8.—In the Court of Queen’s Bench, the Attorney-General moved for a rule nisi calling upon the Town Council of Norwich to show cause why a mandamus should not issue directing them to build a new asylum for pauper lunatics. The question had been in abeyance since 1863, and various reasons were urged why the asylum should not be erected. The Court granted the rule nisi. On the 17th it was resolved, at a meeting of the Town Council, to write to the Secretary of State, pointing out that on April 17th a resolution was passed in the House of Commons affirming that occupiers in counties and boroughs should be relieved either in whole or in part of charges imposed for lunatics, the expenditure for such purpose being almost entirely independent of local control. The Home Secretary was asked whether he felt it imcumbent by compulsory measures to force upon the local rates of Norwich an expenditure estimated at between £40,000 and £50,000. On the 21st the Town Council sent a memorial to the House of Commons, asking them “to intervene for the protection of this municipality, or at least obtain a postponement of the threatened proceedings until Parliament shall have definitely settled by whom the cost of maintaining lunatics shall be permanently borne.” The Court of Queen’s Bench, on June 10th, made the rule absolute against the Corporation, and on June 18th the Corporation decided, by 33 votes to 7, to offer continued resistance to the mandamus. (See January 15th, 1873.)
14.—A meeting, presided over by Colonel Hugh FitzRoy, was held at the Town Hall, Aylsham, to discuss the feasibility of constructing a narrow gauge railway between Norwich and Aylsham, and thence to Aldborough and Beeston. Mr. Minshull, engineer, estimated the cost of construction at £5,000 per mile. The meeting was in favour of the scheme, and appointed a committee to consider details.
16.—The first stone of Christ church, Eaton, was laid by the Mayor of Norwich (Mr. R. Chamberlin). The church was opened on November 4th, 1873, by the Bishop of Norwich. Mr. H. Bolingbroke gave the site; the architects were Mr. J. H. Brown and Mr. J. B. Pearce, and the contractors Mr. W. Wright and Mr. J. W. Lacey. “It is said that the bell fixed in the turret was formerly the sanctus bell at the Cathedral.”
20.—The Queen’s birthday was celebrated at Norwich on this day (Whit-Monday). “It was a demonstration of regard towards the person of her Majesty and of joy that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales had recovered from his illness.” The streets of the city were decorated, a military review took place on Mousehold, civic entertainments were given, and the festivities terminated with a display of fireworks on the Castle Meadow.
21.—Captain Bates, the Kentucky Giant, and Chrissie-Millie, better known as the “Two-headed Nightingale,” appeared at the Lecture Hall, St. Andrew’s, Norwich. Of this mulatto girl it was said, “Chrissie and Millie are fairly educated, and sing either solos or duets with ease and effect.”
23.—Died at Naples, the Right Hon. Henry Lytton Earle Bulwer, Baron Dalling and Bulwer. Born in 1804, his lordship was the second son of General William Bulwer, of Heydon Hall and Wood Dalling, by Elizabeth Barbara Lytton, sole heiress and last descendant of the Lyttons of Knebworth in Hertfordshire. His career as a diplomatist is familiar to every student of history. His lordship was the author of “Historical Characters,” which appeared in two volumes in the winter of 1867, and rapidly ran into a sixth edition; and of a “Life of Lord Palmerston,” published in 1871. The remains of the deceased nobleman were interred at Heydon on June 25th.
27.—A one hundred yards’ race took place on the West Winch Road, Lynn, between Thomas Akers and a horse belonging to Mr. W. L. Proctor. “Akers led off, the horse not starting directly the signal was given, but he had not proceeded far when he was overtaken by the animal and beaten by about ten yards.”
29.—The tower of the church of Beeston-next-Mileham was struck by lightning. “The Litcham fire-engine was taken into the church, but the molten lead and burning timber fell so rapidly that nothing could be done, and the tower was entirely destroyed.”
—A remarkable mirage was witnessed at Yarmouth. “The weather was exceedingly sultry, with heavy banks of clouds towards the east and south-east, just opposite Yarmouth, and extending from the Scroby to the Corton Sands there appeared a sharply-defined and magnificent outline of Gorleston and Corton cliff, with the entrance to the harbour and even the white sands. A stranger visiting the locality for the first time would have supposed that Yarmouth was embayed by a narrow peninsula.”