6.—A strong gale and high tide occurred at Yarmouth. Many of the houses on the Marine Parade were in danger of being flooded. Many thousands of fish were killed in the Yare by the ingress of salt water.
—The Mayor and Mayoress of Norwich (Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Gilman) attended the launch, at Hull, of a new steamer, the Norwich, built by Messrs. Earle’s Shipbuilding Company, for the Great Eastern Railway Company’s service between Harwich and Antwerp. The Mayoress performed the ceremony of naming the vessel.
10.*—“Lieutenant M. W. M. Edwards, 2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry, son of Mr. H. W. B. Edwards, of Hardingham, has been presented by the Queen with the Victoria Cross, for conspicuous bravery, displayed by him at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir.”
11.—A remarkably high tide took place at Lynn. The waters overflowed not only the quays, but the high banks of the river, a circumstance unprecedented for at least half a century. The lands reclaimed by the Norfolk Estuary Company from the bed of the old river were flooded to the extent of 400 acres. The low-lying streets of the town were inundated by the overflow from the river and “flats,” and by sewage driven up through the gullies. At Wells the waters overflowed the quay and entered the adjacent houses.
17.—It was announced that the Privy Council had granted licences for the sale of store sheep at Tombland Fair, on March 2nd. Norwich Cattle Market was opened for the sale of fat and store stock on April 7th, under certain conditions. (See January 5th, 1884.)
22.—The Spring Show of the Norfolk Agricultural Association was held on the Old Cricket Ground, Lakenham.
24.—A public subscription was inaugurated to enable the city of Norwich to purchase a site for the erection of brigade depôt barracks for the Norfolk Regiment. The War Office, it was announced, had agreed to retain the Cavalry Barracks on condition that the city provided a site for the infantry depôt. On July 24th the War Office intimated their acceptance of the site on Plumstead Road, which was purchased at the cost of £1,600.
26.—The accomplished young tragedienne, Miss Alleyn, made her first appearance at Norwich Theatre in the character of Juliet, with a company under the management of Mr. Charles Bernard. Among her other impersonations during the engagement were Marguerite Gauthier (“Woman’s Love”), Lady Teazle, Adrienne Lecouvreur, Rosalind, Pauline, Iolanthe (“King René’s Daughter”), and Portia. Miss Alleyn was described as “incomparably the best actress seen on the Norwich stage within the last thirty years.”
30.—Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone passed through Lynn railway-station, on their way to Sandringham, to visit the Prince and Princess of Wales. “Mr. and Mrs. Gladstone travelled in a first-class carriage, and on the arrival of the train they were apparently asleep. Mr. Gladstone, however, soon woke up, and immediately one of his admirers, in the form of a ‘working-man,’ proceeded to the carriage window and introduced himself as one of his supporters, and thereupon shook hands with the Premier. On Sunday morning (April 1st), some prominent members of the Liberal party in Lynn received fictitious invitations to lunch with Mr. Gladstone at Sandringham, the envelopes in which the notes were enclosed bearing the postmark of that village.” The visit terminated on April 2nd.