24.—The 1st Royal Dragoons marched from Norwich for Canterbury.
—*“Died lately at Loddon, aged 86, Thomas Reynolds. He presented to the inhabitants and caused to be erected, at his sole expense, in 1821, a finely-toned organ by which the church of Loddon is ornamented.”
26.—Mr. T. P. Cooke made his first appearance at Norwich Theatre, in the character of Martin Heywood (“The Rent Day”). His other impersonations included William (“Black-eyed Susan”), Long Tom Coffin (“The Pilot”), the Demon (“The Fate of Frankinstein”), Sir Roderick Dhu (“Lady of the Lake”), and poses plastique.
30.—A jury empanelled to try a civil action at the Lent Assizes at Thetford had a remarkable experience. The trial commenced at four o’clock in the afternoon of the 30th, and terminated at eight o’clock on the evening of the 31st, when the jury retired to consider their verdict. They were locked up all night, and did not find a verdict until 11 o’clock on the morning of April 1st. The case came before the Court of King’s Bench on April 19th, when application was made for a new trial, on the ground that refreshments had been given to one of the jurors!
31.—The thanks of the Norwich Court of Mayoralty were unanimously voted to Lieut.-Col. Somerset and officers of the 1st Royal Dragoons, “for the highly satisfactory manner in which they had conducted themselves whale stationed in the city, and for aiding in the suppression of riotous and tumultuous assemblies,” and to the non-commissioned officers and privates “for the way in which they had discharged their duty as connected with the peace of the city.”
APRIL.
2.—A steeplechase took place from a field near Wheatacre White House to Thurlton Church (distance between four and five miles), between a bay mare, the property of Mr. Charles Duppa, of Kent (owner up), and a chestnut horse belonging to Mr. John Carr, of Beales (ridden by his whipper-in, R. Warner). The mare won easily. Protest entered. On the same day another steeplechase was ridden from Gissing Church to Thurlton Church, between “the celebrated little grey horse,” the property of Mr. Charles Ellis, of Shelfanger Hall, and
a “grey mare of hunting celebrity,” belonging to Mr. Williams, of Diss. The horse won.
5.—The first outbreak of cholera in Norfolk occurred at Stow Bridge, and in two months 33 cases were reported, of which 13 terminated fatally. The disease made its appearance at Cawston on May 25th; and in Crown Court, St. Peter Hungate, Norwich, on August 15th. The Board of Health directed the bodies of all persons who had died of cholera to be interred within twenty-four hours, the clothes and bedding of the deceased to be destroyed, and surviving friends to be indemnified by the Corporation of Guardians. The medical men of the city gratuitously superintended the parishes allotted to each. On September 12th several cases were reported at the Bethel, and eight inmates died. The last official return was made on October 18th, when it was stated that the total number of cases in Norwich was 320, and the deaths 128. Thanksgiving services were held at the Cathedral and parish churches on November 11th, on the termination of the outbreak.
9.—A sloop of 60 tons burden, intended for the coasting trade, was launched from Mr. Thomas Bailey’s yard, at Carrow.