Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Damp morning.

Service with Sermon at 7 pm.

Paid Dr Routh my account for year 11/6.

Drove Bell and Frank to Brailes ; called at Vicarage – no one at home.

Rain nearly all day.

Paid Miss Harris my subscription to B. & F. Bible Society – 10/-.

Cutting from Banbury Advertiser, 26 February 1885

DRUNK IN COURT.—Thomas Messinger, labourer, Tadmarton, was charged with being drunk in Court, on February 5th.—Defendant pleaded guilty. There were two previous convictions.—Supt. Wyatt deposed that defendant was summoned to this court upon a charge of being drunk, at Tadmarton, on the 24th January.—Defendant: I didn’t have a swallow of beer in Tadmarton all that day.—Witness (continuing) said defendant appeared in Court to answer that charge very drunk and noisy, and had to be removed out of Court.—The Chairman: That makes three times within the last twelve months. You have to pay some money to-day for the last conviction. Are you going to pay it.—Defendant: No, sir. I should have paid it if this affair had not turned up.—The Chairman: You will be fined £1 including costs. That will make £2 11s. 6d. you have to pay—Defendant said he had no goods, and no money, and was sent to gaol for six weeks, with hard labour.

Visited Widow Thomas Manning and John Manning’s wife. They are respectable people but are badly off, as he was ruined by failure of Oxford Building Society. I gave him 10/- to pay his children’s School fees, as they pay 3d per week each being tradesman’s children.

Visited John Reason.

William Hall called for money for hedging at the Heath Farm.

Took tea at Miss Dix’s with their cousin Rev. Edward Dix and his sister. Mr Mann and his son Walter were there – Walter having been formerly a pupil of Mr Dix’s.

Held Girls’ Confirmation Class at 5 pm at Vicarage.

Taught in Boys’ School this morning.

Holy Communion offertory 10/- Organ.

Mrs Woolgrove called to see Rosa this evening.