Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Received Government Grant for School amounting to £42. 19. 4.

Visited School.

Sold Tustain of Milcombe 12 pots of souring apples at 3/- per pot of 64 lbs + 7 lb for weight of basket. It was very fine fruit.

Visited Hannah Simmons, P. Webb (my man) who is still unable to work, William Kay, Mrs Tay’s mother, and C. Holder.

Sharp frost.

Visited Miss Dix. Attended choir practice this evening. Mr and Mrs Davies came this evening.

Mr Joseph Pettipher came to vestry and asked me to take chair at a meeting for closing public houses on Sundays to be held in Friends’ Mission room on a certain evening and at a certain hour which was afterwards altered without consulting me, and held at an hour when I was otherwise engaged and therefore I did not attend.

Attended school morning and afternoon.

Visited Soldier Green (pensioner) who was recently married in London to Kate Herbert a servant living at Addington, but belonging to Tadmarton and having two sisters living in the parish, viz Bodfish’s wife and John Holtom’s concubine.

Visited Phoebe Payne, George Green, and Thomas Lively (out).

Library committee at 6.30 this evening. Resolved to get books from Religious Tract Society with aid of grant.

Gave out Coal Tickets for Town Estate.

Bright and frosty.

Attended school in morning.

Phillips of Sibford Ferris carter to Mr Woolgrove, but a Brailes man, is very badly off with large family. Mr W. discharged him two or three weeks ago. His wife is ill and they are almost starving. She sent to me for help. I sent for the man. He came, and said he had offer of situation at Kilsby near Rugby but was to go and see the gentleman. He wanted keep for his journey etc. So I gave him 5/- for the purpose.

George Harris, my tenant, paid his rent up to Michaelmas last.

Very fine this afternoon. We took Rosa in her wheel chair round Pound Lane, Pig & Whistle, etc.

William Lamb called for Rates and Taxes.

Received from Simpkin Marshall & Co £38.13.11 for sales of A.C.S. for half year ending Dec 31 last.

Trustees’ Meeting at 2 pm in the School room.

Mr Mann proposed that certain allotments at the Heath which now let for £1.10 per acre should be reduced to £1. None of the tenants have ever complained to me of the rent ; on the contrary there has always been a great desire to have the 7/6 pieces as being better land and more accessible than the others.

Mr and Mrs Davies came this evening.