After a hundred years as a jail in the 1880s and John Gurney put up the then considerable sum of £5,000 to help move the existing Norfolk and Norwich Museum into the building from its home on St Andrews Street.
[4] In 1874 he gave a large contribution towards the purchase of Ham House and grounds (to which he had succeeded) by the Corporation of the City of London, to serve as a public open space, now known as West Ham Park.
Isabel was born on 20 Dec 1851 in Wroxham House, Norfolk and died on 22 Feb 1932 aged 80.
John and Isabel had seven children: On retiring from the position of mayor in 1886, Gurney's health was failing, so he and his wife sought relaxation on the shores of the Mediterranean at Cannes, France, where he died on 24 Feb 1887 aged 41.
[13] An earthquake, which occurred at Cannes at the time of his visit, is supposed to have indirectly caused his death.