10.—Mr. Henry Staniforth Patteson was elected Mayor, and Mr. J. J. Colman appointed Sheriff of Norwich.
18.—The Norwich Town Council adopted an address to the Queen, congratulating her Majesty upon the attainment of his majority by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. The county magistrates adopted a similar address on January 8th, 1863.
19.—Died, suddenly, aged 50, Mr. John Wodderspoon, sub-editor of the “Norwich Mercury.” He had resided in Norwich about fourteen years, and had previously been connected with the “Suffolk Chronicle,” at Ipswich. Mr. Wodderspoon devoted his leisure time to the pursuit of the fine arts, and had achieved considerable proficiency as an amateur artist, a talent which assisted him materially in his other favourite study, archæology. He was an active member of the Norfolk and Norwich Archæological Society, and whilst resident at Ipswich, wrote, “Memorials of Ipswich” and “Historic Sites of Suffolk.” His death occurred under painful circumstances. On the previous day a summons had been served upon him for threatening, it was alleged, a reporter on the “Mercury” staff. When giving instructions to Mr. Bugg, his solicitor in the case, Mr. Wodderspoon fell down and instantly expired.
22.*—“The Queen has been pleased to grant unto Henry Evans, the elder, of Lyng and of Bylaugh, clerk, and to his eldest son, Henry Evans, the younger, of Elmswell, in Suffolk, clerk, her Royal licence and authority that they and their respective heirs may, in compliance with a proviso contained in the last will and testament of Sir John Lombe, late of Great Melton, baronet, deceased, respectively take and henceforth use the surname of Lombe only, and use and bear the arms of Lombe in lieu of their present surname and arms of Evans.”
DECEMBER.
1.—Father Gavazzi lectured at St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich, on “Italy, Victor Emanuel, Garibaldi, and the Pope,” and on the 2nd on “The Progress of the Gospel in Italy.”
10.—Mr. Charles Mathews appeared at St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich, in his entertainment, “Personal Reminiscences, in Eight Chapters.” The entertainment was repeated on December 13th.
13.—Died at his residence, Elmsfield, Harrow, Lieut.-Col. Richard Montague Oakes, formerly of the 1st Life Guards, and Chief Constable of Norfolk, aged 71.
18.—A gale of great severity commenced at Yarmouth, and continued until the 22nd. “The lifeboats were suffered to lie quiescent on the beach, their crews (of the Young and Diamond Company) standing stolidly by, indifferent even to the signals of distress which from time to time came over the raging waters from vessels in great danger.” There was no loss of life. An inquiry was opened on January 6th, 1863, as to the conduct of the lifeboat crew, and adjourned to the 12th, when a resolution was adopted exonerating them from blame.
20.—Died at his residence, Norton Lodge, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Graham E. Hamond, Bart., G.C.B. He was the only son of Captain Sir Andrew Snape Hamond, R.N., created baronet in 1783, and was born December 30th, 1779. On the death of his father, at the advanced age of 90, in September, 1828, he succeeded to the baronetcy. He commenced his naval career in 1793, as midshipman in the Phaeton 38, under the command of his cousin, Sir A. S. Douglas; he then removed to the Queen Charlotte, 100, the flagship of Admiral Lord Howe, under whom he shared the honour and took part in the victory of “the glorious first of June.” Joining the Britannia, 100, the flagship of Admiral Hotham, he served in the Mediterranean, and witnessed the destruction of L’Alcide 74, taken in the action of July 13th. After constant active service on the Lisbon and home stations, during which he assisted at the capture of several French privateers and at the blockade of Malta and the siege of La Valette, he was appointed to the command of the Blanche, 36, in which ship he participated in the battle of Copenhagen. In 1804 he was appointed to the Lively, 38, in which frigate he captured, off Cape St. Mary, three Spanish frigates laden with treasure, and destroyed a fourth; during a subsequent cruise off Cape St. Vincent he captured the San Miguel, and the same day, in company with the Polyphemus, 64, took the Santa Gertruyda, 36, laden with a valuable cargo of 11,215,000 dollars in specie. In December, 1808, he was appointed to the command of the Victorious, 74, in which he assisted at the reduction of Flushing in 1809. He was appointed commander-in-chief of the South African station in September, 1834. Sir Graham was a magistrate and deputy lieutenant for the county of Norfolk.