NORFOLK PUBLIC HOUSES | ||||||||||
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On Wednesday 16th January 1850, the church bells were rung throughout the
day and at night, because for the first time, the streets were illuminated by gas
lights. A brilliant gas-light star shone resplendently in front of the Black
Boys and illuminated the Market Place. Country people came in crowds to
see Mr. Coe's display of fireworks and numbers of people paraded the
streets, as if pleased with the "new light" shining around them.
Festivities and dancing were the order of the night in every inn and
public house. The "Aylsham Derby" took place on Tuesday 1st June 1869. The course being from the Dog Inn to the Cemetery and round the town in several directions. There were running matches for boys and donkey races. The principle attraction was the bicycle race by some Marsham men, who rode machines of their own make. Prizes of cups, bridles, spurs and money were given to the several winners. There were a great many spectators who seemed greatly pleased with the sports. The cost was raised by subscription. The amusements on the Butt Lands in the afternoon, were largely patronised, the steam horses, roundabouts and stalls being a source of never-failing attraction. The Dog, Star and Unicorn greens were open to the public and on the former, the Rifle Band discoursed some very capital music. |
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Memories collected by Chris Holderness of
Rig-a-Jig-Jig for the East Anglian Traditional Musical Trust. The CH numbers refer to Chris's Archive on eatmt.org. |
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JW: 'You see,
that'd be the [Aylsham] King's Head or the Black Boys, or
The [Red]Lion,
or Tuttington Ship, or Gresham Chequers, or, I mean you'd
got that many pubs to pick from, you could go to a different pub every
night, nearly every day of the year. You know you didn't have to go that many miles.
I mean there was ten or eleven in Aylsham, weren't there?
I mean, what is there now? Two? The Unicorn
and the Black Boys.
There was the Dog, the Lion, the Ship, the
Anchor, New Inn. |