June 8th. The Newmarket mail arrived in Norwich with news of the Corn Importation Bill having been thrown out of the House of Commons by a majority of 10, and was dragged by the excited people for hours through the streets. At night a great bonfire was made.
June 27th. Peace with France was proclaimed. The mayor and corporation went in a procession of carriages from the Guildhall through the principal streets, preceded by trumpets, and accompanied by thousands of people.
July 7th. The thanksgiving day for the happy restoration of peace. The mayor and corporation attended divine service at the Cathedral. About 700 children from the church schools went in procession to St. Andrew’s Hall, where a plentiful dinner of roast beef and plum pudding was provided for them by the treasurers of the charity schools. The poor in their several parishes participated in the general joy, and were regaled with plentiful dinners, paid for by subscriptions.
1815. March 4th. The late Professor Taylor stood a contest, for the third time, for nominee of St. Peter’s Mancroft ward. Of course he was beaten, this being an orange-and-purple ward, but he polled 107 votes. However, he was soon afterwards elected a common councilman, without difficulty, in the Northern ward, where the blue-and-whites had always a large majority. This was on March 16th, and on May 3rd he was elected a member of the court of guardians. He took a very active part in local politics, and was the first man who ever reported and published the proceedings of the common council.
June 23rd. The glorious news was received in Norwich, with triumphant rejoicings, of the ever memorable victory obtained by the Duke of Wellington over the French army, commanded by Buonaparte in person, at Waterloo, near Brussels, on the 18th. Buonaparte fled to Paris, leaving upwards of 200 pieces of cannon in the hands of the allied armies.
June 27th. Rejoicings were renewed here on the news being received of the second abdication of Buonaparte, the immediate consequence of the grand victory of La Belle Alliance.
1816. January 18th. This day was appointed a thanksgiving day for the restoration of peace, and it was solemnly observed. The mayor and corporation of Norwich attended divine service at the Cathedral. Sermons were preached at the different places of worship, and collections were made for the poor.
January 25th. At the 51st anniversary of the Castle corporation, Thomas Back, Esq., alderman, presented two medals to be worn by the recorder and steward of the society. Each medal bore a good likeness of Mr. Pitt, on a beautiful cameo; the motto round which was Non Sibi sed Patriæ Vixit. On the reverse were the words, “Presented by Thomas Back, Junior, Esq., to the Castle Corporation, Norwich, in commemoration of the great victory of Waterloo, obtained on the 18th June, 1815, by the Allied Armies under the command of Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington;” and around this was the motto, “In memory of the Right Hon. William Pitt; died the 23rd January, 1806, aged 47.”
January 29th. Died, aged 86, Robert Harvey, Esq., called the Father of the City of Norwich, for his great benevolence and liberality and promotion of trade.
February 20th. A numerous meeting was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, with the mayor, J. H. Yallop, Esq., in the chair, when resolutions against the property tax, and a petition founded thereon, were passed unanimously. Similar petitions were sent from Lynn, Yarmouth, and other towns. County meetings were also held to petition against the tax.