5.--Died, at his residence on the Castle Ditches, Norwich, in his 89th
year, Mr. Robert Ward, who served the office of Sheriff in 1800, and was
for upwards of 45 years a member of the Court of Guardians.
13.--A petition by Mr. Samuel Bignold and Mr. William Rackham on the one
part, and Mr. T. O. Springfield on the other part, having been presented
to the Lord Chancellor relative to the composition of the trustees of the
Norwich charities, the matter was argued on this date before the Master
in Chancery, who ruled that in composing the list of trustees he would
not admit more than four Dissenters out of the 21; further, that in the
execution of their official duties, the trustees should be divided into
two classes, and that none but those who were members of the Church of
England should have a voice in the presentation to any Church living. On
December 23rd the Master presented a draft report, stating the
composition of the "Church list" and of the "general list." The former
contained eleven selected from the twenty-one names submitted by Messrs.
Springfield, Finch, and Willett, and ten from the twenty-one names
submitted by Messrs. Bignold and Rackham. The "general list" contained
twelve names submitted by the former and eight by the latter. (_See_
March 18th, 1837.)
20.--The Norwich Musical Festival, "for the benefit of the Norfolk and
Norwich and West Norfolk Hospitals, the School for the Indigent Blind,
the Eye Infirmary, and the Dispensary," commenced. The principals were
Madame Caradori Allan, Miss Bruce, Miss Rainforth, Mrs. A. Shaw, Miss
Tipping, Signora Assandri, Signer Ivanoff, Mr. Hobbs, Mr. Hawking, Mr. H.
Phillips, Mr. E. Taylor, and Signor Lablach. Messrs. Cramer and Blagrove
were leaders of the band, and Sir George Smart conductor. Miscellaneous
concerts were given on the evenings of the 20th, 21st, and 22nd; on the
morning of the 21st a selection of sacred music and "The Redemption"; on
the 22nd "The Creation" and "The Seventh Day"; and on the 23rd "The
Christian's Prayer" and "Israel in Egypt." The Festival concluded on the
night of the 23rd with a fancy dress ball, at which "masks and dominoes"
were prohibited.
--The Wendling Estate, near East Dereham, was sold at Garraway's, by Mr.
Spelman, of Norwich, for 14,000 pounds.
29.--A new fire escape, invented by the Rev. Mr. Arthy, of Caistor near
Norwich, was exhibited in front of the Union Office, Surrey Street. "It
consists of a jointed ladder, the first length 10 ft. and seven others 6
ft. 7 in. long, with a pulley inserted in the head of the first length,
over which a chain passes, to one end of which a large basket is
attached, and two rollers are affixed to the under side of the top
length, to enable the ladder to pass freely over the brickwork, and two
ropes are attached to the outer sides of the top, to guide the ladder in
raising it, to bring it forward where projections occur, and to keep it
from slipping either way. After the ladder is raised to the proper
height, the ropes pass under the basket to keep it steady in going up or
down. The machine is constructed on a small platform, mounted on wheels,
and can be conveyed with great rapidity to any given point."