28.—The headquarters of the 5th Dragoon Guards arrived at Norwich Cavalry Barracks, from Aldershot. “It is known in the service as the ‘Green Horse,’ being the only cavalry regiment which wears green facings.”
OCTOBER.
13.—Died, Sir William Cubitt, the eminent engineer. Born in Norfolk, in 1785, he was apprenticed to a joiner, and, becoming a very superior handicraftsman, he rapidly took a prominent position as a maker of agricultural implements. Within a short time he became a millwright, and about 1807 invented self-regulating windmill sails, and ultimately became connected with Messrs. Ransome and Son, of Ipswich. He was the inventor also of the treadmill for gaols and houses of correction. His reputation increasing his engagements, it became necessary for him to remove to the Metropolis in 1826, and after that period there was scarcely a port, harbour, dock, navigable river, or canal in the United Kingdom with which he was not in some way engaged. The South-Eastern Railway from London to Dover was designed and executed by him. He undertook the bold project of blowing away the face of the Round Down cliff, which he successfully executed by exploding 18,000 lbs. of gunpowder in one blast, and precipitated one million tons of chalk cliff into the sea. The great landing-stage at Liverpool, the deck of which was nearly one acre in extent, was a unique example of his work. As consulting engineer of the Great Northern Railway, he materially contributed to the production of one of the best lines in England. One of his last public works was the superintendence of the construction of the palace for the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park in 1851, which he undertook at the pressing instance of his coadjutors on the Royal Commission, and his services were recognised in a marked manner by the Queen and the Prince Consort.
22.—The Mayor of Norwich (Mr. W. J. Utten Browne) delivered a lecture to the members of the parochial library, Lakenham, on “The Times of King Charles the First.”
24.—Died, suddenly, of apoplexy, at his residence, West Parade, Earlham Road, Norwich, in his 46th year, Mr. Edward Garrod, editor of the Norfolk Chronicle.
28.—Charles Dickens gave the former of two readings at St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich. The work selected was “David Copperfield.” On the 29th he read “Nicholas Nickleby at Mr. Squeer’s School,” and the Trial scene from the “Pickwick Papers.” “Our opinion is,” the Norfolk Chronicle remarked, “that Mr. Dickens as a reader fails to do justice to himself as an author.”
NOVEMBER.
6.—Norwich Theatre was opened, under the management of Mr. George Owen. Mr. Sidney, however, retained the lesseeship.
8.—Died at Hingham, in her 100th year, Mrs. Rebecca Houchen.
9.—The new Corn Hall at Norwich was opened for business. The contractors for the building were Messrs. Ling and Balls, of Norwich, and for the roof Messrs. Barnard, Bishop, and Barnards. The total cost was about £8,000. The work was executed from the designs of Mr. Barry, of Norwich, and Mr. H. Butcher, of 37, Bedford Row, London; and the roofs were adapted and carried into detail from the design of the architects by Mr. E. A. Cowper, C.E., of Westminster. The first brick of the new building was laid on May 1st, 1861.