—Died at King’s Lynn, Mr. Joseph Waters, for many years a prominent merchant in that town. “This melancholy event took place owing to a violent fright which he received in the Theatre on that day.”
4.—In the Court of King’s Bench commenced a long course of litigation in which the Corporation of Norwich was concerned. Sir W. Follett applied for a rule to shew cause why a quo warranto should not
be filed calling upon Mr. Thomas Brightwell to show by what authority he claimed to exercise the office of Alderman. It was explained that after the passing of the Municipal Reform Act a certain number of Aldermen were elected for the city. Instead of each being nominated separately, they were all proposed and elected in a batch, which, it was contended, was clearly illegal. The court granted the application. A similar rule was applied for against the Mayor, Mr. Springfield, for, it was argued, if the Aldermen had not themselves been properly elected, they could not elect a Mayor. A rule was also granted in this case. On November 24th the rule was made absolute in the case of Mr. Brightwell, and enlarged in the case of Mr. Springfield. In the Bail Court on the same date Mr. Kelly obtained rules nisi calling upon fourteen persons to show by what authority they took upon themselves to act as Aldermen. On December 19th the Attorney-General applied in the Rolls Court for an injunction to restrain the Mayor and Corporation from defraying out of the municipal funds the expenses incurred in defending the quo warrantos in the Court of King’s Bench, calling upon Messrs. Springfield and Brightwell to show cause by what authority they held the offices, the former of Mayor and the latter of Alderman, as well as the expenses attending the presentation of a petition to the Lord Chancellor to appoint new trustees of the funds of the public charities, the management of which was vested in the Corporation. The bill charged the defendants with applying the Corporation funds wrongfully, in a manner inconsistent with the duties of a Mayor and Corporation, and in direct violation of the provisions of the Municipal Corporation Act, by applying them for the aforesaid purposes, in consequence of certain resolutions to which the corporate body had come. The effect of these resolutions was that the City Treasurer should from time to time pay out of the city funds such sums of money as the committee of the Corporation should deem necessary towards defraying the expenses of the quo warrantos and petition above-named. The defendants put in two demurrers to the bill, and Lord Langdale said he would consider the case before pronouncing judgment. (See January 13th, 1837.)
5.*—“We wish to direct the attention of landowners and farmers in Norfolk to the extraordinary success which has attended the attempt of Mr. R. Crawshay, of Honingham Hall, to cultivate hops in Norfolk. A sample of them may now be seen at Norgate and Co.’s, which competent judges have declared to surpass the growth of any other county in the kingdom. Our agriculturists will be deeply indebted to this gentleman for proving to them that a valuable plant indigenous to the soil may be cultivated with profitable success in Norfolk.”
9.—Mr. Thomas Brightwell was elected Mayor, and Mr. John Bateman appointed Sheriff, of Norwich.
23.—A musical festival took place at Fakenham parish church. “The Messiah” was rendered in the morning, and “Judas Maccabeus” in the evening. The soloists were supplied by the choir of Norwich Cathedral. “Admission, middle aisle, 3s.; other parts, 2s.”
26.*—“The allotment system has been tried on a tolerably large scale in the parish of Attleborough, by Sir John Smyth, Bart., of Woodmarston Hall, Surrey, lord of the manor of Attleborough. The allotments are let at moderate rents, not exceeding the rent of similar
lands in farm, with the addition of the tithes and other charges which are paid by the landlord.”
28.—Sir James Flower’s hounds met at Stow, where the stag was turned off and was taken at Garboldisham Lings, after a run of five hours. The distance from point to point was about eleven miles, but the stag ran at least 40 miles, and the only horsemen up at the finish were the huntsman and first whip.
29.—A severe gale occurred. A large wooden building erected at the Ranelagh Gardens, Norwich, for circus performances, was blown down by the tremendous violence of the wind. “The great oak at Necton, for which the late Mr. William Mason was offered by a shipwright at Lynn, in 1812, 120 guineas, had two arms blown off it, each the size of ordinary timber trees.” Barns and wheat stacks were blown down at Necton, Ashill, West Bradenham, and Beeston. At Carbrooke a windmill, the property of Mr. Robert Homes, was wrecked, and his son killed.