Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Mr and Mrs Featherstone came to tea. Harry had returned from Marlboro in a hurry owing to outbreak of fever at the school.

Bell went to Cheltenham. I took tea with Mr and Mrs Featherstone.

Called on Rev L. J. Lee, New College. He gave me nominations of assistant curacy of Sandford on Thames which I accepted at the nominal stipend of £30 per annum. The “living” is worth £90 without a house. “Father Faber” the Hymn writer was one of my predecessors. The stipend will barely pay for my driving over to the services.

Wrote to Bishop of Oxford (Mackarness) forwarding my nomination to curacy of Sandford on Thames. I walked to Sandford this evening. Time in going 1 hour 8 minutes.

Miss Wait, Mrs Prowse and Rosa came from Northfleet.

Miss (blank), Mrs Prowse went on to Bristol. Bell returned from Cheltenham. I wrote to the Bishop of Oxford.

Received letter from Bishop of Oxford saying he had added my name to his list for the September Ordination.

Went on river this afternoon to row with Mr. Hoggins.

Rosa returned from Chew Stoke.

Cheque £1.1s. to Charles Cox at Parson’s Pleasure, Harry’s Swimming Master.

Walked to Cuddesdon.

Drove to Cuddesdon for ordination. Arrived at the Palace at 7.30 pm and was put up there.

Examination commenced by Professor E. Palmer and Mr Ince with Mr Furse acting as Archdeacon. Bishop extremely kind and genial.

Ordained Deacon in Cuddesdon Church and licensed to Sandford on Thames.

Returned from Cuddesdon to Oxford.

Commenced duty at Sandford. Read prayers in morning, preached in afternoon. Drove over in a cab, back with Mr Lee.

Went to London, put up at Mr Hole’s.

Went to Islington. Called on Rev W E Coghlan, Curate of St Paul’s, Covent Garden, and dined with him.

Called on Mrs J Brown, Senior. Went to Islington. Called on Welsford, Meyer, Fairmaner and Luckin with Hole.

Breakfasted with Tom Brown. Went to Mountain’s in evening.

Hole being Curate of St Michael’s, Stockwell, I was invited to preach this afternoon and to read prayers in the evening, which I did. During the afternoon service time the Rev Watson, MA, formerly Headmaster of the Stockwell Grammar School, living in a street close by, murdered his wife under circumstances of great horror. Of course the deed was not known till the evening at the earliest, as there was no one else in the house at the time. He was doubtless insane and was ultimately acquitted on the ground of insanity and ordered to be detained during Her Majesty’s pleasure.

I went to Mr Estall’s to supper this evening.