2.--The body of Sarah Watling, buried in the churchyard of Swanton Abbot,
was found to have been stolen from its grave. At the Norfolk Adjourned
Quarter Sessions, held at Norwich on March 6th, 1833, George Ives and
Nathaniel Canham were indicted for stealing the body. The prisoners were
acquitted.
10.--The nomination of candidates at the first election in Norwich under
the Reform Act took place at the Guildhall. The nominees of the "Purple
and Orange" party were Lord Stormont and Sir James Scarlett, and of the
"Blue and White" party Mr. Richard Hanbury Gurney, the former member, and
Mr. Charles Henry Bellenden Ker. A poll was demanded, and the election
was immediately proceeded with. In the afternoon a riot occurred in the
Market Place; the "Purple and Orange" booth was pulled down, and a
bonfire made of the _debris_. The "Blue and White" band, stationed near
the fire, played their favourite tunes, and men carrying the banners of
the party danced round the pile. Stones were thrown and bludgeons used,
and a man had his arm broken. Many other persons sustained less serious
injuries. The 7th Hussars, who had been removed from Norwich to
Wymondham before the election commenced, were recalled to suppress the
disturbance, and many citizens were sworn in as special constables. An
officers' guard of the Hussars was posted near the Guildhall throughout
the night, and another polling-booth was erected. Voting recommenced at
eight o'clock on the morning of the 11th, and continued all day; the
books were again opened on the 13th, and at noon the poll finally closed,
when the result was declared as follows:--Stormont, 2,016; Scarlett,
1,962; Gurney, 1,810; Ker, 1,766. The chairing of the new members took
place on the 14th; on the same day their friends and supporters dined at
the Norfolk Hotel, and in the evening the election ball was held at
Chapel Field House.
10.--Lord George Bentinck and Lord William Lennox were returned unopposed
for Lynn.
--Lord James FitzRoy and Mr. Francis Baring were returned without
opposition for the borough of Thetford.
13.--Mr. Shaw's granaries on the Boal at King's Lynn were destroyed by
fire. The loss was estimated at upwards of 2,000 pounds.
15.--Sir Jacob Astley and Sir William ffolkes were nominated at Swaffham
as candidates for the representation of the Western Division of Norfolk,
and returned unopposed. Mr. T. W. Coke formally took leave of the
electors, on his retirement from Parliamentary life. He had represented
the county since the year 1785.
17.--The nomination of candidates for the Eastern Division of the county
took place at the Shirehall, Norwich. Lord Henry Cholmondeley and Mr.
Peach were nominated by the "Pink and Purple," and Mr. W. W. Windham and
Major Keppel by the "Blue and White" party. The poll was opened on the
20th, at Norwich, Yarmouth, North Walsham, and Long Stratton, and closed
on the 21st. The result, which was not officially declared until the
24th, was as follows:--Windham, 3,304; Keppel, 3,261; Peach, 2,960;
Cholmondeley, 2,852. The election dinner was held at the Assembly Room,
Norwich, under the presidency of the Hon. Edward Harbord.
22.--Atkins' Menagerie was exhibited at Norwich. This was the first
occasion on which a "lion tamer" appeared with a travelling menagerie in
the city. In the centre of the show was introduced a large iron cage,
into which the keeper entered and put the animals through their
performances.
1833.