APRIL.
1.—The remains of Richard Peck, an agricultural labourer, aged 69, were buried in Docking churchyard. “The deceased had worked for forty-two years on the Choseley Farm, an extra-parochial place, and cottage property, distant from Docking two and a half miles, where he was obliged to reside, no labourers being permitted to live at Choseley. Thus he walked to and from his work five miles per day, 30 miles per week, 1,560 miles per year, and the extraordinary number of 65,520 miles during his forty-two years’ employment. This circumstance might be multiplied by numbers in England in general, and West Norfolk in particular, showing cogent reasons for Mr. Baines’ Poor-law Bill being made the law of the land.”
6.—Died at her residence, St. Martin-at-Palace, Norwich, aged 38, Harriet Gurney Gordon, many years a favourite actress at Norwich and at different metropolitan and provincial theatres.
16.—Mrs. Fanny Kemble commenced a course of Shakesperian readings at the Assembly Rooms, Norwich.
28.*—“Mr. Clare Sewell Read, son of Mr. George Read, of Plumstead, near Norwich, has been awarded by the Royal Agricultural Society the prize for the best essay on the farming of Buckinghamshire. Mr. Read obtained last year the society’s prize for his essay on Oxfordshire, and had also been a successful competitor in a former year for his essay on farming in South Wales.”
29.—Died, aged 86, Mr. J. Watts, of Yarmouth, for many years coachman of the Telegraph coach running between Norwich and Yarmouth.
MAY.
3.—A dinner to celebrate the freeing of Duke’s Palace Bridge, Norwich, was held at the Duke’s Palace Inn, under the presidency of the Mayor (Mr. Robert Chamberlin). “Upwards of twelve years have elapsed since the abolition of the above toll-bridge was first mooted, and the citizens are to be congratulated on the removal of the toll.”
15.—A public meeting was held in the hall of the Bazaar (Victoria Hall), Norwich, presided over by the Mayor, in furtherance of the movement in favour of administrative reform. An address was delivered by Mr. W. S. Lindsay, M.P., and a resolution was adopted affirming “that, without wishing to exclude the aristocratic class from the position in the public service to which their talents and patriotism may entitle them to assert, merit is the only principle by which appointments to public offices should be attained.”
18.—Among the officers who received the Crimean medal on this date at the hands of her Majesty were Capt. Bulwer, Capt. Bathurst, Capt. Micklethwaite, Lieut. Cator, and Lieut. Cresswell.