Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Taught School this morning and attended Choir practice this evening.

Received from Skinner & Son cheque for apples sold, amounting to £12.12. My expenses this side were about £2.12 besides Webb’s time. There were 72 bushels of 56 lbs. The cost of freight by carrier and rail was a very heavy item.

Drove Kitty to Brailes and Winderton, Frank accompanying us. Kitty told us of Mr Mountain’s Gardener who was fond of fine words – Mrs M. asked him where a certain young cockerel was

“O, he’s secluded, mem, I thought it better to hisolate ‘im for the pro tem.”

I called to see John Horsman a day or two ago. He has been very ill with a sort of rheumatic attack. But he told me he thought he’d “had a lack o’ Paradise, or whatever it is as they calls it you know Sir.”

Visited Joseph Messenger, Joshua Green, Jesse Green, Benjamin Aris senior, Widow Bond, Widow Barnes, Charles Barnes, Thomas Wilks, Charlotte Harris, Susan Hunt, Anna Aris, Mrs Shelswell.

Visited school this morning and taught.

Visited John Reason, Bodfish, Jane Legge, Thomas Green, Thomas Holland, John Horsman, Ezra Green.

Mrs Hiorns called and asked me to write to Mr Ommanney recommending her to have charge of the orphan child of the late Mr Hawtin, Solicitor of Banbury, to whom he is appointed Guardian and who, she says wishes to place him with some one who will take care of him. He is 5 years old. I wrote to Mr O. and said only what I was justified in saying – viz that Mrs H. was a kind hearted woman who would do her best for the child if in other respects she was the sort of person required; but that she has no children at home.

Visited David Hone Senior, William Holland, Joseph dale, Thomas Aris, George Payne, William Barnes.

Cold East wind.

Inspected Sibford Ferris allotments.

Visited George Payne, John Reason.

Spoke again to Eleanor Hone about having the man Mumford living in her house, although she is not married to him, and reminded her that the 3 months of their banns would soon be out. She said the man never had enough money to get married with, he spent it all in drink. I told her I would marry them for nothing and lend her the money to pay the clerk his fee – but that she ought not to have the man there until they were married. She told me Mumford was brother to Dorcas Scruby’s mother – a bad lot to the backbone, I am afraid.

Attended Brass Band this evening.

Charles Barnes called and said he had no coal for Church fires, Mr Woolgrove having omitted to send it. So I told him to order some at Charles Lines’s to go on with.