The Norwich Directory; or, Gentlemen and Tradesmen's Assistant [1783]

By William Chase

This book is a directory of Norwich's buildings and businesses in 1783, and also includes a list of Norwich's tradespeople and other professionals such as doctors, aldermen, and attorneys. Norwich itself is a city and district of Norfolk, England.

• Language: English
• Publisher: DigiCat
• Release date: Jul 21, 2022
• ISBN: 8596547085034

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William Chase

The Norwich Directory; or, Gentlemen and Tradesmen's Assistant [1783]

EAN 8596547085034

DigiCat, 2022

Contact: [e-mail]

Table of Contents

Introduction.

THE NORWICH DIRECTORY.

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

G.

H.

I.

J.

K.

L.

M.

N.

O.

P.

Q.

R.

S.

T.

U.

V.

W.

Y.

Merchants, &c. attending at Inns in and near the Market-place on Market Days.

List of Bankers in Norwich.

Alphabetical List of Physicians.

Alphabetical List of Surgeons.

Alphabetical List of Attornies at Law.

Alphabetical List of Boarding Schools for Young Ladies.

Alphabetical List of Lodging and Boarding-Houses.

Coffee-Houses.

Alphabetical List of Inns.

Seats in the Vicinity of Norwich

CORRECT LIST of the FAIRS in NORFOLK.

LONDON TRADERS to and from Yarmouth.

HULL TRADERS, Ditto .

PACK-SHIPS to ROTTERDAM.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NORWICH .

COURT of ALDERMEN, 1783.

OFFICERS of the COURT.

COMMON COUNCIL, 1783.

CORRECT LIST of the PARISHES in NORWICH.

CORPORATION COMMITTEES in the CITY of NORWICH,

CORPORATION of GUARDIANS of the POOR in NORWICH, 1782.

GOVERNORS of BETHEL.

TREASURERS of the several HOSPITALS.

CITY SURGEONS.

Court of Request, or Conscience.

EXCISE OFFICE,

ASSURANCE OFFICES against FIRE.

POST OFFICE,

Names and Residence of the Dean and Prebendaries.

List of Officers under Government.

Surveyors of the Duties on Houses, Windows, &c.

STAGE COACHES, DILIGENCES, WAGGONS and BARGE to and from Norwich .

CORRECT LIST of the CARRIERS.

APPENDIX to the NORWICH DIRECTORY, January 3, 1784.

DEATHS

REMOVALS.

ALTERATIONS in the subsequent LISTS.

ADVERTISEMENT.

Introduction.

Table of Contents

The utility of a

Directory

in so extensive and populous a city as Norwich, is so very obvious, that little need be said on its eligibility. The contents are so fully expressed in the title-page, and the arrangement of matter so well adapted to every capacity, that any explanation here would be offering an insult to the understandings of our fellow-citizens; as well as to the intelligent stranger, and inhabitant of any of the commercial towns, among whom, no doubt, a work of this kind cannot fail of being in great request.

This city, though abounding in opulence and fashion, has long laboured under great inconvenience on account of the difficulty of ascertaining, precisely, the address of its inhabitants, whether in trade or independent: and this has been chiefly owing to want of

public Improvements

. The vague and general name of a parish being the only direction to persons of every denomination; so that the enquirer may perambulate the boundaries of three or four adjoining parishes before he can ultimately determine; as it frequently happens that one side of a street is in one parish, the other in another. To remedy this, in some degree, the names of the streets have been put up in a few of the parishes; but even this has been done in so partial and improper a manner, that little benefit can accrue to the complainant.

That spirit of improvement so generally felt, has been greatly damped by the attention to, and gloomy appearance of, national affairs; but now that

Peace

, the much-favoured handmaid of Heaven, smiles on the industry of the citizens of Norwich, we hope they will, again, turn their thoughts to that very desirable object. We are well aware that there are persons who, holding every species of rational and polite advancement in contempt, are willing to creep through life without a single ray of light, that does not center in their own narrow focus of human perfection! To these, as lumber thrown from the stock of mankind, we recommend an emigration to the sandy plains of Arabia, or to the craggy mountains of Lapland. To be serious: the present publication has not only the merit of being highly useful to the mercantile and curious of this day, but may hereafter be remembered as having tended to the ease and ornament of posterity.

To find fault with the present without amending the future, is like discovering an evil we cannot specificly cure. We stoop not to such negative virtues; but will freely and respectfully submit our ideas to the consideration of the Police of this city, and to such other bodies and individuals as are therein concerned—under the appellation of

Hints for Public Improvements.

1. Every

Street

, lane, and thoroughfare, should have its proper Name, distinctly and correctly painted, and put up at the corner or entrance of each. To ascertain this, the church-wardens ought to consult authentic records and history, and not to be guided by the vulgar or temporary adoption of ill-informed persons. We have endeavoured, as much as possible, to be correct on this head; and, if found so, hope to be the humble means of governing this regulation.

2. The

Houses

in each street, &c. should necessarily be numbered. The mode of doing this, with precision, we have adopted, and doubt not but it will also become the general rule:—Beginning from the Market-place on the right hand, and returning on the left. It may, however, be found proper in some instances (as in streets remote, and in a contrary direction, from the market) to be guided by convenience and situation. We have had due regard to this; and have affixed the numbers accordingly.—☞ The best and cheapest mode of distinguishing the number of each house or shop, is by painted figures on the door, above, or on each side.

3. The hanging

Signs

in every part of the city should be taken down: they are not only very dangerous and disagreeable in windy weather, but interrupt the view, and impede the free circulation of air:—an object of the first consequence in a great town.

4. The

Water-Spouts

have been chiefly removed; but we wish to have them totally abolished; as indeed we do every public nuisance.

5. This, and most other ancient towns are horridly paved: and it is difficult, as well as expensive, to produce an alteration of so much consequence, as that of raising the cause-way in the middle, with channels and foot-paths (flag’d) on each side. Many of the streets in Norwich are too narrow to admit of this, but surely St. Giles’s Broad-street, St. Stephen’s-street, Ber-street, King-street, Magdalen-street, Coslany-street, Colegate-street, Upper Westwick-street, &c. &c. might be rendered handsome and commodious by a pavement, in the manner of Upper Surry street.

6. The improvement lately made in the Lower Close, though it met with much popular clamour and opposition, is very much to the honor of the worthy gentleman who formed the inclosed area, now called Lower Close, or Dean Square. If the stables on the south side were to give way to uniform dwelling-houses, the buildings would be more complete.

7. The ground that has been levelled and cleared in front of St. Andrew’s Hall, is one of the few improvements this city has lately received. Had the area been still more open and extended, the alteration had been more perfect.

8. As the road through the city is both difficult, dark, and dangerous, we would propose opening and widening such parts as might render the whole airy and easy of access. To this end, the great entrance to the Market place, through Brigs’s-lane, should be opened; at least, the turn from the Rampant-horse-street, or Horse-market, should be rounded, by taking away the corners. From the Market-place to the Red Well, the Cockey-lane and London-lane is so narrow and irregular, that frequent interruptions, and sometimes accidents, happen by carriages meeting. Persons on foot must squeeze themselves into a dark alley, or burst into a shop, to avoid being run over or crushed against the walls; whilst, in wet weather, you are drenched by torrents of water from the houses, or plunged into a gutter, knee deep.

If the Back of the Inns would admit of carriages, from the Hog-hill to London-lane, it would be a safer thorough-fare. The houses and stables on the west side are of little value, comparatively with the advantage; and the rents of good houses and shops on that side, would amply recompence the trouble and charge of rebuilding the street, at 25 or 30