16.—A serious fire occurred at East Dereham, on the premises of Mr. William Hubbard, builder. It resulted in the total destruction of the large workshops, and entailed a loss of about £2,000. An adjacent warehouse was stored with £400 worth of goods belonging to Mr. E. Smith was also destroyed. Furniture and goods were hastily removed from adjoining houses and placed in the Corn Hall; the tenants of Mrs. Dingle’s cottages suffered great loss from their articles being broken or stolen. A public subscription was made to recoup Mr. Hubbard’s workmen the loss of their trade tools, valued at about £130; and on August 10th, at a meeting of the townspeople, a fire brigade was organized. The origin of the fire was never discovered. A groom in the employment of Mr. Hubbard was apprehended upon suspicion, but was discharged for want of evidence.
30.—Died at his residence, Town Close, Norwich, Mr. Samuel Shalders Bears, aged 76. He was for many years prominently connected with Norwich, both as a man of business and as a member of most of the leading institutions, charitable, literary, and political. In 1829, under the old Corporation, he was elected Sheriff, and in 1837, under the new régime, he served the office of Mayor. Mr. Beare was senior magistrate on the Norwich Bench, and was upon the commission of the peace for the county of Suffolk.
AUGUST.
3.—A dreadful railway accident took place upon the newly-opened line between Lynn and Hunstanton, by which five persons were killed and between twenty and thirty seriously injured. The accident was caused by the over-running of a bullock which had strayed upon the line. At the inquest, on August 13th, the jury returned a verdict of accidental death, and called attention to the insufficiency of the fences provided by the Great Eastern Railway Company. The amount paid by the company in claims and compensation exceeded, it was stated, the sum of £10,000.
12.—The completion of the restoration of St. Andrew’s Hall, Norwich, was celebrated by a dinner given at the hall by the Mayor (Mr. Patteson). The work of renovation was carried out by Mr. J. W. Lacey, from designs by Mr. Barry, the City Surveyor. The cost, about £1,500, was defrayed by public subscription.
19.—Three troops of the 18th Hussars, with headquarters, marched into Norwich, under the command of Lieut.-Col. Knox, formerly Major in the 15th Hussars.
—A great archery fête was held at Crown Point, Norwich. The societies represented were the Norfolk and Norwich Archery Club, the East Norfolk, West Norfolk, East Suffolk, West Suffolk, Westwick, Long Melford, Waveney Borderers, Waveney Valley, Yarmouth, and Copdock Archers.
31.—Died at his residence, the South Quay, Great Yarmouth, Mr. Samuel Charles Marsh, aged 53. He occupied for many years a conspicuous public position in the borough, and twice served the office of Mayor—in 1844 and 1852.
SEPTEMBER.
10.—Died at Raynham Hall, his Norfolk seat, Rear-Admiral the Marquis Townshend. His lordship was riding in the park on the 9th, when he was seized with a paralytic stroke. John Townshend was son of Lord John Townshend, second son of George, first Marquis Townshend. He was born March 28th, 1798, and succeeded to the family honours on the death of his cousin, George Ferrars, third Marquis, in December, 1855. He married, August 18th, 1825, Elizabeth Jane, eldest daughter of Rear-Admiral Lord George Stuart, who survived him, and left issue an only son, John Villiers Stuart, Viscount Rainham, M.P., and three daughters. He entered the Navy as midshipman in 1814, but his services, owing to the peace of 1815, were not distinguished. Before his accession to the House of Lords he was elected member for Tamworth. In politics he was a pronounced Liberal, “being in advance of the political party to which he professed to belong, for he had voted in favour of the ballot, and was also for the admission of Jews into Parliament and the removal of all religious disabilities.”