Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Taught in Boys School this morning and choir in the evening.

Bell and I visited Mrs John Manning on the Hill who broke her leg a few weeks ago. She cannot yet get about very well.

Barber Haines called. I paid him for Banbury Advertiser in advance to end of January. He said he would pay his allotment rent as soon as he could sell his swedes.

Thomas Lamb and John West called at my request about the Band accounts. They had no memoranda at all to show what had been paid and by whom, previous to their coming to me, though they had received £14 or £15. They did not know exactly what the bill for the instruments amounted to, nor how much they had borrowed from Mr Wrench.

Drove Bell, Kitty and Frank to Tadmarton. Called on the Smiths at the Rectory. but they were not at home.

It was intensely cold. Attended Band practice this evening.

Miss Dix came to tea with Rosa. Miss Mann and her sister Emma were invited, but they wrote to say they could not come as their mother was unwell and they did not like to leave her.

Attended Guardians meeting at Banbury. Kitty Rogers and Frank went too, with Webb behind. Fine in morning, wet in afternoon.

Webb is clipping the mace today, for the first time this season.

Visited School. Summoned Library Committee for next Tuesday evening.

Called on Ezra Green.

Spoke to Charles Lines’s wife about her sister, Mrs Barton. She seemed certain that what was said about her and Charles Holtom was true.

Mr Woolgrove came this evening to talk about the Farm. He had not been able to arrange with the Farm Committee to go round, as Mr Page did not want to have anything to do with apportioning the rent between the two sitting tenants if they wanted to keep on. I told Mr Woolgrove that was of little or no importance. The chief object of the Farm Committee in going over the farm was to see its condition, as regards both cultivation and repair. He had somewhat misunderstood my previous request.

Mr Woolgrove and I decided to ask £80 for the lower side of the farm and £50 for the upper. He said he was going to Oxford with Robert Austin tomorrow and would speak to him about the matter.