Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Wet.

Rehearsal for Choral Festival at Banbury, Christ Church. Gascoigne took the choir. I drove Miss S Dix and Rosa.

Drove to Brailes with Rosa. Miss Honor Braddell was there. Observed horses in allotments as I passed. On returning saw them in the pound. Tay the blacksmith told me they belonged to Stephen Hands.

Very wet.

Visited Boys’ School this afternoon and taught. Preached at Brailes this evening, Mr Smith being rather unwell.

Thomas Wilks called and complained of damage done to his allotment by Stephen Hands’ horses on Saturday. Said he would go to Mr Norris about it. I wrote to Stephen Hands about cutting the larch trees, calling on him for an explanation and apology and suggesting that he should compensate the men whose crops had been injured by his horses.

Choral Festival at Great Tew. The choir went from here in the covered carts belonging to the carriers John Harris and Gascoigne both of whom are in the choir. It being very wet at the time we intended to start

Mrs Stevens, Rosa myself did not get there till after 12 o’clock. The choir left Sibford at 7 and arrived in good time for rehearsal at 9.30. It was raining very heavily when we started home in evening, but cleared up after all our rugs had got wet. Mr Smith, Sophie, Minnie and Annie went to the festival.

Mrs Way ill with rheumatism.

I ordered materials for slating barn at Heath Farm of Davis and Son, Builders etc, Banbury.

Received letter from Mr Stephen Hands explaining that the late Mr Mawle had given him permission to cut the larch on his farm for mounding, but apologising if he had done anything wrong. I replied to the effect that I would lay his letter before the feoffees, and told him to ask me in future before culling the timber.

Very wet – did not go out.