Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Visited school. Called on Mrs Ellis, but did not see her husband. She says he wanders in mind very much.

Mr Woolgrove called this evening. He has been collecting the subscriptions from the occupiers of pews to pay church expenses. Mr Hitchcox collected in Burdrop. Mrs Eliza Lamb laid £1 and a half sovereign on the table and told Mr H to take which he liked. He took the half sovereign.

Mrs Prophett of Little Sibford offered Mr Woolgrove 1/-. He refused to take it and said she must give up her pew. She replied that she would not give up the pew so long as she lived, and gave him 2/-, saying that it was only since I had come to Sibford that she had been called on to pay. Mr W replied that I did not trouble myself about it, but that it was the churchwardens’ business to collect the money and pay the bills.