Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Sent notices to John Holtom and Austin Hillman to pay rents for Sibford Ferris allotments.

John Lines called about his Sibford Ferris allotments, said he wished to give two of them up at once. I told him he must give notice in the usual way. He said he would not do anything to them and would not pay the rent. I told him I should have to sue him if he did not. He said he knew that as soon as he got them into good order I should take them away from him and give them to someone else. He was altogether very rude.

Visited Misses Dix and Hannah Keene. She said her feet were so numb that she had “no feelth in ‘em, only a bad feelth.” Other thoughts will enter when you’re praying, “out ‘em, Sir? They be ever wanderin’ about ben’t ‘em Sir?”

Visited school. 85 children present.

Concerning the funeral of a man who was living with his aunt, purporting to be his wife: “It was rather doubtful whether the body of the man ought to have been taken into the Church at all as he died whilst living with a woman to whom he could not legally have been married. I debated the matter in my own mind but came to the conclusion that religion and the Church would, on the whole, best be served by making no difference between his funeral and another.