1853.
Jan. 8th.—A meeting of Liberal electors had been addressed by Mr. McCullagh relative to the rejection on technical grounds of the petition against the return of the M.Ps. George Danby-Palmer, Esq., occupied the chair, and Messrs. F. S. Costerton, P. Pullyn, R. Hammond, J. Clowes, C. E. Bartram, J. Jackson, J. Bayly, W. N. Burroughs, J. D. Chapman, J. Cobb, W. Livingstone, S. Parker, J. Mainprice, D. R. Fowler, P. White and others were present.
It was rumoured that Mr. Rumbold would not again offer himself for the Borough, owing to his having voted against the Government, which had angered his Tory supporters.
Jan. 15th.—An election had been held for a Councillor in the Gorleston Ward, owing to the death of Mr. S. Miller. The numbers polled were—
| For Mr. William Hammond | 132 |
| ,, Henry Danby-Palmer, Esq. | 88 |
| Majority | 44 |
The Tories gave “their usual breakfast. Many of the electors on both sides did not poll.”
The Rev. Bowyer Vaux had presided at the Annual Public Library Meeting.
Jan. 22nd.—At the “Great Metropolitan Poultry Show,” E. H. L. Preston, Esq., Mr. E. Hughes and Mr. Henry Turrell had won prizes.
One hundred and thirty persons had attended the first Subscription Ball at the Town Hall.
Jan. 29th.—Considerable progress was being made with the new Bridge works.
Bro. Oswald Diver had been installed Master of Lodge Friendship at the Duke’s Head.
Feb. 5th.—The return of paupers showed—In-door, 331: out-door, 1,289; cost of out-relief, £83 15s. 11¾d. for the week.
Feb. 12th.—The Wellington Pier Bill was reported as having complied with standing orders.
Mr. James W. Crowe had been appointed Medical Officer for the North District in the place of Mr. Button appointed to a similar office for the Workhouse.
Feb. 19th.—Mr. C. J. Palmer brought to the notice of the Council the dilapidated state of the Nelson Monument, and Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Burroughs, Mr. Ferrier, Captain Pearson, and Mr. Steward were appointed a Committee to consider the subject.
Mr. Palmer also called attention to the state of the town’s muniments, and it was agreed that Mr. Harrod should be engaged to arrange same at a fee of £20.
Mr. Chamberlin (Coroner) required the Council to seal his appointment: this had been neglected in 1848 when he was appointed to that office.
Feb. 26th.—The Yarmouth Water Works Bill had been read a second time in the House of Commons.
March 12th.—Mr. Jarvis, jeweller, Broad Row, had been committed for trial on the charge of attempting to defraud an Insurance Company by setting fire to his premises.
March 19th.—The House of Commons Committee had decided that the preamble of the Water Works Bill was proved. Mr. Webster appeared for the promoters, and Mr. Lynde for certain landowners who petitioned against it. Evidence was given in support of the measure by Messrs. R. Ferrier, Charles Cory, W. Rising, and Spelman.
April 2nd.—At the Vestry Meeting, Messrs. Steward and Aldred had been re-elected Churchwardens, and a Church rate of 1½d. in the £ voted.
The retiring Guardians had been re-elected.
Sir Charles Napier, K.C.B., had visited the town and called on several of his more active supporters at the recent contest.
April 9th.—Messrs. Borking, Green, Wright, and Bradbeer had been elected Overseers.
The Wellington Pier and Water Works Bills had passed the Commons.
The East Norfolk Militia were to meet for training on April 19th.
April 16th.—The Town Council had proceeded to elect a Surveyor, when the voting was—
| For Mr. Laing | 22 |
| ,, Mr. Parker | 15 |
And Mr. Laing was consequently appointed to that post.
April 23rd.—The East Norfolk Militia had assembled and paraded in the Lunatic Asylum yard.
April 30th.—At a meeting of the Wellington Pier Company (S. C. Marsh, Esq., in the chair), it was determined to proceed with the erection of that structure at once.
May 7th.—The second Subscription Ball had been attended by upwards of 170 of the principal inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood, including the Mayor, Mrs. Marsh and party, Captain, Mrs. and Miss Pearson, Mr. and Mrs. Caldecott, Misses Caldecott (2) and Miss Leathes, Rev. F. Steward, Mrs. and Miss Steward, Mr., Mrs., and Miss Brown (Thrigby), Mr. and Mrs. Harcourt (Burgh Castle), Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Palmer, Rev. S. T. Preston and Miss Preston, Mr. and Mrs. E. H. L. Preston and Miss H. Preston, Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Sharpe, Mr. and Mrs. H. Reeve (Lowestoft), Mr. and Mrs. A. Steward and party, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Reynolds and Miss Pellew, Rev. E. B. Frere, Mrs. Frere and party, Mr. and Mrs. R. Ferrier, Mr. and Mrs. J. Steward and Miss Stephens. Captain and Miss Money, Colonel Mason and officers of the East Norfolk Militia, Captain Adsbrighton and the officers of the 4th Light Dragoons, &c.
May 14th.—Colonel Mason and the officers of the East Norfolk Militia had been entertained at a Ball at the Town Hall give by some of the principal inhabitants.
G. W. Haggard, Esq., had delivered a lecture on “The Militia.”
E. H. L. Preston, Esq., had been offered £31 10s. for seven chickens, hatched in February, the off-set of his prize white Cochin China fowls.
May 21st.—The East Norfolk Militia had been disbanded.
A Spanish hen, the property of Mr. Josiah Stevenson, had laid an egg measuring 8 inches round, 6½ inches in length, and weighing more than 3½ ounces.
May 28th.—The Queen’s Birthday had been celebrated, the Mayor and a number of gentlemen dining at Bird’s Royal Hotel on the occasion.
The Reform Association of Great Yarmouth had been addressed by Mr. McCullagh in a speech of two hours’ duration.
June 4th.—Experiments in “table moving” were being made at the Young Men’s Institute by the Hon. Secs., Messrs. John Fellows, S. C. Sothern, John Beattie and Barcham Sayer.
June 11th.—Sir C. Napier, K.C.B., had been appointed Vice-Admiral of the Blue.
June 26th.—The driving of the first pile of the Wellington-pier was advertised to take place on the 28th inst.
July 2nd.—A report of which event appears in this issue, when a marquée was erected near the Victoria Hotel, and at the request of Mr. Waddington (Chairman of the Company), Mr. S. C. Marsh (the Mayor), performed the ceremony. The following was the inscription:—“This, the first pile of the Wellington Pier, was driven on the 28th of June, 1853, by S. C. Marsh, Esq., Mayor of this borough; David Waddington, Esq., M.P., Chairman of the Board of Directors; Peter Ashcroft, Esq., Engineer; Charles J. Palmer, Esq., Secretary.” In the evening between 50 and 60 gentlemen dined at the Victoria Hotel, the Mayor in the chair and C. J. Palmer, Esq., in the vice-chair.
July 9th.—At the Regatta the “Phantom,” “Thought,” and “Maude,” yachts, contended for the prize, which was won by the former.
July 30th.—At the Water Frolic the “Shannon” (lateen), Brighten, Beccles, won the first, and the “Oberon” (cutter), Morton, Aylsham, the second prize.
The Monument was still in a dilapidated state.
Aug. 6th—The Baptist Chapel in Row 15 had been re-opened after extensive repairs.
Aug. 20th.—Mr. W. C. Nutman (clerk to Mr. J. L. Cufaude) had been elected a Relieving-officer in the place of Mr. Thomas Thornton.
Sep. 3rd.—John Mortlock Lacon, Esq., had died suddenly; he was in his 68th year.
At the general Licensing day it was moved by James Cherry, Esq., and seconded by R. Steward, Esq., “That no fresh licenses be granted.”
Mr. Clinker Newson had appealed against the poor rate on the novel ground that he was rated at too low an amount.
Sep. 10th.—The “Clarissa” barque, of 335 tons register, had been launched from Mr. Chapman’s yard.
Oct. 1st.—Mr. Peter Coble had died suddenly from disease of the heart before his medical adviser, Mr. C. C. Aldred, could attend him.
Oct. 8th.—The Registration Court had been held, Mr. Watson (of Norwich) and Mr. Preston appearing for the Tories, and Mr. J. Clowes and Mr. W. S. Costerton for the Liberals, who claimed a gain of 120 on the Borough Register.
Nov. 5th.—Five hundred and fifty feet of the Wellington Pier had been opened to the public, the Corporation attending, and in the evening there was a public dinner at the Victoria Hotel in honour of the event.
At the Municipal Election in the North Ward, Messrs. Burroughs (L) and Jackson (L) were re-elected without opposition.
In the Market Ward the polling was—
| F. Worship (C) | 125 |
| E. R. Aldred (C) | 118 |
| J. Owles (L) | 92 |
| J. Cobb (L) | 68 |
In the Regent Ward, S. C. Marsh (C) and J. D. Chapman (L) and in the St. George’s Ward J. G. Plummer (C) and J. C. Smith (C) were not opposed.
In the Nelson Ward there was a contest, but no numbers are given; Dr. Dunn and Mr. W. Thurtell (Cs) opposing the re-election of Mr. George Danby-Palmer and Mr. Thomas Lettis (Ls) who were again returned, and in St. Andrew’s Ward the polling was—
| H. Teasdel (C) | 139 |
| E. H. L. Preston (C) | 134 |
| S. Crowe (L) | 41 |
| W. Sterry (L) | 7 |
The Conservatives, on the whole, had increased their majority by one.
The following paragraph appears in this issue:—“Among the passengers by the “Argo” s.s. from Sydney, is Mr. Harrison, of Great Yarmouth, who brings with him 3,000 ounces of gold dust, valued at between £11,000 and £12,000.”—Morning Chronicle.
The first Subscription Ball of the season had been held at the Town Hall, 90 persons being present, the hall had been re-painted a light green in lieu of the old salmon colour, and four beautiful statues of “Clio,” “Erato,” and “The Dancing Girls of Canova,” had been placed in the niches.
Nov. 12th.—At the Council meeting, on the nomination of Mr. W. Worship, seconded by Mr. C. J. Palmer, James Cherry, Esq., had been elected Mayor.
The following Whig Aldermen then went out of office;—R. Hammond, jun., E. R. Palmer, H. Boulter, C. E. Barham, and W. Walpole with B. Fenn (C), and the following voting took place to fill these vacancies:—
| Mr. T. Bunn | 21 |
| ,, T. Foreman | 21 |
| ,, W. C. Reynolds | 27 |
| ,, J. G. Rivett | 26 |
| „ G. S. Shingles | 26 |
| ,, E. P. Youell | 26 |
| ,, R. Hammond, junr. | 10 |
| ,, Boulter | 6 |
| ,, J. Brown | 5 |
| ,, E. R. Palmer | 8 |
| ,, Sir E. Tavers | 1 |
| ,, H. Worship | 1 |
| ,, S. Paget | 1 |
Nov. 26th.—Court “Buck of the Forest,” A.O.F., had been opened at the Buck Inn.
One hundred and nineteen persons had been confirmed by Bishop Spencer at St. Nicholas’ Church.
Dec. 3rd.—It was proposed to establish a School of Design in the town.
Captain Manby had attained his 88th year.
Dec. 24th.—A parochial Museum was being formed at the Priory.
The Local Board District Rate was signed at 1s. 4½d. in the £.
Dec. 31st.—Mr. C. J. Palmer had presided at the annual dinner of the subscribers of the Public Library.