We are authorized to state that the Report of the hearing of this
cause, in our last week’s paper, is incorrect, Lord Tenterden having
observed that there was no ground for an attachment, as the parties
had acted _bona fide_; that the business of the Corporation must be
done, and directed that the rule should be enlarged, to give the
Defendants an opportunity of doing so. The Counsel for the
Defendants said they were ready to proceed, but could not compel the
Mayor to call an Assembly, or the Common Councilmen to
meet,—whereupon his Lordship, on the motion of Defendants’ Counsel,
directed a mandamus to be issued for the filling up all vacancies,
and then transacting the other necessary business; and upon a Return
being made to the Writ, the Rule will be discharged.
Feb. 16th—A general meeting of the inhabitants was proposed to be held to
take into consideration the expediency of erecting a new Workhouse, “it
appearing by a report of the select Vestry now published, that the
present one is quite inadequate to the purpose, both as to extent and
arrangement, and as being utterly incapable of affording room for that
classification which is indispensable to the moral improvement and
employment of its inmates, and also to the comfort of the aged and
infirm. It is now about fifty years since any room was added to it. The
increase of inhabitants in the town, and not less so of pauperism during
that period, calls for enlarged accommodation. It appears by the report
that they are without a day room for the females, or any means of
separating the sick from the healthy, and so cramped for lodging room,
that a considerable number of the inmates are compelled to sleep three in
a bed. It is intended to proceed agreeably to the directions of the 59th
Geo. III. cap 12, and 1st and 2nd of William IV. cap. 42.”
March 22nd.—The National Fast had been observed “with a decent
solemnity.”
April 5th.—The appointment of a Recorder is noticed as follows:—“At a
Corporate Assembly, held on Tuesday last, the long-contested question of
‘who should fill the office of Recorder for the borough?’ (vacant by the
resignation of Robert Alderson, Esq.,) was decided. The first business
which came before the Court was the accepting of that gentleman’s
resignation, after which Isaac Preston, Sen., Esq., proposed the
Sub-Steward (I. Preston, Esq.,) to fill the vacant office; this was
seconded by C. Symonds, Esq. R. Cory, Esq., then proposed Mr. Sergeant
Merewether; this nomination was seconded by Samuel Paget, Esq. On a
ballot being demanded, the numbers were found to be equal, viz., 20 for
Merewether and the same number for Preston. There were 41 members of the
body present, one of whom declined voting. A second ballot was proposed
and acceded to, and the same result followed. The Deputy-Mayor (who
presided in consequence of the extreme ill health of the Mayor) then said
that he would give the members of the Court the chance of a third ballot,
on which the gentleman before mentioned voted for Merewether, which gave
the learned Sergeant a majority of one, the numbers being for Merewether
21, for Preston 20. Thus has terminated this long agitated question, the
product of much squabbling, aye, and of much litigation too. Lord
Viscount Exmouth was unanimously chosen Lord High Steward; Isaac Preston,
Jun., Esq., and J. Baker, Esq., were elected Aldermen; and Messrs. J. E.
Lacon, E. H. L. Preston, Henry Costerton and Samuel Jay, Common
Councilmen. At this Court, Mr. J. Seaman received the appointment of
Parish Clerk, and Mr. J. Daniel, Sexton; 50 guineas were also voted to
St. Mary’s Church, Southtown; £15 per year granted to Mrs. Breeze (widow
of the late hall-keeper), and £12 annuity settled on Mrs. Absolon (widow
of the late Parish Clerk.) It was likewise ordered that the usual fee of
20s. upon apprentices’ indentures should be taken off. It is only right
to state that the entire business of the day was conducted in the most
amicable way possible, and that the greatest good temper and gentlemanly
feeling was displayed during the discussion on the pending Recordership.”
April 12th.—The thanks of the Corporation were voted to the Rev. R.
Turner upon his resignation of his office of Chaplain to that body.
The Sylvan (owned by J. H. Palmer, Esq., and commanded by Captain W.
Gilham) and the Preston (belonging to I. Preston, Esq.) had respectively
sailed with 100 and 110 emigrants.
April 19th.—Two more emigrant vessels, the Syren and Miser, were
advertised to sail for America.—On Friday, then last, (here commonly
called Black Friday) the annual meeting had been held at the Guild Hall
for the purpose of “reading over” the income and expenditure of our local
affairs when “secundum custom (sic.) it was proved that the receipts of
any sum, say £5,299, and the payment of £5,298 was balanced by £1 being
added to the credit side.” Mr. Shelly and other gentlemen protested
against the manner in which these accounts were made out and presented to
the freemen.
April 26th.—The newly elected Common Councilmen, Messrs. John Lacon, E.
H. L. Preston, Henry Costerton, and Samuel Jay entertained the
Corporation and others. John Lacon, Esq., presided, and the following
toasts were given:—The King, Queen Adelaide, Princess Victoria, and the
Royal Family, Lord Hill and the Army, Sir James Graham and the Navy, Lord
Viscount Exmouth, the County Members, &c.
Burglaries had been committed on the premises of Mr. William Green,
Messrs. Bracey and Son, Mr. Benjamin Welch, and Mr. Joseph Stevenson, and
a man named Woolsey had been charged with the offences.
May 3rd.—The Fair had been held without “A Yarmouth Fair Wind,” and was
“very numerously and respectably attended, nor could its visitants
complain of lack of amusements, for of remarkable giantesses, as
remarkable dwarfs, optical dioramas, &c., &c., there were quantum suff,
while roundabouts, Russian swings, and ups-and-downs displayed themselves
in abundance to allure the juvenile part of the company out of their
stray half-pence and pence.”
May 10th.—The southern bastion of the fort had fallen “with an immense
crash.”
The “first fruits of the fishing season” had been landed by a boat, (No.
3), belonging to Mr. George Giles. The night’s haul had produced 48
mackerel, which sold at 1s. 6d. each.
The following vessels had been launched:—The brig Sarah, 190 tons (from
Messrs. Tuck’s yard), and the brig Sarepta, 160 tons (from Mr. Lubbock’s
yard.)
May 17th.—The news that the Duke of Wellington had “given in and that
Lord Grey was then at the palace” was received with joy, and the bells
had been rung.
May 24th.—The Rattlesnake (180 tons) had been launched from Mr. F.
Preston’s yard.
The mackerel fishery was going on badly, and there was great distress in
the town, as thousands depended on that industry for a living.
May 31st.—There had been a great fire at Messrs. Grout and Co’s. Factory,
the loss estimated at £12,000, the premises were uninsured.
Two female factory hands, aged respectively 16 and 17, had “fought it
out” on the Denes, the prize, a “young tar,” when the “shorter combatant”
proved victorious.
June 7th.—The King’s birthday had been celebrated with a great display of
flags, the firing of the Church bells, salutes from the Forts, batteries,
etc.