Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

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

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

A bright, breezy morning.

Mrs Smith called with her children bringing with her the Burials’ Register of Tadmarton Church, and asked me to write out a certificate of her husband’s burial, which I did.

She spoke to me with many tears of her own regrets that she had not treated her husband with that kindness and gentleness that she would have done, had she known that he had any affection of the heart. She accused herself of having urged him to do more work in the parish than he was able to do. She said she ought to have suspected that his heart was not quite right as he often suffered from giddiness at Bury, and would be so affected at any sudden bad news that he would have to lie on the sofa for a time to recover himself. She had communicated with their old medical man at Bury and he had replied that he was aware of her husband’s weakness in that way and had told him of it. She thinks that she should have been told and that he should have been kept in ignorance of it. The Doctor had been consulted about their coming to Tadmarton and had strongly advised it, on the ground that it would probably add ten years to his life.

I comforted her as I best could, but felt very sad – as my own opinion as to her character confirmed her own statement, but I could not say so.

Drove Bell, Lottie and Frank to Whichford. Called at the Rectory. Saw Miss Mary Coplestone and Mrs Merton Gibbs there.

Mr Coplestone was at Honnington, preaching for the Girls’ Friendly Society’s Annual Meeting.

Called at Brailes on our return and saw Mrs Smith only. The weather was very threatening, but we escaped the storm.

George Harris, my tenant, called this evening at my request. I wanted to talk to him about the notice he sent me, and to ascertain when he would pay the rent due to me last Lady day. He said he did not intend to give me notice to leave, but that he wanted some things done in the house and would like to have my orchard and slinket. He would allow my horse to be put in to graze whenever I wished and would give me a ton of best hay out of middle of rick. He would pay his rent some day this week and would send Ada up with it. I said I would consider the matters he had put before me.