15.—The Norfolk and Norwich Triennial Musical Festival commenced with a miscellaneous concert at St. Andrew’s Hall. Spohr’s sacred cantata, “God, Thou art Great,” Mendelssohn’s “Hymn of Praise,” and Mozart’s “Requiem” were performed on the morning of the 16th, and in the evening a miscellaneous concert was given. Beethoven’s “Mount of Olives” and Haydn’s “Seasons” were rendered on the morning of the 17th, and a miscellaneous programme was submitted at the evening concert. “The Messiah” was the attraction on the morning of the 18th, and the Festival concluded with a fancy dress ball at St. Andrew’s Hall in the evening. The vocalists engaged for the Festival were Madame Clara Novello, Mdlle. Leonhardi (her first appearance in England), Madame Weiss, Mrs. Lockey, Mdlle. Piccolomini, Signor Gardoni, Signor Guiglini, Mr. Lockey, Mr. Miranda, Mr. Weiss, and Signor Belletti. The receipts amounted to £4,348, and the expenses to £3,997.
23.—The first exhibition of the Wayland Agricultural Society was held at Watton under the presidency of Lord Walsingham.
OCTOBER.
7.—By Royal Proclamation this day was observed as one of humiliation and prayer. At Norwich all the principal shops were closed, and services were held morning and evening at the parish churches. Collections were made on behalf of the sufferers by the Indian Mutiny.
22.—Mr. W. H. Russell, LL.D., the special correspondent of “The Times” during the Crimean War, delivered, at St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich, a lecture on the principal events of the campaign. He gave a second lecture on the 23rd.
—A terrible storm raged on the Norfolk coast. The brig Ontario, of South Shield’s, from Newcastle to Suez with coals (Capt., Balfour), foundered on the Barber Sand off Yarmouth, and drifting to the Cockle Gatway, was lost. The captain, his wife and son, and the crew of 24 hands perished. The chief mate, William Coates Robinson, alone escaped. The Zillah, of Whitby, from Hartlepool to London, commanded by Capt. Watson, was lost off Winterton, and five men, including the master, were drowned, out of the crew of eight hands. Upon the Norfolk coast between forty and fifty lives were lost. It was asserted that many lives would have been saved had the lifeboats and apparatus been in an ordinarily effective condition. The strictures made upon the life-saving service led to negotiations for the amalgamation with the National Society of the Norfolk Association for Saving the Lives of Shipwrecked Mariners.
NOVEMBER.
2.—A troop of the 15th Hussars left Norwich for Coventry.
7.—Mr. Cadge was elected surgeon of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, in succession to Mr. B. H. Norgate, resigned. Mr. T. W. Crosse succeeded Mr. Cadge as assistant-surgeon.
9.—Mr. Edward Field was elected Mayor, and Mr. Charles Crawshay appointed Sheriff of Norwich.