4.—Many hundred persons assembled at Bacton Wood Mill, North Walsham, to witness the baptism by immersion in the mill stream of several men and women “who had embraced the faith of Mormonites, or Latter-day Saints.”
13.—A public meeting was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, under the presidency of the Mayor, at which resolutions were adopted in favour of a national rate, and condemnatory of the laws of settlement and removal, “which drove the poor to reside in large towns and unjustly limited their field of labour.” Another resolution condemned the gross
inequality in the assessments of the various parishes in England and Wales to the relief of the poor. A petition was ordered to be presented to Parliament in accordance with the terms of the resolutions.
17.—A severe outbreak of cholera was recorded at Rudham, where twenty-four deaths had occurred up to this date. “Extreme poverty and dirt had much to do with this awful visitation.”
27.—The agitation for the repeal of the Malt Tax was re-opened at a meeting of the farmers of West Norfolk, held at the Market Hall, Lynn. It was decided to petition Parliament in favour of the repeal. Many meetings were held with the same object in other parts of the county.
28.—Died at Leyton, aged 54, Mr. Charles Fox, engraver. He was a son of Robert Fox, a steward on the Costessey estate, received lessons in drawing from Charles Hodgson, at Norwich, and was apprenticed to Mr. Edwards, engraver, of Bungay. “His exquisite line engravings are well known by those who value the highest specimens of skill in that department and by the lovers of fine English prints.”
MARCH.
13.—Elihu Burritt addressed a public meeting at St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich, in favour of the settlement of national disputes by arbitration instead of by force of arms.
20.—The railway from Dereham to Fakenham was opened for passenger and goods traffic.
25.—Died at the Grove, Holt, in his 64th year, Major T. A. Girling, formerly of the 5th Fusiliers, with whom he served in the Peninsula War. He was for some years adjutant of the Norfolk Yeomanry Cavalry.