6.—The Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture adopted a resolution affirming its belief that the long-continued depression in agriculture injuriously affected all other industries, and its desire that a Committee of the two Houses of Parliament should enquire into the causes of the distress and recommend such practical remedies as might be found advisable. Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., moved a similar resolution at a meeting of the Central Chamber of Agriculture, on December 10th.
16.—Died, at Houghton Hall, his seat in Norfolk, the Marquis of Cholmondeley. His lordship, who was born August 31st, 1800, was the younger of the two sons of George James, fourth earl and first Marquis of Cholmondeley, by his marriage with the Lady Georgina Charlotte Bertie, second daughter and co-heiress of Peregrine, third Duke of Ancaster. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, and at the age of 22, as Lord Henry Cholmondeley, he entered the House of Commons as one of the members for the pocket borough of Castle Rising, in the place of his brother, Lord Rocksavage, who was called to the Upper House in his father’s Barony of Newburgh. In 1832 Castle Rising was disfranchised under Lord John Russell’s Reform Act, and Lord Henry remained out of Parliament until 1852, when he was returned as one of the members for South Hampshire. In May, 1870, on his elder brother’s death, he succeeded to the Marquisate and the rest of the family honours, and to the estates of Cholmondeley Castle in Cheshire, and of Houghton Hall, Norfolk. He was an excellent and considerate landlord, and did his best to encourage agricultural improvements on his estates.
17.—An extensive fire occurred in the drapery establishment of Mr. Alfred Jermyn, High Street, Lynn. A range of buildings was entirely destroyed. The premises were valued at £6,500, and the stock in trade at £20,000.
26.—Messrs. T. W. Robertson and H. Brace’s Comedy Company appeared at Norwich Theatre in the farcical pieces, “Nita’s First” and “My Milliner’s Bill.” At Messrs. John Sanger and Son’s Circus, at the Agricultural Hall, was produced the Christmas spectacle, “Aladdin, or an Old Lamp with a New Face.”
29.—Died, at Bridewell Alley, Norwich, aged 53, Mr. Arthur Dale Ventnor, a well-known portrait painter.
30.—Died, at his residence, Surrey Street, Norwich, Mr. Richard Makilwaine Phipson, F.S.A., aged 57. He commenced practice as an architect in London, and in 1849 took an office at Ipswich. In 1859 he was appointed to the post of County Surveyor of Norfolk, and afterwards became one of the diocesan surveyors under the Ecclesiastical Dilapidations Act, 1871. Much of the work of church restoration carried out during the quarter of a century preceding his death had been entrusted to him, and he was the architect of the Norwich City Asylum. Mr. Phipson was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries, and took great interest in the Norfolk and Norwich Archæological Society.
1885.
JANUARY.
2.—The Hon. T. W. H. Pelham, one of the Commissioners appointed to inquire as to the boundaries to be assigned to the divisions of the several counties under the Redistribution of Seats Bill, attended at the Shirehall, Norwich, for the purpose of receiving suggestions and of hearing objections as to the constitution of the divisions of the county of Norfolk. On February 28th it was announced that the Commissioners had issued their report and had determined the areas of the six divisions into which the county would be divided, with one member to each. These were known as South, South-West, East, North, Mid, and North-West. Yarmouth and King’s Lynn were allotted one member each.
6.—Died, at Cathedral Street, Norwich, Mrs. Emily Stannard, widow of Joseph Stannard, artist, and daughter of Daniel Coppin, aged 82. Mrs. Stannard was a clever painter of fruit, flowers, and still life. In 1821 she was presented with the large gold medal of the Society of Arts for an original painting of fruit, and in 1828 received a gold medal for a painting of game.