Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Whitmonday. Fine. School reopened with about 60 children after having been closed 2 months on account of scarlet fever. No child who has had the disease or “whose home is infected” (Franny’s words) is allowed to come. He sent a list of children who had had the fever, but it appears to be incomplete, as he does not mention Joshua Lines’s who are said to have had it.

The schoolroom has been well cleaned and disinfected.

I took Penny Bank and Clothes Club at 12 and Library at 7. I had all the money brought put into a dish of ‘Sanitas’ and fumigated the library books brought back. Miss Dix had taken some of te women’s clothes club money and entered it on their cards whilst the school was closed and sent me an account of it.

Visited Mr Cluff, J Woolgrove, W Haynes, Widow Hathaway Goughs. Saturday last I began to use the servants’ roomy bedroom as a writing room.

Divine Service at 9.15am.

The mare lay out in the orchard last night. Rainy but mild today. Went up Pound Lane this evening. Walked back with James Lines. He denies altogether the charges of infidelity which his wife makes against him. Received a chapter of Anab V from Frank to translate etc and correct a piece of translation written by a private pupil of his, a Rugby boy. It should have come yesterday, but “Bank Holiday” is kept at the Post Office. I returned it today.

Warm rain all day. Received note from Rev N R Ramsay, at present staying at Swalcliffe Park, saying he hoped to get into the Vicarage very soon and asking me to go and see him before the end of the week. I said I would go this afternoon if it were fine, but it rained.

Visited Miss Dix and attended meeting of “Horticultural Society” for settlement of schedules etc.

Sent my manuscript of “Stories and Sketches” ro R Bentley Son, 8 New Burlington Street W at their request for perusal. Sent Frank Dr Giles’s Xenophon Anabasis in two volumes.

On Monday last, May 14, I visited Mrs Child formerly housekeeper to a gentleman named Carroll at Bath and is now staying at the “Hospital” opposite the school at Sibford Ferris to be treated for dropsy by Dr Routh. She spoke with loving regret of Canon Payne and said “he always looked forward so much to my little visits”.