2.--Died at Broad House, Wroxham, Mr. Alfred John N. Chamberlin, in his
60th year. He was a prominent supporter of aquatic sports, and the
annual regatta on Wroxham Broad was mainly kept up by his energy. Mr.
Chamberlin had been a member of the Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club from
its commencement, and was one of the promoters of the National Fisheries
Exhibition at Norwich.
5.--In the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, before Mr. Justice
Chitty, was heard the action, the Mayor and Corporation of Norwich _v._
Browne and other inhabitants of Pockthorpe, by which the plaintiffs
sought to establish the title of the citizens to Mousehold Heath.
Judgment was given on the 7th, in favour of the Corporation, to whom the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners had transferred their rights in the Heath.
It was understood that if the defendants loyally accepted the judgment,
no attempt would be made by the Corporation to enforce costs. On
November 5th an official inquiry was held at the Guildhall, Norwich, by
Mr. H. S. Milman, Assistant Land Commissioner, into objections or
suggestions respecting a draft scheme prepared for the regulation of
Mousehold Heath. (_See_ April 28th, 1884.)
18.--Died at Bournemouth, Major Charles Loftus. A son of General William
Loftus, of Kilbride, co. Wicklow, Colonel of the 2nd Dragoon Guards, and
lieutenant of the Tower of London, by his second wife, Lady Elizabeth
Townshend, only surviving daughter of George, first Marquis Townshend, he
was born at Stiffkey, on September 21st, 1796, and entered the Royal Navy
in 1809. He served until the conclusion of the war, in 1815, when an
accidental fall from the main rigging to the quarterdeck of his ship
necessitated his retirement. He so far recovered as to be able to take a
commission in the Coldstream Guards, which, however, he was compelled to
resign by increasing affliction. In 1835 he married a daughter of
Colonel John Dixon, of Gledhow, Yorkshire, and settled at Dunham Cottage,
Norfolk. On Lord Sondes' retirement from the command of the Norfolk
Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry, in 1838, he was made Major Commandant of
the corps, which in 1841 was, by Royal permission, entitled Prince
Albert's Own Norfolk Yeomanry Cavalry. When in 1849 blindness compelled
him to live in retirement, Major Loftus occupied his time by dictating
recollections of his youth and after life, which were published in two
series, "My Youth by Land and Sea," and "My Life from 1815 to 1849."
20.--The Summer Show of the Norfolk Agricultural Association was opened
at Fakenham. Prince Albert Victor came from Sandringham and made a tour
of the showyard in company with Lord Hastings, the president for the
year. The show was continued on the 21st.
30.--A disastrous thunderstorm occurred at Norwich. Many of the
low-lying streets were flooded by the rain water, and in Grove Street,
Unthank's Road, a man sheltering beneath a tree was struck dead by
lightning. Another man was killed by lightning on the farm of Mr.
Keable, at Earlham, and some of the farm buildings were destroyed by
fire. In several parts of the county stacks were fired and live stock
killed.