Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Choir practice for choral festival under Mr Wells.

Visited Miss Dix.

The Lancashire Insurance Company to whom the insurance of the church has been transferred have inserted a clause in the policy “warranted that no supply of mineral oil” is kept in the church. I pointed this out to Mr Woolgrove last week and he spoke to Mr Fox, the agent. He therefore wrote to the office. In their reply they said we should keep the oil outside the church or in a brick vault. I requested Mr Fox this evening to inform the company that we could not do anything of the kind, that we ordered only 2 gallons of oil at a time, that other offices did not make such a stipulation, and that if they did not cancel it from the policy we should not renew. Mr Fox quite agreed with me that it was an unreasonable clause.

Mr ?Elley? told me last Friday that he had taken more school pence lately than ever before. So that my action with respect to the charity is having some good effect, since regularity in paying school fees represents to some extent regularity in attendance.

Visited Meadows who is laid up with a bad leg. Conversed for some time with his wife who tells me that Michael Woolgrove of Sibford Ferris is her brother. Their father kept a little school at Sibford Ferris and did land measuring.

Visited John Padbury whose mind appears to be becoming affected. He tells me his father died in the mad house at Hook Norton.

Visited Mrs Reason whose husband is mentally afflicted. She tells me she has three lodgers now, the last comer being a young man formerly a teacher in the Friends’ school but who was disciplined for drunkenness and for some time lived at Mrs Prophett’s the beer shop Little Sibford, to the scandal of the place whether justly or not. He works as a labourer for Mr Routh.

Visited Buckingham who with his family have lately come from Swalcliffe. Wife appears weak and poorly. Gave her some wine.

Visited Mr Scruby. Wife better, but not at home.

Called on the young woman Hone and gave her 2/- for attending to Mrs Hands.

Visited Old Payne and his daughter on Little Sibford Hill.

Visited Widow Manning, gave her 2/6 and spoke about her going to the Horton Infirmary as an in-patient. She proposes to leave her children at home under the care of her daughter Fanny.

Went to Banbury and ordered 2 dozen wine for charity.

Received forms from Charity Commissioners in which they describe Sibford as in the parish of Swalcliffe.

Henry Sabin’s daughter came over this evening asking whether I could give them some champagne as the Doctor said it was the only thing that would do them any good. I had none in the house but was able to borrow a bottle of “Sillery” from Mrs Shelswell.