Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

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”.

Dull but only a few slight showers. Walked down to Swalcliffe Park and Vicarage to see Mr Ramsay. Took tea with Mrs Norris, the Major and Mrs Ramsay at the Park. Called on Miss M Dix who has been taking the Clothing Club money since Dr Wilkinson’s death, and appears to be in some difficulty, Dr W having had no opportunity, on account of his serious illness and sudden death, of squaring up the account to date and paying into the Banbury Savings Bank the last few weeks’ money. Of course his executors are responsible but there appears to be some difficulty in making them understand the matter.

Mr Ramsay showed me the last School Reports of Her Majesty’s Inspector for Epwell that for the former is very bad and practically demands the dismissal of the school-mistress, Miss Husband. The latter demands the appointment of a certificated teacher, which Miss Tranter was not. So she has left and a certificated teacher has been appointed and is at work there. Ramsay took me into the Schoolroom. The children were alean and orderly and the room looked very nice. The Government require a separate room for the infants. Mr Ramsay thought that if the room were divided by a wooden partition, it would meet their requirements. I replied that very probably it would not, and that whilst they were about it they had better build a separate room.

Fine. Drove Bell to Banbury, and bought a dining room carpet square at Windsor’s and some wallpaper at Kingerton’s. Met several clergy in Banbury who were in for the Devotional meeting. Joseph Green Junior white washed the cieling of my dining room to day and is to paper the walls tomorrow.