6.—A new fire escape for “populous buildings,” invented by Captain Longe, of Spixworth Park, was tested at Thorpe Asylum. It consisted of “a movable staircase mounted on a frame on four wheels, which can be readily and expeditiously moved by two men to any window of a burning building, and raised by a double crank to a window 18 ft. from the ground, at an angle of 45 degrees, by which the inmates, stepping on a small platform, can easily descend.” The Lunacy Commissioners reported favourably upon the invention.
27.—“Falka,” produced by Van Biene and Horace Lingard’s Comic Opera Company, was the Christmas attraction at Norwich Theatre. The dress circle, which had remained in its original state since the erection of the Theatre in 1826, was at this date remodelled and greatly improved by the removal of the uncomfortable and objectionable boxes.
28.—Considerable damage was done to the telephone wires in Norwich by a heavy fall of snow. “The whole system came to grief through the wires breaking and the derricks giving way.”
—Died, at his residence, Shadingfield Lodge, Yarmouth, Mr. Samuel Nightingale, in his 84th year. He served the office of Mayor of the borough in 1868–69.
1887.
JANUARY.
6.—Dr. David George Thomson, senior medical officer of the Surrey Asylum, was appointed by the Norfolk county magistrates Medical Superintendent of the County Asylum at Thorpe, in place of Dr. Hills, resigned. The Court granted Dr. Hills a superannuation allowance of £600 per annum. At the Easter Sessions resolutions were presented by thirteen unions, protesting against the allowance as an excessive burden upon the county rates.
14.—A serious riot occurred in Norwich Market Place. A crowd of unemployed workmen, harangued by two Socialists, named Mowbray and Henderson, who suggested that they could not starve, and that they must procure food for themselves, became a disorderly mob, and under the leadership of the agitators, made a raid upon several shops on the Walk. The ringleaders, with two men, named Hurrell and Hall, were apprehended, and committed for trial. The case came before Mr. Justice Grantham at the Assizes on the 21st, when Mowbray was sentenced to nine months’, Henderson to four months’, Hall to one month’s, and Hurrell to one week’s imprisonment, with hard labour. A similar disturbance on a minor scale took place at Yarmouth at about the same date. Owing to inflammatory placards distributed during the month of September, the Chief Constable of Norwich, on October 1st, applied to the magistrates for power to raise a force of 200 special constables. On October 11th the required number were sworn in, and informed that their active services would not be required except on a special summons from the magistrates.
25.—At the Norwich Assizes, before Mr. Justice Grantham, was tried the action, the Corporation of Norwich v. Coxe. In this case the Corporation sued the Rev. Dr. Coxe, one of the sureties of Mr. E. S. Steward, the late City Treasurer, to recover from him the sum of £1,000, for which amount he was bond. On behalf of the defendant it was urged that the auditors were remiss in passing accounts that were incorrect, and the judge made strong comments upon the loose manner in which they did their work. The jury gave a verdict for the defendant.