5.--Died at Great Yarmouth, Major-General Francis Montague Ommanney,
R.A., aged 50 years. He was the youngest son of Mr. E. S. Ommanney,
formerly of Yarmouth, by Henrietta, daughter of Sir Edmund Lacon, Bart.
With the Royal Artillery he served in the West Indies, and saw much
service in the Indian Mutiny, when he commanded a siege train under Sir
Hugh Rose, afterwards Lord Strathnairn. He married Harriet Ellen,
youngest daughter of Mr. John Mortlock Lacon.
6.--Died at Scratby, Benjamin Daniels, "the last of the giants of East
Anglia." His age was 54; height, 6 ft. 6 in.; weight, 24 stones; width,
from shoulder to shoulder across the back, 24 inches. He possessed great
strength, and frequently loaded has own waggon by carrying four bushels
of wheat under both arms at one time. "When in great haste to have his
farm work done, the horses being much engaged, he has harnessed himself
to one of his harrows and cultivated the land." Daniels was buried at
Ormesby St. Margaret, on March 12th.
10.--An unprecedented incident occurred in the ring at Messrs. Stoodley
and Harmston's Circus, at Norwich, during the performance of "Dick
Turpin's Ride to York." After the "ride," which results in the death of
Black Bess, the mare is removed from the scene on hurdles. On this
occasion, when the grooms, at the conclusion of the performance,
attempted to raise the animal, it was found that life was really
extinct--Black Bess had sustained an internal rupture in leaping the
"turnpike" gate. The animal was the property of a French-woman named
Gaertner, and, as a trick horse, was valued at several hundred pounds.
15.--The Norfolk Staghounds had an extraordinary run. The meet was at
Hempnall House, and fifty horsemen were present. The stag ran to Shelton
and Alburgh, and then made to the right for Redenhall, through Stanton,
Pulham St. Mary, and Pulham Market, crossing the turnpike by Carpenter's
Walk, on through Wacton and Moulton, to Tivetshall station, where the
first check of two minutes occurred--time, 1 hour 3 minutes; distance, 14
miles. The hounds again upon the line, went through Gissing to
Dickleburgh, Burston, and Diss, made for the right to Shelfanger, when
another slight check occurred. The field by this time had dwindled down
to twelve. On again through Winfarthing to Kenninghall, to the left to
Bridgham and East Harling, and back to Kenninghall, where the deer was
recaptured and placed in a stable belonging to Messrs. Murton and Turner.
The distance was supposed to be 45 miles, and the run occupied 3 hours 5
minutes. "Among those who rode straightest to the end of this wonderful
run were Hickman, the huntsman, who went like a bird, and handled his
horse well; Mr. E. Fellowes, Mr. T. N. Ward, Mr. James Limmer, Mr. Cross,
and two officers of the Royal Dragoons, from Norwich."
23.--A petition having been sent to the Local Government Board by the
Corporation of Norwich, asking them to issue a provisional order
confirming an improvement scheme made under the Artisans' and Labourers'
Dwellings Improvement Act, 1875, with reference to an area in the parish
of St. Paul which had been declared by the Medical-Officer of Health as
unhealthy and unfit for habitation, Lieut.-Colonel Ponsonby Cox, R.E.,
one of the inspectors of the Local Government Board, held an inquiry at
the Guildhall, for the purpose of ascertaining the correctness of the
official representation. The inspector commended the scheme, and stated
that it was of a most satisfactory character.
24.--Captain Tyler, inspector of railways, made an official inspection of
the newly-constructed railway between Gunton and Cromer, and consented to
its being opened for traffic on the 26th.
--At the Norwich Assizes, before Mr. Baron Bramwell, Ann Farrow, a widow
living at Nordelph, brought an action against John Robert Childs,
stonemason, of Norwich, to recover damages for breach of promise of
marriage. After a trial which lasted two days, and in which the
plaintiff made some remarkable allegations, the jury returned a verdict
for the defendant.