Yarmouth Notes, 1830-1872. Collated from the File of the Norwich MercuryPalmer, Frederick Danby
History
Yarmouth Notes, 1830-1872. Collated from the File of the Norwich Mercury
Palmer, Frederick Danby
Great Yarmouth (England) -- History
as it was amusing we notice it. A half drunken beachman or
fisherman, just so far gone as to be witty, but who was unmistakeably
a Blue, planted himself in front of the balcony, and by his
extraordinary shouting succeeded in making himself heard above the
surrounding tumult. There was some natural humour about this fellow,
and the way in which he shouted excited the laughter of the Mayor and
both parties on the balcony. The man shouted until the veins grew
large in his forehead; he jumped and screamed—he laughed and waved
his hat, and others laughed with him—indeed, for a time all laughed
with him; he was in a state of ecstacy or violent enthusiasm. It was
difficult for a time to make out what the man meant, but at length he
was understood, and his fun was appreciated. Sir E. Lacon wears a
full moustache, and so does Sir H. Stracey, and those hirsute
ornaments were the objects of this excited individual’s enthusiasm.
He laughed and shouted—his voice being heard above the murmur of the
crowd,—for fully an hour,—“The beard! the beard! will nobody shave
him? A shave! a shave! Fetch a barber! fetch a barber!—(Loud
laughter.)—A clean shave! A shilling for a razor! a razor! a razor!
O Lord, a clean shave,” &c. Ultimately the man climbed to the top of
a post, and threw his hat into the face of a railway porter; the
porter ran to him and struck him in the mouth two or three times,
with a force that evidently astonished him, and as his scream then
became somewhat distressing, he was ignominiously removed to the
outside of the crowd. Many other noticeable incidents occurred,
which will be found mentioned in our report. But there is one
circumstance which did not altogether develop itself at the meeting,
that we feel compelled to notice. Society, from experience, knows
that the prude is the loudest and severest advocate of virtue; but,
as Josephus has remarked, “Every man will think of this as it seemeth
good unto him.” We have noticed the Gorleston voters, we have
recorded the boastings and professions on both sides, and we have
ventilated rumours which have been so far well founded. The incident
we are about to mention we can vouch for; it is possible, should
circumstances necessitate it, of being proved. On the Wednesday
evening, mob law, intimidation, corruption, “the screw,” and all the
worst elements of electioneering were resorted to; and we regret to
say that the parties who most publicly exhibited themselves as
disorderlies were persons whom we won’t classify, but who cried out,
“Down with Lacon and Stracey” and “Three cheers for Watkin.”
“THE TIN CANISTER.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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