“There was an unusual quantity of business transacted at the
Corporation Assembly on Wednesday last. It was first proposed that a
petition should be addressed to the King, praying for four Sessions
of Oyer and Terminer a year. It was suggested that the Recorder
should be allowed £60 a year. To this Mr. E. L. Preston objected,
who moved that it should be £50. To this it was replied that the
latter sum was allowed by the late Corporation when Sessions were
only held twice a year. The original motion was carried unanimously,
Mr. E. Sewell observing that Mr. P’s was a false economy. It was
next moved by Mr. S. Cobb that the Great Seal should be called that
of the Town Council, and not of St. Nicholas. He had no objection to
all remaining as it was except the expensive name of St. Nicholas.
This was warmly opposed by Mr. Preston. It was, however, carried
unanimously. Mr. Richard Hammond read a list of persons to form the
Committee of Finance. To this plan Mr. Preston warmly objected,
saying he had no notion of names being got up “ready cut and dried.”
It was stated in answer that the list (to which no objection was then
made) was agreed to at the Watch Committee, of which Mr. P. formed
one, and which he might have attended if he pleased. Mr. B.
Sherrington (of the same politics as Mr. P.) was on the Committee,
and was present. The Finance Committee agreed to were, the Mayor
(who is appointed _ex-officio_ on all Committees), Messrs. S. Cobb,
R. S. Lonsdale, Charles Nicholls, B. Dowson, Martin, G. D. Palmer, C.
Sayers, W. Johnson, and Burroughs. On the Mayor explaining the
duties of the Borough Lands Committee, it was suggested and agreed
to, that the tradesmen employed solely by this Committee should be
only for small jobs. This being a most important business, it was
determined that all the Council should form the Committee. On the
Water-Bailiffs and Met Farm Office Committee, it was resolved, on the
motion of Mr. S. Cobb, that it be called “Committee of Port Dues”;
the officer “Collector of Port Dues.” The Committee appointed were
Messrs. W. Barber, G. D. Palmer, T. Pitt, R. Teasdel, Martin, J. B.
Palmer, Thomas Hammond, Fenn, Butcher, and Dowson. Market and
Corporation Tolls’ Committee: Messrs. Johnson, Brightwen, S. Cobb,
Sayers, Nicholls, Sherrington, R. Hammond, S. Palmer, Symonds, J. B.
Palmer, and Martin. Committee for Caister Causeway: Messrs. R. P.
Kemp, S. Palmer, Nicholls, Fenn, Tomlinson, R. Hammond, and Sayers.
Church Trustees: Messrs. Larke, Kemp, Burroughs, J. Dowson, Starling,
B. Cobb, S. Palmer, E. N. Clowes, Marsh, Tomlinson, Garson, Grave,
Butcher, Barber, Robinson, Preston, Martin, Symonds, Sherrington, and
G. D. Palmer. All the outstanding drawbacks arc to be referred to
the Port Dues Committee. The ringers’ bill, £12 10s. for five days’
ringing, was disallowed. Admiralty Court: R. Cory, jun., returned
that he had in five years received as registrar £1,483 16s. 8d., and
claimed as compensation £200 per year for his natural life.
Proctors: C. J. Palmer claimed £1,036 7s., C. Sayers £1,196 5s. 6d.,
I. Preston £692, E. R. Palmer £497. Thomas King, gaoler, petitioned
for continuance of place, stated emoluments, and asked £13 7s. 4½d.
compensation, as Marshall of the Court of Admiralty. Mrs. King, as
matron, received £10 per year, and prayed to be continued. Alfred
King, turnkey, received 14s. per. week, and prayed for continuance.
The five sergeants-at-mace sent a return of their emoluments for five
years, and petitioned for their continuance. B. Welsh, chapel clerk,
made about £47 per year, and prayed for continuance. The Rev. Thomas
Baker, as lecturer, received £120 per year. The Hon. and Rev. E.
Pellew received from the late Corporation £40 per year and a house,
for which he pays 1s. per year rent. John Seaman, parish clerk,
receives no salary, but averages about £80 per annum. The Revs. J.
Homfray and Mark Waters declined the statement of their proceeds, as
they conceived the returns did not apply to them as Ministers of a
Chapel endowed by Act of Parliament. They begged their refusal might
not be considered as arising from discourtesy. Their communication
was rejected. These returns were referred to a Committee of the
Mayor’s assistants.”
Jan. 21st.—The Earl of Orford had been removed from his office of High
Steward and the Earl of Lichfield elected in his place.
The following gentlemen were suggested as Magistrates:—William Barth,
Esq., Sir George Parker, K.C.B., George Danby Palmer, H. V. Worship, J.
Brightwen, C. Nicholls, R. Palmer Kemp, S. Cobb, and S. Palmer, Esqs.,
and Capt. Larke, R.N., by the Council.
Sixteen new watch and policemen, and two superintendents had been
appointed.
The Mayor and Town Council had attended service at St. Nicholas’ Church,
“The Mayor with no other insignia of office than the chain and the sword
carried by an officer.”
Feb. 4th.—The Tories had held a dinner in the Theatre in honour of
Messrs. Baring and Praed. Seven hundred persons attended.