1.--The new station erected by the Great Eastern Railway Company at
Thorpe, Norwich, was opened for inspection, and on the 3rd was used by
the public for the first time. It was built by Messrs. Youngs and Son,
of Norwich, from designs by Mr. J. Wilson, the company's engineer, at the
cost of 60,000, and replaced the old station, which had been in use since
the opening of the line.
--A great meeting of "an entirely non-party character" was held at St.
Andrew's Hall, Norwich, under the presidency of the Earl of Leicester,
Lord Lieutenant of the county, in support of the principles of the Irish
Loyal and Patriotic Union. A resolution was adopted affirming that any
proposals tending to invalidate the legislative union between Great
Britain and Ireland would prove disastrous to the interests of both
countries. On June 25th Lord Leicester wrote a letter which had an
important influence upon the electorate of the county. "I have never
been in the habit," he wrote, "of taking part in political matters of a
purely party description, though if ever I should have been inclined to
break through the rule it would be at a time like the present, when we
are passing through a great crisis in our national history, when the old
party barriers have been broken down, and when Liberals, Radicals, and
Conservatives meet on a common platform in a common cause. The question
before the country is solely this: whether the loyalists and Protestants
of Ireland should be legislated for by an independent Parliament composed
of men whom Mr. Gladstone himself has termed as marching through rapine
to the dismemberment of the empire, or whether the United Kingdom is to
remain under one Queen and one Parliament. I cannot believe that
Englishmen will ever consent to the former proposal. I trust that the
electors of Norfolk, with those of the rest of England, will insist that
their members shall be patriots and decline to support Mr. Gladstone's
dangerous policy." Lord Suffield and other prominent Liberals also
renounced their adhesion to Mr. Gladstone.
7.--At the combined Norfolk and Suffolk Assizes, held at Ipswich, before
Mr. Baron Pollock, Charles Edward Wigger, a shoemaker, was indicted for
receiving from one Walter Banham, a bribe for voting, or agreeing to
vote, for Mr. Harry Bullard at the Norwich election on November 25th,
1885, and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labour.
10.--George Edward Ray, 31, solicitor, of Norwich, was sentenced at the
Norfolk and Suffolk Assizes, at Ipswich, to seven years' penal servitude
for forging the conveyance of a real estate with intent to defraud.
11.--At the same Assizes Edward Burgess, of Norwich, the printer and
publisher of a newspaper called "Daylight," was indicted for publishing
on February 20th a libel upon Mr. Joseph Stanley, solicitor, and Coroner
for Norfolk. The trial occupied three days, and on the jury finding the
defendant guilty he was sentenced to three months' imprisonment without
hard labour, and ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution.
12.--The Mayor of Norwich (Mr. John Gurney), as chairman of the
Conservators of Mousehold Heath, opened the new road constructed thereon,
and dedicated the Heath to the free use of the people as a recreation
park for ever.
19.--The sale of the Westacre shorthorns and shirehorses, the property of
Mr. Anthony Hamond, was conducted by Mr. John Thornton and Mr. Sexton,
respectively. Forty-five cows averaged 28 ls. 5d.; seven bulls averaged
34 16s., and 16 mares and seven stallions 53 16s. 3d. The total amount
realised was 2,690 13s. 6d.
25.--At a meeting of the Norwich Town Council, Mr. E. S. Steward tendered
his resignation of the office of City Treasurer. On June 8th it was
decided that the resignation be not accepted, but that Mr. Steward be
dismissed from office. Mr. Hugh Gurney Barclay was on June 16th
appointed to fill the vacancy. At the Norwich Assizes, on November 23rd,
the late City Treasurer was indicted for falsifying and making certain
false entries in the bankers' pass book belonging to the Mayor and
Corporation, with intent to defraud them of 1,848 16s. 9d., and on the
24th was found guilty and sentenced by Mr. Justice Field to six months'
imprisonment, (_See_ January 25th, 1887.)
29.--The 19th (Princess of Wales' Own) Hussars, who had been on active
service in Egypt since 1882, arrived at Norwich, and took over the
Cavalry Barracks, vacated during the week by the 13th Hussars. The
regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Combe, came by special train
from Harwich, where they had disembarked from the transport Geelong, and
at Thorpe station were received by the Deputy-Mayor (Mr. John Hotblack),
the Sheriff (Mr. J. J. Dawson Paul), and other prominent citizens. The
route from the station to the barracks was profusely decorated, and the
regiment received an enthusiastic welcome from the citizens.