On This Day 1734

This is an insight into the medication of the day.

A testimonial appeared in the colums of the Norwich Mercury given by one of the city minstrels to the effiacy of a patent medicine which was much advertised by William Chase.  

Mr Wiston, one of our City Waits (town watchmen who carried instruments), having got a cold, was taken with great and tormenting pains all about him, and took several things which had no effect, but sending for a bottle of Bateman’s Pectorial Drops to my shop, took one dose going to bed, and found ther greatest relief imaginable in 3 to 4 hours time.  He desired me to give this public notice for the good of others.  There are three doses in a botte, and sold by W. Chase in Norwich.

The main ingredients of the drops were aniseed, camphor and opium so the effects would only be temporary and could be dangerous as the amount of opium varied according to supplier. 

Stay off the opium this Christmas!! 

The Shaming of Agnes Leaman

Colin mentioned Agnes on one of his recent Heritage Walks so here is an article written by his friend Dave Tonge.  Agnes was accused of whoredom and was publicly humiliated before being ducked.  You can read the exact wording from the Lord Mayors Court Book of 10th Sept 1561.  Learn more about the punishment of ducking.  What was the "basontynklyd before hyr”?  What happened to the man who she commited whoredom with?  Were women always treated as second class citizens|?  Please select the following link to answer these questions and to find out more: 

http://theshamingofagnesleman.blogspot.com/2009/03/norwich-mayors-court-book-ncr16a7-1555.html 

On This Day 1745

This is an insight into when a regular coach service that commenced between London and Norwich:

The Norwich Mercury of the day advertised; “There will be a coach and six able horses, set out from the Castle Inn in the Market Place (I believe this was near the current Gentleman’s Walk entrance to the Royal Arcade), Norwich for London, to carry fowles (poultry) and presents as usual, on Sunday morning December 22nd, which will be there for Christmas Eve, and likewise another on Sunday morning 29th to be there on New Year without fail, at the Green Dragon Bishopsgate Street,. London”.  The coaching age had begun and by the following Christmas there were other operators providing the service.  The Christmas coaches became a familiar sight on the Norwich-London road and are immortalised in Robert Seymour’s famous print of 1835, “The Norwich Coach at Christmas Tide”, which shows geese and turkeys festooned from every possible point, and the roof piled high with hampers, with others suspended beneath the coach.  

Oliver Locker-Lampson

To supplement Stuart McLaren’s excellent talk today here are EDP and BBC articles about Locker- Lampson and Einstein.  I didn’t realise that Locker-Lampson instigated the Cromer Carnival.  There is some more information of the armoured car division he financed in the First World War.  I also didn’t realise that Locker-Lampson and two secretaries were responsible for protecting Einstein during his stay!  It appears they even got Einstein a butler and cook to serve him food, a wind-up gramophone, a piano, a violin and there was even a flock of goats to provide him with goat's milk!  Please select the following links to answer these questions and to find out more: 

https://www.edp24.co.uk/lifestyle/heritage/man-who-brought-einstein-and-carnivals-to-cromer-area-465906

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-59401006

On This Day 1774

This is an insight into the plight of destitute foreigners in Norwich during the 18th century:

On this day, St Andrew’s feast day, the Scots Society of Norwich came into being.  An assembly of exiled Scots had been celebrating the festival of their patron saint and at the end of the festivities they discovered a surplus of 13s and 6d.  One of the company suggested it be kept as a distress fund for any poor Scotsman that might come to Norwich in distress and need the whole or part of it.  At this time any foreigner becoming destitute was in a sorry plight.  The Poor Law bodies found it difficult to support their own poor and rarely provided assistance for outsiders. Anyway it appears that no destitute Scots found their way to Norwich as the fund was not drawn upon.  In 1776 the Scots Society was officially formed, the Earl of Rosebery was governor and Bartlett Gurney were the society’s bankers.  In 1784, it was decided funds should be used to help strangers in general, not just Scots,. and it was renamed the Society of Universal Goodwill.  

Wolterton Hall

I didn’t realise that Wolterton Hall was owed by the Walpole family.  Here is an article about its history.  It is located just through Erpingham which is through Aylsham on the Cromer Road.    So which Norman noble owned the land at the time of the Domesday Book?  Which member of the Walpole family bought the manor house and estate in 1722?  And who was the architect that designed the current hall?  Work began in 1725 and completed in 1742.  Which son of a famous landscape designer was employed in 1828 to build a new wing on the eastern elevation of the hall?  What bird did Horatio Walpole bring from America to Norfolk which acted as the embryo flock for a popular breed today?  It was sold by the Walpole family in 2016 but still appears to be open to the public so may be worth a visit.  Please select the following link to answer these questions and to find out more: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolterton_Hall