Chronological Retrospect of the History of Yarmouth and Neighbourhood

April 28th. Duke’s Head Hotel sold to Mr. J. Davy for £1,525.

April 29th. The iron s.s. “Lady Flora,” 1,000 tons burthen, 250 feet in length, ran ashore on Caister beach, and after unremitting efforts on the part of Mr. T. B. Carr, of Hull, Mr. Beeching, of Yarmouth, and a numerous gang of men, who bodily raised her massive weight on to blocks, she was again successfully launched on July 8th in the presence of several hundred spectators. In Dec. this steamer was totally lost in the Baltic.

May 19th. The Gorleston Company of the Yarmouth Rifle Corps first met for recruit drill. First competition prize match, Oct. 14th.

May 26th. First stone of the St. James’ Church laid by the Very Rev. Dr. Goulburn, Dean of Norwich.

June 4th. Violent explosion of gas at Mr. Gambling’s office at Southtown, doing damage in and around the premises to the extent of £200 or £300.

June 9th. Charles Cory, Esq., 18 years Town Clerk of the Borough, died at Lugano, Switzerland, aged 54 years. It was decided on June 28th to place a memorial window to his memory in St. Nicholas’ Church. His father and grandfather both held the office of Chief Magistrate of the Borough; the former died in 1840.

June 24th. Charles Diver, Esq., appointed as Town Clerk at a salary of £200, and £50 extra as Clerk to the Local Board of Health. (See Nov. 30th, 1875, and Dec. 5th, 1883.)

Aug. 24th. Comer stone of the residence of the Head Master of the Grammar School laid next the site for the intended new Grammar School.

Aug. The Hon. and Rev. Edward Pellew, M.A. (about eight years Incumbent of St. Nicholas’ Church, and which he resigned in 1844 in favour of the Ven. H. Mackenzie, M.A.), died at Crowe Hill, Nottinghamshire, aged 69.

Sept. 6th. Two gentlemen started on a voyage by the rivers and streams, a distance of about 130 miles – from Hitchin to Yarmouth, via Norwich and Reedham – in the canoes “Wanderer” and “Ruby,” which adventurous journey was completed in six days.

Sept, 9th. The French iron steamer “Fulton,” worth about £5,000, and cargo £650, through collision with the brig “Thomas Gales,” opposite the Monument, foundered, but her crew were saved. Insured for £3,200.

Sept. 15th. Mr. T. Todd’s smack “Ann” foundered.

Sept. 20th. Mr. H. Stonex presented by the Yarmouth Musical Society with a gold-mounted ivory baton and an inlaid walnut music-stool as a token of their appreciation of him as their conductor.

Sept. 23rd. Mr. William James Palmer admitted a licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries.

Sept. Commander T. S. Gooch, R.N., son of Admiral Gooch of Yarmouth, appointed to the command of H.M.S. “Beacon,” on the coast of Africa.

Oct. 5th. Mr. Thomas H. Colley, on resigning the office of House Surgeon at the Yarmouth Hospital, after 14 years’ service, was presented at the Town Hall with a gold watch and chain, value about £40, and a purse of 250 guineas, by 500 subscribers, for his zeal and kindness in the discharge of his duties.

Oct. 19th. Terrific gale. More than 70 smacks put in disabled, and some seven lost their crews (41 men), besides 14 other men washed overboard; 13 widows and 25 children left destitute.

Oct. 29th. The Italian barque “Oceana Antonio,” 529 tons, ran ashore south of the Wellington Pier.

Dec. 20th. Gas explosion at Messrs. Bracey and Son’s counting-house, whereby two persons were injured.

Launches: Feb. 1st, the schooner “Maria,” from Mr. Rust’s yard after extensive repairs. – Oct. 11th, the smack “Alice,” 40 tons register, from Mr. Rust’s yard. – Nov. 12th, the self-righting lifeboat “Penny Readings,” 33 feet long, cost £500, launched at Lynn, the boat having been built in Yarmouth. – Nov. 25th, the smack “Cambria,” from Messrs. Smith’s yard.

Deaths: Jan. 11th, Arthur Steward, Esq., aged 68. – March 4th, William Jex, Esq., Master of the Hopton Hunt, aged 68. – April 14th, William Hill Winmill, Esq., of Gorleston, aged 35. – Aug. 10th, Edward Trafford, Esq., of Wroxham. – Dec. 8th, Mr. Stephen Hardingham, aged 74.

1870

Jan. 2nd. New organ at Roman Catholic Church opened.

Feb. 14th. The schooner “St. Cyran” came ashore south of the Britannia Pier, and the crew rescued by the rocket apparatus; the Austrian brig “Giovanning” came ashore in the South Ham; the steamer “Sea Queen,” 677 tons burthen or 903 dead weight, laden with 1,100 tons of coal, wrecked off Yarmouth, and her crew of 24 hands perished; and the barque “Victoria” wrecked on Gorleston Beach, 500 yards from the shore, and out of a crew of 16 but fire were rescued.

Feb. 15th. The schooner “Favourite” came ashore between the Jetty and Wellington Pier, and the crew, except one boy, saved; and on the same morning, the crew of the lifeboat “Friend of All Nations” courageously proceeded out of the harbour to a vessel in the South Ham, and the perilous venture of the crew was hailed with lusty cheers from a crowd assembled on the Gorleston Pier. In these gales the smack “Chance It” was burnt to the water’s edge off Yarmouth, and the crew gallantly rescued by the smack “William and Ann,” of this port.

Feb. 23rd. The organ at St. Nicholas’ Church, after being repaired by Messrs. Hill, of London, at a cost of £820, was opened by a grand choral service. Before removal it contained 2,133 pipes, which number has been increased to 2,873, viz., great organ 1,311, swell 908, choir organ 504, pedal organ 150; 45 stops and 7 couplers.

Feb. Rev. A. P. Holme appointed by the Bishop of Chester to the Rectory of Tattenhall, Cheshire; and on Mar. 1st the rev. gentleman was presented with a silver inkstand, value £25, marble timepiece £5, and an electro-plated cruet stand.

March 5th. Collision in the Roadstead between the s.s. “Chester,” value £8,000, and s.s. “Thames,” the former being run ashore north of the Britannia Pier.

March 20th. Fire on board the iron s.s. “Emily.”

April 27th. The first portion of St. James’ Church, which cost about £1,000, was opened by the Bishop of Columbia. The entire building, when finished, will cost £8,000 or £10,000.

April 28th. The south aisle of St. Nicholas’ Church, after being rebuilt, opened with a full choral service, the Lord Bishops of Rochester and Norwich officiating in the service. This service was the grandest since Aug., 1848, when Dr. Stanley and Dr. Wilberforce preached at the opening services, after the old galleries, pews, &c., had been swept away. The Church covers an area of 23,085 square feet; is 228 ft. long and 110 ft. wide, transept 148 ft.; and will accommodate 5,500 worshippers.

April. Captains Spencer Smyth, R.N., and C. Dent promoted to the rank of Rear-Admirals. The former served in several naval engagements from March, 1803 (when he entered as Midshipman on board the “Dreadnought,” 98 guns), to Oct. 22nd, 1827, the date he was promoted to the rank of Commander; and from 19th of March, 1833, to Oct., 1835, he filled the position of Assistant-Commander of the Coastguard at Yarmouth; and promoted to Captain on the reserve list F.G., July 28th, 1851, for meritorious services. (See Aug. 3rd.) Admiral Dent also served in several similar engagements since the year 1810.

May 18th. Gaol Street altered to its original name, Middlegate Street.

May. Baptist Chapel in Row 14 sold to Sir E. H. K. Lacon, and converted into a beer store. In excavating, an immense leaden coffin was discovered, besides the human bones of persons long since departed this life, which were re-interred. On Aug. 25th the cornerstone of the new Chapel on Wellesley Road was laid. (See April 7th, 1871.)

May 30th. Lord Mahon, eldest son of Earl Stanhope, returned as Member of Parliament for East Suffolk, including Gorleston. Votes – Mahon, 3,456; Colonel Sir Shafto Adair, Bart., 3,285; including Gorleston votes, M., 245; A., 183.

June 6th. Mr. E. Cattermoul, librarian, presented with a watch, value £25, and a cheque for £31 10s., by the subscribers to the Public library.

July 12th. Middlegate Congregational Church rebuilt and opened. This building alone cost £4,000, the architect being Mr. J. T. Bottle, of Yarmouth.

July 18th. John Bately, Esq., of Southtown, was admitted a licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of London, having passed on Sept. 24th, 1864, the examination in Arts at Apothecaries’ Hall; on May 6th, 1868, admitted a member of the Royal College of Surgeons; and on July 2nd of the same year, a licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries of London. On October 1st, 1868, this gentleman, at the opening of the Medical Session of Queen’s College, Birmingham, by Lord Littleton, received from the hands of the Bishop of Worcester the Council Prize of the Sydenham College – the highest honour the College could confer.

July 27th. Mr. M. E. Sturge, the newly-appointed bandmaster of the East Norfolk Militia, presented with a richly-chased ebony and gold baton by the members of the band, as a mark of their respect and esteem.

Aug. 3rd. Police-constable Shreeve gallantly rescued a lady, who had fallen overboard while in the act of landing from the London passenger steamer “Albion,” from drowning.

Aug. 3rd. Mr. W. S. Stanford appointed Harbour Master in the place of Rear-Admiral S. Smyth.

Aug. 7th. H.M.S. “Penelope” put into Yarmouth, but left on the 12th. This ironclad vessel, under the command of Lieut. Mogel, is a double screw corvette, 600 horse-power, 3,096 tons, carries ten guns, and a crew of 400 all told.

Aug. 8th. Edward Youell, Esq., died at Yarmouth, aged 89 years. This much respected gentleman was a partner for 42 years in the banking firm, of Lacons, Youell, and Co., from which he retired in 1863, having been in the house nearly 70 years.

Aug. 8th. A fishing trawler driven into the new works of the Jetty (see Aug. 20th, 1808), carrying away one of the piles, and knocking down the pile-driving machine, which fell on her deck and completely crushed it.

Aug. Mr. William James Palmer, L.S.A., admitted a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons.

Aug. 18th. Mr. J. S. Dominy, previous to leaving for York, resigned the position of Head Master of the Government School of Art in favour of Mr. J. F. Ryan.

Aug. 20th. Mr. John Harrington gallantly rescued two men from drowning on Yarmouth Beach; and during the present year he was instrumental in saving the lives of two others, for which he was awarded a testimonial on vellum by the Royal Humane Society.

Aug. 23rd. Great Yarmouth Annual Marine Regatta took place. The first Annual Roads Regatta was held Aug. 1st, 1834.

Sept. 1st. Meeting convened by the Mayor at the Town Hall on behalf of the sick and wounded in the Franco-German war; £297 6s. 7d. collected in the town, out of which sum £291 16s. was forwarded, when the list closed in Jan., 1871, to the National Society.

Sept. 22nd. S. J. F. Stafford, Esq., surgeon, presented with an elegant crystal-and-gold claret jug, and on Dec. 29th with a silver salver by the Nottingham Order of Oddfellows, as a token of their esteem.

Sept. Miss Emma Pearson, daughter of the late Capt. Pearson, of Yarmouth, sacrificed the comforts of her home to undergo suffering and privation in a foreign country as head nurse amidst the carnage of battle fields, and too much cannot be said in praise of her conduct. On being invited by Count Bernstoff to the Prussian Embassy, she received many merited thanks for her kindness and attention to the German wounded. (See Aug., 1872.)

Oct. 14th. Heavy gale, in which the “Ex,” of Yarmouth, foundered; and on the 16th, the lugger “Proverb,” of Gorleston, and six other vessels.

Oct. 24th and 25th. The most beautiful display of the Aurora Borealis witnessed since 1707.

Nov. 18th. The s.s. “M. E. Clarke” totally lost on Hasbro’ Sands, and her crew of 16 hands landed at Cromer.

Nov. 26th. The s.s. “Dolphin,” with cattle for London, towed into Yarmouth Roadstead. To save the vessel, 150 bullocks and 250 sheep were thrown overboard.

Dec. 13th. The catch of herrings this season up to this date was 18,394 lasts, which realised no less a sum than £180,000. One boat brought in 142 lasts, another 132 lasts, and others were almost equally successful. Last year’s catch was about 13,221 lasts; and in 1868, 15,476 lasts. 12 vessels left with 28,390 barrels of bloaters for exportation.

During the summer season, the town was visited by upwards of 78,000 people, viz., 63,000 by rail, and 15,000 by the passenger steamers “Albion” and “Seine.”

A mackerel, 19 in. long, 10½ in. in girth, and weighing 2 lbs. 11 ozs., brought ashore.

One hundred and fifty-six fully-licensed public-houses, 16 hotels, and 88 beer-houses, including Gorleston – making a total of 260.

Deaths: Jan. 9th, Thomas Brightwen, Esq., J.P., senior local partner in the banking firm of Messrs. Gurneys, Birkbeck, and Co., aged 57. – Feb. 24th, D. Stewart, Esq., aged 79. – Feb., Mr. Henry Jay, shipowner, and formerly a Member of the Corporation. – April 4th, the Rev. John Meffin, 50 years minister of the Countess of Huntingdon Connexion, aged 93. – May 25th, John Branch, Esq., aged 74. – May 31st, Mr. George Alexander, artist, aged 64. – June 1st, at Yarmouth, Alex. John, son of the late Samuel Grimmer, Esq., of Haddiscoe Hall, aged 61. – July 21st, Mr. Samuel Cubitt Richmond, merchant, a Member of the Town Council. – Oct. 6th, at Portsmouth, Col. Edwin Wodehouse, C.B., R.A., Aide-de-camp to the Queen, eldest son of the late Admiral the Hon. Philip Wodehouse, aged 53. – Oct. 17th, Mr. Edward Stagg, a Member of the Town Council, aged 57 (see Feb., 1866). – Nov. 14th, C. E. Bartram, Esq., J.P., and Town Councillor, aged 72. – Nov. 30th, Henry Holt Barber, Esq., a Member of the Town Council, aged 38. – Dec. 19th, Mr. Henry Fellows, shipbuilder, at Southtown, aged 69.

The cost of lighting the town (330) lamps with gas this year was £1,178 12s.

Launches: Feb. 14th, the smack “Valentine;” June 20th, the brigantine “Ethel,” 100 feet long, and 200 tons register, belonging to W. J. Foreman, Esq., launched, after being repaired, from Mr. Rust’s yard; Aug. 29th, the new trawling smack “Bonny Boys;” Oct. 1st, the fishing lugger “Guiding Star;” Nov. 17th, the lifeboat “Bolton,” built by Messrs. Beeching, of Yarmouth, publicly inaugurated at Kessingland; Nov. 19th, trawling smack “Statesman;” Dec. 14th, smack “Galatea.”

1871

Jan. 3rd. A male otter caught in one of the Broads near Yarmouth. It weighed 30 lbs., and was four feet long, the tail alone measuring 21 inches.

Jan. 9th. Lady King, late of Telegraph House, died at Maddingley Hall, Cambridge.

Jan. 13th. Race for £100 on the ice covering the Southtown marshes, between Mr. Barnes’ pony (ridden by the owner) and an excellent skater named Woodhouse. The rough-shod pony won by several yards.

Jan. 13th. Public subscriptions for aiding the wounded in the Franco-German war amounted to £297 6s. 7d. Jan. 27th. Forty-five screw steamers passed up through the Roadstead within three hours.

Jan. 18,709 lasts of herrings caught during the last voyage, or 5,353 lasts more than the previous year’s catch.

The rateable value of the Borough as per last poor rate, £96,556 10s., and the number of ratepayers 9,750.

Seventy-five schools provided accommodation for 5,370 pupils, viz., Yarmouth, 65 schools, 4,587 children; Gorleston and Southtown, 10 schools, 781 children.

The total receipts of the Board of Health for the past year were £6,819 8s. 8d., and the expenditure £6,698 19s.

Feb. 4th. Robert Steward, Esq., J.P., died at Cambridge, aged 57. This gentleman was five times Mayor of the Borough, and was also a Member of the Town Council for upwards of 20 years.

Feb. 7th. Fire in Broad Row at the shop of Mr. J. H. Lay. About £100 worth of damage done.

Feb. 18th. Mantby Hall destroyed by fire.

Feb. Two whitings caught by the smack “Dutch Trader” – one measured 26 inches and the other 24 inches. – The number of fishing boats belonging to Yarmouth, according to a Parliamentary return, amounted to 900, of the aggregate tonnage of 14,788, giving employment to 4,051 men and 530 boys.

March. Lieut. Fyson appointed Captain of the 2nd Company of Rifle Volunteers on the retirement of Capt. Tomlinson.

C. C. Aldred, Esq., appointed a Justice of the Peace for East Suffolk in place of the late R. Steward, Esq.

March 3rd. Police-constable George Shreeve met with a fatal accident by falling from the fire escape at the Police Station. (See Aug. 3rd, 1870.)

March 29th. Mr. A. D. Stone purchased the barque “Frederica,” with stores, &c., for £1,425.

April 3rd. Census taken. Population of Yarmouth, 33,880; Gorleston and Southtown, 6,645; exclusive of about 700 absentees at sea. Number of houses: Yarmouth, 8,098; Gorleston, 1,534. Population of surrounding villages: Belton, 582; Bradwell, 387; Burgh Castle, 409; Fritton, 221; Hopton, 309; Ashby, 95; Blundeston, 716; Corton, 530; Flixton, 52; Gunton, 73; Herringfleet, 230; Lound, 422; Oulton, 860; Somerleyton, 592; Flegg Hundreds, 9,381.

April 7th. The new Tabernacle on Wellesley Road opened for Divine worship. It cost £2,496. (See May, 1870.)

April 19th. Mr. H. Fenner’s smack “Sebastopol” destroyed by fire whilst at sea.

April 19th. Edmund Girling, Esq., formerly in Messrs. Gurneys and Co.’s bank, died in London, aged 75. He was a talented artist.

April 22nd. The screw steamer “Kestrel,” with emigrants for America (about 150), run down by the screw collier “Frankland,” near Cromer. All hands saved.

April 24th. The smack “Otter,” launched.

April. A beautifully-stained window placed in St. Nicholas’ Church to the memory of the late John Goate Fisher, Esq., Mayor of the Borough in 1820.

The number of wherries registered as belonging to the river Bure was 103, of 1,846 tons burthen.

May 4th. Mr. J. R. Baumgartner passed his examination at Apothecaries’ Hall.

May 6th. Richard Hammond, Esq., J.P., died at Yarmouth, aged 78. This much-respected gentleman was the oldest Magistrate of the Borough, having been called to the Bench in 1841; he was also a Port and Haven Commissioner. On the Bench he once remarked that our smacksmen “earned their money like horses, but spent it like asses.”

Under the general poor rate and compounds in Yarmouth, there were 5,136 tenements, of the total value of £81,222 10s.

May 31st. David A. Gourlay, Esq., J.P., died at Yarmouth, aged 88 years. He was elected Mayor of the Borough in 1849, and was for many years a respected member of the Town Council. (See April 4th, 1867.)

June 6th. Salmon Palmer, J. W. de Caux, and Garson Blake, Esqs., nominated by the Town Council as new Magistrates for the Borough.

June 10th. Nearly 50 porpoises observed disporting themselves in the Roadstead.

June 13th to 24th. The D. Battery B. Brigade of Royal Horse Artillery encamped on the North Denes, under the command of Captain Strangways. 120 rank and file, having 116 horses, and 6 9-pound rifle-loading guns, &c.

June 21st. Messrs. F. S. Smyth and R. G. Bately acquitted themselves satisfactorily in their preliminary examinations at the Royal College of Surgeons, London.

June. Major W. J. Foreman, 1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers, passed his examination and received a certificate of efficiency at the School of Instruction formed at Woolwich, under Lieut. – Colonel Woolsey, R.A.

June. Messrs. J. T. Waters, F. Burton, and F. W. Dendy passed final examination at the London Incorporated Law Society.

July 9th. Fire on the fishing premises of Messrs. Bland Brothers, Queen’s Road. A public subscription was made on their behalf.

July 13th. Boat accident in the Roadstead, by which a man and two boys, out of a crew of five, were drowned, the youths being members of a Norwich Church Choir.

July 15th. The 1st Suffolk and (on the 18th) 1st Norfolk Rifle Volunteers encamped for a week on the North Denes. The former mustered in all about 600 men.

July 26th. H.M.S. “Repulse,” 12 guns, 3,749 tons burthen, 800 h.p., commanded by Capt. Rollins, came into the Roads to embark 50 coastguardsmen.

July 30th. A terrific thunder peal, the like not having been heard for many years. The electric fluid did a considerable amount of damage to the residence of Mr. Hinchman Hammond.

Aug. 1st. The new smack “Zephyr,” on Aug. 3rd the fishing boat “Henry and Edmund,” and on Aug. 7th the dandy smack “Coral” launched. Since August last year 30 smacks and fishing boats had been launched at the various shipyards in Yarmouth and Gorleston.

Aug. 7th. Miss E. Pearson, accompanied by Miss L. E. MacLaughlin, paid a visit to the Sailors’ Home, having just returned from the Franco-German War. In October these two ladies had conferred upon them the bronze cross and diploma of the Society de Secours aux Blessés of France, in recognition of their services on the battle fields of Metz, Sedan, and Orleans. (See Sept., 1870, Aug., 1872, and Aug. 8th, 1876.)

Aug. 11th. Fatal accident to Mr. Henry Worlledge, third son of the County Court Judge, while bathing at Folkestone.

Aug. 14th. E. P. Youell, Esq., who had for 11 years previous been Captain of the 2nd Company Rifle Volunteers, was presented by the members of his company at the Drill Hall with a handsome silver salver, value £13, as a mark of esteem.

Aug. 15th. Mrs. Levina Onslow died at Yarmouth, aged 75 years. This lady was the widow of the late Capt. John James Onslow, R.N., post-captain in H.M.’s Royal Navy, and last commanding H.M.S. “Daphne,” as senior officer in New Zealand in 1845; and mother of the late Rev. W. Lake Onslow, M.A., R.N., formerly chaplain on board the “St. George” with the Duke of Edinburgh, and subsequently domestic chaplain to the Prince and Princess of Wales at Sandringham. (See June 1st, 1862.) The Rev. Onslow was educated as a boy at the old Grammar School, under the Rev. T. C. Clowes, M.A., of Queen’s College, Cambridge, and his grandfather, as Admiral, commanded the squadron in the Roads after the Camperdown action.

Aug. 15th. A congratulatory address voted by the Town Council to Sir James Paget, on her Majesty conferring upon him a baronetcy. Sir James is the son of the late Samuel Paget, Esq., a long resident in this town. The same honour was conferred by George IV. in 1821 on Astley Cooper, Esq., son of Dr. Cooper, minister of St. Nicholas’ Church. (See June 15th, 1858.)

Aug. 15th. Brigantine “Edward,” belonging to Mr. W. J. Foreman, launched, after extensive repairs, from Mr. Rust’s yard. The same morning, a new lugger, belonging to Mr. G. Palmer, was launched from the same shipbuilder’s yard.

Aug. 17th. Tenders opened for laying a common sewer through Gorleston and Southtown, viz., 350 feet run of from 2 to 3½ feet brick sewer, and about 5,500 feet run of pipe sewer, from 9 to 15 inches in diameter. A tender of £1,725 was accepted by the Gorleston Board of Health. (See June 25th, 1872.)

Aug. 23rd. The sale of Mr. J. Tomlinson’s business premises, Howard Street, realised £11,390.

Aug. 25th. Fire at Mr. C. Garwood’s fish-house in Charlotte Street; very little damage done.

Aug. 28th. H.M.’s paddle-frigate “Terrible,” 1,850 tons burthen, 800 horse power, 19 guns, commanded by Capt. Travenen, passed through the Roadstead.

Aug. 31st. The Yarmouth Horticultural Society’s first show, held in St. George’s Park, which was entirely enclosed with boarding, was a grand horticultural and floral fête, and patronised by most of the élite of the town. The East Norfolk Militia and Artillery Militia bands played at intervals during the day.

Aug. H.R.H. the Prince of Wales accepted the hon. colonelcy of the Norfolk Artillery Militia, rendered vacant by the death of Lord Hastings.

Sept. Mons. A. A. Desfougerais, Vice-Consul to the French Government, after 11 years’ residence in Yarmouth, obtained an appointment in the Foreign Office in Paris. On Sept. 22nd this gentleman was presented with a claret jug and cup, value £40, as testimony of respect.

Sept. 11th. The dandy smack “Fern,” 54 feet long, 7 ft. 2 in. deep, and 32 4-100ths tonnage, launched from Mr. R. Rust’s yard.

Sept. 17th. Organ at St. George’s Chapel re-opened after being restored.

Sept. 17th. The Rev. C. Voysey, B.A., late Vicar of Heaulaugh, preached at the Unitarian Chapel.

Sept. 22nd. The smack “Maria and Isabella,” belonging to Mr. Seago, of this port, ran into by the barque “Rock City,” near the Dogger Bank, where she foundered, and four of her crew were drowned.

Sept. 25th. The captain of the passenger steamer “Albion,” plying between Yarmouth and London, fined £6 11s. for having on board 448 passengers, or 111 more than the vessel was chartered to carry.

Sept. 29th. The new General Post Office, Regent Street, opened.

Sept. 29th and 30th. The brig “New Fair Trader,” and the fishing lugger “Black-eye’d Susan,” of this port, received much damage.

Oct. Number of persons by excursion trains during the summer was – Vauxhall Station, 47,176; Southtown, 35,383; total, 82,559. Last season, V., 32,103: S., 26,009; total, 58,112.

Oct. 4th. The schooner “John Watson,” belonging to Messrs. Watling, of this port, collided with the barque “Thomas Knox,” in the Roadstead, and the former sunk. Crew saved.

Oct. 5th. Mr. William Mallam Vores admitted a licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries.

Oct. 16th. The screw steamer “Annie Bronghton,” 120 h.p., 782 tons register, 230 feet long, 32 ft. beam, drawing 19 ft. of water, and valued at £22,000, while on a voyage from Newcastle to Alexandria with 1,650 tons of coal, got on Hasbro’ Sands, but was assisted off after four days’ hard exertions. The salvage claims amounted to £1,300.

Oct. 16th. Fire at Mr. A. Tabraham’s jewellery shop on St. Peter’s Road. Considerable damage done.

Oct. 16th. A royal sturgeon caught off Yarmouth. It was 7 ft. 10 in. long, and weighed 28 stone.

Oct. 18th. The new Corn Hall, Howard Street, opened by a public dinner, to which nearly 200 gentlemen sat down, including Viscount Mahon, M.P., Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart., M.P., the Hon. F. Walpole, M.P., C. S. Read, Esq., M.P., E. Corrance, Esq., M.P., and the Mayor (E. H. L. Preston, Esq.) H. S. Grimmer, Esq., occupied the chair.

Oct. 24th. George S. Harcourt, Esq., of Ankerwych, formerly M.P. for Bucks, died at St. George’s Square, Belgravia, aged 64 years. This gentleman established the Yarmouth Sailors’ Home.

Oct. 26th. A silver tea-kettle, value £25, presented as a testimonial to the Rev. R. J. Dundas, prior to his leaving the town for Albury, near Guildford.

Oct. 30th. The Rev. W. Boycott, rector and patron of Burgh St. Peter, died at Ormesby, aged 73 years.

Nov. Mr. Ziba Rayson passed his third and final examination at the Law Society’s Hall, London.

Nov. 3rd. Fire at the drapery shop of Mr. E. Bostock, King Street, and damage done to the amount of £350. (See 1884.)

Nov. The smack “Evangeline,” built for Mr. Olley of this town, launched from Mr. Fellows’ shipyard.

Nov. 14th. The iron screw steamer “Benjamin Whitworth,” 639 tons register, 99 h.p. (Capt. John Smith), got upon the Cross Sands and encountered a terrifically heavy sea; but after great perseverance she was floated off on the following day. The steam tug “Reliance,” value £2,500, belonging to the Standard Company, while assisting the “Whitworth,” struck against a piece of sunken wreck, and so rendered leaky. She was run on to Caister beach, where she became a total wreck. (See Dec. 4th, 1875.)

Nov. 14th. A fleet of some 1,200 sailing vessels passed through the Roadstead.

Nov. 25th. The fishing lugger “Sailor’s Friend,” value, with nets, &c., about £850, the property of Mr. C. Rumbold, was run into by the French screw steamer “Union Bayonnaise,” which caused the lugger to founder. Crew all saved.

Nov. 30th to Dec. 2nd. Heavy gale. Lifeboat crews performed several daring acts of bravery, and although about 25 hands were unfortunately lost near Yarmouth, no less than 23 shipwrecked men were rescued and taken to the Sailors’ Home.

Dec. 4th. Smack “George and Elizabeth” ran ashore north of the North Pier, where she went to pieces, her crew being rescued by the rocket apparatus.

Dec. 4th. Rev. A. T. Shelley, Congregational minister at Aylesbury, and formerly of this town, died at Aylesbury, Bucks, aged 45.

Dec. 6th. Intense frost. Every street and road one mass of ice, and so smooth and slippery as to render walking upright impossible. Several accidents occurred to people and horses.

Dec. 9th. The smack “Friendship,” value £400, lost in the North Sea.

Dec. 10th. The new steamer “South Tyne” stranded on North Scroby Sand. She was got off the next morning after 100 tons of coal had been thrown overboard. Salvage services amounted to £1,000.

Dec. 11th. The market tolls, &c., were let by public competition by Mr. S. Aldred for £890 per annum. (See Aug. 21st, 1876.)

Dec. 15th. The smack “Dagmar” on fire in the harbour. Much damaged.

Dec. 19th. The smack “Emma,” valued at £300, totally destroyed by fire while in the North Sea. Crew rescued.

Dec. 19th. The screw collier “Magdeburg” struck on Scroby Sand, but was got off by the steam tug “Reliance” for £200.

Dec. In the 2nd Norfolk Rifle Volunteers in 1871 there were in the five companies 11 officers, 22 sergeants, and 460 men, 87 of whom were marksmen.

The 600 fishing craft belonging to this port pay annually for towage about £4,000.

A new Primitive Methodist Chapel opened at Bradwell.

Mr. J. T. Clarke, solicitor, appointed a Commissioner to administer oaths in the High Court of Admiralty in England.

Two hundred and forty millions of herring landed at the Fish Wharf during the whole of the present season.

The number of shipwrecked men received during the year at the Sailors’ Home was 228.

A whiting measuring 26 inches caught on the coast.

1872

Jan. 1st, The barque “Sing Tai” (Rising Sun), 500 tons, launched from Messrs. Beeching’s shipyard.

Jan. 1st. The brigantine “Sybil,” belonging to Mr. H. H. Gambling, while entering the harbour got on the North Sand, and was wrecked. Value, £400.

Jan. 3rd. Rear-Admiral Charles Calmady Dent, of Yarmouth, died. (See April 4th.)

Jan. 5th. Sir Francis Crossley, Bart., M.P., of Somerleyton Hall, died at Belle Vue, Halifax, aged 54 years.

Jan. 10th. First prosecution for Sunday trading instituted, the magistrates fining two delinquents – Messrs. Duffell – 5s. each and costs. This continued weekly for over five years.