MAY.
5.—The Bishop of Norwich confirmed 500 persons at Diss. His
lordship, in the course of this visitation, confirmed 10,464 young persons.
11.—Mr. Carter, “the celebrated African Lion King,” appeared at Norwich Theatre “with his troupe of acting animals, consisting of lions, tigers, leopards, and panthers, in a new drama, entitled, ‘The Lion of the Desert.’” Mr. Carter took the part of “Abdallah, a dumb Arab.” “It requires no little nerve on the part of the actors and actresses to play to such rough customers, and much credit is due to the members of the Norwich Company who took a share in the performance.”
17.—At Norwich, R. Coates, “the great London pedestrian,” walked 50 miles in twelve hours; on the 18th ran 50 miles, on the 19th ran 40 miles backwards, on the 20th ran a pair of wheels 22 miles, rowed a boat 10 miles, jumped 300 flights of hurdles placed ten yards apart, and threw 100 somersaults. “All these events on the several days were performed in the space of twelve hours.” At the Green Hill Gardens, Norwich, Coates undertook to walk, on June 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, fifty miles in twelve hours each day, “half backwards and half forwards, and accomplished this extraordinary feat the last day with ten minutes to spare.” At the same gardens, on June 30th, he commenced walking 1,000 half miles in 1,000 successive hours. “He has to walk a half mile every succeeding half hour day and night, but he has the privilege of walking two half miles together, the last and first part of the hour.” Coates was credited with the due accomplishment of the feat. On August 10th a man named Charles Thurlow began a walk of 1,000 miles in 1,000 hours at Richmond Hill Gardens, Norwich, and completed what was said to have been a genuine performance on September 21st. Another pedestrian named Henry Raven, started to walk the same distance in the same time on the Lord Nelson ground, Lakenham, on September 29th, and completed his undertaking on November 10th.
—The Norfolk Yeomanry Cavalry, under the command of Major Loftus, marched into Norwich, headed by their brass band, and on the following day proceeded to Yarmouth for a week’s permanent duty.
18.—Sir Jacob Astley, of Melton Constable, Norfolk, and of Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, took his seat in the House of Peers as Baron Hastings. The termination of the long-pending abeyance of the Barony of Hastings in favour of Sir Jacob was celebrated with great festivities at Foulsham and Holt. “According to the date of his barony, the 18th of Edward I., 1290, next below Lord de Roos, Baron Hastings is the most ancient baron of the United Kingdom.”
20.—Mr. G. V. Brooke commenced a six nights’ engagement at Norwich Theatre.
JUNE.
2.—At a meeting held at the Assembly Rooms, East Dereham, under the presidency of Lord Sondes, it was agreed “that in consequence of the unprincipled attacks made upon the owners and cultivators of the soil by the employment of hired agitators to inflame the minds of the lower orders of society against them, it is expedient that some steps be adopted for the protection and defence of those interests.” It was