—The Freebridge Lynn Hundred Association for the encouragement of agricultural labourers and servants was formed at a meeting held at the Duke’s Head Inn, Lynn. Sir W. B. ffolkes was elected president; the Rev. C. D. Brereton, of Little Massingham, secretary; and Mr. B. Aldham, treasurer.
DECEMBER.
1.—The directors of the Norwich Yarn Company having obtained the minimum sum necessary for commencing their new works on the ground purchased of Mr. Youngman, the first stone of the new factory was laid on this day. The event was celebrated by a procession in honour of Bishop Blaize, to illustrate the pagan story of Jason’s argonautic expedition to Colchis in search of the Golden Fleece. The last celebration of the kind took place in 1783. The character of Bishop Blaize was impersonated “most appropriately, both as to age and gravity, by Richard Dickerson, comber, who had taken part in the former procession.” Starting from the premises of the company, the procession paraded the principal streets of the city, and halted opposite Mr. Bignold’s house in Surrey Street, where an “oratorical address” was delivered by the senior orator, Edward Warman. At noon the procession arrived at St. Edmund’s, where Mr. Bignold laid the foundation stone, and, in addressing the company, stated that the building about to be erected would be 163 ft. in length, by 42 feet in width, and four storeys high. As the works already in operation afforded employment to 800 people, this mill, which would be one-third larger, would yield employment to 1,200. Upwards of £15,000 had been raised for defraying the cost of the works. The procession afterwards moved by a circuitous route to St. Andrew’s Hall, where the directors entertained 900 persons who had taken part in the proceedings. John Sell Cotman, who had sketched the pageant, announced the issue and sale of folio prints illustrating the event. He stated: “In pure regard of the children of the industrious poor of my native city, I give my labour, with the entire profits of the work.”
10.—The skeleton of a gigantic whale, taken at Plymouth in October, 1831, was exhibited on the Castle Hill, Norwich. It measured 85 feet in length, and was advertised as “The Prince of Whales at Home.”
25.—Christmas Day was ushered in with snowstorms and hailstorms, thunder, and lightning. On the 26th the roads were rendered almost impassable by the drifting snow, which, in some localities, was from ten to twelve feet deep. Soon all vehicular traffic was stopped. The Ipswich mail coach, which should have arrived at Norwich on Christmas Day, did not reach the city until eleven o’clock on the night of the 29th. It was detained at Thwaite Duke’s Head, whence the letter bags were despatched in the charge of mounted messengers. One of the passengers, Capt. Petre, undertook to walk to Norwich, a distance of twenty-eight miles; he arrived in the city on the 28th, and thence proceeded on his journey to Westwick House. The Newmarket mail could get no further than Bury St. Edmund’s, and all other public vehicles were delayed. On the Dereham, Fakenham, and other turnpikes gangs of labourers were employed to remove the snowdrifts. There were many shipping casualties on the Norfolk coast. Such severe weather had not been experienced since 1799. The thaw commenced in the middle of January, 1837, and high floods occurred in the neighbourhood of Norwich and in other localities.
26.—Ryan’s Royal Circus was opened for the season in a large wooden building erected at the Ranelagh Gardens, Norwich, by Mr. Bunn.
1837.
JANUARY.
3.—Hannah Manfield (or Saddler), aged 50, a woman of eccentric habits, residing on Denver Common, was found dead in her cottage, with her throat cut. A considerable quantity of plate had been taken from a cupboard, and a sum of money, supposed to be nearly £20, was also stolen. On the 14th Mr. Wright, a police-officer of Lynn, apprehended at Doncaster John Smith, aged 25, John Varnhem, 23, and George Timms, 22, who were committed for trial on the capital charge. (See April 6th, 1837.)
5.—In consequence of a resolution passed at a special meeting of the Town Council, the Mayor of Norwich convened a meeting at the Guildhall on this date, “to take into consideration the sufferings of the poor in this inclement season, and to adopt measures for relieving the same.” A public subscription was opened. At a general meeting of the subscribers, on March 21st, Mr. W. G. Edwards, one of the secretaries, reported that the amount subscribed was £2,008 7s. 3d., out of which a grant of £300 was made to the Sick Poor Society; 20,093 coal tickets, and 37,831 bread tickets were distributed, and £423 3s. 5d. was placed in the treasurer’s hands to meet future emergencies.