The half-yearly meeting of the governors of this institution was held
at the Town Hall on Saturday. William Steward, Esq., took the chair,
and stated that the building was expected to be completed for the
reception of patients by Lady-day. The cost of the building,
including furniture and the tower (a very ornamental building, to be
used as a look-out), with other incidental charges, would amount to
£1,600. (Expressions of surprise, and “What! no more?”) He believed
that £1,600 would cover the whole expense, to meet which they had
already received by benefaction (including £200 from the Norwich
Musical Festival) upwards of £600, while upwards of £1,000 had been
raised among the shareholders. It would be highly desirable to pay
off the shareholders as the funds would allow, and to keep up the
annual subscriptions. At present they were adequate to the annual
expenditure, but he trusted the inhabitants would do their utmost to
increase the annual income. This was the only charitable institution
founded on the day of her Majesty’s Coronation, and he was induced to
hope that an application to Her Majesty’s advisers would obtain a
benefaction from her privy purse. He was sanguine in his
anticipation that in a short time the shares would be reduced to one
for each shareholder, which it was thought desirable should remain.
F. R. Reynolds, Esq., thought the reduction would be made in less
than seven years.
The Rev. M. Waters said that, allowing them to remain in their
present position, the new institution would not be more rent than the
present Hospital in Queen Street.
Mr. Steward then submitted a resolution, that all monies arising from
benefactions or otherwise, except from annual subscriptions, be
applied in paying the shareholders till such shareholders should have
but one share each; and that the annual subscriptions should be kept
as a distinct fund.
This resolution was moved by H. V. Worship, Esq., and seconded by C.
J. Palmer, Esq., and carried unanimously.
The Secretary observed that the balance of subscriptions would be
less at the end of the present year than it was at the end of the
preceding one, and this he mentioned that the public might know it
would depend on themselves whether so excellent an institution should
continue as efficient as it had hitherto been.
It was stated that the number of out-patients had never been less
than 100 throughout the past half-year.
Jan. 16th.—The first subscription Ball had been held at the Town Hall,
when about 70 or 80 of the _elite_ were present. Howlett’s band had been
engaged for the occasion.
Jan. 23rd.—A “dreadful storm” had visited the town, and considerable
damage had been done to the roofs of houses, while a schooner in making
for the Harbour had been caught in the squall and sunk, with the loss of
four lives.
George Danby Palmer, Esq., had entertained a large party of the members
of the “Yarmouth Fishing Clubs” and others in the new room at Bird’s
Royal Hotel, when the Mayor, Sir George Parker, Capt. Pearson, R.N.,
Capt. Harmer, R.N., George Penrice, M.D., W. Barth, R. P. Kemp, S.
Palmer, W. H. Palmer, W. S. Ferrier, R. S. Lonsdale, S. P. Edwards, W.
Yetts, G. Steward, T. Hammond, R. Hammond, S. C Marsh, Esqs., and most of
the influential gentlemen and merchants of the town were present.
Feb. 13th—The Queen’s Marriage had been celebrated as a general holiday,
with the usual demonstrations of loyalty, and 150 gentlemen had dined
together at the Town Hall, when the Mayor presided.
Feb. 20th.—Ambrose Palmer, Esq., had complained to the Magistrates of the
late delivery of the mails, which it appeared often did not arrive until
after 12 o’clock in the day.
March 5th.—Samuel Jay, Esq., and William Barth, Esq., had proceeded to
London to present an address to Her Majesty from the Town Council upon
her marriage.
Messrs. Fellows had launched the “Lucy,” a schooner of 100 tons register.
March 12th.—The Mayor (S. Jay, Esq.) had been presented at Court by
William Wilshere, Esq., M.P., on the occasion of taking up the
Corporation address.
Capt. Love had been elected Inspector of Police by thirteen votes to one
vote. There were twelve candidates for the office.
March 26th.—Mr. Joseph Fiddes had been elected an Alderman in the place
of Mr. William Barber, deceased.
April 2nd.—The Hospital having been completed, was opened for public
inspection, and had been visited by nearly 1,000 inhabitants of the town
and neighbourhood. Eight hundred patients had been relieved by this
Charity since the previous August.
April 9th.—Sixteen Whigs had been elected Guardians by very large
majorities.
April 23rd.—Messrs. C. Davie, William Johnson, and S. V. Moore had been
nominated at the Vestry meeting as Churchwardens, and a poll demanded.
The Conservatives had dined together at the Angel Hotel, Sir E. H. K.
Lacon, Bart., in the chair, when a magnificent silver waiter, weighing
221 ozs., was presented to Mr. Edward H. L. Preston. Upon it was the
following inscription: “Presented to Edward Harbord Lushington Preston by
the Conservatives of Great Yarmouth, as a testimonial of their esteem and
high approval of his firm and active support of those principals which
constitute the best bulwark of the Throne, and the surest safeguard of
the people.” Messrs. Aldred and Son supplied it.
The Mayor (S. Jay, Esq.) had received the Sacrament at St. Nicholas’
Church, and afterwards entertained the Town Council and a party of
friends with a sumptuous cold collation.
April 30th.—Messrs. Davie and Johnson had been elected Churchwardens,
three votes only having been polled for Mr. Moore.
Not a single case of theft or disorderly conduct had been reported at the
Fair, “a circumstance unparallelled in the history of Yarmouth.”
May 14th.—A petition for the repeal of the Corn Laws had been signed by
1,400 persons.
May 21st.—Mr. and Mrs. Bird’s “opening dinner” had been held at the Royal
Hotel. The Mayor occupied the chair, and was supported by the Rev.
Richard Gooch, G. Danby Palmer, W. Barth, T. Brown (Thrigby), R. Ferrier,
W. Ferrier, T. Fowler, C. Marsh, G. Steward, A. Tompson, W. Carpenter,
and F. Lloyd, Esqs., Captain Nelson, Messrs. Paul, Christmas, Primrose,
Smith, E. Browne, Hart, Middleton, and upwards of 100 gentlemen of the
town and neighbourhood.
May 28th.—Complaints had been made of the “screaming” and “bell-ringing”
of the steamboats, which the editor thought should be “reformed
altogether.”
The London letters had not been received on Saturday last, owing to those
intended for Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, having been forwarded to this town,
while “our mails” were sent on to Edinburgh.
June 6th.—The carcase of a grampus had been towed on to the Beach.
June 11th.—The Mayor (S. Jay, Esq.) had again entertained his friends at
luncheon after Divine Service.
The “Eleanor Palmer,” schooner, had been launched from Mr. A. Palmer,
junr.’s, yard, for W. H. Palmer, Esq., who, in the evening, entertained a
large party of friends at the Royal Hotel.
June 19th.—The Council had voted addresses of congratulation to H.M. the
Queen, Prince Albert, and the Duke of Kent, on the “escape of Her Majesty
from assassination.” This was moved by Mr. E. Sewell, and seconded by G.
D. Palmer, Esq.
July 2nd.—The new police had made “their maiden turn out” under Capt.
Love. Mr. J. Nolloth had supplied the uniforms.
The annual Hospital meeting had been held at the Board Boom of that
institution.
July 9th.—The Mayor had attended the Annual Water Frolic, accompanied by
some 30 gentlemen, including the Deputy-Mayor, G. D. Palmer, Esq., Capt.
Harmer, Capt. Pearson, S. P. Edwards, Esq., and several members of the
Council.
Three young men were capsized and two of them, Mr. John Rivett and Mr.
Walter Feek, drowned.
“A fellow named Cullingford had cut down the doorstalls of Mr. Wm.
Sayer’s house in which he was engaged nearly two hours without being
detected by any of the new police.”
July 16th.—The Council resolved that “the old tower on the Chapel Mount
be levelled with that of the Hospital, and that the wall to the east
thereof be faced with white brick and coped with cement.”
Mr. Guthrie (son of Capt. Guthrie) had saved a boy from being drowned at
the Jetty.
The “Maid of Athens” had been launched from Mr. I. Preston’s yard.
July 25th.—The Races had been held. The Town and County Plate of £50 was
won by the Hon. I. Sandiland’s “Luther,” which was “claimed” by Mr. S.
Palmer for £150 (his horse “Diana” running second in the race.)
As Stewards for next year, Henry Stracey, Alexander Shafto Adair, and
Samuel Palmer, Esqs., were chosen.
At the Regatta, Lord A. Paget’s “Sabrina” won the £25 cup.
When a hearse, with mourning coach and friends of the deceased arrived at
the Cemetery, it was found that “no orders had been given to dig a
grave,” and the funeral had to be postponed.
Aug. 16th.—Youell’s gardens were “most attractive;” there were 3,000
pairs of carnations and picotees in bloom.
Samuel Jay, Esq., had been appointed a Justice of the Peace for the
Borough.
Aug. 20th.—A great improvement had been made by lighting the town with
gas; the Gas Company having laid down a large main, and reduced the price
of gas 25 per cent.
Mr. A. Thrower had been elected a Councillor in the place of Mr. F.
Preston.
Sept. 3rd.—A meeting had been held at the Town Hall, Wm. Steward, Esq.,
in the chair, for promoting the erection of a better class of houses on
the Beach to the south of the Royal Hotel (the Victoria Building
Company.)
Mr. John Clowes had been thrown from his gig on the Quay.
Sept. 17th.—Lord and Lady Wodehouse were staying at the Royal Hotel; his
Lordship had consented to patronise the New Building Company.
Sept. 24th.—Madame Persiani, and Signors Nigri, Rubini, and Puzzi, had
given a grand concert at the Town Hall.
A meeting of the provisional Committee of the Victoria Building Company
had been held, and £8,000 had been subscribed for the objects of the
Company.
Oct. 8th.—The prospectus of the Victoria Building Company appears in this
issue, the Directors being William Steward, William Baynes, Benjamin
Dowson, Richard Ferrier, William Johnson, Robert Palmer Kemp, John E.
Lacon, George Danby Palmer, Thomas Fowler Steward, and Charles Symonds,
Esqs.
A letter had been received at the Post-office, directed “Mr. Thompson,
Row next my grandmother’s, Yarmouth.”