Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Very wet. Mr Davies returned to Hellidon. Burdon drove him to Banbury.

I find on reference to an old copy of the London Gazette preserved in the iron chest in the vestry that the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in May 1844 made a grant of £27 a year to this Living.

Rain all day.

Received, much to my surprise, a cheque for £1. 1 from the Guardian (Church) Newspaper for my contribution respecting the late Canon Payne.

Called on Mr George Dix and Richard Austin, but did not see either. Visited Mary Lively.

Received rents of Sibford Heath Allotments this evening. George Green came in the worse for drink and wanted to quarrel with Henry Harris because he had an allotment before he had been resident in the parish 12 months. I told him there was no rule of that kind and that he must mind his own business. But he would not keep quiet till I threatened to take away his allotment and cross his name out of the book entirely if he could not behave better. He felt the force of that argument and subsided at once. Several men present who had offered to take allotments in the Furze Land now said they wished to withdraw.

Sent first volume of “Prayer Book teaching” to Butler & Tanner for an estimate.

Attended Boys’ School and paid out their Club money. Taught choir in evening.

Very wet day.

150 at church this morning counted – about 200 in afternoon not counted.

Much rain. St Luke’s Day. Divine Service at 9.15.

Visited Mary Lively (out). W. Poulton, ordered repair of gates at Heath allotments.

Visited:
Richard Austin
Richard Haines. Wife confined last Thursday
Widow Reason, and Mr Woolgrove.

Elijah Hancox and his son James, with wife and family are gone off having cleared out everything – selling their furniture in the market place at Banbury. They have paid no one it seems, either for rent, bread, meat, boots, clothes, rates etc for some time. They are said to have sailed for America. Mrs Hancox senior is staying with one of her daughters.

Visited Samuel Woolgrove (out), Joseph Green, mason, saw his daughter.

Mr Woolgrove told me that Mrs Shelswell, wanting a servant boy who could live at home – and James Hone, bastard of Elizabeth Holland, being handy in more ways than one, and desirous to come, wrote a note to Mr Mann where the boy has been working some time asking whether he could spare him. Mr Mann replied that if Mrs Shelswell took the boy James she might have the father and the other boy too. Mrs Shelswell was much hurt at receiving so un-neighbourly a reply.