6.—Wintry weather set in with great severity. The frost commenced on the 7th, and continued to increase in intensity till the 20th, “when the thermometer recorded 30 degrees below freezing point, a depression greater than in the intense frost of 1814, when, on January 9th, it stood at 28 degrees below freezing.” There was a thaw on the 21st, but on the 23rd the frost recommenced, and on the 24th the weather was bitterly cold. Remarkable snowdrifts occurred on roads near the coast. “The river at Lynn was a solid bed of ice. From the eastern side to the opposite shores of West Lynn and North Lynn persons passed and re-passed with the same facility and safety as if it had been land. A similar circumstance had not occurred for half a century.” A second thaw, with a southerly wind, commenced on the 29th, but on February 1st the wind veered to the east, and another frost set in. From February 13th to the 15th the weather was so severe that water indoors was frozen, and on the 16th the thermometer stood at 16 degrees below freezing point. A decided thaw took place on the 22nd, but on the 23rd a fourth frost occurred. In the week commencing March 4th a rapid thaw was followed by heavy rains, ice and snow vanished with surprising rapidity, and business was resumed on the navigable streams, which for so long had been impassable. Throughout the frost “the poulterers were abundantly supplied with British and foreign wild fowl of all descriptions.”
12.—Died at Downham Market, in his 69th year, Mr. G. W. Lemon, son of the Rev. G. W. Lemon, formerly vicar of East Walton and rector of Gayton Thorpe. He was for 40 years an annual contributor to “Fulcher’s Ladies’ Pocket Book,” and wrote for the newspaper Press many articles on a variety of subjects.
15.—The members of the Norwich Madrigal Society held their first public meeting at the old Library Room, St. Andrew’s Hall. The programme contained a composition by Mr. J. F. Hill, son of Mr. John Hill, the Festival chorus master, entitled, “I saw fair Chloris.” “It is a madrigal truly worthy of the Elizabethan age, and has been recognised as such by the London Madrigal Society, into whose stock it has been received. Not a single modern phrase is to be detected.”
18.—The old Norwich Glee Club, revived under the title of “The Norwich Glee and Harmonic Society,” gave its first concert under the conductorship of Mr. Harcourt, organist of St. Stephen’s church.
22.—The tide in Yarmouth Harbour was the lowest ever recorded. “The bed of the river was left dry more than 20 feet from the quay head.”
27.*—“The severity of the weather has induced several families in the neighbourhood of Holt to adopt the American fashion of travelling in sledges. The greatest curiosity is caused among the natives.”
FEBRUARY.
5.—Norwich Theatre was opened for the season with the engagement of the Boleno family, who appeared in a pantomime-ballet, followed by tableaux, &c.
7.—At a general meeting of the shareholders of the Norfolk and Norwich Museum, it was resolved “that the property lately used as a public library be purchased, and the building committee authorised to make such alterations and additions thereto as may be requisite for affording accommodation to the Museum, the Literary Institution, the Norfolk and Norwich United Medical Book Society, and any other institution of a literary or scientific nature who may wish to take rooms under the same roof as the Museum, the money to be raised by voluntary donations and shares of £5 each, bearing interest at three per cent. per annum.”
9.—At a meeting of the Norwich Town Council, Mr. Bignold moved the appointment of a committee to draw up a petition to both Houses of Parliament in favour of the adoption of the penny postage. The petition was adopted on February 22nd.