12.—A new building, known as the Royal Norfolk and Norwich Bazaar, in St. Andrew’s Street, Norwich, was opened. It was erected for the encouragement of “female and domestic industry.” Counters were let at small rents to “respectable females recommended by the lady patronesses.”
14.—Died at Earl’s Terrace, Kensington, aged 25, the Lady Henrietta Ann, wife of Mr. Charles Knight Murray, and sister of the Earl of Rothes.
15.—Died at his house, at Southtown, Yarmouth, aged 69, the Rev. Edward Valpy, B.D., for many years head master of the Norwich Free Grammar School. He was rector of Thwaite All Saints and vicar of South Walsham St. Mary the Virgin.
16.—Married at the Hotel of the British Ambassador, Paris, by the Rev. Thomas Sayers, Mr. Isaac Preston, Recorder of Norwich, to Frances, daughter of the Rev. J. Jephson, Prebendary of Armagh, and brother of Sir Richard Jephson, Bart.
23.—Mr. and Mrs. Wood (formerly Miss Paton) appeared at Norwich Theatre as Hawthorn and Rosetta (“Love in a Village”). On subsequent evenings they played the parts of Tom Tug and Wilelmina (“The Waterman”), Malcolm and Zelinda (“The Slave”), Steady and Gillian (“The Quaker”), Henry Bertram and Julia Mannering (“Guy Mannering”), and Masaniello and Princess Elvira (“Masaniello”).
MAY.
1.—Mr. S. W. Stevenson, one of the proprietors of the Norfolk Chronicle, was elected Mayor of Norwich.
3.—At a meeting of the Common Council at Norwich, Mr. W. J. Utten Browne moved that a petition be presented to the House of Lords against the Reform Bill, which he described as “a tissue of fraud, folly, and injustice, hideous in its anomalies, and displaying more profound ignorance of sound constitutional law than any other
production he had ever witnessed.” The motion was adopted by 40 votes against 9. An address to the King was circulated in Norwich on May 12th, acknowledging “the patriotic course adopted by his Majesty in rejecting the pernicious and unconstitutional counsel of Ministers completely to overwhelm the free deliberations of the House of Peers by creating a large addition to that body pledged to carry through the measure, in opposition to the recorded sentiments of the large majority of that right honourable House.” The address and signatures were inscribed in three closely-written columns on thirteen yards of parchment. On the 14th a public meeting was held at St. Andrew’s Hall, “for the purpose of adopting such measures as may be deemed expedient at the present momentous crisis for securing to all classes of the people the benefit of the Reform Bill brought before Parliament by Earl Grey and members of the late Administration.” A “Norfolk Address” to the King was circulated, acknowledging “the recent proofs of his Majesty’s desire to maintain the rights and privileges of the House of Lords.” The intelligence of the passing of the Bill by the House of Lords was received at Lynn and other places on June 5th with great rejoicing. The celebration at Norwich was deferred to July 5th, when a procession of about 2,400 persons, decorated with blue and white favours, marched from the Castle Ditches to the Cricket Ground. A cavalcade of 95 horsemen was headed by Mr. R. H. Gurney, M.P., accompanied by Mr. W. W. Windham, Mr. Anthony Hudson, Mr. W. Foster, and Mr. Peter Finch. Dinner was served for 2,000 in a marquee which extended the length of the field. The greatest order and regularity were observed throughout the day.
5.—His Majesty issued a writ, upon the report and recommendations of the Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords, certifying that Col. Wilson, of Didlington Hall, had made out his claim as the oldest co-heir to the Barony of Berners.