—Mr. Tillett, on taking his seat as Mayor of Norwich, informed the Town Council that an attempt had been made to bribe one of the Councillors. Mr. Joel Fox, the member in question, produced the halves of three £100 bank notes, which, he alleged, the Conservatives had handed to him to induce him to vote for eight Conservative Aldermen. After the vote had been recorded the payment was to be completed. Amid much excitement, a Special Committee was appointed to investigate the case. On November 12th, before the Committee had presented their report, criminal proceedings were instituted against Mr. Albert John Collins, solicitor, a member of the firm of Beckwith and Collins, who was charged at the Police Court with conspiring with Henry Croxford, stationer and others, to bribe Joel Fox, Town Councillor, by promising and offering him a sum of money to vote for certain Aldermen. Croxford, the other defendant, had absconded. Fox alleged that he went to Croxford’s house, where he was shown the halves of three £100 notes and four £50 notes, which were offered to him by Croxford, on behalf of Collins, on condition that he voted for the Conservative Aldermen. After formal evidence, the case was adjourned. On the 16th the Committee of the Council asked for full power and authority to proceed with the investigation, and to take such steps as might be necessary for the prosecution of the offenders. The Council granted the application. The magisterial proceedings were resumed on the 17th, when Mr. Power, Q.C. (instructed by the Town Clerk, Mr. Mendham), appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Serjeant Ballantine for the defendant Collins. After further evidence had been taken, the case was again adjourned. Meanwhile informations had been laid against William Wilde, William Wilde, the younger, William George Wilde, James Stowers, and Sir William Foster, members of the Liberal party, for conspiring to bribe at the last General Election for the city. By way of reprisal, the Liberals obtained summonses, through William Randell Lacey, against Sir Samuel Bignold, the Rev. F. S. Bignold, J. H. Bignold, James Hardy, Capt. Ives, and G. Priest, for unlawfully conspiring by bribery and other illegal means to return Sir Samuel Bignold and Mr. Charles Lushington at the last election of members of Parliament. On Nov. 19th the magistrates decided to hear all the cases on December 8th. A special meeting of the Town Council was held on December 6th, to consider the following motion by Mr. Simms Reeve: “That it is the opinion of this Council that the peace and welfare of the city will be best promoted by the cessation of political strife, and, with the view to the attainment of that object, the resolution of the Council of the 16th November last, with reference to the charge of bribery made by Mr. Councillor Fox, be cancelled, and that all further legal proceedings against Henry Croxford and Albert John Collins and others for conspiracy be stayed.” The motion was seconded by Mr. Field. Mr. C. M. Gibson moved, as an amendment, “That the due administration of justice is essential to the peace and welfare of the city, and it is therefore the opinion of the Council that the resolution of the 16th November . . . should be again confirmed.” The motion was carried by 28 votes against 19. On December 8th, when the magisterial proceedings were resumed, the Town Clerk said he had no instructions from the Town Council to proceed with the prosecution. After he had formally withdrawn, Mr. R. N. Bacon, Mr. J. J. Colman, Mr. J. Youngs, Mr. J. Newbegin, Mr. C. N. Bolingbroke, the Rev. G. Gould, the Rev. J. Crompton, Mr. E. C. Holland, and Mr. John Pymar appeared as prosecutors, and Mr. Power claimed to be heard as their counsel. The Bench decided that there was no prima facie case against Collins, who was discharged on giving sureties to answer any charge that might be made against him at the Assizes. Serjeant Ballantine thereupon said that he would offer no evidence in the charges against the Messrs. Wilde, and Mr. S. H. Asker, who appeared for the complainant Lacey, withdrew the summons issued on his information.
12.—Mr. Louth, landlord of the Rampant Horse Hotel, Norwich, received fatal injuries by the overturning of his vehicle in London Street. His father, by whom he was accompanied, also sustained severe wounds, from which he died on the 18th.
30.—The foundation-stone of the St. Andrew’s Wherrymen’s chapel, at Yarmouth, was laid by the Mayor (Mr. W. Worship). The building, which was erected at the cost of £1,050, by Mr. Stanley, of Yarmouth, from plans by Mr. C. E. Giles, of London, was consecrated by the Bishop of Norwich on October 9th, 1860.
DECEMBER.
1.—The Norwich Operatic Union gave its first concert, from Verdi’s “Il Trovatore,” at St. Andrew’s Hall. The principal vocalists were Miss Theresa Jefferys, Mr. Angus Braham, Miss Laura Baxter, and Mr. Durand. The band and chorus of 80 performers were conducted by Mr. Bunnett, B.M., Mr. Alfred Bowles was instrumental leader, and Mr. Henry Rudd choral director.
—A fatal accident occurred on the works in progress at the new Fishmarket, Norwich, by the falling in of three of the arches beneath the “promenade.” A workman, named William Powley, of Necton, was killed, and another workman sustained a broken leg. At the adjourned inquest, on December 15th, the jury returned a verdict of accidental death, with the rider: “They consider, from the evidence of eminent architects of London and builders of Norwich, that the buildings are in an unsafe condition, and require the immediate attention of the Corporation, in order to insure the perfect safety of the public.”
10.—Died at Sydenham, Col. the Hon. John Walpole, of 18, Jermyn Street, Piccadilly, aged 73. He was son of the second Earl of Orford, served with the Guards in the Peninsula War, and was severely wounded at the siege of Burgos. From 1827 to 1831 he was member of Parliament for King’s Lynn; from 1830 to 1833 private secretary to Lord Palmerston; from 1833 to 1841 Consul-General in Chili; and from 1841 to 1849 chargé d’affaires there.
17.—A heavy fall of snow and a frost of great severity were recorded. “In the course of the 17th, the thermometer fell to 14 degrees, and on the 18th to 9 degrees, or 27 degrees below freezing-point.”
26.—The pantomime at Norwich Theatre was “founded on the celebrated and world-known Norfolk ballad,” and entitled, “The Babes in the Wood, and Harlequin and the Cruel Uncle, or the Forest Queen of the Fairy Dell.” The other Christmas attraction was Mander’s Menagerie.
27.—Died, Jacob Astley, Lord Hastings, of Melton Constable and of Seaton Delaval, Northumberland. He was son of Sir Jacob Henry Astley, fifth baronet, by the youngest daughter and co-heiress of Samuel Browne, of King’s Lynn. His lordship was born in 1797, married in March, 1819, the youngest daughter of Sir Henry Watkin Dashwood, Bart., and succeeded his father in the baronetcy in 1817. As one of the heirs of Sir John de Hastings, who sat in the Parliament of 18th Edward I., he was summoned to the House of Peers in 1841. He was appointed first Captain and Commandant of the Norfolk Militia Artillery in 1853, and Hon. Colonel in 1856. From 1832 to 1837 he represented West Norfolk in Parliament. His lordship was succeeded by his son, the Hon. Jacob Henry Delaval Astley, born in 1822.