1869.
Jan. 25th. The Chancellor (E. Howes, Esq., M.P.) decided the long-pending question of removing St. Nicholas’ Church organ from the west end of the south aisle to the North transept, in the affirmative. This grand old organ, built by Jordan, Bridge, and Bayfield, in 1733; repaired by England (Jordan’s grandson) in 1812, and by Gray in 1840; was removed to the north transept in Feb., 1869.
Jan. Gaol Street Congregational Chapel (built in 1773) closed, and pulled down for the purpose of building the Middlegate Church.
Feb. 9th. The North-end Church Mission Room opened. Cost about £100. Mr. W. Wright was the architect.
Feb. 16th. The Fish Wharf, 2,251 ft. in length, shed 750 ft., completed. Total cost, £20,627. The sum borrowed and advanced by the Corporation for the works was £20,502 6s.; total amount of annual outgoings estimated at £1,587 17s. Offices and premises let at £565 16s.
Feb. 23rd. While the s.s. “Buccleuch,” was on the point of leaving the wharf in Yarmouth Harbour for Hull, with 20 passengers on board, her boiler burst, and several persons were scalded and otherwise slightly injured, the Captain (W. Wright) being seriously hurt. The steamer was much damaged, and her fittings amidships blown to a considerable distance.
March 1st. The full-rigged ship “Hannah Pattersen,” laden with 1,500 tons of coal, came ashore abreast of the Workhouse, where she became a total wreck. Insured for £2,000.
March 2nd. Ten tenders opened for re-building the south aisle of St. Nicholas’ Church, and Mr. Williams, of Cardiff, was selected, his estimate for the work being £4,755, out of which sum £480 was deducted for old materials.
March 9th. Mr. C. L. Chipperfield presented by Major Foreman with a handsome timepiece, in acknowledgment of his valuable services as Secretary of the Yarmouth Building Society.
March 10th. The smack “Silver Cloud” run into by the steamer “Earl of Durham,” off Winterton, and foundered with loss of all hands.
April 3rd. Schooner “Hickman,” 98 tons, struck by lightning.
April 15th. The Great Yarmouth Water Works Bill, for further extending its powers in a drainage scheme, passed in the House of Lords.
April 20th. The King of Prussia, through the Ambassador at the Court of St. James’, awarded Capt. Balls, of the schooner “George,” of Yarmouth, a gratuity of £10 for rescuing the crew of the Prussian schooner “Christine.”
April 22nd. New organ opened at Belton Church by Mr. F. W. Rolfe, organist of St. Peter’s, Yarmouth.
April 28th. Duke’s Head Hotel sold to Mr. J. Davy for £1,525.
April 29th. The iron s.s. “Lady Flora,” 1,000 tons burthen, 250 feet in length, ran ashore on Caister beach, and after unremitting efforts on the part of Mr. T. B. Carr, of Hull, Mr. Beeching, of Yarmouth, and a numerous gang of men, who bodily raised her massive weight on to blocks, she was again successfully launched on July 8th in the presence of several hundred spectators. In Dec. this steamer was totally lost in the Baltic.
May 19th. The Gorleston Company of the Yarmouth Rifle Corps first met for recruit drill. First competition prize match, Oct. 14th.
May 26th. First stone of the St. James’ Church laid by the Very Rev. Dr. Goulburn, Dean of Norwich.
June 4th. Violent explosion of gas at Mr. Gambling’s office at Southtown, doing damage in and around the premises to the extent of £200 or £300.
June 9th. Charles Cory, Esq., 18 years Town Clerk of the Borough, died at Lugano, Switzerland, aged 54 years. It was decided on June 28th to place a memorial window to his memory in St. Nicholas’ Church. His father and grandfather both held the office of Chief Magistrate of the Borough; the former died in 1840.
June 24th. Charles Diver, Esq., appointed as Town Clerk at a salary of £200, and £50 extra as Clerk to the Local Board of Health. (See Nov. 30th, 1875, and Dec. 5th, 1883.)
Aug. 24th. Comer stone of the residence of the Head Master of the Grammar School laid next the site for the intended new Grammar School.
Aug. The Hon. and Rev. Edward Pellew, M.A. (about eight years Incumbent of St. Nicholas’ Church, and which he resigned in 1844 in favour of the Ven. H. Mackenzie, M.A.), died at Crowe Hill, Nottinghamshire, aged 69.
Sept. 6th. Two gentlemen started on a voyage by the rivers and streams, a distance of about 130 miles—from Hitchin to Yarmouth, via Norwich and Reedham—in the canoes “Wanderer” and “Ruby,” which adventurous journey was completed in six days.
Sept, 9th. The French iron steamer “Fulton,” worth about £5,000, and cargo £650, through collision with the brig “Thomas Gales,” opposite the Monument, foundered, but her crew were saved. Insured for £3,200.
Sept. 15th. Mr. T. Todd’s smack “Ann” foundered.
Sept. 20th. Mr. H. Stonex presented by the Yarmouth Musical Society with a gold-mounted ivory baton and an inlaid walnut music-stool as a token of their appreciation of him as their conductor.
Sept. 23rd. Mr. William James Palmer admitted a licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries.
Sept. Commander T. S. Gooch, R.N., son of Admiral Gooch of Yarmouth, appointed to the command of H.M.S. “Beacon,” on the coast of Africa.
Oct. 5th. Mr. Thomas H. Colley, on resigning the office of House Surgeon at the Yarmouth Hospital, after 14 years’ service, was presented at the Town Hall with a gold watch and chain, value about £40, and a purse of 250 guineas, by 500 subscribers, for his zeal and kindness in the discharge of his duties.
Oct. 19th. Terrific gale. More than 70 smacks put in disabled, and some seven lost their crews (41 men), besides 14 other men washed overboard; 13 widows and 25 children left destitute.
Oct. 29th. The Italian barque “Oceana Antonio,” 529 tons, ran ashore south of the Wellington Pier.
Dec. 20th. Gas explosion at Messrs. Bracey and Son’s counting-house, whereby two persons were injured.
Launches: Feb. 1st, the schooner “Maria,” from Mr. Rust’s yard after extensive repairs.—Oct. 11th, the smack “Alice,” 40 tons register, from Mr. Rust’s yard.—Nov. 12th, the self-righting lifeboat “Penny Readings,” 33 feet long, cost £500, launched at Lynn, the boat having been built in Yarmouth.—Nov. 25th, the smack “Cambria,” from Messrs. Smith’s yard.
Deaths: Jan. 11th, Arthur Steward, Esq., aged 68.—March 4th, William Jex, Esq., Master of the Hopton Hunt, aged 68.—April 14th, William Hill Winmill, Esq., of Gorleston, aged 35.—Aug. 10th, Edward Trafford, Esq., of Wroxham.—Dec. 8th, Mr. Stephen Hardingham, aged 74.
1870.
Jan. 2nd. New organ at Roman Catholic Church opened.
Feb. 14th. The schooner “St. Cyran” came ashore south of the Britannia Pier, and the crew rescued by the rocket apparatus; the Austrian brig “Giovanning” came ashore in the South Ham; the steamer “Sea Queen,” 677 tons burthen or 903 dead weight, laden with 1,100 tons of coal, wrecked off Yarmouth, and her crew of 24 hands perished; and the barque “Victoria” wrecked on Gorleston Beach, 500 yards from the shore, and out of a crew of 16 but fire were rescued.
Feb. 15th. The schooner “Favourite” came ashore between the Jetty and Wellington Pier, and the crew, except one boy, saved; and on the same morning, the crew of the lifeboat “Friend of All Nations” courageously proceeded out of the harbour to a vessel in the South Ham, and the perilous venture of the crew was hailed with lusty cheers from a crowd assembled on the Gorleston Pier. In these gales the smack “Chance It” was burnt to the water’s edge off Yarmouth, and the crew gallantly rescued by the smack “William and Ann,” of this port.
Feb. 23rd. The organ at St. Nicholas’ Church, after being repaired by Messrs. Hill, of London, at a cost of £820, was opened by a grand choral service. Before removal it contained 2,133 pipes, which number has been increased to 2,873, viz., great organ 1,311, swell 908, choir organ 504, pedal organ 150; 45 stops and 7 couplers.
Feb. Rev. A. P. Holme appointed by the Bishop of Chester to the Rectory of Tattenhall, Cheshire; and on Mar. 1st the rev. gentleman was presented with a silver inkstand, value £25, marble timepiece £5, and an electro-plated cruet stand.
March 5th. Collision in the Roadstead between the s.s. “Chester,” value £8,000, and s.s. “Thames,” the former being run ashore north of the Britannia Pier.
March 20th. Fire on board the iron s.s. “Emily.”
April 27th. The first portion of St. James’ Church, which cost about £1,000, was opened by the Bishop of Columbia. The entire building, when finished, will cost £8,000 or £10,000.
April 28th. The south aisle of St. Nicholas’ Church, after being rebuilt, opened with a full choral service, the Lord Bishops of Rochester and Norwich officiating in the service. This service was the grandest since Aug., 1848, when Dr. Stanley and Dr. Wilberforce preached at the opening services, after the old galleries, pews, &c., had been swept away. The Church covers an area of 23,085 square feet; is 228 ft. long and 110 ft. wide, transept 148 ft.; and will accommodate 5,500 worshippers.
April. Captains Spencer Smyth, R.N., and C. Dent promoted to the rank of Rear-Admirals. The former served in several naval engagements from March, 1803 (when he entered as Midshipman on board the “Dreadnought,” 98 guns), to Oct. 22nd, 1827, the date he was promoted to the rank of Commander; and from 19th of March, 1833, to Oct., 1835, he filled the position of Assistant-Commander of the Coastguard at Yarmouth; and promoted to Captain on the reserve list F.G., July 28th, 1851, for meritorious services. (See Aug. 3rd.) Admiral Dent also served in several similar engagements since the year 1810.
May 18th. Gaol Street altered to its original name, Middlegate Street.
May. Baptist Chapel in Row 14 sold to Sir E. H. K. Lacon, and converted into a beer store. In excavating, an immense leaden coffin was discovered, besides the human bones of persons long since departed this life, which were re-interred. On Aug. 25th the cornerstone of the new Chapel on Wellesley Road was laid. (See April 7th, 1871.)
May 30th. Lord Mahon, eldest son of Earl Stanhope, returned as Member of Parliament for East Suffolk, including Gorleston. Votes—Mahon, 3,456; Colonel Sir Shafto Adair, Bart., 3,285; including Gorleston votes, M., 245; A., 183.
June 6th. Mr. E. Cattermoul, librarian, presented with a watch, value £25, and a cheque for £31 10s., by the subscribers to the Public library.
July 12th. Middlegate Congregational Church rebuilt and opened. This building alone cost £4,000, the architect being Mr. J. T. Bottle, of Yarmouth.
July 18th. John Bately, Esq., of Southtown, was admitted a licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of London, having passed on Sept. 24th, 1864, the examination in Arts at Apothecaries’ Hall; on May 6th, 1868, admitted a member of the Royal College of Surgeons; and on July 2nd of the same year, a licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries of London. On October 1st, 1868, this gentleman, at the opening of the Medical Session of Queen’s College, Birmingham, by Lord Littleton, received from the hands of the Bishop of Worcester the Council Prize of the Sydenham College—the highest honour the College could confer.
July 27th. Mr. M. E. Sturge, the newly-appointed bandmaster of the East Norfolk Militia, presented with a richly-chased ebony and gold baton by the members of the band, as a mark of their respect and esteem.
Aug. 3rd. Police-constable Shreeve gallantly rescued a lady, who had fallen overboard while in the act of landing from the London passenger steamer “Albion,” from drowning.
Aug. 3rd. Mr. W. S. Stanford appointed Harbour Master in the place of Rear-Admiral S. Smyth.
Aug. 7th. H.M.S. “Penelope” put into Yarmouth, but left on the 12th. This ironclad vessel, under the command of Lieut. Mogel, is a double screw corvette, 600 horse-power, 3,096 tons, carries ten guns, and a crew of 400 all told.
Aug. 8th. Edward Youell, Esq., died at Yarmouth, aged 89 years. This much respected gentleman was a partner for 42 years in the banking firm, of Lacons, Youell, and Co., from which he retired in 1863, having been in the house nearly 70 years.
Aug. 8th. A fishing trawler driven into the new works of the Jetty (see Aug. 20th, 1808), carrying away one of the piles, and knocking down the pile-driving machine, which fell on her deck and completely crushed it.
Aug. Mr. William James Palmer, L.S.A., admitted a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons.
Aug. 18th. Mr. J. S. Dominy, previous to leaving for York, resigned the position of Head Master of the Government School of Art in favour of Mr. J. F. Ryan.
Aug. 20th. Mr. John Harrington gallantly rescued two men from drowning on Yarmouth Beach; and during the present year he was instrumental in saving the lives of two others, for which he was awarded a testimonial on vellum by the Royal Humane Society.
Aug. 23rd. Great Yarmouth Annual Marine Regatta took place. The first Annual Roads Regatta was held Aug. 1st, 1834.
Sept. 1st. Meeting convened by the Mayor at the Town Hall on behalf of the sick and wounded in the Franco-German war; £297 6s. 7d. collected in the town, out of which sum £291 16s. was forwarded, when the list closed in Jan., 1871, to the National Society.
Sept. 22nd. S. J. F. Stafford, Esq., surgeon, presented with an elegant crystal-and-gold claret jug, and on Dec. 29th with a silver salver by the Nottingham Order of Oddfellows, as a token of their esteem.
Sept. Miss Emma Pearson, daughter of the late Capt. Pearson, of Yarmouth, sacrificed the comforts of her home to undergo suffering and privation in a foreign country as head nurse amidst the carnage of battle fields, and too much cannot be said in praise of her conduct. On being invited by Count Bernstoff to the Prussian Embassy, she received many merited thanks for her kindness and attention to the German wounded. (See Aug., 1872.)
Oct. 14th. Heavy gale, in which the “Ex,” of Yarmouth, foundered; and on the 16th, the lugger “Proverb,” of Gorleston, and six other vessels.
Oct. 24th and 25th. The most beautiful display of the Aurora Borealis witnessed since 1707.
Nov. 18th. The s.s. “M. E. Clarke” totally lost on Hasbro’ Sands, and her crew of 16 hands landed at Cromer.
Nov. 26th. The s.s. “Dolphin,” with cattle for London, towed into Yarmouth Roadstead. To save the vessel, 150 bullocks and 250 sheep were thrown overboard.
Dec. 13th. The catch of herrings this season up to this date was 18,394 lasts, which realised no less a sum than £180,000. One boat brought in 142 lasts, another 132 lasts, and others were almost equally successful. Last year’s catch was about 13,221 lasts; and in 1868, 15,476 lasts. 12 vessels left with 28,390 barrels of bloaters for exportation.
During the summer season, the town was visited by upwards of 78,000 people, viz., 63,000 by rail, and 15,000 by the passenger steamers “Albion” and “Seine.”
A mackerel, 19 in. long, 10½ in. in girth, and weighing 2 lbs. 11 ozs., brought ashore.
One hundred and fifty-six fully-licensed public-houses, 16 hotels, and 88 beer-houses, including Gorleston—making a total of 260.
Deaths: Jan. 9th, Thomas Brightwen, Esq., J.P., senior local partner in the banking firm of Messrs. Gurneys, Birkbeck, and Co., aged 57.—Feb. 24th, D. Stewart, Esq., aged 79.—Feb., Mr. Henry Jay, shipowner, and formerly a Member of the Corporation.—April 4th, the Rev. John Meffin, 50 years minister of the Countess of Huntingdon Connexion, aged 93.—May 25th, John Branch, Esq., aged 74.—May 31st, Mr. George Alexander, artist, aged 64.—June 1st, at Yarmouth, Alex. John, son of the late Samuel Grimmer, Esq., of Haddiscoe Hall, aged 61.—July 21st, Mr. Samuel Cubitt Richmond, merchant, a Member of the Town Council.—Oct. 6th, at Portsmouth, Col. Edwin Wodehouse, C.B., R.A., Aide-de-camp to the Queen, eldest son of the late Admiral the Hon. Philip Wodehouse, aged 53.—Oct. 17th, Mr. Edward Stagg, a Member of the Town Council, aged 57 (see Feb., 1866).—Nov. 14th, C. E. Bartram, Esq., J.P., and Town Councillor, aged 72.—Nov. 30th, Henry Holt Barber, Esq., a Member of the Town Council, aged 38.—Dec. 19th, Mr. Henry Fellows, shipbuilder, at Southtown, aged 69.
The cost of lighting the town (330) lamps with gas this year was £1,178 12s.
Launches: Feb. 14th, the smack “Valentine;” June 20th, the brigantine “Ethel,” 100 feet long, and 200 tons register, belonging to W. J. Foreman, Esq., launched, after being repaired, from Mr. Rust’s yard; Aug. 29th, the new trawling smack “Bonny Boys;” Oct. 1st, the fishing lugger “Guiding Star;” Nov. 17th, the lifeboat “Bolton,” built by Messrs. Beeching, of Yarmouth, publicly inaugurated at Kessingland; Nov. 19th, trawling smack “Statesman;” Dec. 14th, smack “Galatea.”