2.--At a special meeting of the shareholders of the Norwich Public
Library, held for the purpose of taking into consideration the
advisability of amalgamating the Library with the Literary Institution,
according to a scheme prepared and approved by the committees of both
institutions, it was agreed by 27 votes against 4 to adopt the proposal.
17.--The trial of the election petition presented by Mr. Henry Birkbeck
and others against the return of Mr. Harry Bullard as one of the members
for Norwich, commenced at the Shirehall before Mr. Justice Denman and Mr.
Justice Cave. Counsel for the petitioners were Mr. Charles, Q.C., Mr. R.
T. Reid, Q.C., and the Hon. Mark Napier; and for the respondent Mr.
Gully, Q.C., the Hon. Mr. Denman, and Mr. Blofeld. Bribery, treating,
undue influence, and personation by agents, were alleged. The only case
of bribery that was proved was the gift of a two-shilling piece by an
alleged agent, to a voter, but it was sufficient to render the election
void, and Mr. Bullard was unseated. The judges, however, declined to
give the petitioners their costs, and Mr. Bullard's costs were defrayed
by the subscriptions of men of all parties. (_See_ May 7th.)
18.--Died, at Marham Hall, Mr. Henry Villebois, aged 79. An excellent
landlord, an ardent sportsman, and for some years Master of the West
Norfolk Foxhounds, Mr. Villebois was one of the earliest friends in
Norfolk of the Prince of Wales, whom he had the honour of several times
entertaining at Marham. He married, in 1831, Maria, elder daughter of
Mr. Thomas Philip Bagge, of Stradsett Hall, and was a magistrate and a
Deputy Lieutenant for the county. Mr. Villebois commenced active duties
as a M.F.H. about 1842, when he took the Vale of White Horse, purchasing
the pack from the triumvirate, the Earl of Suffolk, Earl Bathurst, and
Mr. Cripps, who had hunted the country conjointly. He likewise purchased
the Herefordshire Hounds from Sir Vevers Cornwall, and, with John
Dinnecombe as huntsman, showed excellent sport until 1854, when, in
consequence of a severe accident, he resigned the mastership to Lord
Gifford, and sold his hounds to the Earl of Portsmouth. For the next
three or four years he hunted with Lord Suffield, and in 1858 consented
to hunt the West Norfolk. His lordship continued with the East Norfolk,
but resigned in 1859; Mr. Villebois then hunted the entire country, but
after two or three years resigned the Eastern portion to Lord Hastings.
In the spring of 1865 Mr. Villebois sold his hounds and horses at Albert
Gate, when seven of the hunters, bought from Mr. Newcome Mason, of
Hendon, his great ally in all hunting matters, realised 1,015 guineas.
After giving up the mastership he stuck to West Norfolk, and from 1871 to
1875 hunted the country round Marham with a small pack purchased from the
Rev. "Jack" Russell. The shooting at Marham could not be excelled, for
Mr. Villebois would have partridges and pheasants as well as foxes. His
funeral at Marham on March 24th was attended by upwards of three thousand
persons.
29.--The funeral took place, at the Rosary burial ground, Norwich, of
Thomas Harrison, who was born in the city in 1795, and had seen much
active service as a soldier. He joined the 69th Regiment at the age of
17, was taken prisoner at the bombardment of Antwerp, was present at
Waterloo, went out to India, where he was under arms for fourteen years,
took part in the first expedition to Burmah, and on returning to England
in 1832 was rewarded with a pension of fifteen pence per day.
31.--A fire occurred at Browick Hall, near Wymondham, and did damage to
the amount of 2,000.