18.—Died, in his 60th year, Mr. Henry Kett Kett-Tompson, of Brooke House and Witchingham Hall. He was the last representative of an old Norwich family, whose connection with the city dated back more than three centuries, and who during nearly two centuries were extensive brewers in King Street. Messrs. Morgan, in 1846, purchased the business of Mr. Kett-Tompson and his brother, their landed property in the county rendering it unnecessary for them to continue the brewery. Mr. Kett-Tompson was one of two sons of Mr. Charles Tompson (High Sheriff in 1827), by Juliana, second daughter of Thomas Kett, of Seething Hall, and sister and co-heiress of George Samuel Kett, of Brooke House. His grandfather was Timothy Tompson, formerly of Denton, and afterwards of Witchingham Hall. He was born in 1813, and married, in February, 1843, Margaret Amelia, second daughter of Rear-Admiral the Hon. Frederick Paul Irby, C.B., of Boyland Hall, and second son of the second Lord Boston. The name of Mr. Kett-Tompson stood first upon the list of gentlemen to fill the office of High Sheriff of Norfolk in 1873.
19.—Died, Elizabeth Harvey, widow of James Harvey, of Rollesby, in her 102nd year.
20.—A heavy gale occurred. Several vessels were lost off Yarmouth, and a ship wrecked at Wells.
21.—A grand fancy dress ball, attended by representatives of the principal families in Norfolk, was held at Hillington Hall, in celebration of the twenty-fifth birthday of Sir William ffolkes, Bart.
24.—Died at his residence, Heigham Grove, Norwich, aged 73, Major-General Burton Daveney, formerly of the Royal Scots Regiment. He was born at Colton, in December, 1799, and obtained his commission as ensign in the 57th Regiment. In 1825 he went to Australia as lieutenant in command of a detachment which had charge of nearly 200 convicts. On the voyage small-pox broke out, and the vessel was placed in quarantine. The young lieutenant throughout a period of the greatest difficulty discharged his duties with conspicuous success. In 1830 he exchanged into the 1st Royals (afterwards the Royal Scots), and served in one or other of the battalions of that regiment for thirty-one years. He passed through the Canadian Rebellion in 1837, was present at the affairs of St. Charles and St. Eustache, and returned to England in 1841. In the Crimea, as commandant at Balaclava, his duties were so arduous that when he left, completely broken down in health, in January, 1855, the work was divided among three officers. In the absence of the colonel he brought the regiment to Aldershot, and afterwards had the honour of dining with her Majesty, to whom he was presented by the Prince Consort. He next sailed to India, and assisted in quelling the Mutiny, and returned in 1862, when he retired on full pay, with the rank of Major-General. He had seen forty-one years of active service without passing a single day on half-pay. General Daveney was the possessor of three clasps for the Crimea, the Order of the Medjidié, and several other decorations presented by the Sultan to British officers who had served in the war against Russia.
DECEMBER.
8.—A fearful storm swept over East Anglia. At Norwich and other towns in the county great damage was done to buildings; in the country trees were uprooted and stacks overturned; and on the coast there were many shipping casualties.
21.—Mr. James Bacon was elected secretary of the Norfolk Agricultural Association, in place of Mr. Cross, resigned. Mr. E. C. Bailey resigned the office of honorary director.
—A conference was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, at which representatives of the sanitary authorities in city and county discussed the best method of carrying out the provisions of the new Public Health Act, more particularly as to the appointment of medical-officers of health and inspectors of nuisances. It was suggested that the county be divided into seven districts, exclusive of the city of Norwich; that a medical-officer of health be appointed to each district, the election to be made by representatives of the sanitary authorities; and that a similar course be adopted in regard to inspectors of nuisances. Mr. T. W. Crosse, on January 23rd, 1873, resigned his seat in the Norwich Town Council as a representative of the First Ward, and was appointed Medical-Officer of Health for the city, at the salary of £200 per annum.
26.—A pantomime (titled not stated) was produced at Norwich Theatre by Mr. G. H. Chaplin. “The transformation scene,” it was stated, “has not been surpassed for gorgeous beauty on our stage.” Edmonds’ (late Wombwell’s) Menagerie was exhibited on the Castle Meadow.