May 30th.—Sixty gentlemen dined at the King’s Head to commemorate the Queen’s Birthday. The Mayor presided, and the following toasts were given:—“The Queen,” “The Duchess of Kent,” “Capt. Harmer and the Navy,” “The Army,” “The Mayor,” “The Borough Members,” “George Danby Palmer, Esq.,” “Mr. George Steward,” “Lord Durham,” “Mr. William Johnson,” “The Vice-Chairman,” “The Mayoress and Ladies of Yarmouth,” and a number of other toasts. The meeting separated “at a late hour.”
June 13th.—A large assemblage of ladies and gentlemen had witnessed a Jewish wedding at the Town Hall, performed by Rabbi Sternbergh; it was publicly performed.
The Races were not likely to be held, owing to a want of funds.
June 20th.—The Rev. George Anguish, of Somerleyton Hall, had given £50 towards the Hospital fund.
July 4th contains the following as to the Yarmouth Hospital and Dispensary:—
The first annual meeting of this Institution was held at the Town Hall on Friday last, on which occasion the Worshipful the Mayor was in the chair. He felt gratified by the honour that meeting had done him in calling him to the chair. In looking over the programme of the meeting, he found the accounts were to be audited—they were requested to pay their subscriptions, to elect annual officers, and to take into consideration the erection or purchase of a building for a new Hospital.
William Steward, Esq., read abstracts from the secretary and treasurer’s books, by which it appeared that the benefactions amounted to £292 9s. 6d., subscriptions to £435 19s., and interest at the bankers £8 15s. 2d., and that there had been expended for fitting up and furniture, £141 8s. 10d.; for housekeeping, salaries, and wages, £94 15s. 9d.; chemists’ bills, drugs, &c., £90 15s.; books, stationery, and printing, £35 14s. 9d.; rent and incidentals, £33 3s. 1d.; leaving a balance in treasurer’s hands of £341 6s. 3d. Mr. Steward stated that the accounts had been made out with great care, and examined by two auditors. The total number of patients that had been admitted from October 1st, 1838, to June 1st, 1839, was 532, being 35 in and 439 out-patients, of whom 5 in and 9 out remained on the books.
J. Tidswell, Esq., moved that the report now read be received, that it be ordered to be printed, and a copy placed in the hands of each of the subscribers, which was seconded by the Rev. W. F. Clarke, and carried unanimously.
The meeting then proceeded to the election of such officers as retire annually, when all the old officers were unanimously elected, with one alteration. The Rev. M. Waters, who had been on the Committee, having accepted the office of honorary secretary, vice Rev. J. North, who had left the town, J. Tidswell, Esq., was chosen in his room.
The Chairman said the next business was of considerable importance. It was to consider the propriety of erecting or purchasing a building for the use of the Institution.
William Steward, Esq., would submit to the meeting a proposal he held in his hand, which was to raise a building fund of £1,000, in shares of £10 each, on which interest at £3 per cent. per annum is to be paid till the fund will enable them to liquidate it; and in the interim every shareholder to have the right of recommending one out-patient for each share annually. One object in raising the fund now was, that they had £151 in hand from the benefactions, and Mr. Anguish had sent them £50 towards the building fund. The interest would not amount to what they now paid for rent. They hoped the Corporation would grant them an eligible site for the intended new building.
The Rev. M. Waters was sure there would be no difficulty in raising the required fund, as they would soon have £300 paid in donations, which would prevent any risk to the shareholders.
The Chairman suggested that it would be better first to resolve that it would be expedient to erect or purchase a building, and then to submit the means for raising the money, in which opinion J. Brightwen, Esq., fully concurred, when
Mr. S. S. Barber proposed, that it is the opinion of this meeting that it is expedient that an Hospital should be built, which was seconded by Mr. E. H. L. Preston.
Mr. W. S. Lacon thought it premature to build at present; the Hospital had only been in operation a few months, and at the last meeting, when certain resolutions were proposed, certain gentlemen, who did not like those resolutions, said they would withdraw. He would propose that the consideration of the question be postponed to that day twelve months, which was seconded by Dr. Sabine.
J. G. Fisher, Esq., thought the building of an Hospital would promote the object they had in view, and could not agree with Mr. Lacon, in which he was supported by the Rev. M. Waters.
The amendment being put, only six voted for it, and the original motion was carried.
Mr. E H. L. Preston then proposed that the plan for raising a fund, as proposed by Mr. Steward, be adopted, and that a paper be laid on the table to receive the names of persons willing to take shares, which was seconded by Mr. Barber.
J. G. Fisher, Esq., proposed the thanks of the meeting to the Mayor for his conduct in the chair, which was carried by acclamation.
The Mayor, in returning thanks, expressed his determination to do all in his power to procure them an eligible spot on which to erect the new edifice. Those present having paid their subscriptions, the meeting separated.
A band of music had been engaged to perform near the Jetty on Wednesday and Saturday evenings during the summer.
July 11th.—A vessel named the “Cadmus” had been launched from Teasdell’s Wharf.
An inquest had been held at Shrublands, Gorleston, the residence of William Danby Palmer, Esq., upon the body of a boy who had been killed by a fall from a stack. Verdict, “Accidental death.”
July 18th.—The “Galatea” (schooner) had been launched from Mr. A. Palmer’s, jun., yard.