Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

1884, August 8, Friday 

Intensely hot. Visited Mrs Horsman, Charlotte Harris, Mary Lively, Mrs Elley, Thomas Webb, Susan Hands (out).

Wrote to Local Government Board stating case of Sally Green and saying I feared the Guardians would do nothing. Asked them whether they could not order her removal as a Pauper Lunatic of indecent conduct.

1884, August 9, Saturday  a

I wrote last week to the Surveyor of the Bloxham and Banbury Highway Board about the filthy condition of the pond opposite my house. He called this morning and said it was hardly the business of the Highway board to clean it out. I reminded him that the Board had done it once in consequence of an application made to them after a Vestry Meeting in Sibford Gower summoned for the purpose. He says it is not on the Highway, but on the “waste” and therefore it is not the business of the Highway Board. If it were a nuisance it would be the duty of the Rural Sanitary Authority to suppress it.

Mr Bonner called, and I told him I had written to the Local Government Board about Sally Green.

Visited Mrs Horsman. Received £51.1.10 from Simpkin Marshall and Co on account of sales of the Analytical Classical Series for half-year ending June 30th.

The cuttings pasted in the diary pages for this date are from the Banbury Advertiser of 14th August and contain a report on the Board of Guardians meeting of 7th August, which is where we have included them.

1884, August 10, Sunday 

Visited Boys and Girls School. Humphrey Sabin’s boy Henry was there and one or two others in expectation of the Sunday School treat. although they have been going to the Methodists’ Sunday School. I told them I could not encourage such behaviour as that and  that only those who really belonged to our Sunday School would be allowed to come to our tea. The Methodists’ Sunday School have had their treat, and though they condescend to entice our children away, I will not lend myself to any reprisals of that kind.

Visited Susan Hunt and Mrs Shelswell.

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Read about the Rev Edward Stevens here.