8.--Died, aged 91, Mr. John Bennett, for many years resident in Norwich.
"The deceased wore a pigtail to the day of his death and was the last of
the old school in the city."
13.--It was announced that an attempt was being made to form a religious
order or brotherhood in Norwich, and that a house on Elm Hill, formerly
occupied by Mr. Elisha De Hague, had been purchased for conversion into a
monastery. Shortly afterwards a party of five brethren, headed by "the
notorious Brother Ignatius," took up their quarters in the newly-acquired
premises, and, it was asserted, had the countenance, if not the active
support, of advanced High Churchmen in the city, under whose auspices at
this date lectures were delivered "in defence of Church principles," one
of the lecturers being the Rev. Dr. A. F. Littledale. On February 24th,
the "Benedictine chapel," known as the "priory of St. Mary and Dunstan,"
was dedicated by Ignatius. From this date scenes of disorder and riot
were of frequent occurrence in the neighbourhood of the monastery, and
directly and indirectly the existence of the confraternity gave rise to
several remarkable incidents. During Easter week the "monks" made daily
visits to St. Lawrence' church, which had already been brought into
notoriety by the ritualistic practices of the rector, the Rev. E. A.
Hillyard. There daily Communion was celebrated, and the brethren walking
in procession to and from the church were assailed and insulted by the
mob. The protection of the police was demanded by Ignatius, and the
magistrates were frequently engaged in the hearing of cases of riot and
assault arising out of the proceedings at Elm Hill and St. Lawrence'. A
spirit of unrest manifested itself in other directions. On April 6th a
person calling himself the Baron De Camin, who stated that he was an
ex-priest of the Romish Church, delivered, at the Victoria Hall, St.
Andrew's, a lecture full of scurrilous and indecent observations. A
scene of great tumult ensued; the gas was extinguished, and, under cover
of darkness, the "baron" escaped. Another lecturer appeared on the 14th
and 15th, in the person of Signor (formerly Father) Allessandro Gavazzi,
who delivered orations at St. Andrew's Hall, on "Romish Encroachments at
Home" and "Garibaldi and Italy's Impending Future." Whilst the High
Church party were taking an aggressive stand in the city, a section of
the Low Church party in the county, led by the Rev. W. Haslam, of
Buckenham, were seeking, under the name of "Revivalism," to introduce
Nonconformist methods into the services of the Church. Meanwhile
official notice was taken of Mr. Hillyard's proceedings. At a meeting of
the Board of Guardians, on April 28th, it was agreed, "That the Rev. E.
A. Hillyard having identified himself with certain persons calling
themselves monks, whom he has allowed to participate in the services of
his church, no longer holds the confidence of the Board, and is called
upon to resign his situation as chaplain of the Norwich Workhouse." Mr.
Hillyard declined to vacate the office, and a deputation of the Board
waited upon the Bishop, who expressed strong disapproval of the reverend
gentleman's action. A meeting of the parishioners of St. Lawrence'
passed a resolution on May 6th: "That this vestry views with grief and
indignation the manner in which Divine worship has been performed of
late, particularly as regards the dressing of the Communion table, and
the minister allowing persons calling themselves monks to take a
prominent part in the performance of the services." The resolution was
numerously signed by the parishioners and presented to the Bishop. St.
Gregory's church, during the incumbency of the Rev. W. B. Sharpe, became
a centre of ritualism, and on June 9th advantage was taken, on the
appointment of the new incumbent, the Rev. J. Wortley, to petition the
Archdeacon of Norwich to sanction the removal of "a floral cross and
other floral decorations from the chancel and the candlesticks from the
Communion table, of monograms and emblems recently painted on the chancel
steps, and of the curtains and drapery from the walls of the chancel, and
to order the restoration of the Commandments, the Belief, and the Lord's
Prayer in their place"; and the minister was requested "to discontinue
the weekly offering, as it was strongly objected to by many of the
parishioners." On August 23rd Mr. Wortley announced that many of the
objectionable ornaments had been removed; and on August 27th it was
stated that the English Church Union had resolved to raise a special fund
to meet expenses that might be incurred by Mr. Smith, churchwarden, in
legally protesting against the action which had led to their removal. On
June 27th a meeting of the supporters of the district schools of the
associated parishes of St. Peter Mancroft, St. John Maddermarket, St.
Gregory, St. Lawrence, and St. Margaret, resolved "That the Rev. E. A.
Hillyard had entirely forfeited the confidence of the committee, by
mixing himself up with certain persons calling themselves monks, and Mr.
Henry Browne finding it impossible, under the circumstances, to collect
subscriptions, had therefore refused to continue to act with Mr.
Hillyard, either as treasurer, secretary, or manager." Mr. Hillyard upon
this decision severed his connection with the association, but refused to
accede to a request, signed by some of the leading clergy in Norwich and
Norfolk, on July 2nd, to discontinue his practices at St. Lawrence' or to
comply with the wishes of the Bishop. On August 17th the Guardians
passed a resolution prohibiting his further attendance at the Workhouse;
and on October 25th Sir John Walsham, the Poor-Law Inspector for the
district, held an inquiry at the Guildhall into his conduct. The
Poor-Law Board, on December 14th, intimated to the Guardians that they
had dismissed Mr. Hillyard from the chaplaincy. The Elm Hill monastery
was closed in May, 1866, and the building work of a proposed new chapel
to be erected by Ignatius suspended. (_See_ January 16th, 1869.)
22.--Died at Sidcup, Kent, in his 96th year, Mr. Edward Smyth, formerly
agent in Norwich of the Bank of England. His early career was spent in
the Army. He served at the fall of Seringapatam, in 1799, with the 25th
Light Dragoons, who, at Mullavelly, routed the cavalry of Tippoo Sahib,
thereby enabling Lord Harris to bring to a successful termination his
siege operations against that important fortress. Mr. Smith afterwards
served with the Duke of Wellington in that Indian campaign which ended
with the famous battles of Assaye and Urgam.