14.—A great public meeting, in support of the United Kingdom Alliance, was held at St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich, and was addressed by General Neal Dow, who had taken a prominent part in the passing of the Maine Liquor Law.
18.—A meeting of the Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture, presided over by Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., was held “to discuss the future aggregate representation of the county in Parliament, in the event of the loss of three of its borough members,” namely, of two on the disenfranchisement of Yarmouth, and of one on Thetford being constituted a “single membered” borough. The following motion was adopted: “That the attention of the Chamber having been directed to the clauses in the Bill before Parliament for the redistribution of seats, it is resolved that the proposal to take away three members from the county is unjust, and that the most strenuous efforts be made to retain twelve members, to which it is justly entitled, by reason of its population, wealth, and importance.” It was announced on June 15th that, under the redistribution scheme, Norfolk would in future have three divisions, namely, West, North-East, and South-East. The Boundary Commissioners appointed under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act held inquiries at Thetford on September 24th, at Norwich on September 27th and October 9th, at Lynn on October 2nd, and at the Shirehall, Norwich, on October 7th. (See June 18th, 1868.)
21.—Died at West Bilney Hall, Mr. Thomas William Coke. He was born in January, 1793, and was the eldest son of Edward Coke, of Longford, Derbyshire. In his youth he was frequently at Holkham, and was long regarded as heir to the estate, but this prospect ended by the marriages in 1822, of his uncle, Thomas William Coke (created Earl of Leicester in 1837), to Lady Anne Keppel, the issue of which was the large family of whom the present Earl is the head. Mr. Coke was very popular, and in early life was a fearless and accomplished horseman.
24.—The Queen’s birthday was observed at Norwich by a parade of the Volunteers and the firing of a feu de joie in the Market Place. The Volunteers were entertained at dinner at the Drill Hall, 700 old people were invited by the Mayor and Sheriff to a feast at the Corn Hall, and luncheon was served at St. Andrew’s Hall for many of the leading residents in city and county.
28.—A modified observance of the old custom of “beating the bounds” took place in the parish of Colkirk. “The existence of tithe maps and other circumstances halving rendered actual perambulation comparatively unnecessary, the circuit of the parish was omitted; but two brief services were held in the pretty green lanes at the opposite extremities of the parish, and were attended by 60 or 70 persons, including the little children of the village school, who marched through the village singing hymns, preceded by a modest banner.” An address was given at both services by the Rev. W. A. Chapman.
JUNE.
4.—Died, at the age of 53, Dr. W. H. Ranking, formerly of Norwich. He was descended from a family living on the borders of Norfolk and Suffolk, who had for three generations been engaged in the practice of medicine. Dr. Ranking received his early education at Hastings, and subsequently entered the University of Cambridge. After spending some time in the hospitals of Paris, he settled at Bury St. Edmund’s, and became physician to the Suffolk General Hospital, a post which he filled for seven years. After the death of Dr. Lubbock, Dr. Ranking removed to Norwich, and became physician to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, and editor of the Journal of the Council of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association. “He was a most uncompromising enemy to quackery in all its forms, and he always testified to the absurdity of what he considered the fashionable humbug of the age—homœopathy.”
19.—The annual show of the Norfolk Agricultural Association commenced at Fakenham, and was continued on the 20th. By special permission granted by the Privy Council, at the request of a deputation introduced on May 9th by Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., cattle were exhibited under certain restrictions. At the dinner, presided over by the Earl of Kimberley, Mr. E. C. Bailey was presented with a handsome testimonial, on his resignation of the office of secretary, after twenty-five years’ service.
24.—The First Administrative Battalion of Norfolk Volunteers, commanded by Col. James Duff, encamped in Hunstanton Park.