March 21st. Mr. S. Durrell resigned the Overseership of Gorleston Parish.
April 2nd. First meeting of the Port and Haven Commissioners under the new Act of Parliament. H. N. Burroughes, Esq., resigned the chairmanship.
April 4th. Foundation stone of the Gourlay Wesleyan Day Schools laid. The founder, D. A. Gourlay, Esq., J.P., gave £1,000 towards the building.
April 20th. A party of gentlemen, comprising Messrs. Spence, Fenner, Everard, R. Veale, Moore, Silvers, Douglas, Neave, and Harrison, had their boat upset on Ormesby Broad, 100 yards from the shore, and narrowly escaped drowning.
April 21st. Heavy gale, and loss of the smacks “Swan” and “Talisman” and twelve hands.
May 8th. Service of plate presented at the Duke’s Head Hotel to W. Heath, Esq., of Ludham Hall.
May 16th. Foundation-stone of the new Primitive Methodist Chapel, Queen’s Road, laid. Chapel opened Sept. 26th. Building cost £1,000.
May 20th. Reform meeting. Mr. Edmond Beales, the great Reformer, addressed from 2,000 to 3,000 people from the balcony of the Steam Packet Tavern.
June 1st. A halibut, weighing 161 lbs., 6 ft. in length, and 30 inches across, captured by a smack; and in March, 1868, two were caught off the coast—one weighing 198 lbs., and the other 140 lbs.
June 24th. Resolved by the Town Council to have new fire engines and a fire escape for the Borough; their capabilities were tested on Sept. 9th. On Aug. 20th an engine was provided for Gorleston.