3.--The Norwich Poor-law Amendment Bill was considered by a Committee of
the House of Commons. Its object was to repeal the Act passed in 1831,
"for the better management of the several parishes and hamlets of the
city and county of the city of Norwich"; to substitute another body for
the Incorporation of Guardians; and to introduce certain clauses for the
equalisation of the rates between the city and hamlets; and for the
inclusion of the Cathedral Close, which was not then within the
jurisdiction of the Guardians. The Bill passed through Committee on
March 12th, and was directed to be reported to the House. The last
meeting of the old Court of Guardians was held at the Guildhall, Norwich,
on October 6th, and its existence as a corporate body expired on the
22nd, when the new Board was elected. Prior to the election, a meeting,
presided over by the Mayor (Mr. Patteson), was held, at which was passed
a resolution to the effect that, "considering the excessive poor-rates
which have pressed upon this city for so many years, and the abuses which
have sprung up in the administration of the Poor-law, it is incumbent
upon the ratepayers to sink party and other differences and co-operate
for carrying out the new Act with integrity and impartiality."
10.--Great rejoicings took place in city and county, in celebration of
the marriage of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. The streets of Norwich were
gaily decorated, and the day was observed as a general holiday. A parade
of the troops, namely, the 5th Royal Irish Lancers, the 1st Norfolk Light
Horse, the enrolled pensioners, the staff of the West Norfolk Militia,
and the Norwich Battalion of Rifle Volunteers, took place on Major
Middleton's field on Ipswich Road. "All the troops wore wedding favours
of uniform pattern." After the review a _feu de joie_ was fired in the
Market Place, where the members of the Choral Society sang, "God Bless
the Prince of Wales." The military were entertained at luncheon in a
marquee erected on the parade-ground at the Militia Barracks; the Sheriff
(Mr. Colman) gave a dinner to the aged poor, at St. Andrew's Hall, and
14,403 Sunday school children were entertained. At night the city was
illuminated, a firework display took place on the Castle Meadow, and the
proceedings concluded with the lighting of a huge bonfire opposite the
Shirehall. Similar celebrations took place at Yarmouth and Lynn, and
festivities were held in all the smaller towns and villages in the
county. At a special meeting of the Norwich Town Council on the 12th,
congratulatory addresses were voted to the Queen and to the Prince and
Princess of Wales, and it was announced that many of the textile
manufacturers had decided to present to her Royal Highness articles of
home manufacture. The citizens gave the famous "Norwich Gates" exhibited
at the Great Exhibition, which were purchased by public subscription and
afterwards erected at Sandringham. A county meeting was held at the
Shirehall on the 14th, and congratulatory addresses adopted. Their Royal
Highnesses arrived at their Norfolk home on March 28th. At Lynn railway
station the Mayor (Mr. L. W. Jarvis) presented an address, and from
Wolferton station to Sandringham the Prince and Princess were escorted by
the Norfolk Light Horse, commanded by Capt. Hay Gurney, and by a large
body of mounted tenantry.
12.--Died at Brentwood, Mr. Edward Taylor, professor of music at Gresham
College, London, aged 79. He was a native of Norwich, and a son of Mr.
John Taylor, who occupied a prominent position in the city as a wool and
yarn factor, and displayed considerable literary and musical abilities.
Mr. Edward Taylor had been many years resident in London, but he
constantly attended the Norwich Musical Festivals, in the establishment
of which he took a leading part, and was a frequent vocal performer. He
was a pleasing composer, and some of his songs met with deserved
appreciation.
16.--Professor J. H. Pepper lectured at Noverre's Rooms, Norwich, on
"Optical Illusions," and for the first time exhibited in the city the now
well-known illusion, "Pepper's Ghost."
19.--The Yarmouth Gas Bill, the object of which was to incorporate the
Great Yarmouth Gas Company and to make further provision for lighting the
town and certain neighbouring places with gas, was considered by a
Committee of the House of Lords. The Bill was read a third time in that
House on the 24th, and passed.
29.--Died at Wakefield Lodge, Northamptonshire, his Grace the Duke of
Grafton. He was the eldest son of George Henry, fourth Duke, by
Charlotte Maria Waldegrave, second daughter of James, second Earl
Waldegrave and Maria, who afterwards became Duchess of Gloucester. Born
on February 10th, 1790, he married, on June 20th, 1812, Mary Caroline,
third daughter of Admiral the Hon. Sir George Cranfield Berkeley. He
represented Bury St. Edmund's from 1826 to 1830, and had a seat in the
Lower House for Thetford from 1834 to September, 1844. By his death, his
eldest son, the Earl of Euston, M.P. for Thetford since 1847, inherited
the family honours.
31.--A remarkable charge of abduction was tried at the Norfolk Assizes,
before Mr. Justice Williams. Frederick Burrell (21), a clerk employed at
the Royal Arsenal, was indicted "for having, from motives of lucre,
fraudulently allured, taken away, and detained Jane Burrell, a person
under 21 years of age, she having a present legal interest in certain
real estates in Norfolk, out of the possession and against the will of
her mother, Mary Ann Hyder, and her guardian, William Silver Hyder, with
intent to marry her, on January 20th, 1863." Henry Richard Burrell, his
brother, was indicted for aiding and abetting. The defendants were
uncles of the girl, who was the daughter of the eldest son of one Daniel
Burrell, who died without a will. As the eldest son died during Daniel
Burrell's lifetime, the daughter became possessed of all his freehold
property. The girl left school at Norwich at Christmas, and went to
Fakenham, but instead of staying with her mother and stepfather, went to
the house of Henry Burrell, and on January 19th left for London with
Frederick Burrell. The next day they were married at Plumstead, near
Woolwich, the marriage licence obtained by Frederick Burrell being, it
was alleged, "full of the grossest perjury." The jury returned a verdict
of guilty, but sentence was deferred, pending the argument of certain
points before the Court for the consideration of Crown cases reserved.
The defendants, on April 25th, appealed against their conviction, and the
Court, after hearing arguments, reserved judgment. The case came before
the Court for the consideration of Crown cases reserved, on November
24th. Their lordships were divided in opinion, not upon any question of
law, but upon the facts of the case. Judgment was delivered upon the
opinion of the majority, who held that the facts did not bear out that
which was necessary to sustain a prosecution, and therefore, "with very
great regret," they quashed the conviction.