1858.
Jan. 1st. Fire in Jane Place, destroyed the roofing of three houses, and entirely demolished the whole of a net chamber. It originated in Mr. Moore’s workshop.
Jan. 11th. Testimonial, consisting of a splendid tea and coffee service, with an oval 24-inch waiter, weighing 203 ozs., presented to B. Fenn, Esq., by the Fishermen’s Provident Society.
Jan. 18th. The Aztec Lilliputians, the reputed Gods of the Pagan Temple of Iximaya, exhibited at the Corn Hall, Regent Street.
Feb. 11th. An Address voted by the Town Council to her Majesty on the marriage of H.R.H. the Princess Royal to H.R.H. Prince Frederick William of Prussia.
Feb. The Lord Chancellor appointed six (out of 15 candidates) new Magistrates for the Borough, viz., P. Pullyn, D. A. Gourlay, F. Palmer, W. T. Clarke, J. Barker, and J. Owles, Esqs.
Feb. 11th. The Town Battery ordered to be removed. The materials were sold for £84 12s.
Mar. 8th. The Fermanagh Light Infantry Militia (845 rank and file), commanded by Lord Enniskillen and the Hon. S. Crichton, arrived in Yarmouth.
Mar. 14th. The “Frederica,” 420 tons register and 600 tons burthen, launched from Mr. T. Branford’s yard. Between 8,000 and 4,000 persons witnessed the sight.
April 15th. Collision between the s.s. “Ernestide” and the Prussian ship “Thomas” off Yarmouth. The former foundered.
April 22nd. St. John’s Church consecrated, and in the same month the stone pulpit and the communion plate at this church were bought out of the proceeds of sale of the book, “Story of Samuel Brock.” The Church was opened Feb. 7th; enlarged in 1859, 1866, and 1868.
May 4th. Riot at Southtown between the Fermanagh Militia and some coalheavers.
May 19th. The brig “Nil Desperandum,” 800 tons register and over 500 tons burthen, launched from Mr. J. Rust’s yard. Thousands of persons witnessed the sight.
May 26th. The Corn Exchange, Regent Street, sold to R. Steward, Esq., for £1,540; and in 1870 was purchased by Government for the New Post and Telegraph Offices, &c.
June 10th. Sir E. N. Buxton, M.P., died at Cromer, aged 46 years.
June 15th. Congratulatory address voted by the Town Council to J. Paget, Esq., on his appointment as Surgeon-Extraordinary to her Majesty the Queen.
June 20th. Dawson Turner, Esq., M.A., F.S.A., F.R.S., &c., died at Brompton, aged 83 years, and his will was sworn under £70,000 personality. He was born Oct., 1775, at Yarmouth, where his father was a banker. He was educated at the Grammar School at North Walsham, and entered Pembroke College, Cambridge, in 1793. At his father’s decease he became a partner in the firm of Messrs. Gurneys and Co., and managed the Yarmouth bank. He married the daughter of the late William Palgrave, Esq., of Coltishall. His library comprised 40,000 volumes.
June 29th. County Election between Cooke and Stracey, for the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Buxton. The former returned by a large majority. Each party had a booth in the Yarmouth Market Place.
July 4th. Rev. William Tritton, of Cambridge, preached his first sermon at the Independent Chapel, King Street.
July 13th. Britannia Pier opened. Déjeûner given in the afternoon on the Pier to the shareholders and their friends, 150 in number. The structure cost about £6,000.
July 16th. Grand Procession of the Freemasons to and from St. Nicholas’ Church to the Town Hall, where about 125 gentlemen sat down to an excellent dinner.
July 20th. Nottingham Order of Oddfellows opened a new Court in Middlegate Street, and next day was publicly commemorated by a procession through the town, headed by Hulley’s Saxhorn Band.
July. Fifty-seven invalids, mostly Indian sufferers, arrived at the military Hospital on the South Denes from Chatham.
Aug. 26th. The Norfolk Hotel sold by auction to Messrs. Hills and Underwood for £2,160.
Aug. 30th. G. Wells Holt, Esq., Magistrates’ Clerk, tendered his resignation to the Magistrates. He ably filled the office for over 22 years. His son William succeeded to the office, to whom a dinner was given at the “Crown and Anchor” on Oct. 4th. (See Dec. 4th, 1884.)
Sept. 2nd. Riot in Charlotte Street and Broad Row with the Fermanagh Militia. Tradesmen obliged to close their shops.
Sept. 4th. Royal yacht “Grille,” belonging to the King of Prussia, arrived in the Harbour.
Sept. 8th. Two Prussian frigates, “Thetis” and “Gefion,” under the command of the High Admiral Prince Adalbert, arrived in the Roadstead.
Sept. 23rd. The Louth Rifles, under the command of Sir John Robinson, and comprising 500 men and 24 officers, arrived in Yarmouth.
Oct. 1st. First Evening Service held at St. George’s Chapel after the gas had been laid on.
Oct. 6th. An elegant Church Service, bound in turkey morocco, presented to the Rev. Robert Boyle, LL.D., by the inhabitants of Gorleston, as a farewell token of their esteem.
Nov. 15th. The s.s. “Hunwick” sunk off the Jetty. Ship and cargo valued at £8,500. The crew saved.
Nov. The Rev. G. Hills, B.D. resigned the incumbency of St. Nicholas’ Church, on his appointment to the Bishopric of British Columbia. The degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred by diploma at a convocation at Durham on the 30th.
Nov. Mr. G. Dowey appointed Station Master, and resigned in 1884.
Dec. 13th. The Rev. W. D. Wade, B.A., incumbent of St. Mary’s Church, Southtown, presented with a purse of 60 guineas.
Dec. 23rd. S. C. Burton, Esq., solicitor, sworn as a Commissioner to Administer Oaths in the High Court of Chancery of England.
Dec. Rev. H. R. Nevill, incumbent of St. Mark’s Church, Lakenham, near Norwich, appointed to the incumbency of Yarmouth; and the Rev. G. I. Pellew, curate of St. Nicholas’ Church, appointed to fill the vacancy at Lakenham.
Dec. Mr. J. M. Petts, late chief officer at the Coast Guard Station at Gillingham, Chatham, promoted by the Admiralty to be chief officer of the Yarmouth Coastguard. In March, 1866, he was presented with a gold watch and guard (value £65) and a silver cup (value £85), subscribed for by 121 gentlemen of the town, and presented at the Town Hall by the Mayor (C. C. Aldred, Esq.), in recognition of many acts of bravery in saving shipwrecked crews. He resigned the office on Oct. 1st, 1870. From Oct. 5th, 1859, to Feb. 14th, 1870, no less than 40 vessels were wrecked on the beach and off the coast, from which Mr. Petts, in conjunction with those under his command, was instrumental in rescuing 295 lives. Joined the service June 22nd, 1827.
Deaths: Jan. 17th, Rev. J. Pike, the much-esteemed minister of the Independent Chapel, Gorleston, died directly after leaving the pulpit, where he officiated in the service.—Mar. 4th, Sir Eton S. Travers, aged 69 years.—Mar. 15th, Mr. S. V. Moore, a respected member of the Town Council.