MARCH.
6.—The twelve hours’ roller skating championship of the Eastern Counties was competed for at St. Giles’ Hall, Norwich. The winner was Candler, of Norwich, who, between eight a.m. and eight p.m. covered 77 miles 7 laps; second, G. Woolsey, of Yarmouth, 74 miles 20 laps.
13.—The marriage of the Duke of Connaught and Princess Louise Marguerite was celebrated in Norwich by the ringing of St. Peter Mancroft bells, and by a civic luncheon given in the Council Chamber, Guildhall, by the Mayor (Mr. Harry Bullard). A congratulatory address adopted by the Corporation was presented to the Queen by the Mayor and Sheriff, at St. James’s Palace, on May 3rd.
22.—The first of the Saturday evening popular concerts, inaugurated in Prince’s Street Schoolroom, and transferred to St. Andrew’s Hall, was given, under the presidency of the Mayor of Norwich.
26.—A Common Hall was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, under the presidency of the Mayor, “to consider the question of the continuance of the half-holiday movement on Thursdays during the approaching summer months.” A memorial was presented by the traders of the city, affirming that the two o’clock closing was not conducive to the welfare of the assistants nor to the commercial prosperity of the city. After much discussion, the meeting was adjourned sine die, and a few weeks later official notice was given that “the shops of Norwich, with few exceptions, remain open on Thursdays till five o’clock.”
APRIL.
6.—Died at Great Yarmouth, Sir Thomas Branthwayt Beevor, Bart., of Hargham. Born on April 7th, 1798, he was thrice married—in 1819, to Elizabeth Bridget, daughter of Dr. Richard Lubbock, of Norwich; in 1832, to Martha, daughter of Mr. Archibald Hardiment, of Old Buckenham; and in 1845, to Mary, daughter of Mr. F. Davies. Sir Thomas had for some years resided in a quiet and unostentatious manner at Yarmouth, but in his early years, as a Liberal of the advanced school, he took a leading part in the political contests of the county.
7.—Mr. T. W. Robertson, son of the author of “Caste,” and other favourite comedies, made his first appearance with the Caste Company at Norwich Theatre. The company made a return visit on November 3rd. Mr. Robertson, junior, who had been articled to a veterinary surgeon in the city, afterwards became very popular as an actor.
11.—Died at Hereford, Miss Christiana Glover, second and last surviving daughter of the Rev. Edward Glover, M.A., of Norwich, aged 91. For several years she lived with the family of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, and afterwards became a devoted coadjutor of her talented sister, Miss Sarah Glover, in the work of imparting Christian education in accordance with the principles of the Church of England to the poorer classes in the city. The sisters originated the Norwich Sol-Fa System of Psalmody, “which may be said to be entirely unrivalled in its results, as producing perfect intonation and good harmony at comparatively small expense of time and labour. The system in a somewhat modified form has been very widely and successfully diffused by Mr. Curwen.”
15.—A new oratorio, “Nehemiah,” by Dr. Hill, of Norwich, was performed for the first time. It was produced at the Corn Hall, Diss, by the members of the Diss Choral Society.