2.--The Norwich Court of Guardians having employed surveyors at a great
expense to make new assessments of property in the several parishes
within the walls of the city for the purpose of equalising the
poor-rates, St. Saviour's Vestry meeting passed a resolution protesting
against it on the ground that it would have the effect of increasing both
general and local taxes. The vestries of other parishes passed similar
resolutions. At this time the Norwich Guardians raised about 20,000
pounds annually for the relief of the poor.
11.--Early in the morning a boat's crew from his Majesty's ship Cadmus,
at Yarmouth, when passing down the river to the harbour's mouth with
impressed seamen, were attacked by a mob on both banks, and several of
the sailors were severely wounded with stones. The mob seized the gig
belonging to the Cadmus and destroyed her. The Admiralty offered a
reward of 20 pounds for the conviction of the offenders. At the Norfolk
Assizes held at Norwich on August 14th, 1816, before Lord Chief Justice
Gibbs, seven persons were indicted for riotously assembling and rescuing
from the press gang, legally authorised, a person who had been impressed.
The defendants, with one exception, were found guilty. In the following
December they were sentenced in the Court of King's Bench to nine months'
imprisonment each.
13.--Died, in St. Giles' Street, Norwich, aged 20, Mr. H. Fisher, son of
Mr. David Fisher, manager of the Norfolk and Suffolk Company of
Comedians.
18.--At this date a series of disturbances occurred at Norwich Theatre.
Mr. F. A. Vining, a member of the company, in a letter dated May 18th,
and addressed to the patrons of the Theatre, referred to the "injustice
and cruelty which had been heaped upon him within its walls." He had
left Norwich to accept an engagement at Covent Garden Theatre and
appeared there with success for 90 or 100 nights. At the end of the
London season he accepted a further engagement at Norwich, when, it was
alleged, that Mr. Vining, "being found unworthy of a situation in another
theatre," Mr. Jones, a member of the Norwich Company, was "discharged to
make room for him." Mr. Vining denied any personal knowledge of the
matter. On May 29th several friends of Mr. Jones were committed for
trial at the Quarter Sessions for creating disturbances at the Theatre.
At the Quarter Sessions on July 11th the recognisances of the sureties
who had been bound over for the accused were discharged, "it being the
intention of the prosecution to prefer an indictment at the ensuing
Assizes." At the Assizes held on July 25th the Grand Jury found true
bills against the defendants, when the indictments were traversed and the
accused discharged till the next Assizes. On that occasion the
defendants entered into recognisances to appear at the next ensuing
Assizes, and no further record is given.
20.*--"The diversion of hawking, a sport antiently much used, has been
revived in this country on a considerable scale by Lord Rivers, Major
Wilson, of Didlington, and Mr. Downes, of Gunton. Their subscription
hawks, under the management of German falconers, have afforded much
amusement to numerous spectators. Last week they were exhibited at
Newmarket after the races, and flown off at some rooks in the Flat, which
they speedily brought down."
25.--A Methodist Missionary Society for the Norwich District was formed
at a meeting held at Calvert Street, Norwich.
29.--The prisoners in the City Gaol, Norwich, returned thanks to the
Mayor and Corporation "for 10s. worth of beer given them on the
anniversary of King Charles Restoration."