Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

1877, August 31, Friday 

Miss S Dix called and arranged for funeral of Mr Joseph Dix to take place at 2 pm on Tuesday next.

Administered H.C. to Widow Cakebread and her granddaughter the school mistress.

Sent brandy to Reuben Sabin’s wife who is about to be confined and is very ill.

1877, September 2, Sunday 

Holy Communion 37 communicants, offertories for Indian Famine Relief Fund, morning £1.4.8, evening £2.2.8, total £3.7.4.

Someone put a sovereign into the bag this evening, and the number of small coins was very great.

Visited Elizabeth Gibbs; gave her wine, also James Barnes who still seems very feeble, but attends his duties.

Visited Mrs Mawle this evening.

1877, September 3, Monday

Wrote to Rev J V Mummery, Book Society, 28 Paternoster Row asking him to recommend us to Miss Wollaston of Tunbridge Wells for a grant towards the cost of establishing a Lending Library.

Applied for grant from Rebecca Hussey’s Book Charity to J M Clabon Esq, 21 Great George Street, Westminster.

Extremely wet all day.

Frederick George Howe died at sea Lat 28.20 N, Long 21:30 W, age 24 on voyage to Sydney.

1877, September 4, Tuesday 

Mr Joseph Dix buried at 2 pm on north side of church. Deep grave leaving room for a second coffin. The subsoil is whitish sand. It fell in last night bringing down the head and foot stone from the late Mrs Shelswell’s grave.

Visited Mr and Mrs Routh junior, Buckingham, the allotments at Little Sibford, Widow Keene, Mrs S Woolgrove. Conversed with Joseph Manning and Richard Scruby and Hathaway the ??? about their allotments. The latter says he has a very good piece of corn. The swedes seem to have been a failure.

Conversed with Holthom; Baker, Widow Lines and John Roberts.

Visited Joshua Lines’s wife. She is better.

1877, September 5, Wednesday

Visited Widow Keene. Met Mr and Mrs Nettleship of Barton on the Heath in road between “gate hangs high” and “Wigginton Heath”. Their carriage had broken down and I rendered them what help I could.

1877, September 6, Thursday

Visited Elizabeth Gibbs. Doctor says she cannot last long.

Juno bit Routh in leg.

Visited Mr Routh, not at home, and Mrs Shelswell.

1877, September 9, Sunday

Visited Elizabeth Gibbs, Mr Woolgrove and Joshua Lines’s wife.

Mr Montagu walked over this evening and had prayers.

I visited and taught in Boys’ Sunday School this morning.

Some boys who pretend to go to the Methodists’ Sunday School were wandering about when, to my mind, they ought to have been at school or chapel. I spoke to them but it did not appear to have any good effect. I spoke last week to Widow Lines of Sibford Ferris about her boys doing this, but she merely said that she thought I must be mistaken.

1877, September 10, Monday

Dined at Mr Cookes’s at Tadmarton this evening. Rev Walter and Mrs Bourchier were there. It is the latter’s first visit to this part of the country. I invited Mr Bourchier to preach at Sibford next Sunday, but he did not promise to do so.

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Read about the Rev Edward Stevens here.