1868.
Jan. 3rd. The schooner “Roberts” driven on the North Sand near the mouth of the Harbour, 300 yards from the shore, and her crew bravely rescued out of her shrouds by Mr. J. M. Petts and four beachmen.—The brig “Carl Frederick” was lost the same morning on Hasbro’ Sand, with seven of her crew, two boys only being saved.
Jan. 9th. F. Diver, Esq., of Yarmouth, commander of the R.M.S. “Roman,” presented with a handsome watch, subscribed for by the passengers of the ship for having completed a voyage from this country to Table Bay in thirty days.
Jan. 23rd. At midnight a destructive fire took place in a shop in the Market Row, and three precious lives (a lady named Mrs. Pigg, and two children) were sacrificed, and property destroyed and damaged to the amount of £3,000.
Feb. 8th. The fishing lugger “Flying Fish” fouled the sunken wreck of the barque “Lord Clyde,” and foundered in the Roadstead.
March 6th. The cigar steamship “Walter S. Winans,” of Havre, arrived in the Harbour. Dimensions—length, 112 ft.; deck, 66 ft. in length; width amidships, 5 ft.; 24 tons register.
April 29th. The brig “Ewerette” foundered opposite the Monument.
April 29th. The Rev. W. T. Harrison, minister of St. John’s Church, presented with a chaste silver tea and coffee pot, cream jug, and sugar basin, value £50, by 300 of the members of his congregation, previous to leaving for Thorpe Morieux, Suffolk. He was succeeded by Rev. R. J. Dundas.
May 11th. The Regent Hall, a wooden structure on Regent Road, opened, after being converted from a circus to a music-hall. It was pulled down in 1874. (See 1866.)
May 23rd. Mr. William Jones died. In the early part of his life he served as a seaman in the navy, and was present at several engagements under Sir Charles Napier.
June. Robert Cory, Esq., passed his examination and admitted an Attorney of the Court of Queen’s Bench and other Courts, and as a Solicitor in Chancery.
June 10th. Mr. Robert Clifton, master mariner, died at Southtown, aged 85. In early life and during the French war he was seized by the press-gang while ashore at Newcastle, and carried on board a man-of-war, where he served several years till being landed an invalid.
July 13th to 22nd. Chang, the Chinese Giant, aged 22, and nearly 9 ft. in height, said to be the largest man in the world, with his wife King-Foo, exhibited at the old Corn Hall.
July 18th. C. Woolverton, E. R. Aldred, R. D. Barber, and C. E. Bartram, Esqs., sworn in as Magistrates for the Borough.
July 22nd. Horticultural and Floral Fête held at the Assembly Rooms.
July 27th. Balloon ascent by Professor Simmons from the Victoria Gardens. This was the first aërial ascent in Yarmouth since Sept. 17th, 1852.
Aug. 11th. Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Young, the well-known actor and actress, presented with a testimonial—an address beautifully written on vellum, a port-monnaie, and a sum of money—at the Corn Hall, in recognition of their talented aid in an amateur entertainment given at the Regent Hall, on June 23rd, on behalf of the Yarmouth Hospital.
Aug. 18th. The corner-stone of the Methodist New Connexion Sunday School at Burgh laid by J. A. Horner, Esq., of Burgh Grange.
Aug. James Cherry, Esq., appointed Revising Barrister for Leicester and Rutland.
Sept. 23rd. The B battery C brigade of Royal Horse Artillery, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Bishop, arrived at the Armoury.
Oct. 24th. Heavy gale and loss of three vessels. Upwards of sixty French fishing boats (1,200 to 1,400 men) sought refuge in the Harbour. The s.s. “Ganges,” 1,600 tons, struck on Hasbro’ Sands the previous day.
Oct. The Board of Health Act adopted in Gorleston, and on March 8th, 1869, 12 members, out of 27 nominated, were chosen for constituting the Board.
Nov. 14th. First number of the Yarmouth Gazette and North Norfolk Constitutionalist published by Mr. C. W. Godfrey. This journal subsequently became the sole property of Mr. E. W. Shortman.
Nov. 19th. The Scotch fishing-boat “Excellent” on fire in the Harbour, and was scuttled to extinguish it. Estimated loss, £200.
Nov. 22nd. During a gale the schooner “Seagull” broke the massive piles of the Britannia Pier, and smashed 100 ft. away. (See July 13th, 1858.) In Oct. 1859, a sloop was driven through, and did damage to the Pier amounting to £800 or £900. The Pier has since been shortened 50 ft.
Nov. 26th. The Hon. F. Walpole and Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart., elected M.P.’s for North Norfolk. Votes—W., 2,630; L., 2,563; Edmund R. Wodehouse, Esq., 2,235; Robert T. Gurdon, Esq., 2,078; including Yarmouth votes, viz., W., 913; L., 971; Wodehouse, 514; G., 476. On Sept. 15th, 1869, a Banquet was given at the Drill Hall, at which 800 or 900 persons were present, and a testimonial, value £600, was presented to Sir Edmund in honour of the successful issue of the petition. The testimonial was a magnificent piece of plate, weighing nearly 900 ozs., and consisted of a massive centre piece and plateau of silver; the base was flanked by three elaborate buttresses supporting brackets, with fluted columns, around which were grouped the figures of Agriculture, Commerce, and Art, the capital being encrusted with a frieze of lions’ heads and festoons of laurels, a figure of Fame crowning the summit. The Hon. F. Walpole died on April 1st, 1876; and on April 21st Colonel James Duff was elected M.P. for North Norfolk by a majority of 110.
Dec. 7th. The south aisle of St. Nicholas’ Church closed for restoration. In 1864 Mr. Seddon, architect, estimated that the restoration of the entire church would cost about £23,000.
Dec. 9th. A Grand Concert, under the patronage of the Mayor (S. Nightingale, Esq.) and the Mayoress; Right Hon. Lord Sondes, Right Hon. Lord and Lady Suffield, Sir E. Lacon, Bart., M.P., and the Deputy-Mayor and Mrs. Worship, was given at the Regent Hall. Distinguished artistes—Mdlles. Titiens and Sinico, Signors Bulterini and Campi, and Mr. Santley. Mr. Wehli, solo pianoforte; and Signor Bevignani acted as conductor.
Dec. 10th. The s.s. “City of Hamburg,” plying between this port and London, stranded close to the North Pier, and thereby sustained considerable damage.
Engine-house and reservoir erected on the north side of the Jetty for supplying the Bath House with water. (See 1759.)
An octagonal tower and observatory, 75 ft. high, erected on South Quay by the Trinity Corporation.
Launches: Aug. 17th, the carrier cutter “Chieftain,” from Messrs. Smith and Son’s yard; Sept. 23rd, the brig “Sultana,” 310 tons, from Messrs. Fellows and Son’s yard.
Deaths: Feb. 24th, Mr. Chas. C. Newcombe, postmaster, aged 49.—May 25th, Edward Norris Clowes, Esq., Solicitor, New Buckenham, aged 61.—June 2nd, Mr. W. Shuckford, 15 years Governor of the Workhouse, aged 62.—June 7th, Thomas Bunn, Esq., Corn Merchant, and an Alderman, at Southtown, aged 87.—Sept. 18th, Captain Robert Bensley Davie, Commander of the Cape mail steamer “Saxon,” at Southampton, aged 37.—Sept. 18th, John Palgrave, Esq., son of the late William Palgrave, Esq., Collector of Custom Dues at Yarmouth, and afterwards at Dublin, aged 55.—Nov. 2nd, John D’Ade, Esq., at Southtown, aged 86.—Dec. 5th, Mr. W. C. Nutman, many years Relieving-officer, aged 45.—Dec. 27th, Richd. Ferrier, Esq., Brewer, aged 73.