An act was passed this year (1751) to open the Port of Yarmouth for the importation of wool and woollen yarn from Ireland, which was very beneficial to the city.
The number of houses and inhabitants, in the city precincts and hamlets, in 1752, was as follows:—7139 houses, 36,169 souls, being an increase of 7288 inhabitants since 1693, when the population was only 28,881.
In 1755, a table was drawn up settling the habits to be worn by the mayor and corporation at public meetings.
A slight shock of an earthquake was felt here on January 10th, 1756. On May 3rd of the same year, the freedom of the city was voted to the Right Hon. Wm. Pitt, and Henry B. Legge (the former being late secretary of state, and the latter, chancellor of the exchequer), for their conduct during their honourable but short administration. The freedom of the city, and thanks of the corporation, were also voted to Matthew Goss, Esq., for his present of the gold chain which has ever since been worn by the mayors. A public subscription was made for the poor, in consequence of the high price of wheat, and scarcity of work, and 12,000 persons in Norwich were supplied with household bread at half-price for some time.
On July 12th, 1756, the Earl of Orford put the act for the better regulating the Militia in execution. This act fixed the number of men to be raised for Norfolk and Norwich at 960, of which the city furnished 151.
On June 21st, 1759, there was a most violent storm here, some of the hailstones being two inches long, and weighing three-quarters of an ounce. On July 4th and 5th, the Norfolk Militia, commanded by Lord Orford, marched from Norwich to Portsmouth, and passed in review before His Majesty George II., at Kensington.
In digging under the rampart of the Castle Hill in 1760, two very curious bones were discovered, supposed by some to be amulets, which the Druids wore at their sacrifices.
In 1760, King George II. died at Kensington, on October 25th, and his grandson, George III. was proclaimed king, in Norwich, on the 29th, by the mayor and corporation, preceded by the four Norwich companies of militia, with flags, banners, and music. On September 22nd, 1761, the coronation of their Majesties was celebrated with great splendour in Norfolk, and in Norwich there was a general illumination, and a grand display of fireworks from a triumphal arch erected in the Market Place.
On October 27th, 1762, there was a sudden flood in the city, which laid near 300 houses and 8 parish churches under water. It rose 12 feet perpendicular in 24 hours, being 15 inches higher than St. Faith’s flood in 1696.
In 1763, January 3rd, John Spurrell, Esq., died, leaving £1355 to the corporation, the interest to be applied for the benefit of the poor in the Great Hospital, and for other charitable purposes. The Earl of Buckinghamshire, alderman Thomas Harvey, and Mr. Robert Page, gave £100 each to Doughty’s Hospital.