1.--Sir John Patteson and Sir Edward Hall Alderson, the Judges of Assize,
arrived at Norwich.
3.--Mr. Yates, Mr. and Mrs. Keeley, and Mr. Paul Bedford commenced a six
nights' engagement at Norwich Theatre for the Assize week, in the new
drama, "Jack Shephard." Mrs. Keeley appeared in the title _role_, Mr.
Yates as Abram Monday, and Mr. Bedford as Joe Blueskin. Mrs. Keeley
(_nee_ Goward) was formerly a member of the Norwich Company. On the 10th
Miss Ellen Tree and Mr. George Bennett, of Covent Garden and Drury Lane,
appeared in Sheridan Knowles' play, "Love." Mr. Bennett was the son of
an old actor on the Norwich stage, and of Miss Tree it was said: "She is
indeed one of Nature's _noblesse_, an histrionic genius of the first
order, an ornament to her arduous, anxious, and ill-requited profession."
--At the Norfolk Assizes, before Mr. Justice Patteson, John Randalsome,
aged 40, was indicted for the murder of his wife, at Thwaite, on June
19th. A singular feature of the case was that none of the murdered
woman's relatives were aware that she was married to the prisoner.
Randalsome had formed an illicit acquaintance with a girl named Punchard,
and desired to be rid of his wife. Having enticed her from the house of
her father, with whom she resided, he wounded her severely about the head
and face with a hedge stake, and threw her into a pond. The medical
evidence proved that death resulted from drowning. The jury returned a
verdict of guilty, and the prisoner was executed on the Castle Hill,
Norwich, on August 22nd.
--The new Amphitheatre and Royal Albert Saloon, Ranelagh Gardens, St.
Stephen's Gates, Norwich, was opened. "The building is after a new
design, constructed with great solidarity, and on a considerably
increased scale of dimensions. The circle is about 150 feet in
circumference, lighted up with a splendid chandelier of 20 gas burners,
suspended from the centre of the cone, which is glazed from the top
downwards about 15 ft. Round the spacious arena rise lower and upper
tiers of boxes splendidly fitted up. The entrance to the circle and
boxes is through a lofty and well-proportioned saloon, about 70 ft. long
and 30 ft. wide. The facade of the building presents above the principal
entrance an open portico of three arches looking into the gardens; and
there is an exactly similar arcade opening internally towards the
theatre." A portion of the building here described is now the Victoria
Station of the Great Eastern Railway.