On January 8th of the same year, Sir Peter Seaman, an Alderman, died and left provision for binding out two poor city boys yearly. On December 17th of the same year, Thomas Hall, Esq., merchant, died. He founded a monthly sacramental lecture; bequeathed several legacies to charities, and left £100 for a gold chain to be worn by the Mayor of Norwich, and which is the same as is now worn by the deputy mayor. It weighs 23 ozs. 6 dwts. Mr. Hall was interred with great funeral pomp at St. George’s Colegate. His portrait was presented by John and Edward Taylor, Esqs., to the corporation, and was placed in the common council chamber, May, 1821. An act was passed in 1722 for the better qualifying of the manufacturers of stuffs and yarns to act as magistrates, and for regulating the elections of such officers. About this time another act was passed for clearing, deepening, extending, maintaining, and improving the haven and piers of Great Yarmouth, and for deepening the rivers flowing into the harbour; and also for preserving ships wintering in the haven from accidents by fire. For these purposes certain duties were to be paid for 21 years after Lady day, 1723, on all goods unladen in the haven of Yarmouth, or in the sea called Yarmouth roads. This act was very important to the navigation between Yarmouth and Norwich. In 1724 the Sheriff’s Office was rebuilt, and the statue of Justice placed on the Guildhall. Alderman Norman died the same year, and left an estate in Norwich for charitable purposes. About this time the society of “Free and Accepted Masons” appeared publicly in this city. Mr. Prideaux, son of the Rev. Dr. Prideaux, Dean of Norwich, author of “The Connection between the Old and New Testaments,” was the first Master here. Their lodge was at the Maid’s Head Inn. B. Bond Cabbell, Esq., has within the last few years bought the old Assembly Rooms in Theatre Street for the Order. On September 28th, 1725, a petition was presented to the mayor and corporation, signed by the principal traders in Norwich, requesting the use of the New Hall in St. Andrew’s for an Exchange, which was immediately granted. On October 4th of the same year, the court, attended by nearly 200 gentlemen and principal tradesmen, came to the New Hall in St. Andrew’s, which was then opened and solemnly proclaimed to be an exchange, on which occasion the Recorder (Stephen Gardiner, Esq.) delivered the following address:— “Gentlemen,—This place is now opened with an intent to promote traffic and commerce. Here, formerly, God was worshipped, though in a corrupt manner; and may the consideration of the sacred use this building has been put to so far influence all that shall resort hither, that nothing in the course of business may be here transacted but with great justice and honesty. I wish success to this undertaking, and the prosperity of the city in every respect.”