Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

The sale of Larch trees by Mr Fowler Auctioneer of Banbury took place at the Heath today. Anna Wilks came and asked me to fill up an application to the Board of Guardians for relief for her daughter Mary who has had two or three more fits.

Joshua Lamb, son of Richard Lamb called for Rates of £1. 10. for Loggin Land. He told me that the Total Abstinence members of the Sibford Benefit Club wished me to write a letter to the Secretary in support of their views which might be read at the next meeting. I told him they should come and ask me themselves.

Visited Mr Woolgrove and handed him 1/6 for Church which Miss Dix had sent me as given her by someone since Sunday for that purpose. Mr Woolgrove said some persons had told him that if they had known of the collection for that purpose they would have put some (or more than they did) into the offertory bag. I told him they might send it now. He said he told them he would be very happy to receive all they were prepared to give. I added that the idea of giving the offertory for that purpose did not enter my mind till that morning and that was too late to give any more notice than I did.

Mr. Woolgrove told me the timber fetched from £60 to £70 which was not quite so much as they had hoped. The timber merchants had apparently conspired to have the sale all in their own hands. But he told Joseph Manning to bid against them and that the Trustees would indemnify him against any loss. Had this not been done he thinks the amount realized would have come much short of what it is.

Visited Richard Haines whose baby is still very bad – wasting away with its cough. Visited Richard Scruby and Widow Ann Lines.

Service at 6.30 this evening.

One of Mr. R. Lamb’s sons called and asked me to sign a petition for the entire closing of public houses on Sundays. I signed it as I think it would be a good thing on the whole – but I told him distinctly that I should have signed it with less reluctance if it had proposed to allow the houses to be open for an hour or two for the sale of beer not to be consumed on the premises. For that Rich men could get what they wanted in their Clubs and it was not well to propose one law for the rich and another for the poor. Remembering the riots which took place in London a few years ago when a similar law to what this petition proposes was passed but which was soon repealed I told him I thought it very unlikely to be successful.

Went to Oxford to try on clothes at Taylor’s. Called on Mr Hughes. He was leaving for London that afternoon. I took Mr Kirkland with me.