1.--Under the Prisons Act, 1865, the old borough jail at Lynn ceased to
be used as a prison.
2.--Mr. F. W. Windham, who for five or six years had enjoyed unenviable
notoriety, died suddenly at the Norfolk Hotel, Norwich. He had been
unwell for several days, and was seen by his medical attendant, Mr. F. C.
Bailey, on January 31st. Mr. Windham became better on February 1st, and
still further improvement was manifested on the 2nd; but later in the day
his symptoms were completely altered, and became so alarming that Mr.
Bailey called in Dr. Bateman and Dr. Eade. Every effort was made to
restore animation, but without avail; this victim of an ill-spent life
gradually sank, and in a few hours expired, in the presence of the
medical men and of some of the servants of the hotel. Death was due to
the obstruction of the circulation by a clot of blood in the pulmonary
artery. On the 7th the body was removed to Tucker's Hotel, Cromer, and
the interment took place on the 8th, in the family vault at Felbrigg.
Mr. Windham had completely dissipated the residue of the extensive
property which he inherited, after payment of the law expenses contingent
on the great suit, Windham _v._ Windham (_q.v._ November 22nd, 1861), and
became dependent for a livelihood on the little income he made as driver
of the Cromer coach. His uncle, General Windham, had made arrangements
by which he was supplied with the means of living respectably. He had
rooms at the Norfolk Hotel, but generally spent his time in one or other
of the low public-houses in the city. The effect of his death was to
deprive Mrs. Windham of the annuity granted on Mr. Windham's life, and of
any interest whatever in the Hanworth estate.
16.--A case was heard at East Dereham Petty Sessions, in which the points
urged in the Corn Hall litigation in 1857-58 were again brought
prominently before the public. George Squire, a Lincolnshire merchant,
was charged with assaulting Charles Howard, the keeper of the Corn Hall.
He had paid twopence for admission, and Howard informed him that he ought
to take a merchant's ticket and hire a stand. In the course of the
altercation, defendant took plaintiff by the collar and pinched his neck.
Mr. J. C. Chittock, solicitor, on behalf of the defendant, contended that
any person had a right to go into the hall, whether he paid for doing so
or not, because at the Summer Assizes in 1857 the proprietors were
indicted for obstructing a highway and a verdict was given for the Crown.
The hall was built upon a highway known as Lion Hill, and Lion Hill had
never ceased to be a highway. The Bench determined that they had no
jurisdiction, and dismissed the case.
18.--Died at Great Yarmouth, Mr. Isaac Preston, aged 92 years. One of
the oldest inhabitants of the borough, he had, previous to the passing of
the Municipal Reform Act, held several important offices in connection
with the Corporation, and was twice Mayor. He was a justice of the peace
and a deputy-lieutenant for the county, and was one of the promoters of
the movement for the erection of the Nelson Column on the South Denes.
23.--A serious difficulty arose at Norwich, owing to the operation of the
Cattle Diseases Prevention Act. A large number of dealers, apprehending
that the provisions of the Act would not be enforced until the following
week, sent stock to Norwich for the market on the 24th, or for
transmission by rail to London. Two hundred fat beasts arrived at Trowse
for conveyance, but the railway authorities refused to receive them.
Salesmen on the Hill experienced the same difficulty, and dealers had to
dispose of their cattle as best they could. Many beasts were sent to
butchers for immediate slaughter; others were removed to Trowse. The
Mayor (Mr. Nichols) went down on the 25th to see what help he could
render, but the only way out of the difficulty was to send the animals to
the Norwich slaughter-houses, whence the principal portion of the meat
was forwarded to London. In order to obviate any further difficulty of
the kind, the Norwich Town Council, on the 27th, resolved to erect
slaughter-houses and to provide a dead meat market. The cattle plague
continued with unabated virulence. Thursday, March 8th, was observed as
a day of humiliation, business was suspended, and special services were
held at the Cathedral and the parish churches. Similar services took
place throughout the county. On June 30th it was announced, "Rinderpest
is now nearly extinct in Norfolk and Suffolk"; and on October 13th it was
stated: "The non-existence of the cattle plague in the county has
rendered the work of the Central Committee and the Cattle Plague
Association very light." Norwich Cattle Market was re-opened on November
17th.