The destruction of the Cross is thus noticed:—
“On Friday last the Market Cross was sold by public tender for £55 6s., and on Monday morning workmen commenced pulling it down. It has now entirely disappeared, to the gratification of the residents in the Market Place, to whom it had long been a great annoyance, in consequence of its having become a rendezvous for idle and dissolute persons. The Tories lament the loss of it, and call the Corporation destructives for having removed a public nuisance! We know not what claim it had upon their sympathies, except in being a fit emblem of the late Body Corporate, for like that it perhaps was of service at some bygone period of time, but having long ceased to be useful, it had fallen to abuse and rottenness, and to complete the resemblance it has, after some struggles, been swept away by the current of public opinion.”
August 9th.—The Hon. and Rev. E. Pellew had been presented with plate of the value of £100 by the parishioners.
August 25th.—The Races had been held, the Stewards being the Earl of Orford, Lord Henniker, and T. Baring, Esq., M.P. About 160 ladies and gentlemen attended the Race Ball, and 2,000 persons patronized the Vauxhall Gardens.
Sept. 1st.—The Regatta had been held, and the Theatre had been well filled on the Stewards’ bespeak, when an attempt to get up a cry of “Baring and Rumbold” proved a failure.
Sept. 22nd.—172 persons holding Corporation leaseholds had intimated their desire to purchase the freehold of their properties, at prices amounting to £6,911.
Oct. 6th.—The price of herrings was £23 to £24 per last.
Oct. 13th.—The compensation awarded to the Town Clerk for loss of his offices of Magistrates’ Clerk and Clerk of the Peace had been settled at £222 per annum.
Nov. 3rd.—The result of the Municipal Election is reported as follows:—
“Our Municipal Election took place on Tuesday last. The contest in the St. Nicholas’ Ward was a severe one. It was neck and neck between Mr. Nuthall and E. H. L. Preston all day. At length the election was carried by a worthy, who, after promising constantly to vote for Nuthall and Sherrington, was suddenly not to be found; but about five minutes before the close of the poll he was brought out of the Saracen’s Head, a low public-house, in a state of intoxication, his voting paper having been changed or altered to Preston and Fiddes. This decided the thing in Mr. Preston’s favour, as before that time the numbers for him and Mr. Nuthall were 102 each. Such a mode of gaining an election is quite in keeping with Tory practices, and needs no comment. The validity of the election is, however, disputed on the grounds of a bad vote on the Tory side, and an informality in the appointment of an Alderman to preside in the absence of the Aldermen of the Ward. The following is a list of Councillors returned:—St. Nicholas’ Ward: Mr. Sherrington and Mr. Preston. Market: Mr. E. N. Clowes and Mr. Sewell. Regent: Mr. Cufaude Davie and Mr. John Fish. St. George’s: Mr. Worship and Mr. Lettis. Nelson: Mr. Robinson and Mr. Symonds. St. Andrew’s: Mr. Martin and Mr. Frederick Preston.”