THE
Norwich Directory;

CONTAINING

An Alphabetical List of the Principal Inhabitants, their
Address, Profession, or Trade.

A CONCISE
HISTORY of NORWICH;

Pointing out the most remarkable Places in it worthy the
Attention of Strangers.

WITH THE FOLLOWING TABLES:

Streets, lanes, markets, churches, meeting-house, and public buildings.  Court of aldermen, sheriffs, common-council, city officers, and committees.  The bishop’s, dean and chapter’s, excise, stamp, and post office.  Court of Request, Hospitals, treasurers, and court of guardians.  Bankers, physicians, surgeons, attorneys, Saturday merchants, &c.  Inns, coffee-houses, coaches, waggons, carriers.  Lodges of free masons.  Fairs in Norfolk.  Boarding schools, boarding and lodging houses, &c.  The population of Norwich.  London and Hull traders, and pack-ships from Yarmouth.

TO WHICH IS ADDED,

A RETROSPECT of the PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS,

Proposed by a Committee formed for that purpose.

WITH AN ENGRAVED
PLAN of the CITY, with REFERENCES.

BY THOMAS PECK

Norwich

PRINTED AND SOLD BY J. PAYNE, BOOKSELLER, 22, MARKET-
PLACE.

DEDICATION

To Jeremiah Ives, jun. Esq.

SIR,

The High Office of Mayor of this City, so honourably filled by yourself, claims the respectful acknowledgement of the Publisher of this work, who is happy to receive permission of dedicating to you this publication; and is, with all due respect,

Your very Obliged
and Obedient Servant,
THOMAS PECK.

INTRODUCTION.

The difficulty of finding the precise Address of the Inhabitants of so populous a city as Norwich, the general utility of a Directory, and the spirit of Public Improvement which has of late appeared, have, at the present period, rendered this publication peculiarly necessary.

The contents are fully expressed in the title-page, the arrangement is adapted to every capacity, and will be found to answer every useful purpose.

The houses in each street are all regularly numbered, beginning on the right hand, and returning on the left, with a few exceptions for the sake of convenience.

The boards, with the names of the streets, lanes, and thorough-fares, which are now correctly painting, will be put up at the corner, or entrance of each; and the whole will be completed as soon as possible.

It is with the greatest pleasure we review the many alterations for public convenience which have been recently made: in particular—

The Reservoir in Chapel-field, which, by the aid of a steam-engine, is always filled, and supplies the highest parts of the city with water.

The taking down of Brazen-doors, St. Stephen’s, St. Giles’, St. Benedict’s, St. Augustine’s, Pockthorpe, Bishop, and King-street Gates; thereby admitting a current of salubrious air; and if such parts of the wall round as are not built against were to be removed, it would be still more complete.

The Paving of the Gentlemen’s Walk with Scotch granate.

The taking down of the cumbrous Weigh-house in the Hay-market, which ought now to bear another title, and erecting a house for the purpose on the Castle-Dykes, with an elegant engine, which acts with a steel-yard under ground, and the carriage placed on the level above.

The widening of the street, now Orford-street, leading from Hog-hill to the Castle-dykes.

The opening from off the Castle-meadow into King-street.

The levelling of the old houses at the back of Messrs. Gurney’s, at the foot of the Castle hill.

The new Flour Mill, worked by steam, which is erected, by subscription, near Black Friar’s Bridge, for better supplying the city with flour.

And the new Horse Barracks, without Pockthorpe.

Not to mention the superior appearance which the Shops in the Market-place, London-lane, and other parts of the city, now assume.

We have authority to say, that, the two Old Workhouses being in a ruinous state, it is the intention of the Court of Guardians to apply to Parliament for an Act to enable them to build One New and Complete Workhouse—the spot fixed on is the Gilden-croft.

Much has been done under the gloomy aspect of War; but from the establishment of Peace, we ardently hope to see our native Commerce revived, every necessary improvement carried into effect, and the splendour of our ancient city equal to its opulence.

We here present our Readers with a Retrospect of the Proposed Public Improvements.

On the 23d of January, 1800, John Herring, Esq. then Mayor, summoned a General Meeting of the Inhabitants, at the Guildhall, to consider of the propriety of applying to Parliament for an Act for the better paving, cleaning, lighting, and watching of the city; for removing and preventing annoyances and obstructions, and for regulating hackney coaches.

At this meeting, a committee of twenty-one gentlemen was appointed to consider of the plan proposed by the Mayor, and to make a report, to a future general meeting, of the result of its opinion.

This committee had several meetings, in which it very minutely investigated the subject submitted to its consideration: it employed proper persons to estimate the expence of paving a particular district, and stationed men at fourteen entrances into the city, to ascertain the actual number of carriages, horses, &c. of every description, which passed and repassed during a week, that a fair calculation might be made of the expence to be incurred, and of the funds to meet it.

The result of the labours of this committee was laid before a general meeting of Inhabitants, on the 3d of March following, in a report, which stated the expediency of applying for an Act for the following purposes:

I.  To empower a Deputy Mayor to be appointed in certain cases.

II.  To empower the Mayor, or the Deputy Mayor, with one Justice, to adjourn the Sessions in the absence of the Recorder and Steward.

III.  To better regulate the watch.

IV.  To better light the city.

V.  To better regulate the sweeping and cleansing of the city.