—A sculling match took place between Messrs. Corby and Wigham, from the New Cut, Whitlingham, to Mutford Lock and back, a distance of 60 miles, for £25 a side. Corby, the winner, rowed the distance in 10 hrs. 21 mins., the whole of the return journey being against a strong wind and tide. Wigham gave up at Buckenham.
2.—At the Norfolk Assizes, before Mr. Justice Williams, William Frost, aged 35, was indicted for having, on April 8th, at Whitwell, murdered his four children, whose ages ranged from five years to ten weeks, by striking them on the head with a hammer. Mr. W. P. Nichols, Mr. G. W. W. Firth, and Mr. Crosse testified to the insanity of the prisoner, against whom a verdict of not guilty was returned, and he was ordered to be confined in the Criminal Lunatic Asylum, St. George’s Fields, London.
3.*—“About 60 cwt. of tea and coffee have been brought to Norwich by the Yarmouth and Norwich Railway Company, for Messrs. Wolton and Co., of London Street. We should not be surprised if that practice become more general in busy weeks, particularly when the wind is contrary for the favourable transit of the wherries.”
—At the Norfolk and Norwich Assizes, before Mr. Justice Alderson, the action, Cory v. the Yarmouth and Norwich Railway Company, was heard. It was an action sent down from the Vice-Chancellor’s Court, in which the plaintiff sought to restrain the defendants from carrying passengers from their railway terminus across the Bure or Yare to Great Yarmouth, on the ground that the right of the plaintiff as proprietor of the ancient ferry and of the suspension bridge which supplied its place, was thereby infringed. At the suggestion of the Judge, an agreement was arrived at between the parties. (See May 2nd, 1845.)
7.—Intelligence was received at Norwich of the birth of a Prince (Prince Alfred Ernest Albert, Duke of Edinburgh). The bells of St. Peter Mancroft were rung, and the Town Council in due course sent to the Queen a congratulatory address.
9.—Great festivities took place at Ellingham, near Bungay, in celebration of the return of Col. Smith from active service in India.
12.—The opera of “The Bohemian Girl” was performed at Norwich Theatre for the first time. The principals included Miss Rainforth, Mr. Harrison, and Mr. Stretton, of Drury Lane Theatre; Mr. Gilbeigh, Mr. Duval, &c. The numerical strength of the orchestra was more than trebled by the services rendered by professional and amateur instrumentalists of the city. The conductor was Mr. C. F. Hall, one of the leaders of the Drury Lane orchestra “Norma” was also produced. The week’s performances received very inadequate support.
19.—Killed at Sekerran, Borneo, aged 39, George Steward, youngest son of Mr. Timothy Steward, of Great Yarmouth. He was in the East India Company’s service, and volunteered to accompany Capt. Keppel, R.N., in his expedition against the pirates of Borneo. While ascending a river in a native boat he was surrounded by the enemy and slain.
—Died at Bracondale, Norwich, aged 78, Mr. Roger Kitson, a schoolmaster, who sixty years previously succeeded Mr. Massingham at the then well-known academy in St. Andrew’s Broad Street. He had a talent for poetical composition, and belonged to the Confraternity of United Friars and other literary societies.
21.—The Norwich Mechanics’ Institute was dissolved. On October 27th its surplus funds, amounting to £120, were handed over to a new society, known as the Athenæum, in which the Rev. A. Bath Power, Mr. J. J. Gurney, and other gentlemen were interested. The society met at rooms in the Market Place.