18.—The National Fisheries Exhibition was opened at the Drill Hall, Norwich, by the Prince of Wales. His Royal Highness, who was accompanied by the Princess of Wales, Prince Leopold, the Lord President of the Privy Council and the Countess Spencer, Sir W. Vernon Harcourt and Lady Harcourt, his Excellency Count Dannesekjold-Samsoë, Count Frijs-Frijsonborg, Lord and Lady Charles Beresford, Mr. Mundella, M.P., and Sir Philip Cunliffe Owen, arrived from Wolferton at Thorpe station at 12.20, and was received by the Mayor (Mr. S. Grimmer), the Sheriff (Dr. Eade), and the Deputy-Mayor (Mr. Harry Bullard). The Artillery Volunteers supplied a guard of honour in the station yard, and the Royal visitors were escorted by a detachment of the 3rd Hussars. At the Drill Hall, where the Rifle Volunteers mounted a guard of honour, their Royal Highnesses were received by the President of the exhibition (Mr. Edward Birkbeck, M.P.) and other officials. The President presented an address to the Prince of Wales, who replied, and declared the exhibition open. The Mayor afterwards entertained their Royal Highnesses and a distinguished company to a déjeuner at St. Andrew’s Hall. At four o’clock the Royal party returned to Thorpe station, whence they proceeded to Wolferton. The exhibition, which was promoted by the Norfolk and Suffolk Fish Acclimatization Society, remained open until May 7th, was visited by 70,000 persons, exclusive of exhibitors and their assistants, and nearly £2,800 was received for admission. Several distinguished scientists delivered lectures at the Prince’s Street Lecture Hall—Professor Huxley on “The Herring,” on April 21st; Mr. Edward Jex, on “Deep Sea Fisheries,” on April 22nd; Mr. R. Bowdler Sharpe, on “Fish-eating Birds,” on April 25th; and Mr. H. N. Moseley, naturalist to the Challenger Expedition, on “Deep-sea Dredging,” on April 28th. On the last day of the exhibition, Earl Ducie distributed the prizes and diplomas to the exhibitors.
19.—A meeting of the members of the Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture and of farmers and agriculturists residing in West Norfolk was held at the Town Hall, Lynn, under the presidency of Mr. C. S. Read, when a resolution affirming “that the present state of the agricultural interest demands the serious attention of the Government of the country” was unanimously adopted. In compliance with a letter addressed to the parochial clergy by the Lord Bishop, services of humiliation and of intercession for a plentiful harvest were held throughout the diocese during the last week of May.
26.—On the occasion of the funeral of Lord Beaconsfield, flags were displayed at half-mast on the churches and public buildings of Norwich, muffled bells were tolled, and many business establishments were partially closed. A funeral sermon was preached at the Cathedral by Canon Heaviside.
28.—Died, in his 84th year, Mr. Brampton Gurdon, of Letton Hall and Grundisburgh Hall, Suffolk. He was the eldest son of Mr. Theophilus Thornhagh Gurdon, of Letton, and in 1855 served the office of High Sheriff. In 1857 Mr. Gurdon was elected unopposed one of the members for the Western division of the county, and was again returned, with Mr. Bentinck, in 1859. He retained the seat until July, 1865, when he and Sir Willoughby Jones were defeated by Mr. Bagge and the Hon. T. de Grey. Mr. Gurdon married the Hon. Henrietta Susannah, daughter and co-heiress of the first Baron Colborne, of West Harling Hall.
29.—Charles Monsey, a superannuated Excise officer, murdered his wife at Worstead, by inflicting wounds upon her head with a hatchet. At Ipswich Assizes, before Mr. Justice Hawkins, on May 9th, affidavits were produced as to the insanity of the accused, and the trial was postponed. Monsey was afterwards detained as a criminal lunatic.
MAY.
7.—The Census returns for Norwich were published on this date, as follow:—Houses: Inhabited, 19,777; uninhabited, 1,011; building, 246. Persons: Males, 40,281; females, 47,560; total, 87,841.
29.—Died at Hoveton House, the Rev. Thomas John Blofeld, vicar of the parish, aged 74. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1829. Ordained in 1830, he was for a short time vicar of Old Sodbury, Gloucestershire, and exchanged the living for the rectory of Drayton and Hellesdon. Mr. Blofeld was rural dean of the deanery of Taverham, which he resigned, with the rectory of Drayton, in 1851, on his appointment to the living of Hoveton. He married, in 1834, Catherine Charlotte, daughter of the Rev. Anthony Collett, of Heveningham, Suffolk, by whom he had three sons and a daughter. Mr. Blofeld was an active county magistrate, chairman of the visiting justices of the County Gaol, an auditor of the county accounts, and a Deputy Lieutenant. For many years he was one of the most able and energetic of the leaders of the Conservative party in North Norfolk. In his youth he was a great oarsman, was stroke of the Trinity boat, and one of the founders of boating on the Cam. With a taste for outdoor pursuits, he was a keen and skilled naturalist, and a sportsman of the best type.
30.—Died at Les Avants, the Rev. Herbert Pelham, aged 26, curate of St. Philip, Heigham, and youngest son of the Bishop of Norwich. “He had been staying at Gleion, in Montreaux, on the banks of Lake Geneva, with his brother, the Rev. Sidney Pelham. In the morning, at four o’clock, both brothers left their hotel for a walk amongst the mountains, aiming at a point which they reached at seven o’clock. After resting half an hour, they began to descend. Not more than ten minutes had elapsed after their starting, when, on a grassy slope, Mr. Sidney Pelham, who was in front, heard a rushing sound, and perceived that his brother was falling head foremost down a cliff some 240 feet in extent.” On hurrying to the spot he found the body motionless, and a surgeon who was summoned pronounced that death had been instantaneous. Great public sympathy was expressed in Norwich and the diocese, and many resolutions of condolence were sent to the Bishop.
31.—Died at his residence, at Thorpe, Norwich, Mr. William Howlett, aged 78. He had been an alderman and town councillor. Identified with the musical profession, Mr. Howlett had rendered very valuable assistance to the funds of many of the Norwich charities.