Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Attended Guardians Meeting at Banbury.

Rural Sanitary Authority elected H. O. White late grocer and publican who has had no experience in sanitary matters – but a local man, as Sanitary Inspector at a salary of £130 per annum, over the heads of several men who hold the certificate of the Sanitary Institute of Great Britain and have had several years experience. But the Farmers for the most part voted for the Local man, who polled 24. Merrie a highly qualified Certificated Officer from Bedford got 22. All the magistrates and better class of guardians voted in the minority.

Dr Routh called this evening.

Ann Gardner, our cook went home unwell. Webb drove her to Balscote.

Visited B. Aris; Hathaway; John Reason; and Hone senior.

Eleanor Hone sent me a note asking me to let her have her boy Joseph’s money out of the Penny Bank as she wants to go to Bedford to see her daughter. I sent word that I could not do that.

Cold and windy. Visited allotments at Heath and examined state or repair of field barn.

Taught Boys’ School this morning. Rain and thunder in afternoon.

Saw John Horsman about repairs and flagstones at School doors. Arranged that the broken flags should be taken up – the slabs of slate from the old cistern at the school house to be put down in their places, and a new galvanised iron cistern to be provided for the school house.

Rain all afternoon. Jesse Bishop called about repairs at the Heath Farm.

Printed sermon notices for Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution.

Rain nearly all day.

Drove Cassie to Brailes and Winderton.

Elizabeth Grimey (late servant at Dr Routh’s) who came as temporary servant last Friday, left today.

Mr Woolgrove called this evening.

Visited school this morning.

Punished Herbert Lines at his mother’s request for playing truant. He has been away 33 out of 40 times.

Visited Miss Somerton.

Mr Elley came and helped to carry Rosa down stairs in the absence of our cook, the temporary woman not being strong enough.

Miss Dix returned from Shropshire and called with some wildflowers for Rosa.

Robert Austin called about Farm. Said he could not get on with Bishop – he would give £10 a year for the lower part of the farm, if Bishop would give £50 for the upper including the house, and the Trustees would accept them as separate tenants.

Widow Humphrey Sabin came to work for the day, but like most of her class is very inefficient in domestic work.