21.—Died at Bethel Street, Norwich, aged 70, Robert Forster, formerly bandmaster of the 33rd (Duke of Wellington’s Own) Regiment. “At Waterloo he received a ball in his knee, which had never been extracted. He was a native of Norwich, and the only survivor of the band of the regiment, the whole having fallen by his side at Waterloo.”
JUNE.
30.—The Eastern Counties (Amalgamation of Railways) Bill was read a third time in the House of Commons and passed. One of the clauses was to the following effect: “That it shall not be lawful for the company to close or discontinue the Victoria Station at Norwich, now belonging to the Eastern Union Railway Company.”
JULY.
3.—Foot-racing was revived on the Old Cricket Ground at Norwich, by Mr. Thomas Sapey, a local sportsman. A one mile handicap, open to all England, brought twenty-four competitors, among whom were Thomas Horspool, of Sheffield (holder of the one mile champion belt); C. Welton, of Gateshead; William Newman, of London; Robert Bunn, John Brighton (“The Milk Boy”), Richard Fromow, Jim Mace (pugilist), William (“Cock”) Blyth, &c. The meeting was continued on the 4th.
7.—The first meeting of the Norwich Photographic Society (established on June 23rd) was held at Mr. W. Freeman’s, London Street. The objects of the society were the reading of original papers, the discussion of different photographic processes, the collection of pictures, and the formation of a photographic library.
20.—A dinner was held at the Town Hall, Yarmouth, to celebrate the inauguration of Lord Sondes as High Steward of that borough.
22.—Norwich Theatre was opened for the Assize week, under the management of Messrs. C. Gill and William Sidney, lessees of the Theatres Royal, Leicester, Portsmouth, Leamington, and Jersey. They also had the management of Yarmouth Theatre. The winter season commenced on November 11th. The new managers endeavoured to restore at Norwich the old style and prices of the entertainments. “On each Friday night the prices will be as they were a few years since, and on these occasions the pieces selected will consist of standard plays and comedies, concluding with a really funny farce.” The company was a good one, and “the starring system, which sacrifices every supposed subordinate character to two or three leading ones,” was “studiously ignored.” Mr. Gill (who was afterwards for several years manager of Lynn Theatre) withdrew from the partnership in 1855, and on December 10th in that year the winter season commenced under the sole management of Mr. Sidney.
AUGUST.
12.—Died at the residence of Lord Palmerston, in Carlton Gardens, London, Viscount Jocelyn, M.P. His lordship contracted Asiatic cholera while performing military duty at the Tower of London as Colonel of the Essex Rifles. The eldest son of the Earl of Roden, he was born on February 20th, 1816, and served on the staff of Lord Saltoun in the China Expedition in 1842. He was the author of a work entitled, “Six Months in China.” In February, 1842, on the appointment of Sir Stratford Canning as Ambassador at Constantinople, a new writ was issued for King’s Lynn, when Lord Jocelyn was returned for that borough as a Liberal-Conservative, and continued to represent it until his death. During the last two years of Sir Robert Peel’s Administration he held office as Secretary to the India Board.