18.—Mr. Peter Master Yarington was presented with a silver salver and a purse of 283 sovs., in recognition of his efficient discharge of duty as Superintendent of the Norwich Police. He was appointed Governor of the City Gaol on July 31st, and was succeeded as head of the police force by Mr. Dunne, formerly of the Kent constabulary. Mr. Yarington died, in his 41st year, on July 21st, 1852, and on October 19th of that year Mr. Robert Campling was appointed Governor of the gaol.
19.—Mr. Albert Smith gave his “new literary, pictorial, and musical entertainment,” entitled, “The Overland Mail,” at the Assembly Rooms, Norwich.
22.—A serious riot occurred at Yarmouth. Samuel Graystone, mate of the Ant, from Yarmouth to Plymouth, had signed articles to go the voyage, but was forcibly prevented by seamen from boarding his ship. Masters of other vessels complained to the magistrates that they had been subjected to similar treatment. The staff of the East Norfolk Militia and the Coastguard were called out to keep the riotous seamen in check, and two troops of the 11th Hussars were conveyed by special trains from Norwich to assist in quelling the disturbance. The cavalry rode through the town, and quickly cleared the streets. “The rioters, frightened by the mere appearance of the troops, flew in every direction up the narrow rows of the town, and in a few hours tranquillity was restored.” It was stated that, but for the timely arrival of the troops, a body of Gorleston seamen would have made an attack upon the town. Several of the rioters were tried at the Quarter Sessions on March 6th, when, to the surprise of the Court, a verdict of not guilty was returned.
26.—Died at his family seat, Kirby Hall, the Hon. and Rev. Lord Berners. “He succeeded to the title and estates on the death of his brother Robert, Lord Berners, better known in the sporting world as Col. Wilson. He only attended at the House of Lords on a few occasions, one of which was to vote for the Reform Bill; but though absent in person, his proxy was always given to the support of the Whigs, of which, through life, he was a firm and constant supporter.”
—An exhibition of hawking was given on Hellesdon Brakes, near Norwich, by Mr. Barr, the celebrated Scottish falconer. Many hundreds of persons were present. Mr. Barr used four young hawks of the peregrine species. They were flown at pigeons which were let loose, and in two hours two dozen were brought to the ground. “The first two or three were so frightened, that when pursued by the hawk they took refuge among the people, and one of them alighted on the back of a horse, and was taken by hand.” Mr. Barr gave a second exhibition on March 10th, on Mr. George Gowing’s land at Trowse.
MARCH.
9.—A fire occurred at the office of the “Norwich Mercury,” Castle Street, Norwich. The roof of the building fell in, and the compositors’ room, with most of the cases of type, was destroyed.
13.—Dr. White, the eminent translator of “D’Aubigné’s History,” delivered, in the old Council Chamber at the Guildhall, Norwich, a lecture on “The Causes and Consequences of the Reformation.”
27.—At the Norfolk Assizes, before Lord Chief Justice Jervis, the libel action, Abbott v. Bacon and Another, was tried. The defendants published a statement in the “Norwich Mercury,” to the effect that the plaintiff, a superintendent of the County Constabulary at East Dereham, had stolen certain articles from the shop of Mr. Abram, a chemist and druggist in that town. The jury assessed the damages at one farthing. On April 16th a motion was made in the Court of Exchequer for a new trial, on the ground of misdirection of the jury, and a rule nisi was granted. At a meeting held at the Norfolk Hotel, on April 5th, it was resolved, “That the recent trial offered a most painful illustration of the gross injustice which may be inflicted upon the editor of a newspaper who honestly and fearlessly comments on matters of general interest,” and a public subscription was opened to recoup the proprietors of the “Mercury” the loss they had sustained by their successful vindication of the liberty of the Press. In the Court of Exchequer, on June 27th, both sides agreed to a verdict being entered for one farthing damages.
28.—George Baldry (33) was found guilty, at the Norfolk Assizes, before Mr. Justice Erle, of murdering Caroline Warnes, at Thurlton, by striking her on the head with a hammer. The sentence of death was commuted to transportation for life.