On This Day 1850

On this day the Assembly House in Theatre Street was opened by the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, Sir Edmund Bacon.  Just after the Second World War. Henry Jesse Sexton, OBE, a leading Norwich shoe manufacturer, bought both the Assembly House and the Noverre Rooms.  He spent £70,000 on the restorations and furnishings of the beautiful Georgian building, which was described by the architect, Stephen Rowland Pierce, as being riddled with 'decay, dry rot, beetles, neglect and Blitz’.  Henry Sexton formed the H.J. Sexton Norwich Arts Trust and after considerable restoration work was completed, presented the Assembly House to the city.  Mr Sexton said this was his way of 'putting something back’ into the city in which he had prospered.  ‘As originally built it was reserved for the pleasure and entertainment of the privileged few’, he said, 'but it is my wish that in its revival it should be dedicated to the use and enjoyment if the whole community’.

Next time you have tea and cake in the Assembly Rooms think of Henry Sexton who restored this lovely building to its former glory!

Will Kemp

I attended one of Colin’s Heritage Walks on Monday and he took us to the plaque relating to Will Kemp which is positioned outside the Maddermarket Theatre.  So why its Will Kemp famous?  Well it appears that in 1599 he danced all the way from London to Norwich in nine days!  Did it really take him nine days?  Why did he leave Shakespeare’s troupe of actors?  What was his account of the journey called?  Was this an act of self promotion or a protest?  Please select the following link to answer these questions and to find out more about Will Kemp: 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1jyZfVWGpwxnZ5jFhdKJN3L/shakespeares-former-clown-will-kemp-dances-to-norwich

On This Day 1862

 As mentioned last week, my wife recently bought me the Norwich Book of Days from the Blickling Hall book shop and here is what it states for November 9th:

On 9th November 1862 the Prince of Wales Road was opened for public traffic to create a direct and somewhat grandiose link between the city centre and Thorpe Station.  It was intended as an impressive introduction to Norwich for railway travellers.  Unfortunately the scheme ran out of money, the work was curtailed and only the city end was really developed as originally envisaged.  At the city end, Agricultural Plain is regarded a part of Prince of Wales Road.  It stands on quite a steep incline - a natural rise in the ground as a result of the remains of an earth embankment which formed the outer defences of the castle.  The hall recalls the days when the city was an important centre for the regions farmers.  Until 1960,when it wa removed to Hall Road, the cattle market formed a great semi-circle of livestock every Saturday around the foot of the castle mound from Agricultural Hall to Farmers Avenue.  Only in recent years with the development of the Castle Mall has visible evidence of the old cattle market been swept away.  

The Old Dolphin Inn

Like me you may have driven and walked passed the old Dolphin Inn on Heigham Street many times, I think it’s owned by a Chiropractor now.  So what is the history of this building?  The date of 1615 is engraved on the building but what does this signify?  Bishop Hall lived here during the English Civil War but why was he thrown out of Norwich cathedral?  When did it become a pub?  What damage was caused during World War Two and which famous Norwich brewery paid for its restoration?  Please select the following link to find out the answers to these questions and more information:

https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/history-of-former-dolphin-pub-in-norwich-7984424

Here are some photos of the Inn after the bomb damage and fully restored:  

https://www.re.photos/en/compilation/5541/

On This Day 1737

My wife recently bought me the Norwich Book of Days from the Blickling Hall book shop and here is what it states for November 2nd:

"On this day there was to be seen, at the lower half moon in the city market place, a curious beast taken in the deserts of Arabia, whose name is not found out, and is the admiration of all the quality and gentry that daily resort to see him.  A succession of such exhibitions visited the city at this time and in addition to the curious beast there was a most beautiful porcupine, taken in the East-Indies which was said to be curious and surprising in all respects.  His head especially the upper lip resembles a hare’s in all parts except his ears which in likeness come somewhat near to swine’s.  Such creatures were unknown outside their native habitat and excited much interest, especially when a trumpet was sounded and the porcupine put himself in a posture of defence by turning his tail towards you, he shakes his mane, shivers his quills, points his darts and expands his tail.  As if all this was not enough, there was also a tiger from Bengal and other live creatures very curious to behold”.

Keep your eyes peeled the next time you go to Norwich market!!

Doctor Hills Casebook

Here is a link to an anthology of patient case studies, stories and creative responses inspired by the casebook of Dr William Charles Hills, who was the Norfolk County Asylum’s Medical Superintendent between 1861-87.  These case studies are an excellent insight into the Victorian approach to mental illness, so please give it a look:

https://restorationtrust.org.uk/2021/10/27/dr-hills-casebook-the-anthology/

The Octagon Chapel

Colin took a group of us from the Pitt Stop to the Octagon Chapel on Monday where we heard a talk by Doctor Nick Groves on the Octagon Chapel.  It has a lovely wooden interior with some  rather glaring florescent pillars!  This Unitarian chapel is situated on Colegate and was built in 1756 by Thomas Ivory. What other notable buildings in Norwich did Thomas Ivory build?  It is built in the shape of an octagon so that everybody in the congregation should have sight of the pulpit which encouraged their participation as part of their worship.  Who were the Non-conformists that built this chapel?  Who was Doctor John Taylor?  How much did the building cost and who provided the finance?  Please select the following link to find out the answers to these questions and more information, you may also wish to click join the Thomas Ivory arrow to find out more about him:

https://octagonchapelnorwich.org.uk/explore-the-chapel

A number of famous people have been Unitarians and some have frequented the Octagon Chapel, including Harriett Martineau, Charles Dickens and Paul Newman.  Please select the following link to find out more information, you may also wish to click on the Unitarian History find out more about this faith:

https://octagonchapelnorwich.org.uk/people-of-historical-importance

This link has an excellent picture of inside the Octagon Chapel - what do you think of the bright green pillars?

https://www.norwich360.com/octagonchapel.html