Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Taught in Sunday School this morning.

Drove to Tadmarton for afternoon service at 3. Mr MacDermot, Churchwarden and Squire of the parish met me and told me that The Rev Edmund J. Smith the Rector died this morning at 4.30 very suddenly of syncope. Only last Sunday he preached two funeral sermons, one for the late Canon Edward Payne, and one for a parishioner of his own. Every one seemed much shocked at his sudden death.

My second service was at 7 o’clock this evening.

Rain all day. Cassie Heming was to have left for London today, but was detained by the weather.

The Poll for North Oxfordshire — general Election after defeat of the Radical Government under Gladstone on the Irish Home Rule Bill — took place today. We voted at Swalcliffe. The candidates were Sir Bernhard Samuelson who has sat many years in parliament as a Radical, and Mr Wynne Conservative. The former was elected; but so greatly have the Radicals lost ground on the Irish question that his majority was 999 less than it was last November.

Drove Cassie to Banbury for the 11.25 train. Kate Mountain and Frank accompanied us.

Called on Mrs Smith at Tadmarton rectory to reply to her note, given me on the road, asking me to take the funeral of her husband on Thursday next at 1 o’clock, which I undertook to do.

Called on Mr MacDermot and promised to take afternoon service next Sunday and preach funeral sermon.

Visited John Reason and Reuben Bodfish, William Haines, Joseph Lines and Buckingham junior.

Visited Sarah Keene. Spoke with W. Barnes’s wife.

Took Katie Mountain for a walk round Pound Lane, Tyne Hill and Sibford Ferris.

Buried the remains of Rev Edmund James Smith, M.A. late Fellow of Worcester College Oxford and Rector of Tadmarton, at 1 pm. Mr Wyatt, Mr Egerton, Mr Macdermot and many parishioners were there. Gave Mr Wyatt a lift as far as his own house, as I drove on to Banbury after the funeral. Brought out Lottie Eve.

Mr Wyatt requested me to write an obituary notice of the late Canon E. Payne for the “Guardian”. I had suggested to Mrs Wyatt that some one of the neighbourhood should do it, and I thought her husband, as having known him for more years than I would be more suitable than myself. But it appears that practically, he had not known him longer than I, and not more intimately, and was not so well acquainted with the work he had done for the Church as myself.