1.—Died at his house at Charlton, Kent, aged 86, Professor Peter Barlow, F.R.S. He was born in the parish of St. Simon, Norwich, in October, 1776. Related to one of the leading manufacturing families in the city, the Columbines, his early life was passed in their warehouse. He continued there about three years, and during that period acquired, by his own industry, a considerable knowledge of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, navigation, and French. Subsequently he obtained a situation in a school in Essex, and afterwards proceeded to Shipdham, when, the master dying, he succeeded to the school, and married a Shipdham lady. He commenced a regular correspondence with the “Ladies’ Diary,” then under the management of Dr. Hutton, professor of mathematics at Woolwich, whose attention was favourably attracted by the contributions furnished by Mr. Barlow. Dr. Hutton recommended him as candidate, in 1801, for the post of additional master at the Royal Military Academy, and he was successful. In 1811 he published his first work, “The Theory of Numbers,” in 1813, “The Mathematical Dictionary,” and in the same year his “Mathematical Tables.” In 1817 his work, “The Strength of Materials,” was published. In 1819 he turned his attention to magnetic experiments, in which he was very successful in developing the laws of action and in the application of those laws to the correction of a long-standing error in navigation. For this discovery he received several honorary and pecuniary rewards. His “Essay on Magnetic Attraction” was published in 1819.
25.—The new Poor Removal Act came into force. It materially altered the law of settlement, and made new regulations as to the manner in which parishes contributed their share to the common fund charges of the unions.
31.—An accident occurred at a circus building at St. Stephen’s Gates, Norwich, hired by Mace and King, the pugilists, for the purposes of a benefit performance. The rows of seats elevated one above the other and forming the pit were densely crowded with spectators, whose weight broke the frail supports, with the result that the centre of the pit fall with its load of human beings. Many were severely bruised and shaken, and one man, suffering from a broken leg, was removed to the Hospital.
APRIL.
10.—Madame Jenny Lind Goldschmidt appeared at a miscellaneous concert, given at St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich, and on the 11th sang in Haydn’s oratorio, “The Creation.” The other artistes included Mr. Sims Reeves, Signor Belletti, Mr. H. Blagrove (solo violin), Signor Patti (solo violoncello), and Mr. Otto Goldschmidt (pianoforte). The chorus for the oratorio was composed of members of the Cathedral choir and of the Norwich Choral Society.
21.—Tom Sayers, “the pugilistic ex-champion,” visited Norwich with his circus, “exhibited his belts, medals, and the diamond ring presented to him by the students of Oxford, and set-to with young Hicks, of Birmingham.” Heenan, the American pugilist, brought a circus to Norwich on September 11th, and “apologised to the spectators for not sparring, as the authorities had forbidden him, and it was only on giving this promise that he was allowed to erect his tent on the Castle Hill.” Mace’s circus visited the city on October 6th. “The spectators were disappointed at the non-appearance of Mace, the magistrates having forbidden him to give an illustration of his noble art.”
MAY.
3.*—“Died last week, at Rackheath, Phœbe Clayburn, at the advanced age of 103 years. She had 22 children, and her eldest son is now living at Bramerton, aged 80 years; her grandchild is 50; her great-grandchild is 20, and her great-great-grandchild is now two years of age.”
4.—The large tract of land known as the Middle Level of the Fens, which had been greatly improved by the construction of the Middle Level Drain, a small river which collected the waters of the district and discharged them into the Ouse near Wiggenhall St. German’s, was inundated, in consequence of a breach in the sluice erected at the point where the two streams joined. The tide, no longer confined to the channel of the Ouse, rushed up the drain, broke through the bank on the west side at two places, and, in a wild torrent, overspread the adjacent lands. Efforts were at once made to strengthen the dams, by placing vast quantities of clinch and gravel at the foot of the piles. On June 20th, a meeting of the owners and occupiers of land was held at the Globe Hotel, Lynn, under the presidency of the Rev. Henry ffolkes, at which resolutions were passed requiring the Middle Level Commissioners to take prompt and efficient measures to prevent the recurrence of such a disaster. It was also agreed that more satisfactory means for redress for damage should be given than were afforded by the Middle Level Act, and that application be made to Parliament for the insertion in the Middle Level Bill then before the House of Lords of necessary provisions for securing both objects. At the Norfolk Assizes, on July 29th, before Lord Chief Justice Cockburn, commenced the long course of litigation resulting from the inundation. Mr. William Mason, lessee of 18 acres of land at Tilney All Saints, within the Marshland Fen district, sued Mr. Wise, clerk to the Middle Level Commissioners, for the recovery of £500 damages sustained through the alleged negligence of the Commissioners in making and maintaining the Middle Level Sluice and Drain. Leave was given to both sides to move in the Common Pleas or Queen’s Bench for the removal of the trial to London. On August 16th it was announced that the expenses incident to the disaster were estimated at about £25,000, to meet which £20,000 had been taken up by way of temporary loan. A second disaster occurred on October 4th. One of the outfall sluices of the Marshland Smeeth and Fen Drain, an important arterial drain running into the Ouse about 200 or 300 yards northward of the ruined Middle Level Sluice, gave way, and again a wide extent of country was submerged. Four hundred navvies were at once set to work to form a dam of many thousands of sacks filled with earth. On the 5th the temporary dam gave way bodily, and the entire mass having been carried a score yards up the drain, sank out of sight. The tidal water having overcome the obstacle, went with a rush and a roar on its work of devastation, carrying with it great quantities of earth and timber. About 1,000 acres were flooded; 4,000 acres were under water before the completion of another temporary dam on the 8th. After that the water was removed by means of huge syphons. On November 10th the Court of Common Pleas refused a rule for the changing of the venue of the trial of the action, Mason v. Wise, from Norfolk to Surrey, and with this decision ended the first stage of the legal proceedings. (See January 31st, 1863.)
5.—The Braham Grand English Opera Company commenced a six nights’ engagement at Norwich Theatre, with the performance of “Il Trovatore.” The other operas produced during the engagement included “The Bohemian Girl,” “Robin Hood,” “The Daughter of the Regiment,” “Der Freischutz,” “Cinderella,” and “Lucia Di Lammermoor.” Among the principals were Miss Fanny Ternan, Miss Maria Ternan, Mdlle. A. Kemp, Mr. Brookhouse Bowler, and Mr. Hamilton Braham.