Category: Norfolk Annals

Mary Wright, aged 28, was found guilty of the murder of her husband and Richard Darby, by poisoning them at Wighton, and was sentenced to be hanged on March 26

HMS Invincible sank off Happisburgh with terrible loss of life. A passing fishing vessel, The Nancy, came to her aid.

Elizabeth Clayton, of Wells-next-the-Sea, had worked as a ship’s carpenter at the dockyard of the above port upwards of 40 years, and always in man’s apparel.

Smallpox was reported to be very prevalent in Norwich. Within the preceding month one hundred people died of the disease.

A desperate affray took place between the coastguard, under Lieut George Howes RN and a large party of armed smugglers, at Cley-next-the-Sea.

A great snow storm. The coaches which should have arrived on Friday did not reach Norwich until the following Tuesday and Wednesday.

Thomas Paine was born in Thetford. His father was a Quaker who worked as a corset-maker and smallholder.

John Franklin, for a wager of £10 walked from the Duke’s Head Inn, the Quay, Great Yarmouth, to the Shirehall, Norwich, and back, in eleven and a half hours.

Great Yarmouth MP Miles Corbet became the 59th and last signatory to the death warrant of King Charles I.

John Baker, a private in the Loddon Volunteers, was dismissed for refusing to take the oath of allegiance to His Majesty.