Anonymous

“ The houses built on the Eastern side of the street have all a view of the sea; many of them have an extensive prospect, and most have, in addition, terraced gardens which slope downwards towards the sea: these gardens, when viewed from the beach, present a very pleasing appearance, thickly planted as some of them are with fruit and ornamental trees, and shrubs, the roots of which, binding the soil, prevent it from being precipitated into the regions beneath. ”

“ That mighty ocean which, for the most part, rolls so harmlessly on the beach, is sometimes excited and whipt into a fury, and then scenes of awful majesty, and sometimes of terror, are witnessed. These Storms are not so seldom experienced, as absolutely to necessitate the constant repetition of the same story to illustrate their fearful consequences ”

“ To the south of the harbour, and through Kirtley, is the village of Pakefield, which may be approached either by the sea-side, or by the turnpike road. The church has a double nave and is neat and carefully preserved. The font and several brasses deserve attention. Beyond Pakefield is Kessingland, and p. 75between the two villages, on the beach, is a neat and new Light-house: the walk along the cliff here is very pleasant; several coins and other curiosities have been found at different times, specimens of which may be obtained of an old man who lives close by. ”

“ Lowestoft is the only market town in the island of Lothingland, which island is situated in the North-east corner of the county of Suffolk, and is formed by the German Ocean on the East, by the river Yare on the North, by the Waveney on the West, and Lake Lothing on the South. Its length from North to South is about ten miles; and its breadth, from East to West about six miles. It contains sixteen parishes, and during the Saxon heptarchy was part of the kingdom of the East Angles. ”

“ Three of the pilot yawls were soon manned and put off, to visit the wreck to ascertain whether there were any persons on board, and if so, to render whatever necessary assistance might be in p. 27their power. Upon approaching the wreck, the people in the yawls discovered three men on it, but at the same time found, to their great mortification, that by reason of a tremendous sea upon the sand, and the high surf and broken water surrounding, and frequently breaking over the wreck, it would be impossible for any yawl to get nearer without manifest hazard of being dashed to pieces. ”

“ The Lowestoft life-boat sustained damage to a considerable amount.
“The Suffolk Humane Society (President, Sir T. S. Gooch, Bart.,) maintains and keeps in repair the two life-boats, and gives a stated sum to the crews whenever called into service, out of funds raised entirely by private subscriptions from Lowestoft and its neighbourhood, but which cannot afford adequate reward to the men for their intrepid service.” ”

“ A signal being thrown out by one of the yawls that there were persons on the wreck, the life boat was got out and manned with the utmost expedition. The alacrity with which the brave seamen [27] leaped on board the life-boat is scarcely to be described; after encountering much difficulty and danger in passing through the breakers, they came near to the vessel in sight of hundreds of spectators, who, from the heights were beholding with astonishment their admirable nautical skill and dauntless courage ”

“ When the storm is so abated that a boat is able to approach pretty near the wreck, let a line (which may soon after easily convey a strong rope) be carried by the kite over the vessel, and then let fall. ”

“ A third vessel, a sloop called the Sarah and Caroline, of Woodbridge, laden with coals, struck upon a sand called the Newcombe, and remained thereon with her mast standing; but, soon filling with water, the crew, consisting of five persons, took refuge in the shrouds. Here their situation was most perilous; for as it was only half ebb tide, with the wind tremendously strong, no assistance from shore could be afforded them until the following flood, supposing the vessel should hold together so long. ”

“ Martin Brown, merchant, of Rotterdam, left a sum of money, under the management of Mr. Wilde, sufficient to erect four houses for poor persons; with which the alms-houses at the west end of Bell lane were erected in 1716.
p. 40Before leaving this division of our history, we direct our readers to an episode or two of widely opposite characters; the first is
LOWESTOFT AND THE WITCHES.
One of the dark spots resting upon the townspeople of more ancient times, is the share some of them took in the persecution of the “threescore witches” who were hanged in Suffolk. ”

“ Below the cliff, or terraced gardens, the fish-houses are to be found, where the greater part of the staple business of the town is carried on.
To the North and South of the town there are large sandy plains, called the denes, which probably were originally covered by the sea. Towards Corton they are very extensive, and are covered with a p. 3peculiar vegetation: there, and near the beach, may be found amongst others, the following plants—
which is a rare plant of a noli-me-tangere character, having a very severe sting. ”

“ Thus a communication may be obtained between the wreck and the boat, and by that means, the seaman may be drawn through the water from the ship to the boat.” Now, that which the kind hearted man threw out as a possibility, has been shewn to be practicable; a communication is obtained by means of this apparatus; a rope is attached to a ball which is projected from a mortar, and thrown over the vessel in distress: the apparatus is kept in the boat house, which is situated on the beach, near the lower part of the town. ”

“ The Public Schools in the town provided for the poor are numerous, and generally well conducted. The principal are Wilde’s, Annot’s, and the British School.
p. 54John Wilde left several estates, together with the rents and profits thereof, to be applied for a virtuous and learned schoolmaster, who shall teach forty boys to write and read and cast accounts, and shall also teach them the Latin tongue.
Thomas Annot, merchant of this town, also left money for founding a grammar school at Lowestoft ”

“ The persons who attend to the floating light are constantly on board p. 34the vessel during the time they are in charge: there are two sets of men, (six in a set) each set having remained a month is then relieved.
THE HARBOUR AND RAILWAY.
The Waveney originally emptied itself into the sea between Lowestoft and Kirkley, but being a shallow stream, could not resist the gradual formation of a mound of sand raised by the prevailing east winds, which, in time, effectually cut off the communication between the sea and Lake Lothing. ”

“ Having now spoken of the ecclesiastical buildings, which either no longer exist, or have been appropriated to common purposes, we turn to the parish church and matters connected particularly with it.
The benefice of Lowestoft is a vicarage, endowed with the great tithes, through the exertions of the Rev. John Tanner, a former vicar, who, with great p. 45trouble and perseverance, collected money for the purchase of the Impropriation, which purchase he effected in 1721. ”

“ The south-west corner of the station forms the pretorium, raised by the earth taken out of a vallum which surrounds and secures it, and which is sunk eight feet lower than the common surface of the area. Near this was placed the south tower, which being undermined some years since, by the force of the water running down the vallum after some very heavy rains, is fallen on one side near its former situation, but remains perfectly entire. The north tower having met with a similar accident, is reclined from the wall at the top about six feet, has drawn a part of it, and caused a breach near it. ”

“ The Lowestoft life-boat with a crew of nineteen men, commanded by Lieut. T. S. Carter, R.N., assisted by Mr. H. B. Disney, Trinity pilot, was most promptly launched, and proceeded to her relief. By the greatest exertion and skill, a communication, by means of a life line was established with the distressed men, who had fled to the rigging for safety; the sea at the time making quite over the life-boat, and filling her p. 29with water. Mr. Disney was washed overboard, but providentially did not loose his hold of the safety line, and was again drawn into the boat. ”

“ The Primitive Methodists have a place of worship situated on the beach, (near the bottom of Denny’s score,) among that class of the inhabitants who are generally least disposed to go in quest of religious instruction, and here they usefully employ themselves in their important work. ”

“ The proceeds of the sale are usually divided between the Church schools and the Infirmary funds.
CRICKET CLUBS.
During the summer evenings the denes usually present a very lively appearance; the members of the several cricket clubs are practising, not only for their own amusement, but that they may be prepared to meet other gentlemen who, residing in the neighbouring towns, cherish a friendly rivalry in the art of bat and ball.
Thomas Nash
the satirist, who flourished in the reign of Elizabeth, was born at Lowestoft. He wrote a play called “Lenton Stuffe ”

“ The instructions given to the persons superintending the lights are very minute. The lanterns and reflectors must be kept constantly cleaned, and the lamps must be trimmed every few hours; a book is kept in which the time when the lamps are trimmed is regularly entered. ”

“ The society is in a flourishing condition. Their place of worship is situated in Frary lane, at the back of the Crown and Anchor hotel.
4. The Baptists have a chapel opposite the vicarage. It was built in 1813, chiefly through the generosity of R. Kemp, Esq. of Yarmouth. S. M. Peto, Esq., M. P., has taken great interest in the prosperity of the cause, has built a commodious school room, and contemplates the erection of a larger chapel in a more convenient situation. ”

“ Let him, after leaving the house, proceed southward to the Railway station and bridge, turn towards the sea on the Lowestoft side of the harbour, and, leaving Baron Alderson’s abode on the left, proceed to the Battery green; here he may see the Bath house, occupied by Mr. Jones, where hot and cold baths can be obtained; where also, in the Reading room, the principal newspapers may be consulted at a moderate charge. ”

“ A considerable number of the houses on this side of the street are, in consequence of these natural advantages, let in the summer season to individuals and families frequenting the town; those on the western side of the street, having no special advantages of this kind, are not so much in request. ”

“ B. Ritson, an estimable clergyman: here, all ranks and conditions of men mingle their undistinguishable dust; here, are high and low, rich and poor, together; here, it seems as though all strifes are hushed and discords forgotten—one stone, however, close to the wall, on the west side of the churchyard, lifts its querulous head to perpetuate the remembrance of a family disagreement; it is raised to the memory of Charles Ward, and informs the visiter, who goes to meditate among the tombs that his heart may be made better, that “it is not erected by Susan his (i.e. Mr. Ward’s) wife ”

“ Its contiguity to the railway station and the harbour, will cause it to be greatly frequented.
The inner harbour has been dredged to a depth of 14 feet in the channel at low water, and this dredging will be extended up to Mutford bridge. A substantial machine has lately been built, for the purpose of excavating the harbour, which, by her powerful aid, will be rendered accessible to vessels of 15 feet draught, at any state of the tide. She is of 200 tons burthen; her engines are of 20 horse power, capable of working in 20 feet of water; she is calculated to raise 1000 tons of soil per day. ”

“ Meantime, the Pakefield life-boat, manned by a crew endowed with the same high courage and good seamanship, which had characterized their neighbours, made further effort to save the poor fellow who was left on the wreck, and had the happiness of rescuing him from a watery grave. [29]
“Our Society, assisted by our brave seamen, has p. 30again the high satisfaction of being made the means of saving the lives of eight fellow creatures ”

“ LOWESTOFT AND YARMOUTH.
The following extract from the town book, taken from Camden, is given in Gillingwater’s History p. 12and transferred to our pages, as containing valuable information on our present subject.
“About the year of our Lord 1100, about 500 years past,” (i.e. about A.D. 600) “it pleased God to lay the first foundation of the east town of Yarmouth into firm land, even out of the main sea. Which place was then called and known by the name of Sardike sand, and Sardike shore ”

“ The town itself was anciently called Lothu Wistoft, which name may have been given to it as the town of Lothingland—the land of Lothbroch,—at any rate, the three names begin with an L, and that, in an etymological discussion, is something. ”

“ Close to the church is the Hall, now the property of George Borrow, Esq., whose pleasant and retired residence is a little to the right of it, overlooking the Oulton Broad.
p. 74On the road from Oulton church to Lowestoft is the house of E. Leathes, Esq., at Normanstone, which has a fine view of the Railway and Lake Lothing, with the parish of Kirtley in the distance.
The road to Beccles—though in some parts of it pleasing—is less attractive than others in the neighbourhood, in consequence of the marshes on one side of it ”

“ From the artful mixture of both in the same building, and from the coarse materials of the composition, this p. 72cement is extremely hard and durable, very difficult to break, and for several days indissoluble in water. The Romans, raising the wall to a convenient height with the former sort, at the end of every day’s work poured the latter upon it: which immediately filled up the interstices, and when cold, proved a most powerful adhesive. ”