1862.
March 1st. 1862 changes of grandsire triples, composed and conducted by Mr. William Lee, were rung on eight bells in the Parish Church Steeple.
April 9th. Suffolk Militia Artillery, commanded by Colonel Adair (460 men), arrived at Southtown.
May 5th. Corner stone of the Bethel laid, and the Chapel opened Aug. 15th. Cost about £300.
May 23rd. The Priory Musical Class presented Mr. Musgrave with a silver inkstand.
May 27th. A portion of the Channel Fleet anchored in the Roadstead. It comprised the “Revenge,” 91 guns; “Trafalgar,” 90; “Emerald,” 51; “Chanticleer,” 17; and the gunboat “Porpoise.” They waited the arrival of the “St. George,” the vessel in which H.R.H. Prince Alfred sailed.
May. C. J. Palmer, Esq., presented the Corporation with a scarlet gown and a black gown, originally worn by the Mayors. The former to be worn on extraordinary and the latter on ordinary occasions.
June 1st. The man-of-war ship “St. George,” 90 guns, with. 900 men on board, joined the Channel Fleet in the Roadstead. On the following morning (Monday) a royal salute of 21 guns was fired from the North Battery, and a gay display of colours hoisted by every ship in the Harbour, in honour of Prince Alfred. The same afternoon the Sailor Prince, accompanied by Major Cowell, the Rev. W. Lake Onslow, and the Hon. Manners Sutton, landed on the Beach, and proceeded to the South Denes, where a cricket match was played by 11 Officers of the Fleet against 11 Gentlemen of Great Yarmouth.
June 19th. Review of the Eastern Counties’ Volunteers at Yarmouth. No less than 30,000 spectators from all quarters of the country assembled on the South Denes to witness the review, which was of the grandest description. A dinner was afterwards given to the Volunteers (3,500) and about 250 other guests, on the St. George’s Denes, which passed off admirably. Purveyor, Mr. J. Franklin, Crown and Anchor. The cost to the town was about £530.
July 9th. Blondin, the Niagara rope-walker, appeared at the Victoria Gardens.
July 16th. Caister lifeboat, while lying on Caister Beach, was struck by lightning during a heavy thunderstorm.
July. H. R. Harmer, Esq., solicitor, appointed a Commissioner to Administer Oaths in Admiralty.
Aug. 19th. Sir E. Lacon assumed the command of the Artillery Volunteer Corps on the resignation of Major S. C. Marsh.
Sept. 12th. Grand fête of Norfolk Volunteers at Crown Point, Norwich.
Oct. 8th. The celebrated Rev. C. H. Spurgeon preached at the Wesleyan Chapel.
Oct. 20th. Fearful gale. About 1,000 vessels sheltered in the Roadstead. Five others were reported to have gone down on the Sands with their crews.
Nov. 21st. Public meeting at the Town Hall, for raising a fund to relieve the distressed Lancashire operatives. £160 was subscribed in the room.
Nov. The Trustees of the Municipal Charities received the sanction of the Charity Commissioners to erect a Grammar School at Yarmouth, which was built and opened July 29th, 1863.
Dec. 20th. High tide. On the Southtown Road the water was a foot deep, and many parts of the town were inundated. The tide was higher than that recorded in 1816. Mr. T. W. Downing lost the smack “Gem” in the gale.
Dec. 22nd. The brig “Lotus” launched from J. W. Rust’s yard. Dimensions—length, 103 ft.; breadth, 24 ft.; depth, 24 ft.; burthen, 258 tons.
Deaths: Feb. 27th, the Rev. Thomas C. Clowes, formerly Incumbent of St. Mary’s Church, and Head Master of the Preparatory Grammar School, Southtown, at Ashbocking Vicarage, aged 61.—March 20th, Mr. Henry Danby Palmer, third son of George Danby Palmer, Esq., aged 47.—Nov. 12th, Nathaniel B. Palmer, Esq., aged 37.