1.—The celebration of May Day, which, from time immemorial, has been observed at Lynn by children parading the streets with garlands of flowers and the sounding of horns, was this year prohibited by the authorities of the borough.
25.—Miss Read, a native of the city, appeared at Norwich Theatre as Belvedera (“Venice Preserved”). “Her performance was marked by talent and feeling very creditable in so young an actress.”
26.—A specimen of the common plant valerian rubra was exhibited at the show of the Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Society with the following inscription upon the label attached: “This plant was raised from seed found in a cement coffin discovered beneath the ruins of Wymondham Priory church. The period of interment is proved antecedent to 1300.”
31.—Married at Kensington, by the Rev. T. B. Murray, the Rev. George William Murray, of Merton College, Oxford, assistant minister of St. Peter’s, Pimlico, fifth son of Charles Murray, formerly of Norwich, to Marianne, second daughter of Major-General Sir William Douglas, K.C.B., of Timperdean, Roxburghshire.
JUNE.
4.*—“Died lately, aged 68, William Brett, an ingenious and eccentric individual, generally known as ‘Duke Brett,’ of Swaffham, by trade a shoemaker, but a perfect factotum in all manner of handicraft, and a celebrated opium-eater, having for many years consumed large quantities of this drug daily.”
8.—At a meeting of the Norwich Town Council, Capt. Money moved a resolution in favour of the admission of the public to the discussions of that body, “because it would make the members more measured in their language, more careful, and more honest.” Mr. Burt moved a negative resolution, and stated that “if they could not restrain their language in the company of gentlemen of education and respectability, they would not do so in the presence of a school of persons casually admitted.” Capt Money’s motion was negatived.
28.—A meeting of the directors and proprietors of the Norwich Yarn Company was held at the Guildhall, at which it was stated that the factory was incapable of supplying even one-third of the quantity of yarn required for manufacturing purposes in the city and neighbourhood. It was decided that the capital be increased by the creation of 700 additional shares of £100 each. (See December 1st, 1836.)
JULY.
4.—A novel feat of pedestrianism was performed on the Norwich Cricket Ground, in the presence of a great number of spectators. “Sixty yards of cord were wound round a pole one foot in circumference. The pedestrian took the end of the cord and ran round the pole until the whole was off, which was to be completed in the space of four hours, the distance being computed to be 20 miles. The pedestrian, John Baldwin, a native of Norwich, performed the arduous task in less than three and a half hours.”