2.--Mr. Charles Harvey presented to the House of Commons a petition
against the claims of the Roman Catholics, which was extensively signed
by the clergy of the archdeaconries of Norwich and Norfolk.
--Mr. James Webb, known as the "Benevolent Stranger," distributed
considerable sums of money among the public institutions and the
necessitous poor of Norwich. "For three days the Angel Inn yard was
thronged with applicants who seemed unwilling to quit the spot even till
some time after the philanthropist had taken his departure." Mr. Webb
made similar distributions at Yarmouth, Bungay, and other places.
--Died, Major John Bland, aged 77, many years in the 46th Regiment. "He
had been in 42 engagements, among which was the memorable battle of
Quebec." He gave various bequests to the Norwich charities.
6.--It was reported that small-pox had appeared in St. Stephen's,
Norwich. Six unvaccinated children died from the effects of the disease.
The Court of Guardians offered a reward of 2s. 6d. to parents for each
child vaccinated. During the month unvaccinated children continued to
suffer. On March 27th it was stated that Letton, Cranworth, West and
East Bradenham, and Shipdham, were among the parishes of the county "who
had set a most laudable example in vaccination."
20.*--"The second cousins of Mr. Henry Kett, late of Norwich, have
generously presented the sum of 500 pounds towards the establishment of a
Lancasterian school at Dickleburgh, the native place of the deceased."
26.--A trotting match took place between a mare, the property of Mr.
Crisp, of Stow, Downham Market, and a mare belonging to Mr. Brett, of
Fordham, on the turnpike road from the Chequers at Downham Market to the
toll-bar at Fincham. The stakes, 20 pounds a side, "were won by the
former by a furlong, the latter having broke eleven times during the
journey." The winner was ridden by Mr. Abraham Spinks, of Magdalen.