1838.
April 19th.—Winter had come again, and the frost had blocked up several pumps. The nights were extremely dark, and great complaints had been made by inhabitants of the total absence of lights in the streets.
Coaches had been engaged to take up the Tory witnesses for the hearing of the election petition, while the Whigs were going to London by the “Ailsa Craig” steam packet.
April 26th.—The following Committee had been struck for the hearing of such petition:—The Hon. E. Grimshaw, Charles Rushout, H. Thomas, E. Baker, W. C. Brodie, J. C. Holmes, and J. Bailey (Tories), and J. E. Vivian, R. W. Hunt Lord M. Hill, and the Hon. George Byng (Whigs).
May 3rd.—This Committee had come to the resolution—That C. E. Rumbold and W. Wilshere, Esqs., are duly elected, but that the petition was not frivolous or vexatious.
May 10th.—This decision appears to have been the result of an arrangement made by a few gentlemen of the Whig and Tory parties, that one of the members (it is believed Mr. Wilshere) would accept the Chiltern Hundreds at the end of the present Session of Parliament. It was believed in that event Mr. Baring would be opposed. It is stated that “of late our members have not reposed on a bed of roses.”
May 17th.—The schooner “Stamboul” had been launched from Messrs. A. Palmer and Son’s yard.
May 24th.—A suggestion appears to found a Dispensary in Yarmouth and that the Council fund should be applied towards this end. This fund then consisted of £2,500, and was formed by the contributions of each Alderman of £10 and each Common Councilman £5 on his election.
May 31st.—The “Pantaloon,” a fine, large, round-sterned brig of 180 tons, had been launched by her owners, Messrs. A. and G. Steward; and the “Victoria,” 350 tons, by Mr. J. Preston.
A meeting had been held at the Town Hall to consider the propriety of establishing a small Hospital for Great Yarmouth and the East and West Fleggs and Mutford and Lothingland Hundreds. The Hon. and Rev. E. Pellew presided, and amongst those present were all the resident clergy and medical gentlemen of the town, with Messrs. G. D. Palmer, Brightwen, W. Steward, B. Dowson, Worship, &c.
June 7th and 14th.—Col. Thompson had been suggested as a candidate for the Borough, and Mr. Northhouse had addressed a meeting on his behalf. Mr. George Steward was taking an active part in this affair.
June 21st.—Suggestions were being made for the celebration of the Queen’s Coronation.
Messrs. Henry Emms and William Simms had been appointed Relieving Officers.
The donations for the proposed Hospital were £200 and the annual subscriptions £280.
June 28th.—This issue contains the following account of how, after a futile effort had been made by the Vicar, which appears not to have been a success, H.M. Coronation was celebrated. At an “adjourned meeting of the subscribers to the fund for celebrating her Majesty’s Coronation, by giving a dinner to the poor children of the town on that day, held at the New Hall, on Thursday evening last, the Hon. and Rev. E. Pellew in the chair, those gentlemen who had undertaken to collect subscriptions reported that they had scarcely any further funds to add to those already collected. Under these circumstances the chairman submitted to the meeting that the proposed plan of feasting the children was a failure from the want of funds. Considerable discussion then ensued as to the propriety of taking steps towards celebrating the Coronation day in any other way, upon which there were many conflicting opinions. At length Mr. Samuel Palmer, after recapitulating all that had been done, and regretting that up to that time nothing had been realized, moved—‘That a subscription be now entered into, to provide such amusements for the poor of the town on the day of the Coronation as may seem fit to the subscribers, and that a committee be appointed to carry the same into effect.’ Mr. Samuel Barber moved, as an amendment, ‘that all the poor of the town be regaled with roast beef and plum pudding’; but it appearing to the meeting that as money enough could not be raised to regale the children, it would be impossible to raise a sufficient sum to feast all the poor. The amendment was negatived, and Mr. Palmer’s motion was unanimously carried. The Chairman then left the chair, and Mr. George Danby Palmer was called on to preside, when thanks were voted to the late Chairman; a spirited subscription was begun in the room; a committee was appointed to carry Mr. Palmer’s motion into effect, and the meeting separated.”
“Since that time the gentlemen composing the committee have collected money to the amount of about £200, and a bill of fare has been issued sports and entertainments to take place on the South Denes, amongst which are horse, pony, and donkey races, jumping in sacks, climbing matches, and running after pigs with soaped tails. There will also be sailing matches on the river. A dinner will take place in a marquee erected on the ground, the Mayor in the chair. A stand and several booths have also been built for the accommodation of the public. The amusements will conclude with a superb display of fireworks, under the direction of an artist from London.”
July 7th contains the following record of the result of such action:—
The festivities and sports which were to have taken place on Thursday last in honour of the Coronation were interrupted by a heavy fall of rain, which commenced at the hour fixed for the fun to begin, and continued nearly, ‘sans’ intermission, until night. This untoward state of the elements prevented any very great assembly of multitude taking place; nevertheless there were some two or three thousand determined holiday-makers congregated on the South Denes, and the horse and pony races came off in spite of the unfavourable state of the weather. The race for hacks was well contested and won by Highflyer, beating Whiscumsnivet, the Ambassador, and Sir William. The pony race was also a good one; we could not learn the name of the winner. Four boats started for the silver cup—value £7—viz., the Coriander (Balls), Leviathian (Preston), Louisa (Fiddis), and Neptune (Green). The wind was light at starting, and towards the end of the match there was so little as scarcely to fill the sails; the Coriander won by about half a length. The remainder of the sports were postponed until Friday afternoon. At four o’clock upwards of 100 gentlemen sat down to dinner in a marquee erected on the Denes, the Mayor (Dr. Penrice) in the chair. After dinner the health of the Queen was drunk with long, loud, and hearty cheers, and the usual loyal and patriotic toasts were given; several excellent songs were sung, and about half-past ten the company returned to the town preceded by a band of music. The children at the various charity schools and the inmates of the Fishermen’s Hospital were handsomely entertained. The Temperance people had a tea meeting, and all, as far as the weather would permit, appeared to enjoy themselves in their own way.
On Friday afternoon, at three o’clock, the sports were re-commenced, the weather being most propitious and the sun shining with surpassing brilliancy. Yarmouth poured out thousands upon thousands of its working population, and great numbers of all classes were present to witness the fun and partake of the amusement of the day. The performances, if so they may be called, took place on a stage immediately opposite the stand, which was filled with spectators, under the superintendence and direction of a gentleman, to whose good humoured exertions too much praise cannot be given, and who was ably assisted by others in providing and bringing out such entertainments for the humbler classes as seemed best adapted to their taste and habits. First came two chimney sweeps in full costume; they dived in a tub of meal for pieces of money, which they picked out with their mouths. Numberless sneezings and many collisions of sooty heads, now, however, converted into floury nobs, took place during this match, to the great merriment of the assembled crowds; at length the money was all abstracted, and the performers, well washed, made their bows and retired from the stage. Next came bobbing for oranges in tubs of water, by boys with their hands tied behind them. Then a singing match by boys, which was won by an urchin of the name of John Hutchin, who sung two comic songs with inimitable humour and effect. A horn pipe match followed, in which the best dancers made up by agility for what was wanting in grace and elegance. Grinning through horse collars succeeded, and here one Billy Derry out-uglied the ugliest—O! for grinning through a horse collar, commend me to Billy Derry. Then we had six old women, drinking scalding hot tea for a prize of one sovereign; the efforts of these poor old creatures to gulp down the almost boiling fluid, were at once both pitiable and ludicrous, but they appeared to enjoy the parts they were acting almost as much as the spectators did, who gave way to the most uproarious laughter we ever remember to have heard, they were all well rewarded for their exhibition. There were also donkey races, climbing soaped poles, gingling matches, running wheelbarrows blindfold, a rowing match, and races after pigs with their tails soaped, and twenty-four barrels of ale were given away to the populace on the ground. At half-past ten at night the Market Place was literally crammed with people to witness the display of fireworks, which was splendid and worthy of the occasion, and concluded the Coronation amusements. Immediately after the fireworks had ceased the crowd dispersed, and by twelve o’clock the streets were as quiet as upon ordinary occasions.
July 14th.—The Corporation had voted an address to the Queen, of which the following is the notice:—
“At an assembly of the Corporation, held on Wednesday, the Mayor read a congratulatory address to Her Majesty the Queen, upon the Coronation, which was unanimously adopted by the Council, and Mr. Barth, Mr. Robert Palmer Kemp and Mr. Samuel Palmer, were appointed a deputation to carry up and present the same; it being left to the option of any other gentlemen of the Council to join the deputation.”
The Mayor, preceded by the Regalia, had walked to church, “unaccompanied by a single member of the Town Council.”
July 5th.—Col. Thompson had declined to come forward.
Mr. J. Symonds had given a silver cup, value £5 5s., to be bowled for in honour of the Coronation. There were 34 competitors, and it was won by Mr. John Porrett, “the veteran bowler.”
July 12th.—A meeting of freemen to oppose Mr. Baring’s return at the ensuing election had been held at the Masonic Hall, Mr. Joseph Bayly (Chairman). Capt. Love, Mr. John Clowes, jun., Mr. Lawrence, and Mr. Charles Marsh took part in the proceedings, and the following gentlemen were appointed a committee to carry the resolutions passed at the meeting into effect:—Messrs. Joseph Bayly, John Clowes, jun., S. Cobb, E. R. Palmer, Henry Pickard, Charles Marsh, Thomas Thompson, jun., and Capt. Love.
The Corporation address to Her Majesty had been presented by Messrs. Barth, R. P. Kemp, and S. Palmer.
July 26th.—The Water Frolic had been held, when the “Leviathian” (Bessey) beat the “Union” (Barber), the Mayor and Corporation attended the sports in a barge.
Dr. Penrice (the Mayor) and Dr. Cox has been elected physicians, and Messrs. Charles Costerton, George Bateman, John Prichard, and John C. Smith, surgeons to the Hospital.
August 9th.—The Queen had signified her intention of becoming a patron of the Hospital.
August 16th.—The freemen had determined to re-elect Mr. Wilshere free of expense, Messrs. Simon Cobb and George Steward speaking on the subject; and a committee had been formed to further this object, of which Mr. Cobb was chairman, Mr. J. Bayly, secretary, and Mr. J. Clowes, treasurer.
August 16th.—The new Writ had been moved for, and the blue flag with the inscription of “Wilshere, the Reformer,” had been displayed at the Committee Room in Regent Street.
August 25th.—Mr. Baring, and Mr. G. Steward (for Mr. Wilshere) had been canvassing the electors. At the nomination the former gentleman was proposed and seconded by Mr. J. Lacon and Mr. E. H. L. Preston, and the latter by Mr. John Clowes, jun., and Mr. Joseph Bayly; Mr. George Steward representing Mr. Wilshere. Mr. Baring then addressed the electors. The result of the poll was declared to be—
| For Wilshere | 735 |
| Baring | 702 |
A very painful occurrence had happened. A poor fellow “who took some part in the election” declared that if Mr. Baring lost the election he would hang himself. The poll closed at 4, and he had effectually hung himself and was cut down before 5 o’clock.
August 30th.—The friends of Mr. Wilshere had dined together at the “Star.”
Mr. G. Steward had been chaired for Mr. Wilshere. Mr. S. Palmer had received a letter from Mr. Wilshere, expressing in the warmest terms his sense of the high honour thus conferred upon him.
Sept. 6th.—Mr. Wilshere had arrived in Yarmouth and addressed the electors.
C. F. Burton, Esq., had died from the effects of a fall from his horse on the Southtown Road.
Sept 17th.—A public dinner of the supporters of Mr. Wilshere had been held at the Town Hall. Admiral Sir George Parker, K.C.B., presided, and amongst those present were Messrs. George Steward, S. Cobb, the Mayor, T. O. Springfield, Capt. Pearson, Capt. Harmer, J. Fowler, H. Munro, Rev. T. Fowler, R. Hammond, H. Worship, C. Bell, S. Palmer, N. Palmer, C. Marsh, E. R. Palmer, J. L. Cufaude, Clowes, &c.
Sept. 20th.—At the Roads Regatta the “Brilliant” was first, the “Red Rover” second, and the “Algerine” third, in the match for the silver cup, weighing 17oz. The “Coastguard” had been practising, under the direction of Capt. Harmer and Lieut. Kisbee.
Sept. 27th.—In consequence of the long continuance of calm weather the millers had not been able to grind any corn for three weeks.
Oct. 4th.—The Revision Court had been held, Messrs. W. Worship and J. L. Cufaude appearing for the Reformers, and Messrs. Waters and E. H. L. Preston for the Tories. The Whigs claimed a majority, on the result of 51.
Oct. 11th.—Lord Tavistock and C. B. Greville (acting as referees) with regard to the recent contest had stated “that if requested by Mr. Baring, Mr. Wilshere is bound to resign his seat for Yarmouth (for which he was elected without his knowledge or consent), and that in the event of Mr. Baring offering himself again as a candidate for the representation of that borough, Mr. Wilshere is not at liberty to oppose him.”
Mr. William Nolloth, jun., had been elected organist of St. George’s Chapel.
Oct. 18th.—There had been a strong wind from the w.n.w., and from 150 to 200 vessels had sustained damage. It is contemplated that there were between 2,000 and 3,000 ships at anchor within sight of the Jetty.
The “Reis Effendi,” schooner, had been launched from Messrs. A. Palmer and Son’s yard.
Mr. Wilshere was staying with Mr. Palmer, who had entertained most of the principal inhabitants, including the Mayor, Sir George Parker, and W. Danby Palmer, John Carr, George Steward, Esq., and others.
In case Mr. Wilshere was asked to resign his seat by Mr. Baring, Mr. Robert Palmer Kemp had been selected as the candidate in the Blue interest.
Oct. 25th.—The Tories had commenced their “Municipal campaign.”
Nov. 1st.—There had been from 1,500 to 2,000 vessels windbound and at anchor in the Roads, these had got under sail on Sunday, and were immediately followed by about 1,000 vessels from beyond Lowestoft, and it was contemplated that more than 3,000 vessels had passed through the Roads in five hours, in so close procession that the sea could not be discerned beyond them.
With regard to the Municipal Election, only one Tory was on the 1st November “found in the field,” viz., Mr. J. G. Plummer, who opposed Mr. Marsh in the Regent Ward. At the close of the poll the numbers were—
| Tomlinson | 89 |
| Marsh | 73 |
| Plummer | 72 |
The following was the general return for the town:—St. Nicholas’ Ward: Messrs. R. Hammond and W. N. Burroughs. Market Ward: Messrs. S. Cobb and W. Johnson. Regent Ward: Messrs. J. Tomlinson and C. Marsh. St. George’s Ward: Dr. Penrice and Mr. A. Clarke. Nelson Ward: Messrs. G. Danby Palmer and R. Palmer Kemp, all of whom were of the Liberal party.
A meeting of the members of the “Operative Conservative Club” had been held, Mr. Thomas Paul, printer, in the chair.
Nov. 25th.—Messrs. Thomas Hammond and Samuel Crowe had been elected Councillors for the South Ward.
The fishing-boats “Mary,” “Reward,” and “Walter and Ann” had been lost with all hands.
Mr. F. Preston had launched a brig of 250 tons named the “Undaunted.”
Nov. 15th.—Mr. Simon Cobb had been elected Mayor. He was the first Dissenter who had been elected to that office since the time of Charles II. On Sunday he had given a lunch, when amongst those present were the Hon. and Rev. E. Pellew, Dr. Penrice, Dr. Cox, the Rev. W. Squire, and Messrs. S. Tolver, Nichols, Hammond, Palmer, Pullyn, Marsh, B. Cobb, E. H. L. Preston, &c.
Mr. Thomas Lettis, jun., had been elected a Councillor for the St. George’s Ward, in the place of Dr. Penrice, who had been made an Alderman.
Mr. Samuel Costerton, ballast lessee, had been fined 40s. and costs for contravention of the Harbour Act.
It was contemplated to hold a meeting in favour of the repeal of the Corn Laws.
The annual Savings’ Bank meeting had been held, when it appeared that 2,004 accounts totalling £60,065 11s. 1d. were deposited in this institution.
The “Reindeer,” yawl, had been launched for the Young Company. She was 75 feet long and could carry 500 yards of canvas. Eighty-two persons were launched in her.
The “Columbine,” brig, built for Messrs. G. and A. Steward, had been launched.
Dec. 27th.—Mr. W. Saunders had been elected a Councillor for the St. George’s Ward, in the place of Mr. Grave, deceased.
The Teetotal Society had a procession, headed by a boy on horseback, which was “set upon” by the rabble, and several of its banners destroyed.