24.—The Hon. W. B. Baring, M.P., who had accepted the office of Paymaster to the Forces, was re-elected without opposition member for the borough of Thetford.
28.—Mr. Samuel Lover, author of “Rory O’More” and other Irish tales, gave, at the Assembly Rooms, Norwich, his “Irish Evening, illustrative of the national characteristics, legends, superstitions, mirth, and melody of his country, entitled, ‘Paddy by Land and Sea.’” The entertainment was repeated on the 29th.
—At an inquest held at Costessey, by Mr. Pilgrim, one of the County Coroners, upon the exhumed body of a woman named Jane Mary Lovett, who was alleged to have died in childbirth, in consequence of improper treatment by a medical man named Gaches, a verdict of manslaughter was returned. Mr. Gaches contrived to escape from the custody of Inspector Barrett, concealed himself in the park, and ultimately absconded from the neighbourhood. He was re-arrested on March 29th, in a railway carriage at Shoreditch, and at his trial at the Norfolk Assizes on April 8th the jury, by direction of Mr. Justice Patteson, returned a verdict of not guilty.
MARCH.
5.—Died at his residence in the Upper Close, Norwich, Dr. Warner Wright, aged 70. He was founder of the Norwich Dispensary, and in 1804 was chosen a physician of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, a position which he resigned in 1840. For many years he was visiting physician to the Norfolk County Lunatic Asylum, and to the Norwich Bethel, and was placed upon the commission of the peace for the city in 1836.
12.—John Tawell, indicted at Aylesbury Assizes for the murder of Sarah Hart, at Salt Hill, by poisoning her, came of a respectable Norfolk family. “Augustus Metcalfe, who served the office of Mayor of Norwich in 1716, was the maternal grandfather of Tawell’s father. Thomas Tawell, uncle of John Tawell’s father, served the office of Sheriff of Norwich in 1723, and died during his shrievalty. Tawell’s father was a shopkeeper, and had resided in several places in the neighbourhood of Norwich.” The convict, who was a Quaker, was executed on March 28th.
15.*—“The frost has now continued, with few intermissions, for eighteen weeks, a longer period than has been remembered for the last thirty years.”
19.—A meeting of the principal inhabitants was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, under the presidency of the Mayor (Sir William Foster), “to determine on the steps to be taken for arresting the progress of the epidemic diseases so extensively prevailing, and for mitigating the sufferings of the afflicted poor.” It was stated that between 1,500 and 1,600 persons had been attacked by small-pox, measles, scarlet fever, and typhus. The attention of the authorities was directed to the insanitary condition of the city, and a fund was started for cleansing and disinfecting the houses of the poor.
26.—Sir James Graham’s Bill for the amendment of the Law of Settlement was considered at a public meeting held at the Guildhall, Norwich. Disapproval of the measure was expressed. The Court of Guardians and other public bodies passed resolutions in opposition to the Bill, which was received unfavourably in other parts of the county.
29.*—“A salmon trout, measuring 23 inches in length and weighing 5 lbs., has been taken while fishing for pike in the river Wensum, near Hellesdon.”