Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

1894, June 12, Tuesday   a

Received letter from Bentley & Son, publishers, declining my MS “Stories and Sketches from a Vicar’s diary”, after keeping it for a month and asking where they should send it.

Joshua Lamb called for Loggin poor rates for February and May which I paid by Loggin Cheque.

Homo, nomine Bates, Bailiffa Aulac Comitatis de Banburio, venit hoc mane portans summonitionem ascriptam ad H.E.S. ut appararet XXX Junii et solveret summam £1. 5s. plus 2/- pro summonitione Cheney et filiis impressariis de Banburio. Mater ejus eam ad eum misit. Ego Cheney scripsi.

A man named Bates, Bailiff of the Court of Banbury, came this morning bearing a summons registered to H.E.S. [Harry Stevens, the Vicar’s older son] to prepare for the 30th of June and to pay the sum of £1. 5s. plus 2/- for summons from Cheney & sons, printers of Banbury. His mother sent it to him. I wrote to Cheney.

I drove Bell and Rosa to Brailes this afternoon. We took tea with Sophie and Maud Smith and their sister Susie (Mrs Given). The mare went beautifully, both there and back.

There is a great strike of Cabmen in London for lower charges to be paid to the masters. London was much quieter than usual on Tuesday and Saturday last and there was scarcely a cab to be seen.

1894, June 13, Wednesday 

Very dark and cloudy this morning with some rain. Cleared up in afternoon. Called on Mrs Shellswell, Ben Messenger. He and his wife complained bitterly of the condition of the woman Neal, a widow, whom their son Joseph keeps at John Lines’s and by whom he has three children. She was “like a mad ‘ooman’ said Ben, cos our Ben put her out o’ our garding and ‘oon’t let her take our faggots away.”

I called at Barton’s to see the mother of the girl Susan who is back with John Lines again. Visited Mar Sabin, Charles Holtom’s wife, and John Webb’s.

Bell, Miss Sottick and I walked round Sibford Ferris, the Elm and Alcocks Lane this evening. Addie Lamb came for poor Rate. Visited Widow John Holtom and William Hawtin.

1894, June 14, Thursday

Fine. Harry writes that he thought Cheney’s Bill had been paid. Cheneys write politely to me, that they will be very glad to stay the action if the money £1. 7. 6 be paid before the 30th inst.

George Beere wrote me a note asking for a trifle towards his expenses of getting his eyesight restored at Oxford Eye Infirmary. He has been almost totally blind for two or three years, but is better owing to the treatment undergone. Miss Dix gave Rosa 1/- for him. I added 1/- and took Bell and Miss Sottick to Tadmarton to give it to him this evening. He was very grateful.

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