24.—Colonel Massy and the officers of the 5th Royal Irish Lancers, on the occasion of the departure of the first detachment of the regiment from Norwich, were entertained at a civic luncheon, given at the Guildhall, under the presidency of the Mayor (Mr. J. D. Smith). The Mayor, on behalf of the citizens, presented to the officers a massive silver-gilt cup, “in appreciation of the exemplary conduct of the regiment during its stay among them, and in grateful remembrance of the many benefits conferred by it upon the city and its institutions.” The remainder of the regiment marched on the 25th. The Town Council, on July 1st, passed a special resolution, recording its high estimation of the regiment, and ordering the entry in the minutes of the fact that “no complaint has been made nor any collision taken place between the military and the citizens during the time the regiment has been quartered in the city.” The Lancers were relieved by the 21st Hussars, commanded by Colonel Wake.
29.—Died at Constantinople, aged 32, Mr. Robert Pulvertoft Master, Commissioner of the Turkish Compassionate Fund. He was the second son of Mr. Alfred Master, of Norwich, and rendered great services in the cause of humanity during the Russo-Turkish War. Mr. Master was educated at Norwich Grammar School, and, after spending a year in Germany, and a like period in a commercial house in London, proceeded to Ceylon, where he became manager of a coffee estate, and married Amelia, second daughter of Sir Edward Creasy, Chief Justice of the island.
JULY.
4.—Died at Pottergate Street, Norwich, Mr. William Smith, veterinary surgeon, aged 61. Mr. Smith attained to considerable eminence in his profession. During the time of the Cattle Plague, he did good service to the county in his official capacity as inspector to the Central Committee, and at the meeting of the British Association at Norwich read an able paper on the disease, its origin and treatment.
9.—Winterton church was re-opened by the Bishop of Norwich. It had been restored at the cost of £3,000.
13.—The 3rd and 4th Battalions of Norfolk Rifle Volunteers went into camp at Yarmouth, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Duff, M.P., and Lieut.-Colonel Gurdon.
15.—The Hemsby to Martham extension of the Yarmouth and Stalham Railway was opened on this date. Powers having been obtained for carrying the line to North Walsham, it was thereafter known as the North Norfolk Railway. (See June 8th, 1881.)
20.—Died at Norwich, in his 93rd year, Commander Crane, R.N. He was the son of Mr. Edward Crane, Coroner of Norwich, and entered the Royal Navy as midshipman on board the Repulse, in 1798. During the summer of 1805 he accompanied Nelson in his pursuit to the West Indies of the combined French and Spanish fleets. After continuous service he joined the Reynard, 18 guns, as Acting Commander in the advance on Riga, and was the first to bring to the Admiral of the station lying off Carlscrona news of the great defeat of Napoleon at Moscow. He was in May, 1813, while in charge of a prize, driven by a gale into Frederickstadt, in Norway, where he was detained a prisoner for some months. In 1843 he received the rank of commander, and since 1848 had resided in Norwich.
AUGUST.
3.—At the Norfolk Assizes, before Lord Justice Thesiger, Mr. W. G. Loftus, of Bracon Lodge, brought an action against the Rev. T. T. Berney, rector of Braconash, for trespass. The defendant claimed the right, as lord of the manor, of shooting over thirty-four acres’ of land around Bracon Lodge. This land was principally garden ground. The plaintiff objected to defendant sporting in his kitchen garden, and wished to put an end to the nuisance. In the course of argument between Mr. Day, Q.C., for the plaintiff, and Sir Patrick Colquhoun, Q.C., for the defendant, reference was made to several “musty deeds” produced by Mr. Berney. The jury found for the plaintiff, damages 40s.