2.--A terrible thunderstorm and hurricane commenced in the night and
prevailed during the early hours of the morning of the 3rd (Sunday). It
was accompanied by a deluge of rain and a heavy hailstorm. Great damage
was done to property in city and county. But the greatest calamity was
the destruction of Wells church, the tower of which was struck by
lightning at 5.50 a.m. on the 3rd. The roof of the nave was soon in
flames, and fell in with a crash, and by nine o'clock the whole church
was reduced to a state of utter ruin. The fine peal of bells was totally
destroyed, and the entire damage was estimated at from 10,000 to 15,000.
(_See_ April 18th, 1883.)
4.--Died at Oxford Street, Unthank's Road, Norwich, Mr. Thomas William
Bond, in his 76th year. Mr. Bond was some time subeditor, and afterwards
publisher, of the "Norfolk News," and before removing to Norwich kept a
school at Barton Mills, near Stoke Ferry. He was the compiler of a small
book for children, known as "Bond's Catechism," which was published by
Jarrold, and for many years extensively used in all parts of the country.
5.--Died at the residence of his son, Belmont House, Newport, Essex,
Zachariah Buck, Mus. Doc. He was born at Norwich on September 19th,
1798, and at an early age attracted the attention of Dr. Beckwith, the
then organist of the Cathedral, who took him into the choir. Dr.
Beckwith died in 1809, and was succeeded as organist by his son, Mr. John
Beckwith, with whom young Buck continued, and to whom he was articled.
On the death of Beckwith, in 1819, Buck, at the early age of twenty-one,
succeeded in obtaining the appointment of Cathedral organist, his chief
competitor being Alfred Pettet, a fellow-pupil, who was appointed to St.
Peter Mancroft. Buck soon obtained a large and lucrative practice as a
teacher, and established his reputation as a trainer of boys. For nearly
forty years he continued to perform the active duties of organist and
choirmaster, but during the last twenty years of his life he relinquished
the organ to his subsequent assistant and partner, Dr. Bunnett. Besides
instructing during his long career some 7,000 amateur pupils, Dr. Buck
trained a very large number of professional students, most of whom were
selected from his choir. He composed no great work, but was the author
of a number of pleasing anthems, and of the hymn, "Come hither, angel
tongues invite," which, it was understood, gained for him his Lambeth
degree of Doctor of Music, conferred upon him by the Archbishop of
Canterbury. He resigned, on June 5th, 1877, his appointment at the
Cathedral, after seventy years' connection therewith. Dr. Buck was twice
married--first to Miss Hansell, and secondly to Miss Holloway, and left
three sons.
11.--The British, Archaeological Association opened its congress at
Yarmouth. Lord Waveney, as president, delivered an inaugural address.
The members of the Congress visited Norwich on the 18th.
26.--Mr. C. S. Read, M.P., having declined the invitation of the
Government to become a member of the Royal Commission appointed to
enquire into the depressed state of agriculture and its causes, and
believing that he could serve farmers better another way, sailed on this
date from Liverpool for America, in the City of Montreal liner, in
company with Mr. Albert Pell, M.P. The object of the hon. gentlemen was
to collect, in the United States, information conducive to the inquiry,
and this duty they undertook as unpaid assistant commissioners. They
made a tour through the Western agricultural regions of Manitoba, Dakota,
Nebraska, Kansas, Kentucky, went south-west to Texas, and returned to
Philadelphia on November 26th. They thoroughly examined the system of
cultivation, transportation, and ocean shipment of provisions and grain;
they travelled an average of 120 miles each day, besides making minute
investigations; and in this work they were greatly assisted by the St.
Paul and Sioux City Railway, who gave them the use of a special train for
a week. They examined the terminal and shipping facilities of the
Pennsylvania railroad, the American steamship line at Philadelphia, and
the Abbatoir Company's arrangements for the shipping of live and dead
meat. After visiting Baltimore, Washington, and New York, Mr. Read and
Mr. Pell sailed for home on December 10th. Mr. Read arrived in Norfolk
on December 22nd, and was welcomed at Wymondham station by Mrs. Read and
several personal friends.
26.--The Town Clerk reported, at a meeting of the Norwich Town Council,
that the Norwich Improvement Act received the Royal assent on July 22nd.
Among the works which it enabled the city to undertake was to remove
Foundry Bridge and construct a new one forty-five feet wide; to build a
bridge across the Wensum at St. Martin-at-Oak, and to exercise increased
powers in the sanitary administration and local government of the city.
30.--The death was announced, at Brussels, of Lord Gordon of Drumearn,
who, when Lord Advocate for Scotland, in 1867, was returned as member of
Parliament for the borough of Thetford.