Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

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.

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.

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.

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.

Visited Elizabeth Gibbs. Doctor says she cannot last long.

Juno bit Routh in leg.

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

Visited Elizabeth Gibbs.

Went to Banbury. Harry returned from Bridlington. Drove Mrs Elley into Banbury.

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.

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.

I wrote to Miss Wollaston of Tunbridge Wells last week asking for a contribution to the Library fund but have not yet heard from her.

Received notice of payment to Lands’ Improvement Company becoming due from Feoffees of Sibford Charity Estate on 25th inst.