1.--The termination of slavery in the British possessions on this day was
celebrated by a "Negro Jubilee" _fete_, given at Sheringham by Mrs.
Upcher and her family, and by special services at the churches and
chapels in Norwich.
8.--The Earl of Euston was elected, unopposed, representative of the
borough of Thetford, in succession to Lord James FitzRoy, deceased.
--A case of great importance was tried by a special jury in the Sheriff's
Court at Norwich. John Burrows, a butcher, had refused to pay the
stallage charged by the Corporation for his meat stall in the Market
Place, on the ground that the patent of his freedom exempted him from
such charges. The Corporation, in an action against him, recovered the
charges, which amounted to 16s. 4d., and defendant had suffered judgment
to go by default. The special jury now found for the full amount
claimed. Defendant resisted payment, and in the second week of September
was arrested by virtue of a special writ, taken to London, and by Mr.
Baron Alderson was committed to the Fleet Prison. At a quarterly
assembly of the Corporation, on Sept. 22nd, Mr. William Wilde moved that
it be an instruction to the Market Committee not to collect stallage in
future from freemen selling provisions. Burrows had acted on the advice
of the Municipal Commissioners in this matter, and these proceedings
would probably be his ruin. The motion was negatived by 19 votes to 9.
9.*--"Workmen excavating at the lower part of the west side of Exchange
Street have found a number of human skulls and bones. This was the site
of the church of St. Crowche or St. Cross, and the public-house by the
name of the Hole-in-the-Wall was built upon it. The church was
demolished on October 14th, 1551, and the parish consolidated with St.
John Maddermarket."
18.--A meeting was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, at which Mr. Gibbs,
C.E., explained the facilities and advantages of a projected railroad
from London to Dunmow, and thence to Norwich, with a branch to Cambridge,
and an ultimate extension to the North of England. The length of line
from Whitechapel to Norwich would be 97 miles; the cost of construction
and compensation for land 1,000,000 pounds, and of machinery, depots,
&c., 600,000 pounds. On the motion of Mr. Samuel Bignold, a provisional
committee was formed for the purpose of promoting the object. On August
30th notice was given that application would be made in the next Session
of Parliament for the construction of "the grand Eastern Counties
Railway" from London to Norwich and Yarmouth, _via_ Romford, Chelmsford,
Colchester, Ipswich, and Eye, at the estimated cost of 1,500,000 pounds,
to be raised in 30,000 shares of 50 pounds each. A meeting was held at
the Guildhall on Sept. 13th, for the purpose of considering the
expediency of forming a railway from London to Norwich _via_ Bishop's
Stortford, Cambridge, and Bury, to join the trunk of the Grand Northern
Railway from London to York, Leeds, and Hull. Mr. William Cundy, C.E.,
described the plans, stating that in less than 18 months the railway from
London to Norwich would be completed; and said that the estimated cost
was 1,600,000 pounds. A local committee was appointed to enquire into
the merits of the respective schemes. A public meeting of the county
gentry and representatives of the agricultural and commercial interests
was held at the Guildhall on October 16th, at which the committee
reported that the line proposed by Mr. Gibbs was best entitled to the
support of the city and county.
26.--Mr. John Marshall was elected freemen's Sheriff at Norwich by 817
votes, as against 585 recorded for Mr. John Culley.
31.--A terrible panic took place at St. Margaret's church, Lynn, owing to
the failure of the gas. A rush was made for the doors, and a lad who
fell from the organ loft received dreadful injuries.