to the bridesmaid, Miss Hannah Goldsmith, the sister of the other bride, Mr. and Mrs. Goldsmith performing in their turn the necessary offices for this couple. The village bells rang gaily, and a great deal of merry-making followed these nuptials.”
OCTOBER.
6.—Died at his house, St. Giles’, Norwich, aged 73, Mr. William Burt. He served the office of Sheriff in 1814, was elected Alderman of the Great Ward of Mancroft in 1815, and was Mayor in 1820. Mr. Edmund Newton was elected Alderman in his place.
8.—The Norwich Eldon Club held its first anniversary dinner at the Waggon and Horses Inn, Tombland.
11.—Died at Hindolvestone, Mr. Thomas Gardner, groom of the Great Chamber to the King. “He had the honour to serve in that capacity during the whole of the late reign, and also in the reign of George III., having held the appointment upwards of thirty-three years.”
17.—The first revision of voters’ lists, under the Act of 2 William IV., c. 45, commenced in the Eastern division of the county at Long Stratton; the revising barristers for the Western division commenced their circuit at Thetford on the 25th. The revision of the Norwich lists commenced on the 22nd. It was described “as the vexatious and irritating process introduced by the Reform Bill”; and it resulted in the removal from the city lists of the names of between 300 and 400 persons who had hitherto been accustomed to vote.
23.—Mr. Cozens, of London, while shooting on the estate of Mr. Hardy, at Letheringsett, was killed by a gunshot wound accidentally inflicted by one of the party.
—A general court-martial, of which General Sir Robert Macfarlane, K.C.B., G.C.H., was president, commenced an inquiry at the Cavalry Barracks, Norwich, into charges preferred against certain privates for disobeying the lawful commands of the Colonel of the 7th Hussars. At a parade of the regiment for ball practice on September 27th, Col. Keane gave the word “Attention,” when, to his surprise, not a man obeyed the command. Seizing one of the men, Private Philip Pitman, he marched him to the officers’ quarters, and had him tried by court-martial for insubordination. He was sentenced to receive 200 lashes, which were administered immediately, in the presence of the whole regiment. All the men were armed with their weapons, and carried ball cartridge. This action on the part of the Colonel restored discipline and obedience to orders. Each prisoner made a long written defence. Their principal complaint was that the regiment was overworked. Colonel Keane replied that what had been ordered was by direction of the War Office; and the men had been kept constantly employed in consequence of the prevalence of cholera in Norwich. The court concluded its sittings on November 10th. The sentences, approved by his Majesty, were as follow:—Private John Martin, transportation for life; Thomas Almond, seven years’ transportation; Henry Bone, seven years; Charles Edwards, 12 months’ imprisonment; and John Clayson, 14 years’ transportation. Five non-commissioned officers were reduced to the ranks, and the regimental sergt.-major suspended. During the progress of the court-martial, a
troop of the 1st Dragoon Guards was stationed at Dereham, and a detachment of the 12th Regiment of Foot at Wymondham.
31.—A mysterious individual, known as “The Wandering Piper,” made his appearance at Norwich. It was stated that he had been an officer in the Army, and had served under Sir John Moore and the Duke of Wellington, and was piping through the country to win a wager, one of the conditions of which was that he must subsist upon unsolicited alms given by the public. The piper gave a performance at the Bell Inn, Orford Hill, in aid of the newly-established Lying-in Charity. He returned to Norwich on December 1st, and gave another entertainment at the Norfolk Hotel for the same charity. He re-appeared in Norwich in 1838, having, in the interval, travelled the British Isles and the United States. It was then announced that his name was Graham Stuart. His death occurred in March, 1839, at Mercers’ Hospital, Dublin, to which institution he bequeathed all his property.