10.—A new self-righting lifeboat was launched at Happisburgh. The vessel was presented to the National Lifeboat Institution by the people of Huddersfield, who contributed upwards of £1,000 for its purchase.
14.—At the Norwich Assizes, before Lord Chief Justice Erle and a special jury, was tried the libel action, Athill v. Soman. The declaration stated that the libel was published in a newspaper called the “Norwich Argus,” of which the defendant was the printer, and was contained in a letter signed “Honour Lingley,” dated November 25th, 1865. The writer accused Athill, a superintendent of police, of wrongfully ransacking her chests of linen at a house at Sprowston called the “Haunted Cottage,” at which disturbances had taken place, and where Athill had been present in the discharge of his official duties. The damages were laid at £500; the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, damages one farthing. Application was made on behalf of the plaintiff for costs, but his lordship held that “there was not a solitary instance of any personal malice or ill-will on the part of the defendant,” and refused it. The county magistrates subsequently contributed to a fund to defray the expenses of the plaintiff.
25.—At the sale of the Lessingham House estate, by Messrs. Hewitt and Capon, at the Norfolk Hotel, Norwich, a portion of Surlingham Broad was purchased by Mr. R. Pratt, for £1,300. “The last time this lot was sold by public auction it fetched about £900.”
27.—The Hon. Thomas de Grey, M.P., shooting on Blubberhouse Moor, made a bag of 215 brace of grouse, “a feat which has not met with its equal on any of the Yorkshire moors, nor on any other in England or Scotland.”
SEPTEMBER.
4.—Died at the King and Miller Inn, Norfolk Street, Sheffield, of “mortification of the big toe,” William Pilch, the cricketer, formerly of Norwich, in his 69th year.
19.—Died at Southsea, aged 80, General Sir William Robert Clayton, Bart., son of Sir William. Clayton, fourth baronet. He saw much service in the Peninsular campaign. On the death of his father, in 1834, he succeeded to the extensive patrimonial estates in Norfolk, Bucks., Surrey, and South Wales. Sir William’s Norfolk seat was White Hall, Saham Toney.
22.*—“The Dean and Chapter of Norwich have offered to confer the office of Lord High Steward of the Cathedral Church, vacant by the death of Lord Bayning, on the Earl of Kimberley, and his lordship has signified to the Dean and Chapter his intention to accept the office. The grandfather and the great-grandfather of the present Earl have been Lord High Stewards of the Cathedral.”
25.—Minnie Stratton, daughter of “General Tom Thumb” and Mrs. Stratton, died at the Norfolk Hotel, Norwich, and was, on the 26th, buried at the Cemetery. “Mr. and Mrs. Stratton were chief mourners, and there was a large number of spectators.”
—A boiler explosion took place at the dye and chemical works of Messrs. Stark and Co., Duke’s Palace Street, Norwich. Three men (Taylor, Breeze, and Clarke) were killed on the spot, and three others died of their injuries. The Coroner’s jury found that the explosion was due to the defective construction of the boiler. At the Norwich Assizes, on March 27th, 1867, an action was brought by Mr. Stark against Messrs. Riches and Watts, for the recovery of damages. A verdict was given for plaintiff, the amount to be assessed by arbitration. (See February 19th, 1868.)