24.—An altar piece, copied from Rubens’ “Descent from the Cross,” and about one-fourth the size of the original picture, presented to St Peter’s church, Yarmouth, by Col. Mason, was on this day placed in position under the personal superintendence of the donor.
1834.
JANUARY.
3.—The question of the restoration of the south and west faces of the keep of Norwich Castle was discussed at the Norfolk Quarter Sessions, and referred to the visiting justices, who recommended that it be undertaken; and on May 17th the tender of Mr. Watson was accepted and the work ordered to be proceeded with at once. On July 28th a public meeting was held at the Guildhall, “to take into consideration the expediency of instituting an inquiry into the necessity for covering up the face of such an antient relic with new building,” and a resolution moved by Mr. Samuel Bignold, and seconded by Mr. Stevenson, expressing regret at the “demolition,” and suggesting that an antiquary and architect be consulted before it was further proceeded with, was unanimously adopted. A deputation was also appointed to wait upon the Gaol Committee. At a meeting of the county magistrates, on October 17th, it was decided to employ Mr. Blore, a well-known architect and antiquary, “to survey and report upon the present state of the Castle, and the best mode of proceeding with the repairs.” Mr. Blore reported on November 10th that the masonry was in a very bad state; that the then face of the building was not altogether original, but that the repairs and restorations it had undergone at various periods had been closely assimilated with the original work. He recommended that what was needed to be done should be judiciously incorporated with the ancient work. It was finally decided, on January 9th, 1835, that the visiting justices be authorised to continue the work as originally intended, and that they be empowered to consult Mr. Blore or any other architect they might think proper to employ.
9.—At a meeting of the Norwich Corporation, a resolution was passed protesting against any report that might be made by the Municipal Commissioners respecting the Corporation, “based on statements so
utterly unfit to justify Parliament in legislating on so important a subject,” and inviting the various Corporations throughout the kingdom “to make common cause with them in endeavouring to defeat any design that might be in contemplation for wresting from them their antient charters, franchises, and liberties.”
12.—The organ of Norwich Cathedral was re-opened by Mr. Buck, after its thorough reparation by Bishop, of Lisson Grove, London. The sermon on the occasion was preached by the Right Hon. and Rev. Lord Bayning. The instrument was the original work of Father Schmidt.
21.—The first of the Choral Concerts inaugurated “for the purpose of obtaining a reserve fund for the support of the choral band at the Musical Festival and for maintaining and keeping together the great body of musical talent existing in the locality,” was held at St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich.
25.—During a performance by a company of comedians at Cley-next-the-Sea, a pistol was fired, and the ramrod, which had been left in the barrel, entered the side of an actor named Leary, who was badly injured.
27.—Mr. Frederick Vining, of Covent Garden and the Haymarket Theatres, commenced a short engagement at Norwich Theatre, where he was formerly a favourite actor. His impersonations included Young Rapid (“A Cure for the Heartache”), Martin Heywood (“The Rent-day”), Sidney Maynard (“The Housekeeper”), Templeton (“Deaf as a Post”), Frank Bramble (“The Poor Gentleman”), and Harry Villars (“Open House”).