Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Visited School, also Mr George Dix and Joseph Payne. The latter has been laid up with bronchitis and congestion of the lungs, but is now better, though not able to resume work.

Received a letter from the Warden of New College in reply to mine of a few days ago saying that several ex-fellows had applied for the Living of Witchingham and that he thought there would not be much hope for me.

Fine and warm. Drove Bell and Frank to Shenington. Visited Mr and Mrs Dan Shelswell. Mrs Shelswell was in London. Dan was at home.

Wrote to Rev Dr Knight-Bruce who is the consecrated Bishop of Blomfontein about S. Andrew’s Bethnal Green London in accordance with wish of Rev W. S. Meade of Cossington? Rectory near Kettering, Northants who had been in correspondence with him about it. He felt himself too old a man for the post, and entering into correspondence with me through my advertisement to Ecclesiastical Patrons etc in the “Globe”, mentioned me to Knight-Bruce who had been in charge of the parish for some time since the practical retirement of the Vicar on account of ill health. I wrote to Mr Knight-Bruce for information only and received a note from him a few days afterwards to say that a gentleman had been appointed.

Mrs Hannah Collett whose father was Clerk of Epwell parish for a time and who lived in Sibford Gower for a short period in her girlhood, but has been married for many years called for a Certificate of Burial of Elizabeth Gilkes of this parish, who was aunt to her husband. He is bailiff at Cold Harbour farm, Mixbury near Brackley, and is, according to his wife’s account, lawful heir to property of the value of some £80,000 left by the husband of Mrs Elizabeth Gilkes. She wanted his burial certificate, but I had to refer her to Swalcliffe for it, as he died before Sibford Church was built. She promised to let me know if they got the money.

I sent to the Lands’ Improvement Company £9.5.11 being the last instalment of a loan made to the Sibford Town Estates 25 years ago for improving buildings at Sibford Heath Farm.

Annie Webb, daughter of Eli Webb of Sibford Ferris called to ask my advice. She has given birth to a child in her father’s house of which she declares the father to be a young man living in the town where she had been in service for some years and who refuses to pay anything for the support of the child. I recommended her to apply to a respectable solicitor in Banbury to take out a summons against him. He said he promised marriage before he seduced her, and then behaved very ill. I spoke seriously to her about her sin etc, and she promised to act on my advice. The result was that the man offered to marry her – and I married them a few weeks afterwards.