14.—Died, at Sandringham, his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence and Avondale. The intelligence of the death of the young Prince was received in Norwich with many manifestations of public sorrow and sympathy. The church bells were tolled, flags were hoisted at half-mast upon all public buildings, and the windows of business establishments and private residences were shaded. The High Sheriff at once sent to the Comptroller of the Household of the Prince and Princess of Wales a telegram of sympathy on behalf of himself and the whole county of Norfolk, and on the 15th a special meeting of the Norwich Town Council was held, and addresses of condolence were ordered to be sent to the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and Princess Victoria Mary of Teck. On Sunday, the 17th, many touching references to the sad event were made in Church and Nonconformist places of worship; and on the 20th, on which day the remains of the deceased Prince were removed from Sandringham to Windsor for interment, a memorial service, attended by the Mayor and Corporation, was held at Norwich Cathedral, and the Dean preached an eloquent sermon. At Prince’s Street Congregational church, at Trinity Presbyterian church, and at St. Mary’s Baptist chapel similar services were held, business was suspended in the city, and the licensed victuallers and hotel proprietors closed their establishments from two o’clock until five o’clock. In every town and village the day was observed with profound solemnity.
18.—An important meeting was held at the Deanery, Norwich, to discuss what measures should be taken to complete the sum of £2,500 then being raised by the Church Schools’ Aid Association for the special purpose of increasing and improving the accommodation of the Church day schools in the city. It was resolved that it was the imperative duty of Churchmen to preserve the Church schools in a state of efficiency, and with this object it was decided that the clergy and laity form local branches to augment the fund.
19.—Another series of “Science Lectures for the People” commenced at St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich, when Sir Robert Stawell Ball spoke on “Invisible Stars.” On February 16th the Rev. J. Miller Hamilton lectured on “The Forth Bridge”; and on March 14th Dr. Andrew Wilson on “The Curiosities of Brain Action, Dreams, Mesmerism, and Ghost Seeing.” A second course began on November 16th with a lecture by Sir Robert Ball on “How came the Great Ice Age?” (See January 12th, 1893.)
23.—Influenza raged with great severity in city and county, and many prominent people were attacked by the complaint. “It is producing many deaths among the aged; the mortality in Norwich last week was 40.1 per thousand.” In the week ending January 30th the mortality in the city had increased to 44 per thousand.
30.—Died, at the Shrubbery, St. Stephen’s Road, Norwich, Mr. Jacob Henry Tillett. He was born November 1st, 1818, at Quay Side, St. Martin-at-Palace, Norwich, and was son of Mr. Jacob Tillett, a dyer. His grandfather was a schoolmaster, whose attainments in mathematics, navigation, and gunnery brought him into some prominence in his day. Young Tillett was educated at King Edward VI. Grammar School, and on leaving school served his articles with Mr. John Rising Staff, then a leading solicitor in Norwich. In 1839 he opened an office for himself in Post Office Street, and obtained a large and lucrative connection. Literary rather than legal work best accorded with Mr. Tillett’s natural tastes. In 1845 he founded the “Norfolk News,” and with the conduct of that journal he was thenceforward associated throughout his life, as chairman of the company and as editor, in which position he not only controlled the policy of the paper, but weekly contributed its leading articles. For many years Mr. Tillett was a member of the Town Council, and twice served the office of Mayor, first in 1859–60 and again in 1875–76. He was twice returned to a seat on the Norwich School Board, and on the second occasion was elected Chairman. In 1874 he was appointed a justice of the peace, but he never qualified. Although he was not attached to any particular sect, he identified himself with various religious movements in the city. Mr. Tillett was the most potent political personal force that the century produced in Norwich. He contested the city in 1868 unsuccessfully, Sir Henry Stracey and Sir Wm. Russell being returned. That election was invalidated on petition. In May, 1870, when a new writ was issued for the vacant seat, Mr. Tillett was returned by 4,236 votes against 3,874 polled by Mr. J. W. Huddleston. A petition followed, and Mr. Tillett was unseated. At the dissolution in 1874 the Conservatives brought forward Sir Henry Stracey and Mr. Huddleston, and the Liberal cause was again championed by Mr. Tillett, with Mr. Colman as his colleague. Mr. Colman was returned at the head of the poll with 6,138 votes, and Mr. Huddleston was the other successful candidate, with 5,823 votes. Mr. Tillett polled 5,776 and Sir Henry Stracey 5,290 votes. Early in 1875 Mr. Huddleston was raised to the judicial bench, and at the bye-election Mr. Tillett entered the lists against Colonel Wilkinson. The contest took place on March 5th, and resulted in Mr. Tillett’s return by a majority of 799. Then came the third petition, on which Mr. Tillett was again unseated, and a Royal Commission followed. The writ was suspended until the dissolution in 1880, when the Conservatives were represented by Mr. H. Harben and the Hon. Massey Mainwaring. The seats were carried by Mr. Colman and Mr. Tillett on a poll of 6,549 for the former and 6,512 for the latter, the votes for the Conservative candidates being 5,242 for Mr. Harben and 5,032 for Mr. Mainwaring. The successful candidates were allowed to retain their seats undisturbed; but Mr. Tillett reached the goal of his ambition too late to derive any satisfaction from it, and the five years he spent in Parliament were among the most irksome and worrying of any in his life. At the dissolution in 1885 he announced his intention not to again offer himself for the representation of the city; but in 1886 he was once more induced to stand, and, with Mr. Colman, opposed the return of Mr. Samuel Hoare and Mr. C. S. Read. The result of the poll was as follows:—Colman, 6,295; Hoare, 6,156; Tillett, 6,119; Read, 5,564. With this campaign Mr. Tillett practically closed his electioneering career. Whatever the Conservative party may have thought of his political faults and shortcomings, Mr. Tillett was no Socialist or Revolutionist. He was staunch in his loyalty to the Throne, and would have strongly opposed any attack upon the free monarchial constitution. Although he stood at the 1886 election as a Gladstonian, his convictions were in favour of the maintenance of the Union. For the private character of this eminent citizen it was impossible to entertain but one sentiment, that of the highest esteem and regard, for he was naturally of a kind, considerate, and affectionate disposition.
FEBRUARY.
6.—Official notice was received at Norwich of the final settlement of the scheme proposed by the Attorney-General for the administration of the Norwich Town Close Estate Charity. The scheme provided that the charity and its property and endowments should be vested in an official trustee of charity lands for the city of Norwich, and the management, preservation, and letting of the estate and the collecting of the income by a receiver would be exercised by trustees consisting of the trustees for the time being of the municipal charities of the city, known as the General Charities, as ex-officio trustees of the Town Close Estate, and by six representative trustees appointed by the freemen for a term of five years.
15.—The Compton Comedy Company commenced, at the Theatre Royal, Norwich, an engagement, during which were produced several favourite comedies of the old English stage.
18.—Archdeacon Perowne unveiled, at the church of St. Laurence, Norwich, a bronze memorial in commemoration of the work done by Miss Sarah Ann Glover in the cause of sol-fa music. Miss Glover was the author of the sol-fa notation, from which sprang the tonic sol-fa system.
20.—Died, at his residence, Unthank’s Road, Norwich, Mr. Henry Norton, F.G.S., in his 81st year. He was the eldest son of Mr. William Norton, of Old Buckenham, and in his early days was articled to Messrs. Mitchell and Clarke, a well-known firm of solicitors at Wymondham. Much of his time was subsequently spent in roaming over the greater part of Europe, and in about 1860 he settled in Norwich. As a scholar and a man of science Mr. Norton was possessed of a store of information such as few had acquired. Sanskrit and geology were his favourite studies. He was an omnivorous reader and lover of books, and bequeathed his valuable library and collection of manuscripts to the Norfolk and Norwich Library.