2.*--"Mr. Edward Ebenezer Kay, Q.C., of Thorpe Abbots, near Scole, has
accepted the Judgeship vacant by the retirement of Vice-Chancellor Sir
Richard Malins. He does not become Vice-chancellor, but simply one of
the Judges of the High Court of Justice."
18.--The National Fisheries Exhibition was opened at the Drill Hall,
Norwich, by the Prince of Wales. His Royal Highness, who was accompanied
by the Princess of Wales, Prince Leopold, the Lord President of the Privy
Council and the Countess Spencer, Sir W. Vernon Harcourt and Lady
Harcourt, his Excellency Count Dannesekjold-Samsoe, Count
Frijs-Frijsonborg, Lord and Lady Charles Beresford, Mr. Mundella, M.P.,
and Sir Philip Cunliffe Owen, arrived from Wolferton at Thorpe station at
12.20, and was received by the Mayor (Mr. S. Grimmer), the Sheriff (Dr.
Eade), and the Deputy-Mayor (Mr. Harry Bullard). The Artillery
Volunteers supplied a guard of honour in the station yard, and the Royal
visitors were escorted by a detachment of the 3rd Hussars. At the Drill
Hall, where the Rifle Volunteers mounted a guard of honour, their Royal
Highnesses were received by the President of the exhibition (Mr. Edward
Birkbeck, M.P.) and other officials. The President presented an address
to the Prince of Wales, who replied, and declared the exhibition open.
The Mayor afterwards entertained their Royal Highnesses and a
distinguished company to a _dejeuner_ at St. Andrew's Hall. At four
o'clock the Royal party returned to Thorpe station, whence they proceeded
to Wolferton. The exhibition, which was promoted by the Norfolk and
Suffolk Fish Acclimatization Society, remained open until May 7th, was
visited by 70,000 persons, exclusive of exhibitors and their assistants,
and nearly 2,800 was received for admission. Several distinguished
scientists delivered lectures at the Prince's Street Lecture
Hall--Professor Huxley on "The Herring," on April 21st; Mr. Edward Jex,
on "Deep Sea Fisheries," on April 22nd; Mr. R. Bowdler Sharpe, on
"Fish-eating Birds," on April 25th; and Mr. H. N. Moseley, naturalist to
the Challenger Expedition, on "Deep-sea Dredging," on April 28th. On the
last day of the exhibition, Earl Ducie distributed the prizes and
diplomas to the exhibitors.
19.--A meeting of the members of the Norfolk Chamber of Agriculture and
of farmers and agriculturists residing in West Norfolk was held at the
Town Hall, Lynn, under the presidency of Mr. C. S. Read, when a
resolution affirming "that the present state of the agricultural interest
demands the serious attention of the Government of the country" was
unanimously adopted. In compliance with a letter addressed to the
parochial clergy by the Lord Bishop, services of humiliation and of
intercession for a plentiful harvest were held throughout the diocese
during the last week of May.
26.--On the occasion of the funeral of Lord Beaconsfield, flags were
displayed at half-mast on the churches and public buildings of Norwich,
muffled bells were tolled, and many business establishments were
partially closed. A funeral sermon was preached at the Cathedral by
Canon Heaviside.
28.--Died, in his 84th year, Mr. Brampton Gurdon, of Letton Hall and
Grundisburgh Hall, Suffolk. He was the eldest son of Mr. Theophilus
Thornhagh Gurdon, of Letton, and in 1855 served the office of High
Sheriff. In 1857 Mr. Gurdon was elected unopposed one of the members for
the Western division of the county, and was again returned, with Mr.
Bentinck, in 1859. He retained the seat until July, 1865, when he and
Sir Willoughby Jones were defeated by Mr. Bagge and the Hon. T. de Grey.
Mr. Gurdon married the Hon. Henrietta Susannah, daughter and co-heiress
of the first Baron Colborne, of West Harling Hall.
29.--Charles Monsey, a superannuated Excise officer, murdered his wife at
Worstead, by inflicting wounds upon her head with a hatchet. At Ipswich
Assizes, before Mr. Justice Hawkins, on May 9th, affidavits were produced
as to the insanity of the accused, and the trial was postponed. Monsey
was afterwards detained as a criminal lunatic.