Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

1886, July 23, Friday 

Webb asked me this morning whether I would give him a good character to go into service of Alderman Ward of Banbury Road, Oxford. I said I would, and that he had better give me a month’s notice from last Wednesday. Webb said he did not want to leave a good place and a good master whom he has served over 10 years, he was sure he would get no better; but that his wife had never been satisfied in Sibford – and led him such a life at home that he was bound to give way for the sake of peace and quietness. “Well,” I asked “suppose she becomes equally dissatisfied with the next home you get for her?”

“Then I shall turn her up sir, for I won’t stand no more of it.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I shall send her home to her friends.”

1886, July 24, Saturday  a b

Drove Kate Mountain to Banbury, en route for Yarmouth where she is to join Mrs Moss.

Bell and I called on Mrs Smith at Tadmarton Rectory on our return.

The note below is pasted into the diary. Stevens has annotated the last page with “Hon. Canon of Salisbury. Brother and executor of the late Canon Edward Payne of Swalcliffe.”

Adderbury
Banbury
July 24

Dear Mr Stevens

I and mine have I believe to thank you heartily for a very truthful and at the same time very gratifying notice of my brother in the last Guardian, and I do so most sincerely, and am very glad to find, that he was so justly appreciated in his sphere of work. Such notices in memoriam are apt to be, perhaps too much so, confined to men, who have advocated party views, and so gathered round them a certain number of warm admirers, who naturally praise them, when they are taken from us, but I do not think, that those, who walk, it may be said between the extremes, are often esteemed as highly as they ought to be; and I can further add that your notice of him, gratifying as it is, is fully borne out by the correspondence, which has been brought under my notice during these last three weeks. I knew he had taken an active part in Diocesan work, as well as his own parish, in such order as was possible, and such, as I should be glad to think, would continue, but his large and confidential correspondence shews me that it was more influential than I was aware of. However pray accept my sincere thanks and believe me

yours faithfully
Richard Payne

1886, July 25, Sunday

Children’s Service at 3 this afternoon and full service at 7.

There was heavy rain this morning and a thunderstorm at night.

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Read about the Rev Edward Stevens here.