In addressing the electors of Lynn at the Music Hall, on Tuesday, March 30th, Mr Frank Lockwood, one of the Liberal candidates for the borough, concluded his speech as follows: - And now gentlemen, having done with the serious part of the business, let us try and have a little amusement before we part. I have no doubt at the other place I have referred to (the Theatre) there is plenty of amusement. There is the Hon. Robert Bourke as heavy tragedian, and Lord Claud Hamilton as the walking gentleman. (Laughter.) I say I have no doubt they have plenty of amusement there, and so I think we may as well have a little. Now, after walking about this town for nearly three weeks, and talking about the election, you must not be surprised that at last I got to dreaming, and I want to tell you what I dreamt. Gentlemen, I dreamt I was walking near this town, going out of it, I think I was, by Highgate, and there were crowds of people all going the same way. We all seemed to be going to one place, and as I walked along I asked where we were going to, and the person whom I asked said, "Don't you know?" "No," said I. "Why" he said, "this is the Great Lynn Borough Steeplechase Day!

Oh," said I, "I didn't know that." "Then" he said, "you had better come along," and I went. We passed through Highgate until we got to what must have been, I suppose, Fiddaman's field. There was an enormous crowd of people there, and I could hear the men calling out betting, and saw Sir Lewis Jarvis there with a yellow hat on, surrounded by his large and intellectual family in yellow pinafores. (Laughter.) He had a belt round his waist full of half-crowns which he was jingling, and he was calling out 5 to one bar 2; I'll back the Irishmen. (Renewed laughter.) Well, you know, I didn't know what this meant; but about this time I saw a gentleman running about selling "correct cards". I looked at him and saw it was my old friend, Mr Thew. (Laughter) There he was, looking as usual, very fierce about the face and very mild about the legs, (roars of laughter), running about selling these cards at 2d apiece. Well, I looked at him and I said, "I should think this better work, Mr Thew, than selling the political pop-gun." (More laughter.) He was very angry, and he said "you'd better buy a card, if you want one;" so I purchased one, and he went off.

Upon looking at the card I saw there were four starters, and the first was Mr Bourke's Afghan, by Foreign Policy, out of Gunpowder; the second was Sir William Ffolkes' Baronet, by True Blue, out of Hillington; the next, Lord Claud Hamilton's, Hopeless Colt, by Brandy and Soda, out of Londonderry; and the next was Mr. Lockwood's Political Fledgling, by Lawyer, out of Place. (Laughter.) And now I looked for the colours - I thought all this you know - I thought Lord Claud was yellow - very yellow; Mr Bourke was orange; and I thought my friend Sir William Ffolkes was a light blue, and that I was a dark one.

Well just at this moment I happened to turn round and I saw our worthy friend the chairman (laughter) with his hands shading his eyes, and smoking a cigar. "I say Mr Holditch," I said "So you have come down?" "Yes, I've seen a good many of 'em," he said. "Well, I should be very glad if you would point out the horses to me." "With pleasure" was his answer, and just at that moment they were leading Afghan out. Mr Holditch looked at him and said, "Yes; but he carries too much weight." "How's that? where is the weight?" I asked, "Oh," said he, "It's the weight of self-importance." (Roars of laughter) and at that moment out they brought Baronet. "Well," I said, "he looks a good 'un," "Yes" said friend Holditch "He may be little, but he's very good." (Cheers.) "Well," I said, "What makes him such a favourite with the people!" "Don't you know?" he asked "he was bred in these parts." (Cheers.) "Who's that good looking man leading him and holding the bridle?" "What don't you know him?" he said, "That's Sepping's." (Renewed laughter.) At that moment, with a flourish and a kick, out came the Hopeless Colt, and just as he was passing Baronet, he let fly with his heels, and nearly knocked off Mr. Sepping's hat. I said "He doesn't seem to like Seppings," "No, he doesn't," answered Mr. Holditch. Then out came Political Fledgling. I looked at him and said "Well, he's a big un," and Mr. Holditch said, "Yes, well he's rather long in the legs, I must own." (Laughter.)

By this time the horses were got to the post, and before I could say any more they were all off, and Afghan at once went to the front. The first fence was marked "Vaccination" and they all shied at that. (Laughter.) However, they all managed to get over, and they went along together till I saw a tall man with a white beard, who called out to Afghan "Come here; here's a short cut through the oil mill." (Much laughter.) In went Afghan, and in went Hopeless Colt, and up came Baronet and Political Fledgling, but he shut the doors in their faces. But they did not care about that, and went round, and I saw that when they came out on the other side they were just in the same position as before. Now they were coming down the turn into the straight, and they got up to a big fence, marked "Foreign policy." Afghan at once showed to the front like a man, and he went at it with such a plunge that in going through the fence he knocked it down, and all the others went through without any difficulty. There was now only one jump left, and that, I thought, was a large water jump, labelled "Fishery Orders," (cheers), and on each side were a lot of fishermen. As they came up, Hopeless Colt turned right round and went off in another direction. Baronet was first over, then Afghan, and then Political Fledgling, and they then went straight for home. As they came for the last time into the straight I could hear the people shout, and I saw that Afghan was done. Baronet went clear ahead; Afghan and Political Fledgling going neck and neck after him. I saw Sir Lewis Jarvis's yellow hat go into his pocket, (Laughter.)

I heard a tremendous cry going up over the whole course, and I said, "Who's first?" and was answered, "Baronet's won." (Cheers.) And then I said, "Who's second?" Gentleman that is the question you will answer next Thursday. (Loud and continued cheering.)

The election for two members took place on 1 April 1880. The voting was:
Sir W. Ffolkes 1281
Hon. Robert Bourke 1252
Lord Claud Hamilton 1188
Frank Lockwood 1143