4.--A heavy gale prevailed on the coast of Norfolk, and continued until
the 6th. There were many shipping casualties, and much loss of life.
7.--At the annual dinner of the Farmers' Club, held at the Salisbury
Hotel, London, Mr. Clare Sewell Read announced that he would no longer
continue a member of the Government. He took office, he said, on the
stipulation that he should have perfect freedom to speak upon all
agricultural matters, and that if he believed the interests of
agriculture were neglected by any department of the Government he should
resign. "I believe," he added, "that the interests of the stockholders
of this country have been persistently ignored by the Veterinary
Department of the Privy Council, and that being the case, I have to
inform you that I am no longer the Secretary of the Local Government
Board, and that I only hold office until my successor be appointed." Mr.
Read further said that, to a tenant-farmer whose principal income was
derived from the occupation of 600 or 700 acres of land, 1,500 a year was
an extremely convenient addition to his income; but he was quite sure
that all present would approve of what he had done. During the Cattle
Show week it was announced that some suitable recognition would be made
of Mr. Read's services to agriculture, and, at a large meeting of the
agriculturists of the county--Conservative and Liberal--held at the
Norfolk Hotel, Norwich, on December 18th, a deputation was appointed to
attend a meeting at the Salisbury Hotel, on the 20th, in support of the
testimonial fund which was forthwith inaugurated. (_See_ January 1st,
1876.)
13.--A dreadful tragedy occurred at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. A
weaver, 42 years of age, named Robert Edwards, who resided at Marsham,
had been admitted to the Hospital on an indoor recommendation obtained
from the Rev. J. Gunton, rector of the parish. The physician who
examined him prior to admission believed that he was suffering from some
bodily ailment of a dyspeptic character. Ten or twelve weeks previously
his case was regarded as one of insanity; he had been restless and
violent at times, and his friends had placed him under surveillance.
Early on the morning of this date, Edwards, in a fit of homicidal mania,
escaped from the Catherine ward, and, finding his way to the children's
ward, seized a pair of tongs from the fireplace, and, before he could be
secured, made a murderous assault upon some of the unfortunate young
patients, which resulted in two being slain outright, a third died
shortly afterwards, and grievous injuries were inflicted upon two others.
Edwards was disarmed by Mr. Baumgartner, the house surgeon, taken into
custody, and charged on the 14th, at Norwich Police Court, with
feloniously killing William Martin, aged 14, of Ryburgh; John Lacey, 10,
of Griffin Yard, Pockthorpe; and Joseph Colman, 11, of Barton Turf. A
fourth lad, Alfred Clarke, aged 9, died on February 20th, 1876. On the
18th the magistrates committed him for trial at the Assizes, but
meanwhile he was certified to be insane and incapable of pleading, and
was sent to Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. At the Coroner's inquest,
held on December 18th, a verdict of wilful murder was returned, and the
jury expressed, in the strongest terms, their disapproval of the
circumstances under which Edwards had been admitted to the institution,
and their high opinion of the courageous conduct of Mr. Baumgartner.
22.--Died at Bombay, Bernard Edward Delaval Astley, tenth Baron Hastings,
aged 20. His lordship left England early in October, for India,
accompanied by Viscount Ebrington, and, after staying with Sir Philip
Wodehouse, the Governor, at Parell, during the Prince of Wales' visit
there, he proceeded to Calicut, and thence to the Annamally Hills, for
shooting. He there fell a victim to jungle fever. Born September 9th,
1855, his lordship was eldest son of the Rev. Delaval Loftus Astley, some
time vicar of East Barsham, and afterwards ninth Lord Hastings, and
grandson of Jacob Astley, Lord Hastings, better known by his former name
of Sir Jacob Astley, M.P. He was educated at Eton, and succeeded to the
family honours in 1872. The title passed to his next brother, the Hon.
George Manners Astley, who was born in April, 1857.
26.--The Christmas pantomime produced by Mr. George H. Chaplin, at
Norwich Theatre, was entitled, "Bluff King Hal the Bluffer and his
Crippled Guy, or Harlequin Darnley, the Pet of the Court."
1876.