1859.
Jan. 1st. Sailors’ Home established. Its completion on Feb. 2nd was celebrated by a tea given to a large party of beachmen and their wives at the Norfolk Hotel. The Home cost about £2,000.
Jan. 12th. Mr. James Buddrell, master of the fishing vessel “Hosannah,” presented with a first-class silver medal and diploma from the Emperor of the French for saving the lives of 11 men, the crew of the French brig “La Prospère,” off Hasbro’.
Jan. 12th. The Queen constituted the Colonies of British Columbia and Vancouver’s Island to be a Bishop’s See, and appointed the Rev. George Hills, D.D., to be ordained and consecrated Bishop of it. This ceremony was performed at Westminster Abbey by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishops of Norwich and Oxford, on Feb. 24th. In Jan. Dr. Hills was presented with a handsome communion service by the members of his congregation, and on the 26th of May was presented at the Town Hall with a testimonial, value £400, as a token of esteem. He reached his new diocese in March, 1860.
Jan. 17th. The Rev. H. Hitcham died, aged 40 years.
Jan. 19th. The sloop “Eliza” launched from Mr. J. Rust’s yard.
Feb. 10th. An Address voted by the Town Council to her Majesty on the birth of a grandson, heir to the Throne of Prussia.
Feb. 17th. Cuthbert Collingwood Hall, Esq., of Beach House, on the Marine Parade, died at his seat, Collingwood Court, near Windsor. Mr. Hall was one of the earliest advocates of our Marine Parade, and gave £50 towards its construction. He married the granddaughter and co-heiress of the celebrated Admiral Cuthbert Lord Collingwood, who commanded at Trafalgar after Lord Nelson received his death wound.
Feb. 20th. The “reading-in” ceremony and first sermon preached by the Rev. H. R. Nevill at St. Nicholas’ Church. The text chosen was 1 Cor. ii. 1, 2.
Feb. Portrait of Lord Sondes, High Steward of the Borough, placed in the Town Hall.
Mar. 17th. St. Patrick’s Day was ushered in at break of day by the band of the Louth Rifles playing through our streets the Irish air dedicated to the patron saint.
Mar. 21st. East Suffolk Railway Bill read a third time in the House of Commons and passed. The line was opened at Southtown on the 1st of June.
April 5th. E. W. Watkin and A. W. Young, Esqs., addressed a large meeting of between 2,000 and 3,000 persons on the Hall Quay; and again on the 15th.
April 13th to 16th. Charles Stratton, commonly known as “General Tom Thumb,” with a company, gave an entertainment at the Theatre.
April 19th. The “Athelstan” launched from Messrs. Fellows’ yard. This fine vessel was commanded by Captain John Braccy, of Yarmouth. (See Aug. 18th, 1882.)
April 29th. Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart., and Sir Henry J. Stracey, Bart., returned to Parliament.—Votes—L., 693; S., 653; Watkin, 568; Young, 537. This was the first time of polling in wards. No hustings. Nomination from the “Crown and Anchor” balcony.
May 12th. Cardinal Wiseman, accompanied by Lord Stafford and a party of friends, paid a visit to Yarmouth.
May 26th. The house of Mr. Bradnum, at Gorleston, struck by lightning, the fluid knocking a chimneypot through the roof, smashing the windows and frames, and doing other damage.
May 27th. First meeting, called by the Mayor at the Town Hall, respecting the enrolment of Rifle Volunteers at Yarmouth.
June 7th. Miss Ann Turner, daughter of the late Dawson Turner, Esq., presented the Town Council with 17 rolls, &c., relative to the History of Yarmouth.
July 11th. Eighty invalids, mostly Indian sufferers, arrived at the Military Hospital on the South Denes from Chatham.
July. The schooner “Alma” brought to Yarmouth nine 68 and one 54-pounder guns from Woolwich for the North and South Batteries. There were six guns mounted on each battery, namely, three 82, two 68, and one long 24-pounders, some of them weighing as much as five tons.
July. B. Dowson and F. Worship, Esqs., appointed Deputy-Lieutenants of the County.
Aug. 12th. The fine vessel “Himalaya,” 375 feet in length, with her saloon of 100 ft., brought a portion of the Donegal Militia to Yarmouth, who were landed by the steam-tug “Robert Owen” at the Barrack Wharf; and on the 14th the vessel left, having previously embarked the Louth Rifles for Preston.
Sep. 1st. Appointment of officers for the Rifle Volunteers, and the services of the men accepted by Government.
Sept. 7th. Rev. W. Griffiths, M.A., minister of the Congregational body, ordained at King Street Chapel.
Sept. 12th. Fire at Mr. S. Ives’ premises, in Howard Street; estimated damage, £150. Another fire originated at the same place on June 5th, 1867, doing damage to the amount of £600.
Sep. 26th. C. P. Molly, Esq., of Liverpool, contributed a Mural Drinking Fountain for the Borough. R. Steward, Esq., contributed one in Nov., which is now placed in front of the Sailors’ Home.
Sept. 28th. Services of the Artillery Volunteer Corps accepted by Government, and the appointment of officers confirmed.
Sept. Water supplied by the Yarmouth Water Works Company to the inhabitants of Southtown.
Oct. 8th. Riot in King Street with four of the Donegal Militia, one of whom when in custody at the Police Station attempted to set fire to his cell, and a melée took place before it could be extinguished.
Oct. 25th. Violent gale, 14 lives lost off this coast, and 80 shipwrecked seamen lodged at the Sailors’ Home. A sloop driven through the Britannia Pier and severed it in two.
Nov. 30th. First stone of St. Andrew’s Church laid. Contract for building was £1,050 10s. In March, 1864, a schoolroom was built adjoining the church, which cost £500 more.
Dec. 16th. The Norfolk Standard, published by Mr. J. Cooper, was discontinued. The same publisher printed the Yarmouth Weekly News and the Yarmouth Standard previously.
Dec. 20th. Rev. F. W. Johnson, who was appointed in Jan., 1858, minister of St. John’s Church, died in London. By will he bequeathed £3,000 to endow the Beach and Harbour Mission.
Dec. 27th. Jacob Astley, Baron Hastings, and a baronet of England, died at his town residence, aged 62 years. He was born on Nov. 13th, 1797, and was the eldest son of Sir Jacob Henry Astley. The late lord married, on Mar. 22nd, 1819, Georgiana Caroline, youngest daughter of Sir Henry W. Dashwood, Bart., and sister of the late Marchioness of Ely. (See Dec. 24th, 1875.)
Francis Worship, E. P. Youell, and J. Clark, Esqs., appointed as Magistrates.
Bastard shark caught off Yarmouth.
Thirty-two thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine barrels of herrings shipped at Yarmouth for foreign ports.
Vice-Admiral Lovell, K.H., who had served under Nelson at Trafalgar, died, aged 72.
New Lifeboat-house erected by the National Association at a cost of £400.