4.--The 13th Hussars, who formed the principal cavalry contingent of Sir
Charles Warren's Bechuanaland expeditionary force, arrived at Norwich by
two special trains. A portion of the regiment had proceeded to
Colchester. Lieutenant-Colonel Miller was in command of the headquarter
troops, which numbered 16 officers and 240 men.
9.--Mr. John Gurney, of Sprowston Hall, was elected Mayor, and Mr. J. J.
Dawson Paul appointed Sheriff of Norwich.
12.--Madame Albani gave a concert at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich, in aid
of the Jenny Lind Infirmary. She received the voluntary assistance of
Miss Damian, Mr. Edward Lloyd, Mr. Santley, Lady Benedict (solo pianist),
M. Carl Walther (solo violinist), Dr. Bunnett (organist), and the Norwich
Gatehouse Choir. Signor Bisaccia conducted, and the proceeds amounted to
529 14s. 8d.
13.--Died, at Milgrove House, Fulham, Thomas Heron Jones, seventh
Viscount Ranelagh. He was born at Fulham in 1812, and succeeded his
father in 1820. His lordship took a prominent part in originating and
forming the Volunteer force in 1859. For some time he served in the 1st
Life Guards and in the 7th Fusiliers. By his death the title, which was
created in 1628, became extinct. He was succeeded in his estates
(principally at St. Faith's, Norwich) by his cousin, Alexander
Montgomery, son of Vice-Admiral the Hon. Alexander Montgomery Jones, son
of the fourth Viscount. Lord Ranelagh served the office of High Sheriff
of Norfolk in 1868.
13.--At the Norfolk Assizes, before Mr. Justice Stephen, Robert Goodale,
45, gardener, was indicted for the wilful murder of his wife, Bathsheba
Goodale, at Walsoken, on September 15th. He was found guilty and
sentenced to death. The execution took place at Norwich Castle on
November 30th. Berry, of Bradford, was the executioner. "As the clock
of an adjacent church struck the hour of eight, Berry, who was stationed
behind the prisoner with the lever in his hand, asked him, 'Do you wish
to say anything else before you go?' to which Goodale replied in the
negative, and before the eighth stroke had sounded, the lever was pulled,
the trap-door fell, and the prisoner, who weighed 15 stone, and was 5 ft.
11 in. in height, and was allowed a drop just short of six feet,
disappeared from view. To the horror of the bystanders the rope
rebounded, and it was thought that by some means it had become
unfastened. On looking into the pit below the scaffold the spectators
observed the body lying on the ground, with the head still enveloped in
the white cap, completely severed from the trunk." At the subsequent
inquest the jury found that death was caused by hanging, and "they
imputed no blame to anyone for what had occurred."
19.--A desperate encounter took place between a couple of tigers at
Bostock and Wombwell's menagerie at Norwich. One animal seized the
other, named Tippo, by the throat, and although every effort was made to
separate them, Tippo was laid lifeless upon the floor. The victim's
windpipe was crushed, and death resulted from suffocation. The animal, a
fine specimen of the Royal Bengal tiger, was valued at 400.
23.--The General Election under the extended franchise commenced on this
date. The nomination of candidates for the representation of Norwich
took place at the Guildhall, before the Sheriff (Mr. J. J. Dawson Paul).
The following were proposed:--Mr. Harry Bullard, of Hellesdon House (C.);
Mr. Jeremiah James Colman, of Carrow House (L.); and Mr. Robert Samuel
Wright, of 1, Paper Buildings, Temple, London, barrister-at-law (L.).
The polling took place on the 25th, between the hours of eight a.m. and
eight p.m. "The Market Place was the scene of a regular carnival. The
principal form of practical joking was the discharge of small bags of
flour at any prominent person who chanced to run the gauntlet of the
crowd. No ill-temper was displayed, and probably no election ever took
place in Norwich where so little animosity was exhibited. We think the
keeping of the poll open until eight o'clock was generally admitted to be
a mistake, as unnecessarily prolonging the excitement incidental to an
election where party feeling runs high." At the close of the poll the
ballot boxes were conveyed to the Guildhall, where the counting
immediately commenced, and the result was declared at 12.45 as
follows:--Bullard, 7,279; Colman, 6,666; Wright, 6,251. On December 21st
a petition was lodged against the return of Mr. Bullard. (_See_ March
17th, 1886.)
--At Yarmouth, on the re-enfranchisement of the borough, Sir Henry
Wheatley Tyler (C.) and Captain Cecil W. Norton (L.) were nominated. The
polling, which took place on the 24th, resulted as follows:--Tyler,
2,661; Norton, 2,476.
--The Right Hon. Robert Bourke (C.) and Sir W. ffolkes, Bart. (L.) were
nominated for King's Lynn. The polling on the 25th resulted--Bourke,
1,472; ffolkes, 1,302.
24.--For South Norfolk Sir Robert Jacob Buxton, Bart. (C), and Mr.
Francis Taylor, of Diss (L.), were nominated. The polling took place on
the 27th, and the result was declared at the Shirehall, Norwich, on the
28th as follows:--Taylor, 4,580; Buxton, 3,588.
--The candidates nominated for East Norfolk were Mr. Edward Birkbeck (C.)
and Mr. Philip Falk, of Kensington Palace Gardens, London (L.). The
polling took place on the 30th, and the result was declared at the
Shirehall, Norwich, on December 1st as follows:--Birkbeck, 4,682; Falk,
4,459.
25.--The nomination of candidates for North Norfolk took place at
Aylsham. The nominees were Mr. Samuel Hoare, of Cliff House, Cromer (C),
and Mr. Herbert Hardy Cozens-Hardy, Q.C., of 50, Ladbroke Grove, Notting
Hill, London (L.). The polling was on December 1st, and the declaration,
at Aylsham, on December 2nd. Result:--Cozens-Hardy, 5,028; Hoare, 3,342.
27.--The nomination of candidates for South-West Norfolk took place at
Swaffham. The candidates were Mr. W. A. Tyssen Amherst (C.) and Sir W.
Brampton Gurdon (L.). The polling was on December 4th, and the
declaration on December 5th:--Amherst, 4,096; Gurdon, 3,776.
30.--The candidates for North-West Norfolk--Lord Henry Bentinck (C.) and
Mr. Joseph Arch (L.), were nominated at Lynn. The latter, described as
the president of the National Agricultural Labourers' Union, was
nominated by Sir Lawrence Jones, Bart. The polling, on December 8th, was
declared on December 9th as follows:--Arch, 4,461; Bentinck, 3,821.