Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Very fine, but cold.

Drove Bell to Tadmarton. Called on Mrs Smith at the Rectory, which she is to leave next Thursday, as the new Rector Mr Riddle, Vicar of Rydal, is coming in at the end of the week.

Called on the McDermots at Tadmarton Manor House. Some of the young men about the place have, for the 5th time, pulled off the coping stones on one of the McDermots’ walls. Las year one of them was prosecuted for the offence and got 6 weeks imprisonment at Oxford. Now he has offered a reward for information etc and has had notices put up to that effect. Also a notice that he will turn out all the tenants from his cottages if the name of the offender is not given up. The latter is an unnecessarily harsh and very unwise step. He appears to be very unpopular, and apparently with reason.

Visited school, Mary Lively and Ezra Green.

St Andrew’s Day. Divine Service at 9.15.

Visited Richard Keene at Folly Farm, Sibford Ferris. Met Mr Oddie and walked and talked with him about the reported misconduct of some of the young men of the village on Sunday evening last.

Visited School of Art in morning and again in afternoon to sign the Registers.

Rev W. Merrile White was here to tea, brought in by Harry.

Letter and hand-bill pasted into diary

Nov 30=11=1886
26 Lower Cherwell Street
Banbury Oxon

Dear Sir,

We are making arrangements for all school’s in the villages to give entertainments; and would like to know if we could have your schoolroom for one night on Saturday week or Saturday fortnight; I have enclosed one of our Bills for you to see; I would like to say I am not a stranger to Sibford as that is my native place; I have some friends living at Sibford now; Mrs C Harris Burdrop; Hoping for a favourable reply we remain Dear Sir

yours respectively
Professors Harris Brothers

The Rev Stevens

Replied that the Trustees did not lend schoolroom for such entertainments. E.T.S.

Mixed weather, rain, hail, bright sunshine and frost.

A Ruri-decanal chapter was held at the Vicarage (St Mary’s) Banbury. I did not go, as the weather was bad.

Bell and I walked to Swalcliffe this afternoon and called on Mr and Mrs Hall at the Rectory Farm. They have only recently been married.

Mr Hall who is Guardian of the Poor for Swalcliffe and one of the Rating Committee told me, in confidence, that the Committee had raised my assessment from £17.10 to £25. He had endeavoured to prevent it but unsuccessfully. I suppose that my Vicarage is worth £25 or more, if Mrs Norris’s house and Miss Dix’s are worth £25 each.

Divine Service at 7 pm. 70 or more people present.