Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Spent nearly all the morning at the Heath farm, inspecting repairs that have been done and giving orders for others.

Mrs Charles Hands died about 3 pm, having been bedridden many years.

Visited Elizabeth Gibbs, Geydon, at the Farm at the Cross. Lewis Poulton, not at home., Mrs Innes, Mrs Austin, Widow Cakebread, Mrs Thomas Coleman, Mrs Barton and the school. Paid Mrs Coleman 4/- for attending to the late Mrs Hands.

Lent cricket bats etc for boys to play in the evenings to get them out of the streets and keep them from mischief. Called on Mr Hiorns; he was not at home, but Mrs Hiorns gave permission for them to play on their dairy ground.

Robert Braddell went to Oxford to matriculate. Thomas Braddell came out on a visit.

Called on Mr Hiorns this evening. He said the boys might play on his field if they would behave well – bad language, smoking, etc he would not allow. He said they might play till 8.30.

Boys at cricket. Two boys called on me and complained that the elder ones would not let them play. I went up and enquired and found that these two ?Bond? and 2nd Spicer had turned themselves out of the game.

Visited Boys’ School morning and afternoon.

Visited

• Hands, who was getting his dinner in the room in which the uncoffined corpse of his wife lay.
• Widow Cakebread.
• Mrs Shelswell, with whom and her patient Miss Smith, I took tea.
• Dr Routh, with whom I took supper.
• Michael Woolgrove with whom I had a long conversation.

St Barnabas. Service at 9½. Went to Worthen on a visit to Mr and Mrs Lee, having made arrangements with Mr Harvey, curate of Hook Norton to bury Mrs Hands’ remains tomorrow at 6 pm.

Returned from Worthen. James Barnes, my clerk, was taken ill whilst digging a grave in the churchyard last Monday and has not been able to do anything since.

Banns of Marriage of Fox and Webb are out today. Banns of Sydney Bond and Eliza Green were put up.

Intensely hot weather.

Service in evening at 6.30. A very good number of men. Morning congregation not so good, only 101 beside children being present.

Visited Mrs W Fox who has been  unwell ever since Club day.

Widow Cakebread.

Miss Dix (not at home). Charles Hands has asked her to collect money and pay the expenses of burying his late wife. I told Miss S. Dix that I thought it would be only encouraging his laziness. He ought to go to work like other men, and he might put by a little every week to pay for the coffin, etc.

Visited James Barnes but did not see him. Talked with his wife, daughter and son Charles.

Visited Mr and Mrs Ellis.

Talked with Joshua Aris’s wife who said her husband was too ill to work four or five days last week.