Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

1872, April 4, Thursday

Hole and I went to London. Called at Longman’s and Spottiswoode’s. Mr Reader told us that the London School Board had rejected the U.K.S. because of an allusion to Ananias and Sapphira in a lesson on truthfulness.

1872, April 7, Sunday

Drove to Sandford. Mr Lee had Mr Wickham’s pony who ran away with him at Littlemore on the return journey, pitched Lee out but without hurting him. I picked him up. His pony went all the way to Oxford near the Railway Station without committing any damage to any one or thing except himself and the carriage. Harry was with me. Lee was wonderfully upset by the accident, and as pale as possible when I picked him up.

1872, April 10, Wednesday 

Drove to Sandford. Agreed to give £100 a year for the house in Bradmore Road on condition of certain improvements being made.

Rev ?James? Young spent the evening here.

1872, May 14, Tuesday

Met Mr Chamberlain of Norwich at breakfast at the Clarendon. He said the Church of St John Maddermarket was vacant. It was in the gift of New College. Might he ask them to appoint me? I replied that it was kind of him, but it would not suit me to go there.

Bell went to Cheltenham, her mother being very ill.

1872, May 20, Monday

Wrote to Mr Richardson, solicitor of Bristol, and sent present of book to his son. “Alice in Wonderland” and “Alice through the Looking Glass”. I did this as some return for what I thought Mr Richardson’s kindness in not charging me for what he did in the case of myself v. Bessell, for when I proposed to pay him he asked me not to mention it. I know him before as acting in W B Morgan’s ??? when I was one of his creditors and was made Trustee. He afterwards sent in his bill in which he showed great liberality to himself.

1872, June 2, Sunday

My “contract” pony cast a shoe as Harry was driving him from Ayers’s. So I had to hire another from the Lamb and Flag and paid 9/- for it. I was very late at church, but Lee suspected what had happened.

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Read about the Rev Edward Stevens here.