1779. On new-years day there was a strong gale and a very extraordinary tide, the highest known here in the memory of man; which overflowed and demolished the sea banks in many places, and did vast damage in and about this town.—The Lynn armed association was also formed in the course of this year, under the command of Captain Thames Day—and continued embodied till 1785. See [958].
1782. A woman, named Howard, stood here in the pillory—we know not for what crime.—Towards the close of this year Beeton robbed the mail; and he was executed the 17th of the following February. See [960].
1783. Isaac Levi, a Jew lad, robbed, by one Robert Fox, on the road between Lynn and West Winch, and left apparently dead; for which Fox was hanged, 7th. of September, on Hardwick common.
1784. Another contested election here, when Mr. Fountaine was one of the candidates, but was unsuccessful.—See [961].
1785. November 5. the Recorder being ill, the mayor, William Bagge, sat as sole judge at our sessions, and upon the conviction of John Bradley and another person, his said worship passed on them the sentence of transportation:—but with what solemnity, if any, we have not learnt.—So late at the 24th of November this year, a Mr. Berry brought to town some young rooks from Mr. Fisher’s Carr at Tilney.
1788. On the 5th of November the centenary of the revolution was here kept by a select party. The same was then done at Holkham and other places . . . see [965], and [1083]. About nine days after, it was also kept here at the Hall, by the corporation, with no small parade, and thought by some to rival if not excel the Holkham Fete.—A strange report of an extraordinary adventure of one of our Greenland captains this year—see p. [964].—The autumn and winter of this year were distinguished by the king’s memorable illness, which almost broke the hearts of half his subjects, and overwhelmed the whole nation with grief and dismay. In this affliction Lynn, without doubt, shared largely:—but it happily proved not of long duration.
1789. On the 12th of February his majesty was pronounced to be in a state of progressive amendment; and by the 18th of March he was deemed fit to resume the royal functions. The joy and exultation of the public now equalled their former grief and dismay, and they might be said to have gone from one extreme to the other. On the evening of the day last mentioned this town was most splendidly illuminated, and exhibited the most unequivocal tokens of its joy, and demonstrations of its loyalty.—See p. [969].—The 23rd of April was observed as a day of thanksgiving for the king’s recovery.—See p. [970].
1791. The law-suit between this corporation and that of London was determined in favour of the Dentons and other London freemen.—See p. [970].
1792. Effects of the royal proclamation against tumultuous meetings and seditious writings, and of Reeves’s Crown and anchor association manifested here.—See p. [973].
1794. In consequence of great complaints of the defective and decayed state of the Fen Drainage, the Eau-brink Cut was proposed and approved of as a remedy. Our trained bands or armed association again revived—and the Lynn Volunteers, infantry and cavalry, landsmen and marines, blunt-shooters and sharp-shooters, made their appearance among us. They consisted of different corps, but the most numerous was commanded by Colonel Everard, which was about three years after disbanded:—most of the others still remain, see [977], &c.—A violent thunderstorm happened this year, when a young girl was killed here by the lightening.