Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Mr Elley came this evening with his school accounts, and stayed to supper as usual.

Visited Phoebe Payne.

Bell and I visited William Hall and Sarah Hone his mother.

Mr Woolgrove called this morning about the insurance of the Church. We have hitherto paid £2.6.6 per annum as insurance on £2000 in “Lancashire” or “Liverpool” I forget which – of which Mr W. Fox is agent. Mr Prescott of Banbury, Agent to the Hand in Hand offers to take it at 1/6 per cent and to return ¼ of the premium annually as a bonus after the second payment. Mr W. wanted me to give him the old policy in order to have a new one prepared on similar lines, but it appeared that F. Inns the people’s Churchwarden had obtained it from C. Barnes. I sent about from one to another for it and at last some one found it in Inns’s coat pocket – his wife, I believe, thought he could not be found, being away at work. I told Charles that in future he must not give anything out of the iron chest without my orders, except in my absence, when my Churchwarden would act on my behalf. Valuable documents were likely to be lost if such a rule were not attended to.

Sharp frost on top of half thawed snow. Very slippery, so that I could not go into Banbury as I had intended.

Visited Emma Lines, Joseph Lines, Widow Hillman, Richard Haines. Spoke to him about the Brass Band, the members of which are very anxious that he should join them. He cannot afford to pay as they have done, having a large family; but Mr Oddie, Dr Routh and the Band members have all expressed their willingness to help him in that matter. So I told him, but I did not press for an answer. I suggested that he should go up and have a talk with the Bandsmen.

Visited Mr Ainge. Saw him and his daughter. Paid him £1 for half ton of straw, and her 6/6 for a goose.

I received by post this morning a most extraordinary and insulting letter, from Mrs Hewings, shopkeeper and late postmistress, abusing me because I had not ordered a pound’s worth of grocery from her for distribution, as I have usually done, saying that she supposed it was because her husband had voted with the Liberals.

As a matter of fact I asked Mrs Stevens a week ago to order ??? grocery of the woman, but she had not done so, having been busy and there being no immediate necessity for doing so. Mrs Stevens went to see her this afternoon and took the letter with her and asked her to burn it. I understand she made Mrs Hewings feel quite ashamed of herself.