3.--The twenty-sixth Norfolk and Norwich Triennial Musical Festival
commenced at St. Andrew's Hall, Norwich. The principal vocalists were
Madame Albani, Miss Clara Butt, Miss Marie Brema, Miss Ethel Wood, Miss
Kelyn Williams, Miss Edith Nutter, and Mrs. Julia Franks; Mr. Edward
Lloyd, Mr. Ben Davies, Mr. Andrew Black, Mr. David Bispham, Mr. Whitworth
Mitton, Mr. Robert Radford, and Mr. F. Ranalow. Mr. Alberto Randegger
conducted. At the opening performance "Faust" (Berlioz) was produced;
4th: morning, symphony in B minor (Schubert), "Biblical Songs" (Dvorak),
"Hymn of Praise" (Mendelssohn), evening, opera, "Sampson and Delilah" (C.
Saint-Saens), first time in Norwich; 5th: morning, Meditation (Edward
Elgar), first time in Norwich, conducted by the composer, sacred trilogy,
"Passion of Christ" (Don Lorenzo Perosi), first performance in England,
ode, "A Song of Darkness and Light" (C. Hubert H. Parry), first time in
Norwich, conducted by the composer, evening, overture, "Mignon" (Ambroise
Thomas), cycle of songs, "Sea Pictures" (Edward Elgar), composed
expressly for the Festival and conducted by the composer, trio des
flutes, "Dall' Aurora" (Weyerbeer), new suite, "The Seasons" (Edward
German), composed expressly for the Festival and conducted by the
composer, "Ode to the Passions" (written by William Collins, 1721-1759,
set to music for chorus and orchestra by Frederic H. Cowen), first time
in Norwich, and conducted by the composer, "Tristan and Isolde" (Wagner),
scena, "The Dream of Endymion" (F. F. Cowen), conducted by the composer,
overture, "Di Ballo" (Sullivan); 6th: morning, "The Messiah," evening,
cantata, "Hiawatha's Wedding Feast" (S. Coleridge Taylor), first time in
Norwich, conducted by the composer. The receipts amounted to 5,398, and
the payments to 4,998.
16.--Mr. Peter E. Hansell was presented by the magistrates and officials
of the North Erpingham division with a massive silver Irish bowl on the
occasion of this retirement after twenty years' honourable and efficient
service as clerk to the justices.
--A meeting of the party was held at the Norwich and Norfolk Conservative
Club, to express approval of the policy of her Majesty's Government in
relation to the conduct of affairs in South Africa. Mr. W. T. Stead,
author of a notorious pamphlet, "Shall I slay my brother Boer?" essayed
to address a meeting in the Agricultural Hall Assembly Room on November
6th, on the subject "Is England Doomed?" Mr. Henry Broadhurst, M.P.,
presided, and a strongly antagonistic audience offered resistance to the
proceedings. The National Anthem and patriotic songs were song, and Mr.
Stead and his supporters were compelled to leave the platform. A
collection was then made for the widows and orphans of soldiers in South
Africa, and a resolution adopted affirming that Great Britain must be the
paramount power in South Africa, and expressing the hope that the
Government would prosecute the war to its final issue with the utmost
vigour. On November 9th meetings were held in various parts of Norfolk
under the auspices of the National Union of Conservative and
Constitutional Associations, at which resolutions were adopted expressive
of confidence in the Government. Funds were opened in county and city
for the relief of the widows and orphans of soldiers who had fallen in
the war, and for the assistance of soldiers' wives and families. On
December 27th the reservists of the Norfolk Regiment, assembled at the
Britannia Barracks to the number of 320, and on the 28th, amid a great
demonstration, left the city _en route_ to South Africa. Early on the
morning of the 31st a second contingent of reservists, numbering 320,
left Norwich for Aldershot. Their departure from Thorpe Station was
witnessed by the Mayor (Mr. James Clabburn), Sir Harry Bullard, M.P., and
other prominent citizens. (_See_ January 2nd, 1900.)
17.--At a meeting of the Norwich Town Council, the Sewerage Committee
reported that the main drainage of the city, referred to in the report of
the City Engineer on February 2nd, 1895, had been completed in accordance
with the recommendations laid down therein. It was believed that the
City Engineer's estimate of 152,000 would nearly cover the whole cost of
the works, the excess of expenditure not being more than two per cent. of
the total.
25.--Died at Hingham, Mr. Charles Crawshay. He was a son of Mr. Richard
Crawshay, of Rowfant, Surrey, and was born February 26th, 1815. His
father settled at Hingham as a brewer, and afterwards opened a brewery in
St. Stephen's Street, Norwich. Young Crawshay was sent to Messrs.
Charington, Head, and Co.'s brewery in London, where he received an
excellent training, and returning to Norwich took charge of the St.
Stephen's brewery. Ultimately he became partner with Mr. John Youngs in
the King Street brewery, and retained his connection with the firm of
Youngs, Crawshay, and Youngs until his death. Mr. Crawshay was one of
the foremost sportsmen in the county, a skilled whip, an excellent judge
of a horse, a clever shot, and as a yachtsman he held his own in Norfolk
waters with his well-known yacht, the Kestrel. In 1856 Mr. Crawshay
married the daughter of Sir William Cubitt, the constructor of Lowestoft
harbour. In 1857 he was appointed Sheriff of Norwich. Mr. Crawshay was
a famous breeder of Southdown and cross-bred sheep, a great benefactor of
Hingham, and in dress, manners, and tastes he retained all the best
characteristics of a country gentleman of the old school, and paid little
heed to modern innovations.
27.--The portrait of Mr. J. J. Colman, painted by Professor Hubert
Herkomer, R.A., at the cost of 600 guineas, was unveiled by Sir Harry
Bullard, M.P., at St. Andrew's Hall. The portrait is identical with the
one at Carrow Abbey, painted by the same artist three years previously,
but with the addition of certain details.