Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Received papers respecting School Inspection from Education Department. Visited School this afternoon and Brass Band practice this evening.

Visited my tenant’s children who have diseased bones (a boy and a girl). They have undergone several operations at the Radcliffe and have recently been to a sanatorium at Margate whence they returned a few days ago. They are nice children and much to be pitied.

Bell and I walked round Tyne Hill and Sibford Ferris.

Advent Sunday. Snow. No choir practice this evening.

Visited the Misses Dix. Coming out from their house about 9 pm I saw old Anna Aris in the road. She said she wanted to speak to me if I would go into her house. I did so, when she seemed in great distress and asked me to read a letter from her bastard grandson “Tommy” Aris, who left her for a situation over a year ago, having run away from it and left two or three others in an unsatisfactory manner, I suppose, now wrote to ask her to let him come back again, “Do dear Granny,” he wrote, “do, let me come back again, do granny, I’ll be a good boy, I promise I will if you’ll only forgive me this once, I’m at Wolverhampton and can’t get no work, there’s such lots out here, and I’ve got nothing to eat but what they give me, and no clothes except what I has on, and nowhere to lie down at nights, and it is 60 miles to walk from here – O do Granny do let me come back,” and so on. The old woman was evidently much concerned and said she would give everything she had if she only had him with her – she feared he might be starved or frozen to death. I told her she had not much reason to fear that, there was greater fear lest he should get into “trouble” and be sent to prison. I gave her 2/- as she said she had sent him almost her last penny, and asked her to let me know when he arrived that I might see and talk to him, and try to persuade him to do better than he had done.

A rapid thaw set in this afternoon.

Charles Holder called, and I promised to put his name down for a 2 acre allotment.

Visited Anna Aris. She was not in, but I saw her daughter Betty Wilks who said the boy had not arrived, and her mother was in a sad way about him.

Divine Service at 7 pm.

Much rain, so that I could not go to the School Attendance Committee at Banbury as I had intended.

Taught in School this afternoon. Visited Canon Payne who was downstairs and better. Miss A. Norris and Miss Powell were there.