July 2—Sir Thomas Winnington brought home his amiable bride (eldest daughter of Sir Compton Domville) to Stanford Court, and was greeted by his tenantry and neighbours in a very enthusiastic manner—triumphal arches, music, strewing flowers, long processions, and other modes of welcome being adopted to exhibit the feeling entertained towards the honourable baronet.
July 25—First stone of Wittington Church laid by the Rev. W. R. Holden.
August 6—The colliers near Dudley struck for an increase of wages, and the Dudley troop of Yeomanry being called out, came upon them as they were proceeding to violence at the Cotsall pits, and took ten men prisoners.
August 23—St. Michael’s Church, Worcester, consecrated by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese.
October 15—Military fêtes at Hewell. The usual permanent duty of the Worcestershire Yeomanry was this year dispensed with, as many of the troops had been engaged in harrassing service in the collieries during the strikes; but the review was held in Hewell Park—the inspecting officer being Colonel Thorne. The whole regiment was afterwards invited by their colonel to dinner in an immense tent near the hall—900 persons sitting down to the feast. Amongst the company at the principal table were Colonel Clive (chairman), Lord Lyttelton, Lord Foley, Earl Somers, Viscount Eastnor, Lord Ward, Lord Sandys, Earl of Dartmouth, Colonel Thorne, Sir William Clinton, Sir O. Wakeman, Sir C. Throckmorton, J. H. H. Foley, Esq., J. S. Pakington, Esq., Hon. and Rev. W. W. C. Talbot, &c. Colonel Clive’s health was proposed by Lord Lyttelton, and drank with the greatest enthusiasm.
Local Acts—For the Improvement of the River Severn; Stourbridge Roads Act; Bromyard Roads Act.
1843.
Distress in the manufacturing districts gave increased force and vigour to the anti-corn law agitation; but Lord Howick’s motion for a committee of inquiry into the causes of that distress was negatived by a majority of 306 to 191, and Mr. Villiers’s annual motion for a committee of the whole House upon the corn laws was supported by only 125 members, while 381 voted against it. The defeat of Sir James Graham’s educational measure by the opposition of the Dissenters was the most remarkable feature in the Parliamentary year. In Scotland the year was most signally marked by the secession of the non-intrusionist ministers from the Established Church, carrying with them the bulk of the laity—in Ireland, by the violence of the repeal agitation, and the arrest of Mr. O’Connell—and in Wales, by the singular outbreak against turnpike gates, known as the Rebecca riots. Consols averaged 95; wheat averaged 50s. 1d.
February 21—The Worcester City Mission, a Christian society which has been, and continues to be, the means of doing a great deal of good amongst the poor, with a very small income, established at a meeting held at the Natural History Society’s room, over which the Mayor presided.
April 4—The Worcester magistrates, at their quarter sessional meeting, appointed Mr. Herbert Budd as surgeon to the City Gaol, in the room of Mr. F. Walter, retired. The Council had claimed the right to see to all the expenses of the gaol, and not leave the supply of provisions in the hands of the visiting magistrates; and the magistrates claimed the right of appointing all officers, under the 38th clause of 1st Vict., cap. 78.