Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Visited Hands. He has not secured the services of anyone to attend to his wife.

Visited Widow Cakebread, Mrs Joseph Dix. Mentioning quite incidentally the “Award” to James Barnes, my clerk and saying I supposed he had never seen it, he said he thought he had, and on further thought and enquiry he brought it to me from his house, saying Mr Bourchier gave it to him some years ago to take care of and he had almost forgotten that he had, as no one had asked him for it.

Preached at Brailes this evening for Mr Smith who was unwell.

Divine Service at 10 a.m.

L. Poulton called and told me that the barn at the Heath Farm measured 68ft by 20½ that the part which was down measured about 23 feet.

The whole roof is about 20 squares i.e. 2000 sq.ft.

3400 slates would be required for the whole; or 11000 tiles. The cost of roofing the whole would be about £100.

Administered Holy Communion to Widow Cakebread. Miss S. Dix and Rosa, and Mrs Lovell (Widow Cakebread’s daughter) also communicated.

Visited School.

Divine Service 10 a.m. Rev. C. F. Wyatt, a Feoffee, died. Went to Banbury and paid Clothing Account for Charity also books accounts.

Eliza Lamb’s bastard died.

Mr Hiorns called early this morning and told me that Mr Woolgrove was at his house last night and told him that the Labourers Union Members here were intending to come to the Vestry Meeting next Monday and get if possible one of themselves elected Churchwarden.

Divine Service at 10 a.m.

Visited Widow Manning. gave her 2/6. She says she is attending the Horton Infirmary every Monday.

Visited Mary Lively with whom I spoke about Mrs Hands.

Met Mrs Horsman Senior who said her daughter in law (Fred’s wife) was doing very well. Called on Widow Wyatt, who said her other daughter was getting on pretty well, but not quite as well as Mrs Horsman.

Visited Thomas Manning. W. H. Golder of Hook Norton Road has been writing to the “English Labourer” this week and commenting very severely on Joseph Manning’s conduct as Secretary of the Club.

Visited Mr Woolgrove and arranged with him to go together to Mr Hitchcox tonight and talk over the matter of the Easter Vestry. We went. Mr. Hitchcox expressed a strong desire to retire from the Churchwardenship on account of certain unkind things that had been said about him. I told him I could not hear of it, and that this would be a very unfit time to show the white feather, and make it appear to the Labourers that the “parson” and the farmers could not get on well together. Mr Woolgrove also expressed a desire to be relieved of his office, but agreed to hold on, as this would be a very bad time to change.

I learnt today that W. H. Golder it was who wrote and forwarded me an anonymous letter last year.