OCTOBER.
19.—At a meeting of the county magistrates, the following resolution was adopted, on the motion of Mr. T. J. Birch: “That the magistrates of the county of Norfolk, in Quarter Sessions assembled, take this, the earliest opportunity, of conveying to Major-General Charles Ash Windham, their sincere congratulations on his providential escape from the perils attendant on the assault of the great Redan of Sebastopol on the 8th of September, 1855, of expressing to him their sense of admiration of his long-enduring gallantry, of his courage, constancy, self-devotion, and self-possession, which may be equalled, but cannot be surpassed, and of tendering to him their warmest and most cordial thanks for the example he has thus held out to the British soldier.” A “Windham Testimonial Fund” was afterwards opened. (See August 1st, 1856.)
NOVEMBER.
3.—The Norfolk coast was visited by a severe gale, which did enormous damage to the shipping.
9.—Mr. J. Godwin Johnson was elected Mayor, and Mr. Timothy Steward appointed Sheriff of Norwich.
28.—At a meeting of the Norwich Town Council, the unsatisfactory state of the railway communication between Norwich and London was considered. It was stated that an apprehension existed on the part of the public, on account of delays and obstructions, that the Eastern Counties Railway was insecure. A committee was appointed to inquire into and define the grievances of the citizens. On December 7th the Committee reported upon the alleged insecurity of the permanent way; the irregularity and inconvenience in the working of the line; and the arrangements for the conveyance of the mails. The Board of Trade made an inspection of the line, and in January, 1856, reported upon its insecure and dangerous state between Norwich and Cambridge.
DECEMBER.
8.*—“The Queen has been pleased to grant unto Joseph Stonehewer Scott, of Thursford and Pinckney, in the county of Norfolk, eldest son of Mr. Joseph Scott, of Colney Hall, license and authority that he and his issue may use the surname of Chad in addition to and after the surname of Scott, and bear the arms of Chad quarterly with the family arms of Scott.”
—*“Of late years some improvements have been made in various parts of Norwich by widening the streets, but by far the most important and expensive has been that in London Street. The improvement was badly designed, and has cost almost as much already as the cost would have been of pulling down one side of the street entirely. From first to last at least £20,000 has been expended, and the whole street is a bungle after all. The lower part of the street remains as bad as ever, and in the upper part years have been required to make a fourteen feet passage.”
19.—Mr. W. L. Mendham was elected Town Clerk of Norwich, in succession to Mr. J. R. Staff, who, since 1836, had held that office with the appointment of Clerk of the Peace. Mr. A. Dalrymple was elected to the latter office.