31.—The Great Yarmouth Golf Club was formed, at a public meeting held in that town. The game had for some months previously been played on the Denes.
FEBRUARY.
6.—M. Guilmant, the celebrated French organist, gave organ recitals at St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich. He revisited the city on December 18th.
9.—A meeting under the auspices of the Marriage Law Defence Union was held at St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich, under the presidency of Mr. H. S. Patteson. Earl Percy, Earl Beauchamp, the Right Hon. A. J. R. Beresford Hope, M.P., and the Rev. Dr. Badenoch were announced to speak. The proceedings were very disorderly, and ultimately the promoters of the meeting were compelled to vacate the platform. The opposing party thereupon proposed and adopted resolutions in favour of legalising marriage with a deceased wife’s sister.
14.—At the Guildhall Police Court, Norwich, Mr. Joseph Stanley, solicitor, was charged, on the information of Edward Burgess, described as a printer and publisher, with assaulting him. The defendant, it was alleged, met the complainant in London Street, and, producing a riding-whip from beneath his coat, struck him several blows across the face. The assault was admitted, and defendant pleaded, in mitigation, that he horsewhipped the complainant in consequence of certain statements published by him in a paper called “Daylight.” The Bench inflicted a fine of one shilling, and declined to make an order as to costs. This was the first of a remarkable series of cases arising directly or indirectly from the publication of the print above referred to. At Norwich County Court, on February 21st, before the Judge (Mr. E. P. Price, Q.C.) and a jury, William Hammond, “otherwise E. Field and Co.,” brought an action against Edward Burgees and J. A. Burgis, the proprietors of “Daylight,” for an alleged libel. The action was originally entered for trial in the High Court of Justice, the plaintiff laying his damages at £1,000, but it was remitted to the County Court, on the application of the defendants, on the plaintiff failing to give security for costs. Mr. Horace Brown was for the plaintiff (who did not appear), and Mr. Montague Williams for the defendants. The case was partly heard when Mr. Brown said that, having regard to what had transpired, he did not think it right to ask the jury for damages. A verdict was therefore entered for the defendants. On February 24th, Arthur Ventnor, artist, of Bridewell Alley, was charged at the Police Court with wilfully breaking the plate-glass windows at the office of “Daylight,” and doing damage to the amount of £20. The defendant was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions, held on April 3rd, before the Recorder (Mr. W. J. Metcalfe, Q.C.). It was urged on behalf of the defendant that he had broken the windows owing to a caricature of himself being exhibited therein. The Grand Jury made the following presentment: “We consider that considerable provocation was given to Mr. Ventnor by the exhibition of the caricature before he broke the windows.” The Recorder, who deplored the publication of such a paper, addressing the defendant, said, “The sentence of the Court is that you be imprisoned for three hours, which means that you have been in the dock a great deal too long already, and that you now be discharged. Who is to pay the costs of this prosecution? Not the public, certainly, but the people who provoke other people to smash their windows.” The verdict was received with great applause by a crowded court. At the Police Court on April 23rd, Messrs. Burgess and Burgis appeared in answer to an information laid by Lewin Samuel, clothier, of St. Giles’ Street, for publishing in “Daylight” a defamatory libel of and concerning him. This was a criminal prosecution, on the fiat of the Public Prosecutor. The defendants alleged in their paper that the complainant and his brother were “Jew money-lenders, who sold up the homes of hard-working men and the beds from under women and children, and extorted 150 per cent. and more, interests for small loans.” The case was sent for trial at the Assizes. The defendants appeared before Mr. Justice Day, on August 9th. After the case had been part heard, Mr. Horace Brown, counsel for the prosecution, asked leave to withdraw. His lordship granted the request, and remarked that Mr. Brown’s client “had attained his object in having the character of his business thoroughly exposed to the public.” The defendants were then discharged.
26.—The trial of the action. Boswell v. Coaks, commenced before Mr. Justice Fry. On the fifth day of the trial, March 12th, his lordship gave judgment. In his opinion, he said, the plaintiff’s case had failed, and he dismissed the action, with costs. Later in the day the judge remarked that there was a certain point in the case which he had not appreciated, and ordered the action to be restored to the paper as part heard. At the further hearing, on March 19th, his lordship said he adhered to the view which he previously expressed, and pronounced judgment unreservedly in favour of the defendants, who were entirely acquitted of the charge against them. On June 19th an appeal was entered against the decision of Mr. Justice Fry. (See May 19th, 1884.)
27.—Hengler’s Grand Circus, the first exhibition of the kind given in a permanent building in the city, was opened at the Agricultural Hall, Norwich.
—At a meeting held at the Globe Hotel, Lynn, under the presidency of Sir William ffolkes. M.P., Mr. A. C. Fountaine, of Narford Hall, was selected master of the West Norfolk Foxhounds, in place of Mr. Anthony Hamond, who had hunted the hounds for eighteen years. At the suggestion of the Prince of Wales, a fund was inaugurated for the purpose of presenting Mr. Hamond with a testimonial upon his retirement. The presentation took place at Sandringham, on December 1st, when a large number of the subscribers were entertained to breakfast by his Royal Highness, who handed to Mr. Hamond “his portrait in oil, mounted upon his favourite hunter, with the huntsman, Bob Claydon, and the whips, H. Browne and F. Clayden, in attendance.” The picture was painted by Mr. Samuel Carter, who was born upon the Westacre estate.
—The new railway from Acle to Yarmouth was inspected by Major-General Hutchinson, and shortly afterwards opened for traffic.