politics a Conservative, and in his younger days was distinguished by the zeal and energy with which, at all times, he worked for his party. In respect to his memory the flags were hoisted half-mast high on the Town Hall."
1869.
Jan. 2nd.-The average price of herring during the fishing had been 8 17s. 6d. per last, and the money thus expended had amounted to 146,000.
Jan. 6th.-Mr. J. D. Hayes had been elected one of the Relieving Officers in the place of Mr. Nutman deceased.
John Coleby alias "Jack Sheppard," who had recently broken out of gaol, had been re-captured.
Jan. 16th.-There had been a contest in St. George"s Ward to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. R. Ferrier"s death; when the following was the poll:-
Mr. T. W. Doughty (Con.) 104 Mr. H. Hammond (Lib.) 82
Jan. 27th.-A faculty had been obtained for the removal of St. Nicholas"
organ from the west end of that church to the North Transept; this had been strongly opposed by Mr. E. H. L. Preston.
Feb. 17th.-There had been severe gales from the Eastward, causing much damage to shipping.
Feb. 21st.-Mr. John L. Cufaude (Clerk to the Guardians) had been arrested in respect of a claim "for which (as he stated to that Board) he had no right in justice to be arrested"; subsequently he made himself a bankrupt, when it appeared that he had been involved in racing transactions, where he had figured as Mr. De La-Ce.
Feb. 27th-The boiler of the "Bold Buccleugh," Hull steamer, had exploded while that vessel was at her Yarmouth Wharf.
March 13th.-Mr. Williams, of Cardiff, had been given the "St. Nicholas"
Church Contract," although his price (4,755) exceeded that of Mr. Hood (Norwich), which was 4,194.
The following gentlemen (out of 27 candidates) had been elected members of the newly-formed Gorleston Board of Health:-Messrs. Dendy, Baumgartner, Gooda, J. Hammond, Beevor, Gambling, Teasdel, W. Nelson and J. Nelson.
Mr. Chipperfield (the late Secretary) had been presented with a testimonial by the Yarmouth Building Society.
Two otters had, during a run of the harriers, been captured in a field near Thrigby Hall.
March 20th.-Mr. S. B. Cory had been elected Clerk to the Gorleston Board at a salary of 50 per annum, and Mr. F. Dendy chairman of that body.
April 7th.-The following Guardians had been elected:-North Ward: S.
Nightingale, J. T. Buston, and J. F. Neave. Market Ward: C. C. Aldred and W. Laws (with a tie between J. A. Norman and R. Tunbridge). Regent Ward: W. Worship, R. D. Barber and C. Diver. St. George"s Ward: J. W. de Caux, J. Scott, and J. Rivett. Nelson Ward: C. Woolverton, J. T. Bracey, J. H. Harrison, and G. W. Moore.
Messrs. C. S. D. Steward and E. R. Aldred had been re-elected Churchwardens.
April 14th.-Mr. J. A. Norman had been seated as a Guardian for the Market Ward; there were then 9 Conservatives and 7 Liberals upon the Board.
The Rifle Corps had held a Church parade.
April 17th.-William Danby-Palmer, Esq., had accepted the command of the local batteries of Artillery Volunteers.
Major Orde had presided at the soiree of the Norfolk and Suffolk Building Society held in the Corn Hall.
May 1st.-The Rifle Corps had given a series of amateur dramatic representations at the Drill Hall, in which Messrs. Wiltshire, Youell, Applewaite, Giles, Watson, Chipperfield, and others had taken part.
The Duke"s Head had been purchased by Mr. Davey for 1,520.
May 12th.-The Officers of the East Norfolk Militia had given a ball to 200 persons at the Town Hall.
June 5th.-Mr. E. H. L. Preston had presided at a meeting called for the purpose of presenting a testimonial to Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart., M.P.
Captain Dods, and Messrs. William Mabson, William Danby-Palmer, C.
Woolverton, R. D. Barber, and Dumbleton took part in the proceedings.
June 12th.-Mr. Charles Cory (Town Clerk) had died of gastric fever in Italy in his 57th year.
June 16th.-Messrs. Charles J. Palmer, C. Diver, and H. R. Harmer were candidates for the office thus rendered vacant.
June 23rd.-At the Council meeting Mr. C. Diver (being the only person nominated), was unanimously elected Town Clerk, and a vacancy in the Aldermen being thus caused, the following voting took place:-
Mr. J. H. Orde 25 Mr. E. H. L. Preston 3
July 14th.-The 1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers (under command of Captain W. Danby-Palmer) had attended St. Peter"s Church.
July 24th.-The following appointments had been made in the 2nd Norfolk Rifle Volunteers:-W. P. P. Matthews to be Captain, B. Wilson to be Lieutenant, William H. Palmer to be Ensign, W. E. Wyllys to be Surgeon, and T. W. Doughty to be Hon. a.s.sistant Quarter-Master.
July 31st.-At the Council meeting, Mr. C. C. Aldred was very abusive to Mr. J. C. Smith during the election of a Haven Commissioner in the place of the late Mr. Cory; the voting was as follows:-For Mr. W. Worship: The Mayor, and Messrs. Purdy, Shingles, Orde, Watling, Bunn, Teasdel, Worship, Hilton, Barnby, Nuthall, E. R. Aldred, C. C. Aldred, R. D.
Barber, Tomlinson, Foreman, Doughty, Jay, Woolverton, Bartram, and Steward; total 21. For Mr. E. H. L. Preston: Messrs. Youell, Harmer, Laws, Mabson, Bly, Fyson, Wright, George, Stagg, J. Burton, W. D. Palmer, Smith, Scott, Veale, J. T. Bracey, Stone, Barber, Richmond, Gooda, Brand, Dendy, and Baumgartner; total 22. Absent, Sir E. H. K. Lacon, and Messrs. Mainprice, J. Bracey, Gourlay and Shuckford.