Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

“ PORT LATOUR AND BURCHTOWN.
Even this early I clearly saw that to walk all the coast line between Yarmouth and Halifax could not be done at my leisurely three miles or less per hour. It is three miles when no pictures intervene or no friendly Nova Scotian comes along with a ghost story or tale of the seas: Under such circumstances time is not of the essence of the contract. ”

“ To lovers of peace and solitude, Yarmouth can hold forth an inviting hand, and point to its miles of Marine Drive and its level Beach, with its soft sands, rendered agreeably smooth and firm by the retreating tide and dried by the sun. ”

“ Along the coast westward, past pretty Gurnard Bay beloved by those who picnic, and Newtown haven, where, hidden away—much as is Buckler’s Hard across the Solent in Beaulieu River—lies the decaying Francheville, once an important harbour and town, rivalling in prosperity and population Newport itself, and then Yarmouth comes in sight almost at the extreme north-western corner of the Island.
It is a quaint, quiet, foreign-looking old place, lying low with a fine sweep of hills for a background, where a day or two can be pleasantly enough spent. ”

“ The Trustees of the Municipal Charities received the sanction of the Charity Commissioners to erect a Grammar School at Yarmouth, which was built and opened July 29th, 1863.
Dec. 20th. High tide. On the Southtown Road the water was a foot deep, and many parts of the town were inundated. The tide was higher than that recorded in 1816. Mr. T. W. Downing lost the smack “Gem” in the gale.
Dec. 22nd. The brig “Lotus” launched from J. W. Rust’s yard. Dimensions—length, 103 ft.; breadth, 24 ft.; depth, 24 ft.; burthen, 258 tons.
Deaths: Feb. ”

“ However this may be, it is certain that some of the houses in the Rows were among the first built in the town, and certain also that, leading from the main street, they give easy access to the Quay, whereon Yarmouth finds its chief interest. When the moon is full and throws black beams of shadows across these alleys, and opens seeming pitfalls in their rugged pavement, a stranger hesitates to enter them. At all times they seem properly to belong to conspirators, but they are quite safe and reputable. ”

“ The origin of Yarmouth is unique; the bar of a wide Estuary, a sandbank in the sea, seized upon for human habitation before even nature herself had trusted it with any vegetation beyond a few patches of marram grass to bind the sand together. ”

“ Where, but in Yarmouth, could such a transition take place in so short a time, for where, but in the renowned old borough can such a series of such Rows be found? And where else can be seen a Beach of such proportions, with its far-reaching stretches of dry, clean, soft, “golden” sand, and its uninterrupted view of the German Ocean, continuous from north to south, and bounded along the east by the horizon alone? Measured by miles, both Beach and Marine Drive afford ample scope for the enjoyment of thousands of visitors of all classes. ”

“ Although none of them are sufficiently wide to allow of other than pedestrian traffic, many quaint old-fashioned houses, dating several centuries back, bearing both external and internal evidence of great expense and labour being devoted to their erection and decoration. In fact, old Yarmouth is full of interest to the antiquary and to the curiosity seeker. ”

“ They have six or seven North Sea boats: but they of Lowestoft make benefit yearly of buying of herrings of the Hollanders; for likewise these Hollanders be "hosted" with the Lowestoft men, as they be with the Yarmouthians.
In all His Majesty's kingdoms, not any town, comparable unto it for brave buildings.
To the northward, two leagues, is the town of Great Yarmouth, very beautifully built upon a very pleasant and sandy plain of three miles in length. This town is a place of great resort of all the herring fishermen of England. ”

“ Sir W. Wodehouse, Knt., and N. Frymage, Esq., returned to Parliament. Every inhabitant found smoking tobacco or overcome with drink in any tippling-house was apprehended.
1553.
Oct. 1st. Robert Eyre and Simon More were chosen Burgesses of the Parliament.
Drawbridge erected to connect Southtown with Great Yarmouth, in place of the one built in 1427, but which was carried away in 1570 by the tide.
Beer sold at 3s. 4d. per thirty-two gallons. ”

“ Palmer’s yard; Aug. 1st, brig “Earl Grey,” from Mr. Teasdel’s yard.
March 15th. Marriage at Stokesby Church of Samuel Taylor, only son of Wm. Huke, of Yarmouth, with Charlotte Crowe Norton, of Stokesby.
May 2nd. Hon. G. Anson and C. E. Rumbold, Esq., again returned to Parliament.
July 7th. First stone of St. Peter’s Church laid, and finished building and consecrated Aug. 26th, 1838. Cost £12,000.
Sept. 12th. Mr. Power, of Covent Garden, appeared at the Theatre Royal, as “Colonel O’Dillon,” in The Married Lover.
Census taken. Population of Yarmouth 21,115; with Gorleston and Southtown, 28,231. ”

“ The Halifax and Southwestern line leaves Yarmouth from a diminutive station near the lower end of the town. A coast shattered by legions of bights and inlets and showered by a rain of islands extends from Acadia to the Scotch Argyles. The area north and south of the railway is composed of more water than land—probably there is not such a mosaic of lakes and bays to be seen elsewhere in the world. ”

“ Marriage of Prince Albert Edward with Princess Alexandra of Denmark, at Windsor. The display of enthusiasm at Yarmouth somewhat resembled the Volunteer Review of June 19th, 1862, with this difference—the town in the evening was brilliantly illuminated, and a display of fireworks took place in the Market Place. Nearly 600 Volunteers were entertained by Sir E. Lacon to a sumptuous repast at his stores on the North Quay. 4,669 school children were regaled with a tea at the town’s expense, which, with all other expenses, incurred an outlay of £259. ”

“ The people of Yarmouth will endorse our sentiments when we say, for his zeal and untiring energy in promoting many special objects in the “good old town,” that he is worthy of greater eulogiums than we can bestow, and therefore tender our best thanks to that gentleman for his courtesy in allowing this volume to be dedicated to him—a privilege that was also given us in a first issue, by his predecessor in the Imperial Parliament, the lamented Colonel Duff. Neither must we forget to express our obligation to a select list of subscribers to the work. ”

“ The children at the various charity schools and the inmates of the Fishermen’s Hospital were handsomely entertained. The Temperance people had a tea meeting, and all, as far as the weather would permit, appeared to enjoy themselves in their own way.
On Friday afternoon, at three o’clock, the sports were re-commenced, the weather being most propitious and the sun shining with surpassing brilliancy. Yarmouth poured out thousands upon thousands of its working population, and great numbers of all classes were present to witness the fun and partake of the amusement of the day. ”

“ J. Self’s fish storehouse and drying-rooms, in Row 145. Estimated damage, £400. And on Nov. 25th, Mr. T. W. Downing’s fish-stores; damage, £200.
Nov. 2nd and 3rd. Heavy gale and great loss of life and property; 19 shipwrecked seamen received at the Home; the previous ten days, 44.
Nov. 21st. New Lifeboat sent to Yarmouth by the National Institution.
Nov. 26th. A site on the South Denes, for erecting an Iron Mission Church and Schools, granted by the Town Council to the Rev. H. R. Nevill. The Church was opened for Service on March 4th, 1862. Cost, £500. (See May 26th, 1869.)
Nov. 28th. ”

“ This central position of the beach being most frequented by visitors, it is also the chief resort, the happy hunting ground of the numerous class who have a keen eye to business. Nearly all of them are vendors of only one kind of article each, and this peculiarity tends to multiply their numbers, the variety of merchandise among the whole being considerable. There are so many—and some of them are strangers to Yarmouth—that, were they not civil, and usually take the first refusal, persistency with frequency would be an annoyance little short of a nuisance. ”

“ The whole body of Freemen claimed a right of electing members for the town, and accordingly chose Sir James Johnson, Knt., and George England, Esq. Before this, the Corporation had usually taken upon themselves this business, sometimes by a majority of the assembly, and sometimes by an inquest of six Aldermen and six Common Councilmen.
H.R.H. the Duke of York entertained to a sumptuous dinner in Yarmouth; afterwards embarked in the frigate “Gloucester,” but (May 6th) the vessel striking on the Leman and Ower sand, 12 leagues from Yarmouth, p. ”

“ Notwithstanding the fact that few of the houses are of any great age, if one except the interesting George Inn, which was once the residence of Sir Robert Holmes, and had the honour of sheltering Charles II on his visit to the town in 1671, Yarmouth has that old-time air of sleepy indifference to modern ways and modern things which is not the least part of many an old-time seaport’s charm. ”

“ Jan. 15th. Meeting at the Town Hall for the relief of the poor in the town; £330 subscribed in the room.
Feb. 1st. “Iconoclast” lectured at the Theatre to a crowded house. Subject, “What Must a Man Do to be Saved?” Admission, 6d. and 2d.
April 8th. Census taken. The returns were as follows: Population of Yarmouth, 13,207 males; 16,881 females—30,088. Gorleston and Southtown, 2,029 males; 2,456 females—4,485. Houses inhabited in Yarmouth, 6,861; uninhabited, 239; building, 73; inhabited in Gorleston and Southtown, 975.
April 13th. ”

“ Yarmouth and Newport returned members to parliament as one borough in 1295, but no further returns were made until 1584, from which date Yarmouth continued to send representatives until disfranchised by the Reform Act of 1832. The charter from James I. instituted a Wednesday market and a fair at the feast of St James, which were maintained until within recent years. In the 18th century Yarmouth was a notorious smuggling centre. In 1206 John embarked from Yarmouth for the expedition to La Rochelle. ”

“ LIVERPOOL—BRIDGEWATER—LUNENBURG
CHESTER—HUBBARDS
∵
Yarmouth's excuse for being is the sea. All its pleasures and most of its industries are maritime. Its climate is tempered by ocean currents that refresh its gardens and verdure in summer and mitigate the winter cold experienced in other cities of the same latitude. Its geographical position has influenced Yarmouth's selection as the terminus of three lines of importance to those who tour the Provinces. ”

“ The parliamentary borough, returning one member, falls between the E. division of Norfolk and the Lowestoft division of Suffolk. Yarmouth is governed by a mayor, 12 aldermen and 36 councillors. Area, 3568 acres.
Yarmouth Roads, off the coast, afford excellent anchorage except in E. or N.E. winds. The channel to the quays was made by Joost Jansen, a Dutch engineer, in 1567, and affords a depth at the bar of 12 ft. at low water. The herring and mackerel fisheries are most important, and fish-curing is an extensive industry, Yarmouth bloaters being widely famous. ”

“ Aug. 10th. First steam barge proceeded from Yarmouth to Norwich at the rate of five miles per hour.
Sept. 29th. Regent Street formed and opened at a cost of £30,000. Before the opening of this street there was no roadway between King Street and the Quay, except Fuller’s Hill and Friar’s Lane, the latter of which was widened in 1866.
Nov. 14th. Great rejoicing at Yarmouth on the splendid victories gained over the French in Spain and Germany. ”

“ We are happy to say that the general feeling of pleasure was not alloyed by the occurrence of a single accident.”
The Theatre had opened with Guy Mannering and Damp Beds. There was a very poor house.
The brig Ida (188 tons) had been launched from Mr. F. Preston’s yard.
August 23rd.—The following estimate of the number of electors under the Reform Act had been made:—Freemen 1,063; £10 householders in Yarmouth, 492; and in Gorleston, 144; total, 1,699.
p. 22The Summer Fishing had commenced; 300 lasts of herring had already been brought in. ”

“ Jan. 2nd.—Contains the following article on the Old Year:—“1857 has been a good year for our port. Our fisheries have prospered; our mercantile and shipping report is favourable; and our commercial credit has stood firm and upright against the pressure of a severe monetary crisis. We have proved the elasticity of our resources, and have demonstrated the strength and stability of our enterprise. The fashionable season has also been one on which we have to congratulate ourselves. During the summer and autumn of 1857, Yarmouth was p. 222full of visitors; our beach was crowded with company ”

“ The French iron steamer “Fulton,” worth about £5,000, and cargo £650, through collision with the brig “Thomas Gales,” opposite the Monument, foundered, but her crew were saved. Insured for £3,200.
Sept. 15th. Mr. T. Todd’s smack “Ann” foundered.
Sept. 20th. Mr. H. Stonex presented by the Yarmouth Musical Society with a gold-mounted ivory baton and an inlaid walnut music-stool as a token of their appreciation of him as their conductor.
Sept. 23rd. Mr. William James Palmer admitted a licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries. ”

“ The Yarmouth Gas Bill Clauses to incorporate the Company, and make further provisions for lighting the town, were agreed to by a Committee of the House of Commons. The bill was read a third time, and passed March 23rd.
March. The Rev. John Beazor ordained as Deacon by the Bishop of Tasmania.
April 18th. A fine otter captured on the Hall Quay.
April. The Royal Marriage Celebration Committee presented R. Steward, Esq., and Capt. W. J. Foreman with a silver medal as a souvenir of the eventful occasion, and in recognition of their valuable services. ”