“the proceedings throughout the day in connection with the polling
for this part of the district were characterised by considerable
excitement. The Conservatives from the opening of the poll took a
prominent position, and as hour by hour passed away their majority
steadily increased, until by three o’clock they were, according to
their published returns, nearly 400 ahead. No statement of the poll
was made during the day by the Liberals, but every exertion was made
to reduce the Conservative majority. Cabs and carriages bearing
placards of “Vote for Wodehouse and Gurdon” were dashing about in all
directions, keeping up the excitement; but, despite every effort, the
influence of the local candidate proved too strong to be successfully
resisted, and at four the Conservative declaration of numbers showed
the following result:—
Lacon 948
Walpole 890
Wodehouse 505
Gurdon 469
The polling at Ormesby for the Hundreds of East and West Flegg was
also, as might have been anticipated, greatly in favour of the
Conservative candidates. Despite these adverse returns, the Liberal
agents were sanguine of better results in other parts of the
district, but their majorities at Cromer, Wells, and Holt, failed to
make any material change, so far as the issue of the election was
concerned, and it became at length apparent that the hopes of the
Liberal majority in North Norfolk were at an end. Notwithstanding
the excitement engendered by the contest, the election was conducted
throughout with great good humour. During the day the streets and
approaches to the polling places were thronged by persons who amused
themselves by cheering and shouting in favour of their respective
candidates, but there was, during the afternoon, an entire absence of
the drunkenness and violence that characterised previous borough
elections. If the numbers polled be examined, it will be found that
in the county (excluding Yarmouth) Mr. Wodehouse and Mr. Gurdon are
in a slight majority. It was in Yarmouth where the majority was
obtained, and which, we hear, will yet be found to have been obtained
by illegal practices.”
Dec. 12th.—Mr. Nutman (Relieving Officer for the North District) had
died.
It was alleged that an “aged imbecile pauper,” had been taken out of
Rollesby Workhouse by a Guardian to vote for the Tory candidates.
Dec. 19th.—The directors of the Britannia Pier Company had decided to
hand over that structure to Mr. Isaac in consideration of his taking over
the mortgage upon it.
Admiralty Jurisdiction had been conferred on the Yarmouth County Court.
Dec. 30th, contains the following notice of the death of Richard Ferrier,
Esq.:—“We regret to announce the death of Mr. R. Ferrier, who expired at
his residence, Trafalgar Road, on Sunday morning, after a protracted
illness. The deceased gentleman represented St. George’s Ward for many
years in the Town Council, though for some time past his ill health had
incapacitated him from the discharge of his public duties. He was a man
of sound judgment and excellent business habits, and his opinion on all
practical matters had great weight with the Council. Mr. Ferrier was in
politics a Conservative, and in his younger days was distinguished by the
zeal and energy with which, at all times, he worked for his party. In
respect to his memory the flags were hoisted half-mast high on the Town
Hall.”
1869.
Jan. 2nd.—The average price of herring during the fishing had been £8
17s. 6d. per last, and the money thus expended had amounted to £146,000.
Jan. 6th.—Mr. J. D. Hayes had been elected one of the Relieving Officers
in the place of Mr. Nutman deceased.
John Coleby alias “Jack Sheppard,” who had recently broken out of gaol,
had been re-captured.
Jan. 16th.—There had been a contest in St. George’s Ward to fill the
vacancy caused by Mr. R. Ferrier’s death; when the following was the
poll:—
Mr. T. W. Doughty (Con.) 104
Mr. H. Hammond (Lib.) 82
Jan. 27th.—A faculty had been obtained for the removal of St. Nicholas’
organ from the west end of that church to the North Transept; this had
been strongly opposed by Mr. E. H. L. Preston.
Feb. 17th.—There had been severe gales from the Eastward, causing much
damage to shipping.
Feb. 21st.—Mr. John L. Cufaude (Clerk to the Guardians) had been arrested
in respect of a claim “for which (as he stated to that Board) he had no
right in justice to be arrested”; subsequently he made himself a
bankrupt, when it appeared that he had been involved in racing
transactions, where he had figured as Mr. De La-Cè.
Feb. 27th—The boiler of the “Bold Buccleugh,” Hull steamer, had exploded
while that vessel was at her Yarmouth Wharf.
March 13th.—Mr. Williams, of Cardiff, had been given the “St. Nicholas’
Church Contract,” although his price (£4,755) exceeded that of Mr. Hood
(Norwich), which was £4,194.
The following gentlemen (out of 27 candidates) had been elected members
of the newly-formed Gorleston Board of Health:—Messrs. Dendy,
Baumgartner, Gooda, J. Hammond, Beevor, Gambling, Teasdel, W. Nelson and
J. Nelson.
Mr. Chipperfield (the late Secretary) had been presented with a
testimonial by the Yarmouth Building Society.
Two otters had, during a run of the harriers, been captured in a field
near Thrigby Hall.
March 20th.—Mr. S. B. Cory had been elected Clerk to the Gorleston Board
at a salary of £50 per annum, and Mr. F. Dendy chairman of that body.
April 7th.—The following Guardians had been elected:—North Ward: S.
Nightingale, J. T. Buston, and J. F. Neave. Market Ward: C. C. Aldred
and W. Laws (with a tie between J. A. Norman and R. Tunbridge). Regent
Ward: W. Worship, R. D. Barber and C. Diver. St. George’s Ward: J. W. de
Caux, J. Scott, and J. Rivett. Nelson Ward: C. Woolverton, J. T. Bracey,
J. H. Harrison, and G. W. Moore.
Messrs. C. S. D. Steward and E. R. Aldred had been re-elected
Churchwardens.
April 14th.—Mr. J. A. Norman had been seated as a Guardian for the Market
Ward; there were then 9 Conservatives and 7 Liberals upon the Board.
The Rifle Corps had held a Church parade.
April 17th.—William Danby-Palmer, Esq., had accepted the command of the
local batteries of Artillery Volunteers.
Major Orde had presided at the soireé of the Norfolk and Suffolk Building
Society held in the Corn Hall.
May 1st.—The Rifle Corps had given a series of amateur dramatic
representations at the Drill Hall, in which Messrs. Wiltshire, Youell,
Applewaite, Giles, Watson, Chipperfield, and others had taken part.
The Duke’s Head had been purchased by Mr. Davey for £1,520.
May 12th.—The Officers of the East Norfolk Militia had given a ball to
200 persons at the Town Hall.
June 5th.—Mr. E. H. L. Preston had presided at a meeting called for the
purpose of presenting a testimonial to Sir E. H. K. Lacon, Bart., M.P.
Captain Dods, and Messrs. William Mabson, William Danby-Palmer, C.
Woolverton, R. D. Barber, and Dumbleton took part in the proceedings.
June 12th.—Mr. Charles Cory (Town Clerk) had died of gastric fever in
Italy in his 57th year.
June 16th.—Messrs. Charles J. Palmer, C. Diver, and H. R. Harmer were
candidates for the office thus rendered vacant.
June 23rd.—At the Council meeting Mr. C. Diver (being the only person
nominated), was unanimously elected Town Clerk, and a vacancy in the
Aldermen being thus caused, the following voting took place:—
Mr. J. H. Orde 25
Mr. E. H. L. Preston 3
July 14th.—The 1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers (under command of Captain
W. Danby-Palmer) had attended St. Peter’s Church.
July 24th.—The following appointments had been made in the 2nd Norfolk
Rifle Volunteers:—W. P. P. Matthews to be Captain, B. Wilson to be
Lieutenant, William H. Palmer to be Ensign, W. E. Wyllys to be Surgeon,
and T. W. Doughty to be Hon. Assistant Quarter-Master.
July 31st.—At the Council meeting, Mr. C. C. Aldred was very abusive to
Mr. J. C. Smith during the election of a Haven Commissioner in the place
of the late Mr. Cory; the voting was as follows:—For Mr. W. Worship: The
Mayor, and Messrs. Purdy, Shingles, Orde, Watling, Bunn, Teasdel,
Worship, Hilton, Barnby, Nuthall, E. R. Aldred, C. C. Aldred, R. D.
Barber, Tomlinson, Foreman, Doughty, Jay, Woolverton, Bartram, and
Steward; total 21. For Mr. E. H. L. Preston: Messrs. Youell, Harmer,
Laws, Mabson, Bly, Fyson, Wright, George, Stagg, J. Burton, W. D. Palmer,
Smith, Scott, Veale, J. T. Bracey, Stone, Barber, Richmond, Gooda, Brand,
Dendy, and Baumgartner; total 22. Absent, Sir E. H. K. Lacon, and
Messrs. Mainprice, J. Bracey, Gourlay and Shuckford.
Aug. 4th.—The late P. Stead, Esq., had bequeathed £1,000 to the Hospital.
Aug. 28th.—The corner-stone of the Grammar School on Trafalgar Road had
been laid by S. Nightingale, Esq. (Mayor).
Sept. 11th.—Upwards of 300 lasts of herring had been landed at the Fish
Wharf, and prices ranged from £10 to £25 per last.
Sept. 25th.—Dr. Hills (Bishop of Columbia) had addressed two public
meetings at the Town Hall, and preached at St. Nicholas’ in aid of that
Mission; the total sum thus realised was £64 11s.
Oct. 2nd.—Mr. R. H. Palmer (Revising Barrister) had been holding Courts
at Yarmouth, Ormesby, and Gorleston, when Messrs. C. Diver, F.
Danby-Palmer, and F. W. Ferrier were the agents appearing before him.
Mr. Wm. Jas. Palmer had been elected House Surgeon at the Hospital in the
place of Mr. Colley resigned.