16.--The small organ in East Dereham church, mentioned by Dr. Burney in
his "History of Music" as a curiosity, which was built by the famous
Schmidt, in 1666, for the Hon. Roger North, of Rougham Hall, and
purchased for the parish in 1786 for the small sum of 30 pounds, was,
after enlargement under the direction of the Rev. R. F. Elwin, of
Norwich, opened before a congregation of 1,600 persons, by Mr. Last, of
Orford. The builder, Mr. Joseph Hart, of Redgrave, found that Schmidt's
pipes were as sound as on the day they were finished.
--A boy of 13, named William Moore, was brutally murdered in a field at
Brisley, by John Kenney, a lunatic, aged 24. The body was horribly
mutilated. The prisoner was committed for trial on the Coroner's
warrant, on the charge of wilful murder, and at the Lent Assizes, held at
Thetford on March 21st, before Mr. Baron Garrow, the jury returned a
verdict of not guilty, on the ground of the insanity of the accused.
22.*--[Advt.] "A main of cocks will be fought at the White Hart Inn,
Swaffham, on Thursday, the 27th of December, 1827, for 50 guineas,
between Mr. J. Farrer, of Necton, and Mr. G. Gould, of Swaffham. A very
superior day's play is expected, as there are several other matches
besides."
--*"Died lately, at Northrepps, Hannah Storey, in her 101st year."
--Lieut.-Col. Harvey, commanding the 3rd Regiment of Norfolk Yeomanry
Cavalry, addressed a letter to the Marquis of Lansdowne, Secretary of
State for War, detailing the services rendered by the regiment in
quelling disturbances, &c., and expressing the hope that the Government
would not order the disbandment of the corps. His lordship replied that
he had not lost sight of the valuable services of the Yeomanry, but that
the Barracks at Norwich were then, and were likely to continue, a station
for regular cavalry, and consequently he was unable to accede to the
request to continue the pay and allowance to the regiment.
24.--Died at Lynn, Samuel Pearson, a journeyman cabinetmaker, "who, in
the intervals of his labour, acquired a deep knowledge of mathematics,
and possessed the faculty of communicating his knowledge to others. He
established a mathematical academy, which had every prospect of success."
29.--Miss C. Morgan's Menagerie was exhibited on the Castle Hill,
Norwich.
--Great excitement was caused in Yarmouth by the discovery that upwards
of twenty recently interred bodies had been removed from the churchyard
by resurrection men. "The churchyard was quickly crowded by the
population. Wives were searching for the remains of their deceased
husbands, husbands for those of their wives, and parents for their
children." Three men, Thomas Smith, _alias_ Vaughan, William Barber, and
Robert Barber, were apprehended, and committed for trial at Yarmouth
Quarter Sessions, whence, on April 1st, 1828, the indictment was removed
by writ of _certiorari_ to the Court of King's Bench. The case was tried
at Norwich Assizes, before Lord Chief Baron Alexander, on August 11th,
1828, when only Vaughan (or Smith) was proceeded against. Robert Barker
turned King's evidence, and described the method by which the graves were
robbed, and how the bodies were sent to London by the wain. A verdict of
guilty was returned, and on November 14th, 1828, the prisoner was brought
up for sentence in the Court of King's Bench. He urged that he was
driven by poverty to the commission of the offence, and was sentenced by
Mr. Justice Bayley to six months' imprisonment in the house of correction
at Norwich.
31.--Miss Clark, a native of the city, commenced an engagement with her
equestrian company at the Pantheon, Ranelagh Gardens, Norwich.
1828.