Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

I drove Bell, Katie and Frank to Banbury when Katie returned to Westbrook.

Bell took Frank to Mr Heygate Brooks, the Dentist to have some teeth extracted.

Bought at expense of Town Estate, about 10/- worth of clothing for wife of Adams junior a young labourer in employ of Mr Mann and whom he brought from Chesham. She has 5 children under 4 years of age, two of whom are twins. They are very poor and are both extremely young.

Baptized Richard Haines’s baby. Harriet Woolgrove (wife of Samuel) came to vestry and I spoke to her about her sister Mrs Barton, asking whether she and her sisters etc had reason to believe that the talk about her and Charles Holtom was true. She said she could not say but that none of her family approved of her conduct and they all shunned her. She burst into tears about it.

Received a note from Mr Izat Rector of Wroxton asking me to preach Harvest Thanksgiving Sermon at Balscote on 24th inst. which I consented to.

Visited Hannah Keene, Mrs Horsman, Mrs Elley, John Hathaway.

Paid Horsman for fixing galvanized iron tank at school house in place of the slate one which had been burst by the frost.

Miss Dix brought her aunt, Mrs Joseph Dix to tea with Rosa. Webb wheeled her home afterwards in the chair.

Mrs Leaver (daughter of Eliza Lamb) wife of Charles(?) Leaver who keeps the Wykham Arms called and asked me whether I could let her husband have an allotment of 2 acres, or at least a quarter acre piece. I told her I would think of it and let him know.

She also said they would like to have a pew in the Church. I referred her to the Church wardens.

Went to St Leonards to see Rev H Powell, St Paul’s House, Upper Maze Hill, about the preparatory school he wishes to transfer. I wrote him yesterday asking him to send me a line to the Post Office at Hastings asking him at what time tomorrow he would be able to show me the place.

I put up at Warrior House but it was so full they sent me to 32 Warrior Square to sleep.

Very hot. Called on Rev H. Powell at 4.30 by his appointment. It seems a nice place enough – but Orellana & Co told me there were 18 pupils at from £80 to £150 and it turns out that there are only 14 pupils at an average of £80, some being less than £50. The accommodation is not large – even for the present number, and there are only 4 years of lease to run. He asks £500 for goodwill, or rather guineas and 100 guineas for lease. I would not mind £500 for goodwill if there were 18 pupils at from £80 to £150 – but do not consider the School in its present state worth what he asks for it.