Part 63 (2/2)

June 24th. The Wellington Pier Company let by public tender their pier to Mr. S. Boughton, for three years, the average receipts for the previous three years being 481 5s. per annum.

June 28th. The Rev. George Venables appointed one of her Majesty's Commissioners to enquire into the law and the existing practice as to the sale, exchange, and resignation of Ecclesiastical Benefices, and to recommend remedies for abuses if any found to exist.

June. A large dredger for the Haven, named the ”FitzRoy,” costing 5,495, ordered by the Port and Haven Commissioners, which arrived here April 6th, 1879.

June 28th. Major Dods, E.N.M., presented with an elaborate silver epergne, with a greyhound at the base, as a testimonial, by the gentlemen forming the Norfolk and Suffolk Coursing Meeting, in token of respect, after 15 years their hon. sec.

June. Mr. Leggett's contract of 855 for building the north transept, aisle, and porch of St. John's Church accepted. Entire cost, 1,050.

July 4th. The Council elected Mr. William Hurry Palmer as an Alderman; and on Aug. 26th Mr. Charles Diver to fill the vacancy in the Haven Commission caused by the death of Mr. J. W. Bunn.

July 9th. Winterton Church re-opened after being partly restored at a cost of 3,000.

July 11th. Mr. Charles Jennings, son of C. H. Wilts.h.i.+re, Esq., pa.s.sed the preliminary examination of the Incorporated Law Society.

July. Forty-one designs for a new Town Hall for the Borough open to public inspection at the old Town Hall, three prizes having been offered by the Corporation for the three best.

July 13th. The smack ”Admiral” sunk off Southwold, and on the same day one of Messrs. Hewitt's steam-cutters collided with the steamboat ”Naiad”

off Gravesend.

July 26th. Encampment on the South Denes during the past week of the 3rd and 4th Norfolk Rifles, there being over 200 tents erected for their accommodation. (See July 21st, 1877.)

July 31st. Rev. G. Venables, Vicar of Yarmouth, appointed by the Bishop of Norwich Rural Dean of Flegg.

Aug. 1st. Serious fire broke out on the premises of Mr. H. Teasdel, s.h.i.+p-chandler, Southtown. On Sept. 24th, 1845, Mr. Teasdel's warehouses were destroyed by the same element.

Aug. 12th. Alarming thunderstorm, accompanied with vivid flashes of lightning, heavy hail and rainfall, and a hurricane. The electric fluid did considerable damage to several houses in the town and neighbourhood, and in more than one dwelling played sad havoc with the furniture, &c.-a house in Row 63 coming off worst. A part of one of St. Mary's Church (Southtown) pinnacles was dislocated.

Aug. 22nd. Loss of the ”Norfolk La.s.s” (140 tons), of this port, and five hands, including Capt. A. W. Vince and his son, aged 12, on Corton Sand.

She was built by Messrs. Fellows in 1841.

Aug. An old wreck found under-water near the entrance of the Harbour, supposed to have been sunk two centuries before to prevent the old fort from being undermined by the current. In 1555 a vessel was sunk here, but whether the same, is doubtful. It was 77 ft. long by 27 ft. wide.

Aug. 28th. A horse and cart belonging to Mr. Norton fell over the Quay-head opposite Town Hall and the animal drowned.

Aug. 29th. Eight houses in St. George's Terrace sold by public auction for 4,400.

Sept. 3rd. A member of Mr. B. Fielding's Concert Party lost his wife and two children among the 600 drowned in the ill-fated steams.h.i.+p ”Princess Alice,” which collided with s.s. ”Bywell Castle” off Barking.

Sept. 19th. Fis.h.i.+ng boat ”Stately” wrecked on Yarmouth Beach.

Sept. 25th. New Post office at Gorleston opened.

Sept. 26th. Vice-Admiral Spencer Smyth, of this town, promoted from the rank of Vice-Admiral to that of Admiral on the retired list. (See April, 1870, and June 12th, 1873.) He died on April 3rd, 1879, aged 87 years, and his remains were subsequently interred in Gorleston Churchyard.

Sept. 28th. The body of a newly-born female babe found by two smack-boys on the beach wrapped in a white cotton bundle, and a reward of 50 was offered by Government for the apprehension of any person concerned in the murder.

Sept. 29th. A fine sturgeon, 5 ft. long, and weighing about 90 lbs., captured in the Roadstead; also a young porpoise and (in Dec.) a live seal, all of which were taken to the Aquarium.

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