20.—Died, aged 71, Mr. John Dawson Downes, of Lowestoft (formerly of Yarmouth), “a gentleman well known to the sporting world, and in this county as the only constant follower of that noble diversion, hawking.”
23.*—[Advt.] “Cocking: A double-day’s play of cocking will be fought between the gentlemen of Swaffham and Wisbech, on Wednesday, May 27th, at the Coffee Pot Inn, Downham, for £10 a battle and £50 the odd. Feeders: Leech for Swaffham; Foster for Wisbech.”
28.—The bounds were beaten at Lynn by the clergyman, churchwardens, and officers of the parish, accompanied by 236 boys from the Free School. “The place of rendezvous was St. Margaret’s church, where, on entering, each boy was supplied with a long white-wand. At ten o’clock the procession set out for the shore of the harbour, and at the expiration of two hours returned again to the same place, having performed the usual evolutions of ducking, tubbing, and other ceremonies peculiar to such occasions. The boundaries of this place appear to terminate in some very singular points, as the parties had to enter several houses by the door and make their exit through the window. At the close of the circuit, the boys were all seated in the Crown Yard and regaled with a large plum bun and half a pint of beer each, and the elders dined at the Crown Tavern.”
31.—At Norwich Theatre was performed, for the first time, a tragedy written by Mr. J. Smith, entitled, “Ralph de Bigod, Earl of Norwich.”
JUNE.
3.—The old City Gaol, situate opposite the Guildhall, with a frontage of 70 feet and a depth of 156 feet, was sold by auction to Messrs. De Caux, Son, and Pratt, for £1,570; and the old Bridewell, in St. Andrew’s, with a frontage of 64 feet and a depth of 100 feet, was purchased on the same date by Mr. J. Curr, for £1,140.
9.—Miss Paton appeared at Norwich Theatre as Rosetta (“Love in a Village”). Her other impersonations during her engagement included Rosina (“The Barber of Seville”), Susanna (“The Marriage of Figaro”), Mary Copp (“Charles the Second”), Roxalana (“The Sultan”). Miss Paton cleared £140 at her benefit performance.
15.—At an assembly of the Norwich Corporation, the retiring Mayor (Mr. Thurtell), in replying to the customary vote of thanks, complained that he had been repeatedly insulted during his year of office. “I have been attacked by a bulldog,” he said, “and the yap has been continually barking at my heels, and language has been applied to me that would disgrace Billingsgate itself.”
16.—Guild Day at Norwich. Mr. T. O. Springfield was sworn in as Mayor. Great confusion was caused by an altercation between Mr. Thurtell and Mr. Crisp Brown. The Guild feast was held at St. Andrew’s Hall, and a ball took place at the Assembly Rooms.
18.—The Rev. H. R. Bowles (formerly of Norwich Theatre), master of the Yarmouth Academy, was entertained at luncheon at the Black Lion Tavern in that town, and presented by his former pupils with a silver salver weighing 84 ozs. In his reply, he said that far different pursuits had occupied his earlier years, but for twenty years he had never been absent a day from his school-room for pleasure.