18.—Died at Rawal Pindi, Lieut. Richard Edward Frere, 13th Light Infantry, aged 25. He had been in every action throughout the war in Afghanistan, was repeatedly wounded, and was mentioned with distinction in dispatches.
19.*—“Messrs. Wells and Gardner, of Birmingham, have entered into an arrangement with T. T. Berney, Esq., of Morton Hall, Norfolk, for the manufacture of his patent cartridges so much approved by gentlemen and sportsmen generally, and have appointed local agents.”
26.*—“Sir Robert Peel has recommended her Majesty to grant an annual pension of £100 to Mr. John Curtis, the eminent naturalist and author of the great work, ‘British Entomology.’” Curtis was a native of Norwich.
DECEMBER.
24.—A singular story of a supposed murder was published. A human skeleton was recovered from the bed of the river at Costessey Mills by a “didling” boat owned by Messrs. Culley. The circumstance was recalled that a Jew pedlar, known as “Old Abraham,” had mysteriously disappeared eight years previously. It was also remembered that one Robert Page, sentenced to transportation for life for sheep stealing at Drayton, on March 27th, 1834, had told the prison warders that if he were taken to Costessey he could show them, beneath
a willow tree, “something that would make their hair stand on end.” By a curious coincidence, the skeleton was found beneath a willow which overhung the river. It was stated that the body had been staked down in the bed of the stream.
31.*—“During last week the coaches and vans were laden with turkeys and game for London. From the Magnet Office alone upwards of 1,600 packages were consigned, containing at least 2,400 turkeys, besides geese and game. The other coaches have had their share. One manufacturing firm in the city sent 1,000 lbs. weight.”
1843.
JANUARY.
2.—Norwich Theatre opened for the season at reduced prices of admission, namely, boxes, single ticket, 4s., half price 2s., family tickets to admit six £1; upper boxes 2s., half price 1s.; pit 1s. (no half price); gallery 6d. The entire house had been redecorated by Mr. Thorne. Mr. Frederick Vining, of the Haymarket Theatre, London, and his daughter, Miss Vining, appeared on the 16th in the parts of Benedict and Beatrice, and fulfilled an engagement of seven weeks. The season, one of the most successful that Mr. Smith had experienced, was chiefly remarkable for the large number of “bespeaks” given, amongst others, by the officers of the 13th Light Dragoons, the Royal and Norfolk Hotel Wine Clubs, the Governor and Deputy-Governor of the Court of Guardians, &c.