William Finch-Crisp - Chronological Retrospect of the History of Yarmouth and Neighbourhood

Feb. 16th. Very high tide, the sea and river meeting over the South Denes. A similar event had not occurred since Feb. 3rd, 1791.

Feb. 19th. Corporation petitioned Parliament for a continuance of the Property Tax.

Feb. 26th. Mr. Incledon, Master Taylor, and Mr. Collyer appeared at the Theatre Royal, in The Minstrel ; or , a Tour Through England and Ireland . Prices – 4s., 3s., 2s. 6d., and 1s.

Nov. 2nd. Thomas Penrice, Esq., of Yarmouth, to whom the late Lord Chedworth, of Ipswich, left the bulk of his immense property, died at Narford Hall, the seat of A. Fountaine, Esq., his son-in-law. (See Oct. 28th, 1804.)

Jan. 1st. £1,000 subscribed at Yarmouth to relieve and employ the labouring poor; 460 men were employed to form roads to the Bath House, Jetty, &c.

Feb. 4th. The Corporation voted a loyal address to the Prince Regent, expressive of their abhorrence of the attack made upon his Royal person on his return from opening Parliament on the 28th ult. Presented at the levée by Isaac Preston, Esq. (Mayor), accompanied by the High Steward and the Members for the Borough.

Feb. 13th. The new silver coinage of crowns, half-crowns, shillings, and sixpences exchanged for the old at the Town Hall.

Between 7,000 and 8,000 lasts of Herrings taken by 193 boats.

An Act passed to continue two former Acts for widening and amending the road from Yarmouth Bridge to Gorleston.

April 4th, Good Friday morning. Explosion on board the Norwich and Yarmouth steamer – ten persons killed and five injured – just as she was leaving the Foundry Bridge, Norwich. She had 22 men, women, and children on board. £350 raised for relief. These steamboats were first employed on Aug. 10th, 1813.

June 5th. The celebrated Mr. Betty performed at the Theatre in the Iron Chest , as “Sir Edward Mortimer;” and as “Frislam Fickle,” in The Weather Cock .

June 11th. Mr. Matthews appeared at the Theatre as “Goldfinch,” in the Road to Ruin ; and as “Somno,” in the Sleep Walker . On 12th, as “Sir David Dundee,” in Ways and Means , “Chip,” in A Chip of the Old Block , and “Buskin,” in Killing no Murder . On the 16th, as “Rover,” in Wild Oats ; and in the Adventures of a Mail Coach .

June 23rd. Munden appeared at the Theatre as “Sir Abel Handy,” in Speed the Plough , and as “Crack,” in the Turnpike Gate . On the 25th, as “Old Rapid,” in a Cure for the Heartache , and as “Dozey,” in Past Ten o’clock . On the 26th, as “Sir Anthony Absolute,” in the Rivals , and as “Sam Dabbs,” in Who’s Who? On the 28th, as “Bonus,” in Laugh When You Can , as “Nipperkin,” in the Rival Soldier , and “Lazarillo,” in Two Strings to Your Bow .

Aug. 15th. First stone of Nelson Monument laid by Col. Wodehouse. The column is 144 ft. high, ascended by a flight of 217 steps. The architect was Mr. Wm. Wilkin, R.A., a Norfolk man. There was a grand civic, military, and masonic procession from the Town Hall. After the ceremony, the Mayor, (Isaac Preston, Esq.) gave a dinner to the company; and in the evening he gave a grand ball to 350 of the élite , at the Town Hall.

The Rev. Fisher Watson, M.A., elected minister of St. George’s Chapel, on the death of the Rev. S. L. Cooper in June. On Aug. 9th, 1821, the Rev. John Homfray, and April 16th, 1833, the Rev. Mark Waters, were appointed at salaries of £100 per annum.

Aug. 20th. The great Edward Kean appeared at Theatre Royal in Richard the Third , when nothing but full prices were taken – Lower Boxes, 5s.; Green, 4s.; Pit, 3s.; Gallery, 1s. – and part of the Pit taken into the Boxes, and part of the Gallery railed off for the use of the Pit. Free list suspended during the engagement. On the 21st, Mr. Kean took the character of “Sir Giles Overreach,” in New Way to Pay Old Debts . On the 22nd, in Othello . On Sept. 5th, “Shylock,” in the Merchant of Venice . On Sept. 6th (Mr. Kean’s benefit) he appeared as “Octavia,” in the Mountaineers , and as “Paul,” in Paul and Virginia .

Nov. 19th. The remains of Princess Charlotte interred at Windsor. The bells tolled, the shops closed all the day, and the day solemnly observed.

Dec. 3rd. The Corporation voted addresses of condolence to the Prince Regent and Prince Leopold of Saxe-Cobourg on the death of Princess Charlotte.

Dec. 31st. At the Concert Room, Mr. Matthews, the celebrated Irish comedian, appeared in the entertainment of the Union , of the English, Irish, and Scotch characters.

Jan. 19th. £6,000 subscribed for aiding a plan to extend the navigation of the River Waveney from Bungay to Diss by the inhabitants of Yarmouth at a meeting at the New Hall.

March 4th. Several ships driven ashore in a heavy gale from the south-east.

June 1st. Miss Bryne sustained the part of “Adela,” at the Theatre Royal, in the Haunted Tower . On the 2nd, in Love in a Village as “Rosella,” and in No Song No Supper the part of “Margaretta.” On the 4th, “Rosina,” in Rosina , and “Leonora,” in the Padlock . On the 6th, “Lilla,” in Siege of Belgrade , and “Virginia,” in Paul and Virginia .

June 8th. Mr. Bartley appeared at the Theatre Royal as “Sir John Falstaff,” in Henry IV. On the 9th, as “Solas,” in Every One has His Fault , and “Michael,” in the Adopted Child . On the 11th, “Sir John Falstaff,” in the Merry Wives of Windsor . On the 13th, as “Governor Heartall,” in the Soldier’s Daughter .

June 19th. Hon. T. W. Anson and C. E. Rumbold, Esq., returned to Parliament. It was a three days’ poll, and one of the severest contests ever known in the Borough. Anson polled 780; Rumbold, 760; E. K. Lacon, Esq., 651; General Loftus, 612.

Aug. 3rd. At the Theatre Royal, Mr. Blanchard, of Covent Garden, appeared in the Soldier’s Daughter , as “Governor Heartall,” and “Crack,” in Turnpike Gate . On the 5th, as “Dr. Ollapod,” in the Poor Gentleman ; and “Abnego,” in the Jew and Doctor . On the 6th, as “Tobby Allspice,” in The Way to get Married , and “Caleb Quotem,” in the Wags of Windsor . On the 8th, “Dr. Panglos,” in the Heir at Law , and “Davy,” in Bon Ton .

Sept. 4th. Miss O’Neil appeared at the Theatre as “Belvidere,” in Venice Preserved . On the 5th, as “Juliet,” in Romeo and Juliet . On the 7th, as “Mrs. Haller.”

Sept. 30th. Lord Viscount Anson died in London, aged 57; and the newly-elected Member of Parliament succeeded to the title.

Oct. 3rd. Sir Edmund Lacon, Knt., of Great Yarmouth; Thomas Hare, Esq., of Stow Hall; and Edward Stracey, Esq., of Rackheath Hall, created Baronets.

Dec. 2nd. The day of interment of her late Majesty Queen Charlotte at Windsor, observed with great solemnity. Addresses of condolence to the Prince Regent on the death of her late Majesty were voted by the Corporation of Yarmouth on the 7th.

John Bennie, Esq., engineer to the Haven Commissioners, drew up a report for improving the Bar and Haven. On 4th of Oct., 1821, he died in London, aged 64.

The Yarmouth Savings Bank established. The deposits in 1843 amounted to £80,246 19s. 7d., belonging to 2,550 depositors and 67 charities and friendly societies.

Nearly 100 vessels building at one time in our shipyards.

The gun-brig “Havoc” built in Mr. Stone’s yard.

Borough Gaol enlarged and House of Correction added; it was strengthened in 1835. The original built 609 years previously.