Grafton’s hounds unkenneled a fox at Fakenham Wood, near Euston, and after a chase of upwards of 50 miles in 4 hours 5 minutes, killed him at New Buckenham.”

27.*—“A match for ten guineas (two miles) was trotted on the turnpike road between Setch and Lynn, between Mr. Robson’s pony Filch and Mr. Scarfe’s pony Fidler, which was won with great ease by the former, he having trotted over the ground at the rate of 18 miles an hour.”

Great scarcity prevailed throughout this month.  About £1,500 was subscribed for supplying the poor of Norwich with soup,

and upwards of 247,000 quarts were distributed.  At Norwich market wheat was quoted at the beginning of the month at 146s. per quarter, and rose at the end to 180s.; barley, 84s.; and oats, 50s.  Various expedients were adopted to lessen the consumption of bread.  “The officers of the West Norfolk Militia” it was stated, “have entirely left off the use of bread at their mess, and have forbid the use of puddings and pies, except the crust is made of rice or potatoes, which they eat in a variety of shapes as a substitute for bread.”  Nurses were advised to use linseed meal and water instead of bread and milk in making poultices.

FEBRUARY.

9.—Died at Postwick, aged 21, Edward West, who had served as midshipman under Lord Nelson at the battle of the Nile, and accompanied Capt. Sir Edward Berry in the Foudroyant.  In the action with the Guillaume Tell “he received a most severe wound, which occasioned a decline.”

11.—A General Fast was observed in Norwich.

14.*—“It is much to be regretted that although many large manufactures of hempen cloth are established in Norwich, all the spinning of the hemp is done in Suffolk, and a sufficient quantity is with difficulty obtained from thence.  It is suggested to establish a spinning school for children, under the patronage of benevolent ladies.”

17.—A company was formed at Norwich for the erection of a “public mill to be worked by steam for supplying the bakers and inhabitants with flour.”  A capital of £12,500 was raised in transferable shares of £25, and the mill was erected upon a site near Blackfriars’ Bridge.

24.—Mr. Charles Harvey, Steward of Norwich, elected Recorder, in place of Mr. Henry Partridge, resigned.

28.—The price of wheat at Norwich Market was 168s. per quarter.

MARCH.

6.—The Anacreontic Society, “which for many years has been established in Norwich, and to which the cause of music owes so much,” closed its winter session.  The Hon. Mr. Wodehouse, Sir William Jerningham, Sir Richard Bedingfeld, and Capt. Sir Edward Berry were present.  The Society gave monthly concerts in the Assembly Room from October to March.  In the advertisement announcing the commencement of the next session, it was stated that the first concert would “begin precisely at 6; supper-rooms open at 9, and the President to quit the chair at 12 o’clock.”

7.—Arrived in Yarmouth Roads, the St. George, of 98 guns, bearing the flag of Lord Nelson.  The grand fleet of 47 ships of war (with 3,000 marines), sailed on the 12th, under the command of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, in the London, of 98 guns, with Nelson as his Vice-Admiral.  The fleet first “rendezvoused” in Leith Roods, where it was joined by seven sail of the line, and afterwards proceeded to Copenhagen.

10.—A mob assembled at Lynn and grossly assaulted several millers and farmers by throwing at them stones and dirt.  In the evening they broke the windows in the dining-room of the Duke’s Head Inn.  “One of the ringleaders was taken to gaol, and by the active exertions of the Rutland Militia tranquillity was restored without bloodshed.”

11.*—“Mr. Kett, butcher, of Norwich, undertook to ride his horse 50 miles in four hours.  He started from St. Stephen’s Gates at 12 o’clock, reached the 25th milestone on the Thetford road in about 2½ hours, and returned to the place whence he had set out one and a half minutes before the time allowed.  Six to four was laid that the horse did not perform the journey.”

14.*—[Advt.]  “The Yarmouth and Norwich mail coach will set out from the King’s Head, Market Place, Norwich, and the Star Tavern, Quay, Yarmouth, every day, at 12 o’clock.”

16.—The Invincible, of 74 guns (built in 1766), Rear-Admiral Totty, on her way to join the grand fleet, got on the Ridge, near Happisburgh Sand, and remained there till daybreak next morning, when she floated off.  On entering deep water she went down immediately, with several officers and 300 men.  Daniel Grigson, master of the Nancy cod-smack, saved seven officers and about 190 of the crew.  At a Court Martial held at Sheerness, on March 31st, on Admiral Totty and the surviving officers and crew, it was proved that the disaster occurred through the ignorance of the pilot, and a verdict of honourable acquittal was returned.

19.—At the Norfolk Assizes, held at Thetford, before Mr. Justice Grose, the action, the King v. Augustus Beevor, clerk, was tried.  The information was filed against the defendant by leave of the Court of King’s Bench, for sending a challenge to Major Edward Payne, in consequence of a dispute that had taken place between the Major and the defendant’s father.  Defendant, referring to this dispute, wrote to Major Payne, demanding an apology, “or he should be under the necessity of compelling it by a mode generally used among gentlemen.”  No notice was taken of the letter, and the defendant meeting Major Payne in the Market Place at Norwich told him publicly that “the contempt he had for his character protected his person.”  The defendant was found guilty, and at the next term of the Court of King’s Bench (May 7) was sentenced to three weeks’ imprisonment in the King’s Bench Prison, and ordered to enter into his own recognisances of £500, to find two sureties of £250 each, and to be of good behaviour for three years.

20.*—“The remains of Miss Sophia Goddard, of the Theatre Royal, Norwich, were interred at St. Peter Mancroft.  Mr. Hindes, the manager, and the principal actors attended on the melancholy occasion.  This young lady had obtained considerable reputation on the Norwich boards, and was making rapid advance to eminence in her profession when death prematurely deprived the theatrical world of an actress whose talents would have ensured her success on any stage.  She supported with great fortitude and resignation a long and painful illness, brought on by exertions that her constitution was unequal to, and died on Sunday last (March 15), in her 26th year, sincerely beloved and lamented by her family and friends.”

Wheat this month rose to 180s. per quarter.

APRIL.

3.—Died at the Cavalry Barracks, Norwich, Lieut. Robert Scully, 13th Light Dragoons.  His remains were interred on Sunday, April 4th, with military honours, at St. Peter Mancroft.

4.—Died at Cambridge, Mrs. Lloyd, widow of Dean Lloyd, aged 79.  “Her performances in needlework were so exquisitely wrought that they may justly be compared with the paintings of the most celebrated artists.  The Transfiguration and other figures represented in the eastern windows of Norwich Cathedral have displayed the superior skill of her personal attainments.”

—Mousehold Heath, Norwich, was enclosed and cultivated.  Plots of land were afterwards let at 25s. per acre.

—John Allen (23) and John Day (26), for burglary at the house of the Rev. Isaac Horsley, at North Walsham; Richard Grafton, for stealing a cow and three heifers; and James Chettleburgh (36), for stealing six sheep at Saxlingham, were executed at