18.—Violent thunderstorms occurred in various parts of the county. The barn and other buildings at Newfoundland Farm, Cringleford, occupied by Mr. Drane, were destroyed by fire, with the loss of 340 coombs of barley, &c. A house was burnt down at Kenninghall, and horses were killed by lightning at Holt.
20.—Died at Woodbridge, Mr. David Fisher, aged 70. “He was a highly talented and respectable public character, and had resided at Woodbridge since his retirement from the stage twenty years previously. He belonged to a class much more numerous half a century since than at the present day. He was not only an actor, as nine-tenths of those who now strut their hour upon the stage are, by profession, but by intuition. Mr. Fisher was blessed with very rare histrionic and musical attainments. When he appeared at Drury Lane, as the contemporary and rival of Edmund Kean, it was felt to be the nearest approximation then or since seen to the overtowering abilities of that great dramatic luminary. Mr. Fisher, his father and family, made greater efforts than any other family ever did to establish and cultivate in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk a taste for the drama, at a time when this amusement was more calculated to serve the highest office of the stage than in the present degenerate days. Mr. Fisher built himself theatres at Bungay, Beccles, Halesworth, Wells, North Walsham, Dereham, Lowestoft, Eye, and other towns, entirely at his own cost. He generally used to feel his way by sending a company in advance for a few seasons, who located themselves in such buildings as were available for their temporary purposes, and then, having whetted the appetites of the dwellers in rural districts for one of the most intellectual of all amusements, he summoned up courage to build a theatre, generally one of the best structures in the town. For very many years these speculations proved remunerative, even though the season did not last more than two or three months, and at intervals generally of two years. It is rarely that a good actor makes a good manager, but Mr. Fisher was an honourable exception to this rule—indeed, it was difficult to say what department this distinguished gentleman could not fill, and fill well, too. He was a first-rate musician, and for a considerable time was leader at our choral concerts, and occupied a good position at our first and early Festivals. So versatile was his genius that he has been known to play in the overture, then to appear in almost every act of the tragedy of ‘Hamlet,’ and subsequently re-appear as Dr. O’Toole in the farce of ‘The Irish Tutor.’ He was also an admirable scene painter. During the latter years of his management he was much assisted by his two brothers, Charles and George. Finding that the palmy days of the drama were fast fading away, Mr. Fisher retired from public life when about 50 years of age, and before all the little reserve fund he had accumulated was too much wasted to enjoy the evening of life in a quiet and unostentatious privacy. He was very much esteemed where he lived and died.”
24.—The Thorpe Grove estate, formerly the property of Mr. George Harvey, deceased, was sold for £11,390, about £2,000 in excess of the valuation sent in previous to the auction.
25.—Died at his residence, Crown Point, Norwich, Lieut.-General Money, C.B., K.C., Colonel of the 2nd Regiment of Dragoons. He entered the Army in 1794, was promoted Lieutenant the same year, and Captain in May, 1800; Major, December, 1809; Lieut.-Colonel, June 4th, 1814; Colonel, January 10th, 1837; Major-General, Nov. 9th, 1846; and Lieut.-General, June 20th, 1854. He served twenty-five years in the 11th Dragoons, and was in Flanders and Holland in 1794–95, and in the latter year saw service in Germany. He took part in the attack on the French lines, was present at their defeats on the heights of Cateau and near Tournay, and was at the battles of Roubaix, Launey, and other engagements. Under Sir Ralph Abercromby, he commanded a detachment of his regiment at Leghorn, Minorca, at the expedition to Cadiz in 1800, in Egypt in 1801, and was at the capture of Grand Cairo and Alexandria. In the Peninsula campaigns of 1811 and 1812 he was present at the siege of Badajoz, the battle of Salamanca, and the affair of cavalry near the Tormes on the following day, when three French battalions were taken. He was at the cavalry affairs of Callada Camino and Fenta de Poso. He served also in the campaign of 1815, and was at the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo; towards the close of the latter the command of the 11th Dragoons devolved upon him. General Money married, in 1841, Lady Annetta Laura Maria Waldegrave, daughter of the sixth Earl of Waldegrave. She died in 1856, leaving two daughters.
SEPTEMBER.
6.—The stone statue above the entrance to the Corn Exchange at East Dereham was inaugurated on this date. Mr. W. Freeman, of Swanton, was the principal promoter of the public fund with which the statue was purchased. It weighed upwards of three tons, and was cut out of a solid block of stone weighing over seven tons, taken from the Isle of Portland. Mr. Butler, of London, was the sculptor. The luncheon in celebration of the inauguration was presided over by Lord Sondes.
11.—Donati’s Comet was viewed with interest by thousands of the citizens of Norwich. “The extreme heat of the present month has impressed many that the comet has something to do with it.”
28.—A public testimonial, consisting of a piece of plate and a portrait of himself, painted by Mr. Boxall, of London, was presented by the inhabitants of Diss to Mr. Thomas Lombe Taylor, in recognition of his munificence in building, at his own expense, a Corn Hall for the use of the town, at the cost of £7,000. The presentation took place at the Corn Hall, where dinner was served, under the presidency of the Earl of Albemarle.
30.—The Congregational chapel, Chapel Field, Norwich, was opened for public worship. The special preacher was the Rev. Newman Hall, LL.B. The chapel was erected at the cost of £3,000, by Mr. Horace Sexton, from the plans of Mr. Joseph James, architect, Furnival’s Inn. It was intended to accommodate one thousand persons.