1886, June 24, Thursday
St John Baptist’s day. Divine Service at 9.15.
Visited Charles Lines, who is much better and down stairs, at 10 am. I was sorry to see John Adkins, Richard Walker and John Holtom there at that early hour drinking.
Canon Payne has been very ill during the past few days.
Drove Bell and Cassie Henning out this afternoon. Called at Canon Payne’s to make enquiries. The doctor had left a few minutes before. He gives a very poor account of him.
Drove to Lower Tadmarton and Shutford. Called on Mr Gerahty. Yesterday mihi dictum est vulgo narrari Reverendum dominum Album ferire fusto suam uxorem consuescere et illam dixisse se matrem suam arcessuram esse. Hodie Gerahty me certiorem fecit eandem rem ubique dictam esse. Dominus Albus est clerus adjutor Canonici Paynii.
mihi dictum est… I was told that it was commonly said that the Reverend Mr White was accustomed to beat his wife with a stick, and that she had said she was going to summon her mother. Today Gerahty confirmed the same thing was being said everywhere. Mr White is the curate of Canon Payne.
Received letter from Rev Walter Bourchier, my predecessor, who has exchanged his living for Steeple Morden, Cambs, for St Olave’s, Hanbury Road, Whitechapel, asking me for an offertory to aid him in taking some of the poorest people for a day into the country. He says the misery and poverty of the people of his populous parish are beyond his powers of description. I replied that I would see what I could do, and that if he would give me some particulars to lay before my congregation it would aid my appeal.
Eleven years ago today Miss Sarah Dix gathered at least half a peck of strawberries in my garden for our advent to Sibford. To day, so cold has the season hitherto been, the strawberries are scarcely formed, and certainly not a single ripe berry is to be seen.
Half a peck is a gallon, about 4.5 litres.
Rosa is not quite so well and has consequently been in bed since Monday. She probably took cold going to Church twice on Sunday last.
