Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Fine and warm. Miss Dix called this morning about the arrangements for the choir children’s excursion next Tuesday. It appears that Austin Gardner has an Execution in his house and there is some doubt about the arrangements that can be made with him to drive them.

Mrs Maitland, of Ealing, daughter of a former Curate of Shutford, who is lodging at Mrs Hiorns’s for a few weeks, was here to tea this afternoon with three little boys, also Misses E and M Dix, Mrs Shelswell and Miss Clarke.

Mrs Shelswell’s youngest son Arthur has just passed his final examination and been admitted a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. Thus all her sons are qualified Members of good professions, Oscar and Arthur as surgeons and Henry as a solicitor: all of them were educated at orphan schools, Wandsworth and At Anne’s (with their two sisters, both well and happily married) whilst my son Harry who is as old as Mrs Shelswell’s oldest on whom I have spent much money and to whose instruction I have devoted much time is simply nowhere – without a degree without a profession and over head and ears in debt. And yet to hear him talk, you would think him of the salt of the earth. He used to turn up his nose at the Shelswells who have thus far shown themselves infinitely his superiors.

Drove Lottie to Banbury for the 2.48 pm train to London. Bell accompanied us.

Met Montagu, who looked very old and miserable without his false teeth. He had sent them to the makers in London to be repaired on the understanding that he was to receive them back by post this morning. They had not arrived: so he has telegraphed to the dentist in London who replies that he sent them off last night. The false teeth make a most wonderful difference in Montagu’s appearance, and though he only said he “had lost something,” I saw at once what it was, and commiserated him most sincerely, the more especially as he will have to take the services tomorrow in his church at Thenford among a disagreeable set of people, and has arranged to go to Devonshire on Monday next on a visit to one of his aunts.

Mr Prophett, a draper of Leicester, son of Mrs Priestman, and nephew of Mrs Pettipher senior who married a sister of Austin Gardner a year or two ago called and asked me if I would baptize his two children tomorrow, as they were here on a visit. I told him that I would do so, as he was a Sibford man, otherwise I did not interfere with the duties of other clergymen.