15.—The ship Phya sailed from Lynn for Quebec, with emigrants. “Whilst the population keeps increasing, and machinery keeps lessening the demand for manual labour, many thousands must seek to provide for themselves and families in distant regions.”
20.—The construction of the Yarmouth and Norwich Railway commenced on this date on the Postwick Hall Farm (in the occupation of Mr. Gillett), near Thorpe Asylum. The excavation of the New Cut from Trowse Hythe to Whitlingham Reach was begun on May 6th. In October an engine with ballast waggons was running between Reedham and Yarmouth; and in November another engine appeared on the Postwick end of the line. “Its marvellous facility in whirling along any number of loaded waggons elicited exclamations of astonishment from the many hundreds of Norwich people who went out to see it.” (See April 12th, 1844.)
—In the waistband of the trousers of a notorious housebreaker, named James Fisk, who was apprehended at Surlingham on this date, “was found sewed up the Lord’s Prayer, written backwards, which he carried about with him as a fancied protection against the power of human law.”
—The marriage of the Earl of Leicester and Miss Whitbread, daughter of Mr. S. C. Whitbread, at Cardington church, Bedfordshire, was celebrated with great rejoicings at Wells-next-the-Sea, where 800 school children were entertained, and 1,400 of the poor inhabitants had dinner on the Buttlands.
21.—At Norwich Theatre was performed a new drama, entitled, “Mokanna, or the Veiled Prophet of Khorassan,” written by Mr. William Cooper, barrister, and originally produced at Lynn Theatre. An anonymous handbill, printed by J. Fletcher, Upper Haymarket, Norwich, was afterwards circulated, describing the play as a “barefaced exhibition of profligacy,” and calling upon the citizens to denounce it. The strictures were grossly unfair.
25.—The foundation-stone of St. Mark’s church, Lakenham, was laid by the Very Rev. Dean Pellew. The architect was Mr. John Brown, and the builder Mr. James Worman. The church was consecrated by the Bishop of Norwich on September 24th, 1844.
28.—The two troops of the 13th Light Dragoons marched from Norwich Barracks for Hounslow. They were replaced on May 22nd by the Scots Greys, commanded by Col. Clarke. Mainly through the influence of the Duke of Wellington and the Marquis of Douro, the headquarters of the regiment were stationed at Norwich.
MAY.
4.—Business was entirely suspended in Norwich on the occasion of the funeral of H.R.H. the Duke of Sussex. The Corporation attended service at the Cathedral, and afterwards assembled at the Guildhall and adopted addresses of sympathy.
6.—At the Norwich Police Court, a woman named Kedge complained to the magistrates that another woman, of the name of Clarke, had bewitched her “by sending her and her children a vast number of vermin.” Clarke replied that Mrs. Kedge had harboured her (Mrs. Clarke’s) husband, and had given her a small piece of paper, whereon was very small writing. It was found to be the Lord’s Prayer. Mrs. Kedge acknowledged having given this to Mrs. Clarke, and said it would “prevent her from doing her further injury, for when she had herself put it in defendant’s hands, all danger from witchery was over.”