12.—At the Norfolk and Norwich Museum, Mr. William Stark
delivered a lecture on “The functions of the brain phrenologically considered.” It was really a defence of the theory of phrenology, and gave rise to much adverse comment.
15.—Died, aged 31, Mr. George Stannard, younger brother of Mr. A Stannard, the Norwich artist. The deceased was described as “an artist of superior talents.”
19.—Died, in his 108th year, Richard Pattle, of Rudham. “He was a poor but honest man, and had through life earned his bread by the sweat of his brow, and was so respected by his neighbours that they some time ago employed an artist to take his likeness, from which a print was published, and is now in possession of most of the neighbouring gentry and farmers.”
27.—A fire occurred on the newly-erected premises of Mr. Thorrold, engineer and ironfounder, near Foundry Bridge, Norwich, “and totally consumed all but the bare walls.”
MARCH.
2.—Batty’s Royal Circus commenced a season in “the most elegant, spacious, and substantial building ever erected in Norwich.” Its site was on the Castle Meadow. One of the principal productions of the season was the spectacle, “The Council of Clermont,” in which trained lions and leopards were introduced.
7.—At a meeting of the owners and occupiers of land in the Hundred of Henstead, held at the Bell Inn, Orford Hill, Norwich, under the presidency of Mr. Robert Fellowes, it was determined to present a petition to Parliament against any alteration in the Corn Laws. The question was discussed at a meeting of the Norwich Town Council on March 24th, on a motion by Mr. Marshall that a petition be presented to Parliament “to repeal the present laws affecting the importation of foreign corn, and to substitute such a duty as shall secure to the agriculturists of the country present protection, with the prospect of a progressive diminution of that duty as well as of others which form our commercial code.” The motion was negatived. Mr. Bell, of the “Farmers’ Journal,” delivered a lecture in Norwich Corn Hall at the close of the market on March 28th, and argued that the theory of Free Trade was false in the principle on which it professed to be founded. On the 11th a public discussion took place at St. Andrew’s Hall between Mr. Bell and Mr. Ackland, one of the lecturers of the Manchester Anti-Corn Law League. Many meetings were held, for and against repeal, in different parts of the county.
—*“Died, lately, Mr. Robin Wade, of Ditchingham, aged 102.”
—*“Mr. William Bagge, M.P. for West Norfolk, has lately purchased Col. Say’s estate at Crimplesham, for £35,000, including the timber.”