In January of this year Jenny Lind gave two concerts in St. Andrew’s Hall, which was quite filled, at high prices, by fashionable audiences, more than 2000 being present at each concert.  The proceeds, amounting to £1253, were generously given by the celebrated songstress for the foundation of the Jenny Lind Infirmary for Children in Pottergate Street.  It was established in 1853, and visited by the Queen of Song in 1856, when she was so much pleased with the management that she added £50 to her former gifts.

The census, which was taken in this year, showed that the population of Norwich had increased to 68,713 persons who were in a comparatively prosperous condition, for trade was good and provisions were cheap.

1854.  At a meeting of the corporation held on May 4th, the mayor, S. Bignold, Esq., in the chair, he announced that Her Majesty had been graciously pleased on the previous day to confer the honour of knighthood upon him, on the occasion of his presenting the addresses, voted by the council on the 20th of April last, pledging their loyalty to the Queen when Her Majesty declared war against Russia.  It was thereupon resolved unanimously, on the motion of A. A. H. Beckwith, Esq.

“That this council beg to offer their hearty congratulations to Sir S. Bignold, the mayor of Norwich, on his accession to the dignity which Her Majesty has graciously bestowed upon him, and wish him many years to enjoy the honour so worthily conferred.”

1856.  The New Cemetery was opened by the Board of Health, and the east side of it was consecrated by the bishop.  The other side was assigned to the Nonconformists.  Since then about 20,000 bodies have been interred in the spacious area of thirty-five acres next the Earlham Road.  The grounds have been well laid out and planted with trees and shrubs.

The Russian war having been brought to a close, peace was celebrated here with great rejoicings and illuminations.  Major General Windham, “the hero of the Redan,” visited the city, and a grand banquet was given to him in St. Andrew’s Hall, where he delivered an eloquent address on the events of the war and its successful termination.

In August the annual congress of the British Archæological Association met in Norwich.  Meetings were held in the Guildhall, St. Andrew’s Hall, the Public Library, and other buildings.  Addresses were delivered by Professor Willis, Mr. Britton, and many other gentlemen.  The members and friends visited the Cathedral, where Professor Willis gave a description of the edifice.  They also made excursions to Ely, Dereham, Binham, Walsingham, and other places of interest.  On their return to Norwich they dined together at the Swan Inn.

1858.  The Local Government Act came into operation, and gave the corporation full power to carry out all necessary improvements.

1861.  A meeting was held on January 10th to consider the best means of relieving the distress which had for some time prevailed, owing to the depression of trade; and within a month, more than £4,000 were raised for the relief of the poor.  Since then the weavers have gradually found employment in some other branches of industry, especially the boot and shoe manufacture, which has greatly increased.  Hundreds of operatives are also employed in iron manufactures, and in making machines for agricultural and horticultural purposes.

The parishes within the city, together with their respective population in 1861 and their real property in 1860, were as follows:—

There are also within the city jurisdiction the hamlet of Hellesdon, population 393, belonging to Hellesdon parish; Thorpe hamlet, population 2,388, belonging to the parish of Thorpe St. Andrew; Trowse Millgate, Carrow, and Bracondale, population 687, belonging to Trowse parish; population 249, extra parochial.  The population in 1861 and the real property in 1860 of all Hellesdon were 496, £3,376; of all Thorpe St. Andrew 3,841, £9,003; of all Trowse, 1,404, £3,534.

Norwich Union.

In this year the Court of Guardians of this city obtained a new act of parliament for an improved management of the poor, and repealing all former acts.  Under the new act the present Board of Guardians is constituted with a reduced number of guardians, and the whole management is more in accordance with the New Poor Law system.  Norwich is now a union of parishes, divided into districts, each having medical attendants.  By this new act all former acts, including the Norwich Small Tenements Act of 1847, were repealed, and the city was brought under the operation of the General Poor Law, and all other statute and laws from time to time in force with respect to the poor in England.  The union is now divided into sixteen districts, viz.:—

1.  St. Peter Mountergate, St. George of Tombland.

2.  St. Mary in the Marsh, St. Martin at Palace, St. Helen, St. Michael at Plea.

3.  St. Peter Hungate, St. Simon and Jude, St. Andrew.

4.  St. John Maddermarket, St. Gregory, St. Lawrence.

5.  St. Margaret, St. Swithin, St. Benedict, St. Giles.

6.  South Heigham. 7.  North Heigham.

8.  St. Peter Mancroft.

9.  St. Stephen and the Town Close.

11.  St. John Sepulchre, St. Michael at Thorn, St. John Timberhill, and All Saints.

12.  Trowse, Carrow, Bracondale, St. Peter Southgate, St. Julian, and St. Etheldred.

13.  Lakenham.

14.  Thorpe, Pockthorpe, St. Paul, and St. James.

15.  St. Saviour, St. Clement, St. Edmund, St. George.

16.  St. Michael at Coslany, St. Mary at Coslany, St. Martin at Oak, St. Augustine.

The board consists of forty-two guardians, elected for the sixteen districts as follows:—

For each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, eleventh, and twelfth districts, two guardians; for each of the sixth, seventh, ninth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and sixteenth districts, three guardians; for the eighth district five guardians.  For the purpose of this act with respect to the limits of the palace of the bishop of Norwich, the same are deemed to be locally situated within the parish of St. Mary in the Marsh.

The following are the qualifications for voting in the election of guardians:—

A.  Occupiers of rateable property who respectively are rated in respect thereof on a gross assessment of ten pounds and upwards.

At every election of guardians the rate-payers voting have votes in accordance with the following scale:—

A.  If rated at £10 and under £25, one vote.

B.  If rated at £25 and under £50, two votes.

C.  If rated at £50 and under £75, three votes.

D.  If rated at £75 and under £100, four votes.

E.  If rated at £100 and under £150, five votes.

F.  If rated at £150 or upwards, six votes.

And no rate-payer at any election of guardians for any one and the same district have more than six votes.

All the compounding provisions of the act were abolished by the Reform Act of 1867.

1864.  In 1864 the operatives made a very laudable effort to improve their depressed condition by establishing an “Industrial Weavers’ Co-operative Society,” and held many meetings to promote that object.  The Rev. C. Caldwell, and other gentlemen, advocated their cause.  The society was supported by donations, and J. H. Gurney, Esq., advanced a sum which had been left by his father for the benefit of the weavers, the principal with interest amounting to £1100.

The most important event in this diocese of late years was the holding of a Church Congress in Norwich.  A preliminary meeting to consider the proposal was held in the Clerical Rooms on Saturday, December 10th, 1864.  When this was announced there was no little apprehension in Low Church circles, but the proposal was approved by most of the clergy, and they requested the Lord Bishop to preside over the Congress, which was held in October, 1865.  After some delay his lordship reluctantly consented, and never before was there such a gathering of clergy in the city.  St. Andrew’s Hall was filled every day for a week in October, 1865.  High churchmen throughout the country made it a point of duty to attend the congress; and the proceedings at the daily meetings were of a very interesting character to churchmen generally.  Addresses were delivered every day on very important subjects; and the bible history was ably vindicated against the objections of geologists and freethinkers.  The church as an establishment was well defended by her champions.  Three local newspapers were published daily, containing full reports of the proceedings.  Dr. Pusey read a discourse of great interest in defence of the Old Testament narratives.

In November the Prince and Princess of Wales travelled from their seat at Sandringham to Cossey on a visit to Lord and Lady Stafford, who entertained their Royal Highnesses in a princely style.  Their Royal Highnesses, during their sojourn at Cossey, visited this city, entering by way of the Dereham Road and St. Giles’ Road, and passing under triumphal arches amid the acclamations of thousands of the citizens, it being a general holiday.  They stopped at the Guildhall and received an address from the corporation.  Then they proceeded to St. Andrew’s Hall and attended a morning concert of the musical festival.  Their Royal Highnesses, on leaving the hall, rode along the principal streets, through the Market Place, and up St. Stephen’s to the Chapel Field, where they were joyously received by the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows, and where they planted two trees in memory of their visit.  Their Royal Highnesses thence proceeded to the new Drill Hall, which the Prince of Wales formally opened.  After this ceremony their Royal Highnesses returned to Cossey Hall.  They were accompanied by the Queen of Denmark (mother of the Princess of Wales), and by Prince Alfred (the Duke of Edinburgh).  In the evening the city was brilliantly illuminated.

1868.  The great event of the year 1868 was the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in the city.  It commenced on August 19th and continued till the 26th.  The old city was filled with distinguished visitors from all parts of Europe; and the hotels, inns, and lodging houses were crowded with strangers.  Norwich gave a hospitable welcome to the Society.  Dr. Hooker, who by association and descent is a Norfolk man, delivered the inaugural address.  The various scientific sections held daily meetings at different public places.  The proceedings were reported in daily issues of the Norfolk News and the Norfolk Chronicle, and also in the regular issues of the Norwich Mercury.

This year an extensive scheme was begun for an effective drainage of the city.  We subjoin a brief history of the proceedings which led to this movement, and take the opportunity at the same time of giving some details as to the general operations of the Local Board of Health.

The New Drainage Scheme.

In the autumn of 1865 Mr. Bazalgette’s report was received.  It recommended a plan of conveying the sewage through main drains to Crown Point to irrigate the land there.  The board discussed the report and appointed a sewerage committee, who entered into negotiations with R. J. H. Harvey, Esq., M.P., for irrigating part of his estate at Crown Point.  Mr. Harvey was to pay the cost of preparing the land for irrigation, and the annual cost of pumping; but after a preliminary notice had been given of the intention of the board to apply for an act of parliament, the board determined not to proceed at that time with the application for the act.

The board subsequently entered into contract with Mr. Hope, of London, to sell him the sewage for thirty years; and the necessary works were ordered to be commenced on March 20th, 1866.  The board, however, being pressed by a strong opposition to the scheme, in a few days afterwards rescinded the contract.  In consequence of this, proceedings in chancery were commenced, and an injunction was ultimately obtained.

After the act was obtained, Mr. Morant, the city engineer, by direction of the committee, proceeded with the preparation of the necessary drawings and specifications for the drainage works, and by order of the board the following contracts were entered into, namely:—

A very powerful opposition was raised against the scheme.  A memorial, very numerously signed, was presented to the board of health against it.  Public meetings were held at which the whole thing was condemned as unnecessary, expensive, and likely to be a failure.  Eventually, after much discussion, with a large minority against it, and in opposition to the opinions of the citizens expressed in common hall, the board resolved to carry out the scheme, and the works are now in progress.  The general plan is to construct two main drains, one on each side of the river Wensum, to intercept the sewage and to carry it to Trowse, where a pumping station has been erected, and engines will be set to work to pump all the sewage over the land hired at Crown Point estate.

The drainage expenditure, though so enormous, has been only a part of the expenditure of the board, upon which the duty falls of repairing all the streets and roads, lighting, watering, &c.  In the first half year of 1867, the estimated expenditure was as follows:—

The annual abstract of the accounts of the board issued in 1867, shows the receipts and payments from September 1st, 1866, to September 1st, 1867.  The receipts amounted to £15,873 3s. 6d., the payments to £15,323 18s. 2d., which sum included £1204 16s. 7d. sewage expenses, (chiefly law charges).  Of course the receipts were derived almost entirely from the half-yearly rates.  The expenditure included £3314 9s. 8d. for interest, the rest being for repairs to streets and roads, paving, lighting, sewerage works, salaries, &c.

Mr. Morant, the present able engineer to the Board of Health, made his first annual report in May, 1867, and showed the expenditure in his department for the year preceding April 5th, 1867, to be as follows:—

Since 1850 the annals of the city consist chiefly of proceedings of the corporation as a council or Board of Health.  Meetings have been held almost every fortnight for the transaction of public business, which has been largely increased.  The proceedings of one single year, even if summarised, would fill a volume.  The corporation has levied rates to the amount of £45,000 yearly! and the expenditure has been of equal amount.  This has been caused by many public improvements, by widening old streets and opening new ones, and by the extension of the area of the Cattle Market.

Mr. Morant gives the following account of the drainage works:

Since the year 1824, musical festivals have been held in this city triennially, for the benefit, originally, of the hospitals, and lately of various other charities also, and for the promotion of musical science.  These celebrations have been so successful on the whole that the total surplus receipts over the expenditure have amounted to more than £10,000.  Works of the greatest composers have been well performed by the most eminent instrumentalists and vocalists of the day, and thereby a taste for music has been diffused throughout the city and county.

The first musical performance for charitable purposes is said to have been on the anniversary of the Sons of the Clergy, in 1709; some fifteen years after which period, the meeting of the three choirs of Gloucester, Hereford, and Worcester, was instituted, those cathedral cities sending their choristers to each place in alternate years.  These early music meetings, however, were held in the evening, and seem to have been limited to the performance of Anthems and the Te Deum.  The first occasion of an Oratorio having been performed in the morning appears to have been at Hereford in 1759, when the Messiah was given.

The selection of works and music to be performed has always occupied a great deal of the time and attention of the committees, who have made it an object to bring out some new work at every festival.  Most of Handel’s best Oratorios have also been performed, including, of course, the “Messiah,” which is never omitted from the programme.  Haydn’s “Creation” and “Seasons” have also been frequently given, while Dr. Spohr’s “Calvary,” “Fall of Babylon,” and “The Last Judgment.”  Dr. Bexfield’s “Israel Restored,” Pierson’s “Jerusalem,” and Molique’s “Abraham” were first performed in this city.  The programmes have also included Sterndale Bennett’s “May Queen,” which won all hearts; Benedict’s brilliant “Undine,” and many other approved compositions.

The Norwich Choral Society, comprising 300 members having good voices, altos, tenors, and basses, has contributed greatly to the success of the festivals by the excellence of the choral performances, especially in grand Oratorios.  The Choral Society was established in 1824, and had its origin in the establishment of the musical festivals, Professor Taylor being its chief promoter.  In 1825 the Professor removed to London, and the direction of the society was confided to the Rev. R. F. Elwin.  The management of affairs was entrusted to a committee of twelve, who were annually elected by ballot at a general meeting.  The practice was held in the Old Library Room or in St. Andrew’s Hall.  The society has undergone many changes, but has always maintained its high reputation for choral performances.  A memoir of the late Professor Taylor, which appeared in the Norfolk News, contained some information as to the part he took in promoting the festivals.  We give the following extracts:—

The memoir before mentioned further states:—

And Mr. Taylor goes on to state the amount of work which he himself did for nothing.

At the Sixth Musical Festival, held on the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th September, 1839, Dr. Spohr conducted his own new Oratorio of “Calvary,” before a very large audience, in St. Andrew’s Hall.  The performance was very grand, and produced a thrilling effect on the audience.  The selection of such a subject as the Crucifixion for an Oratorio drew forth a good deal of criticism, but there could be no doubt of the musical merits of the composition.

After the performance of “The Crucifixion,” Spohr and Mr. Taylor were travelling outside the coach to London, when the former expressed a wish to write another oratorio for Norwich, but said that he was at a loss for a subject.  Mr. Taylor then suggested The Fall of Babylon.  This led to a chat about the effects which might be introduced in the way of contrast, &c., and ultimately Spohr promised to write the oratorio if Taylor on his part would write the words.  The bargain was struck, and the result was a work which will live to the end of time.

The Festival of 1845 commenced on Tuesday evening, September 16th, and continued on the 17th, 18th, and 19th.  The programme included miscellaneous concerts on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings; a selection of sacred music, and Haydn’s Oratorio “The Seasons,” on Wednesday morning; another selection of sacred music, and Spohr’s Oratorio “Calvary,” on Thursday morning; and Handel’s sacred Oratorio “Messiah,” with additional accompaniments by Mozart, on Friday morning.  All the concerts were well attended.  The principal vocalists were Madame Grisi, Miss Dolby, Madame Caradori Allan, Miss Poole, Signor Mario, Signor F. Lablache, Mr. Hobbs, Mr. Machin, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Bradbury, and Herr Staudigl.  Mr. Benedict was conductor; Mr. J. Hill, chorus master; Mr. F. Cooke, leader of the band; Mr. Turle, organist.  The chorus comprised the usual number of voices.  The band included the best instrumentalists in England, and the festival was very successful.

“Ye sons of Israel, now lament,
Your spear is broke, your bow unbent,
      Your glory’s fled.
      Among the dead,
Our hero lies,
For ever closed his eyes.”

The “Dead March” was played and the chorus sung—

“Glorious hero, may thy grave
Peace and honour ever have;
After all thy pains and woes,
Rest eternal, sweet repose.”

Notwithstanding all the attractions of this festival it proved a failure in a financial point of view, and it was feared that these triennial musical meetings would no longer answer, but their promoters determined not to give them up.  A committee was appointed; efforts were made to secure by all proper means success in future; and several of the county nobility joined as members of the committee.  That this determination was made on good grounds, was fully proved by the success of the three subsequent festivals of 1857, 1860, and 1863, the surplus from which was, in round numbers, severally, £425, £916, and £1221.  From these sums no less than £2000 were distributed amongst the charities.

The Festival of 1860 was under very distinguished patronage and eminently successful.  The programme included Haydn’s “Creation,” Handel’s “Messiah,” Dr. Spohr’s “Last Judgment,” Herr Molique’s “Abraham,” and Handel’s “Dettingen Te Deum,” all sacred music of the highest class, assigned to the morning performances.  The evening concerts comprised Glück’s “Armida,” Professor Sterndale Bennett’s Pastoral, “The May Queen,” Benedict’s Cantata, “Undine,” besides selections from the most popular operas, part songs, madrigals, symphonies, and overtures, all of which were admirably rendered and highly applauded.

The Festival of 1866 was deferred till November, very unwisely, in anticipation of a visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales on the occasion.  This caused a larger attendance on the day their Royal Highnesses were expected, and a smaller on all the other days.  The arrangements for the visit were also injudicious, to say the least.  Their Royal Highnesses should at once have proceeded to the Wednesday morning’s performance, but they were detained at the Guildhall to hear an address from the corporation, and then they were allowed to go to St. Andrew’s Hall in the middle of a performance, which was greatly interrupted.  Their Royal Highnesses, therefore, could not possibly have appreciated Costa’s Oratorio from hearing only half of it.  The festivals have been always patronized by royalty, and by the nobility, gentry, and clergy, and have never failed to attract the county families; but this year (1866) was the first in which members of the royal family were actually present.

Handel’s Oratorio, “Israel in Egypt,” was splendidly performed on the Monday evening; the solos were in the hands of first-class vocalists, but the absence of Mr. Sims Reeves was a disappointment.  Mr. George Macfarren had improved the instrumentation by the addition of parts to the original score.  He had no occasion to apologize for doing for “Israel,” what many musicians have done for other productions.  It is not presumptuous to have recourse to the resources of more modern instrumentation, so long as the character of the work is not altered.