Jan. 30th. Calico fancy dress ball at St. Andrew’s Hall, Gorleston.
Feb. 5th. Charles John Palmer, Esq., presented with a gold watch, a silver flower-basket, and a purse of 100 guineas, as a complimentary testimonial for his local literary researches &c.; 235 persons subscribed £233 9s. 6d. (See 1830.)
Feb. 18th. New oak pulpit in the parish church erected and used for the first time by the Vicar, the Rev. George Venables, S.C.L.
Feb. The Secretary of State for War decided on the formation of an Administrative Battalion, to consist of the 2nd Norfolk (Yarmouth), 4th Suffolk (Bungay), 14th Suffolk (Beccles), and 17th Suffolk (Lowestoft), under the title of the 1st Administrative Battalion Norfolk Rifle Volunteers, with headquarters at Yarmouth.
Feb. 19th. Sir James Paget, Bart., F.R.S., D.C.L., LL.D., appointed one of the Serjeant-Surgeons in Ordinary to the Queen, in the room of Sir William Fergusson, Bart., deceased. He is the son of the late Mr. Samuel Paget, of this town, and was born in 1814.
Feb. 21st. John Clowes, Esq., solicitor, died, aged 67 years. This gentleman formerly filled the office of Town Clerk of the Borough; he was also a member of the Council and Board of Guardians for many years, besides being Lord of the Manor of Caister. (See 1822 and 1840.)
Feb. The body of a male child, about five months old, sent from Liverpool Station to the Vauxhall terminus in a small black bag; but no clue was ever found to the supposed murderess or the gentleman to whom it was consigned.
March. J. H. Orde, Esq., resigned after 18 years’ service in the 2nd Norfolk Rifle Volunteer Corps. On June 21st he was presented with a valuable gold repeater watch by the Corps, at the Drill Hall, as a memento of esteem.
March 5th. Major General Francis Montague Maxwell Ommanney, B.A., died at Yarmouth, aged 50 years.
March 6th. Benjamin Daniels, a farmer of Scratby (five miles from the birthplace of Hales), and the last of the East Anglian giants, died and buried at Ormesby St. Margaret, aged 45 years. Height, 6 ft. 6 in.; weight, 24 stone; width across the shoulders, 20 in.; and possessed great strength.
March 25th. Income of the Haven Commissioners for the past year, £11,927 12s. 11d.; an increase of £782 11s. 5d. on the previous year. The imports in 1877 included 87,729 tons of coal, 288,032 qrs. of corn, and tonnage dues 176,475 tons, &c.; on fish and fishing vessels, £2,110. Number of wherries trading on the Bure, 108, of 1,934 tons burthen, and the income from this source, £455 16s. 3d.