Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

Fine morning. William and I went for a walk. In the afternoon, it was extremely cold, so we stayed indoors afternoon and evening.

Very showery morning, but William drove me to Swanwick Station with “Peggy” and the dog cart, Maude and Bell in pony cart. We escaped the rain. Maude went as far as Southampton with us on business. We left Swanwick at 9 am, and Southampton about 10.5. Left Basingstoke 11.25. Met Izatt at Reading. He told me that nearly all his glebe at Streatley had just been sold for about £11,000 which would greatly increase the value of the Benefice. It has been invested with the Ecclesiastical Commissioners at 3% in Indian Securities. J Lively met us at Oxford with the mare at 2.30. I told him to put her up for a rest at the Red Lion. Then we drove home reaching it about 5.30, found Bessie and Rosa all right. We had had five changes: Southampton, Basingstoke, Winchester, Reading and Oxford.

Letter pasted into the diary:

Burscough Vicarage.
West Ormskirk.
27 Oct 1894.

Rev. dear sir,
Messrs ????? Stack & Co recommend me to send you particulars of my benefice for exchange. I am willing to exchange at a slight sacrifice, and the value of this living without profits from the land is slightly in advance of yours. Including the key crops the value of the living is over £260 – and we have a first rate market here when all kinds of farm produce are immediately disposed of.

The payment for duties with troops is also increasing, and may be expected to add £10 or £12 more on to the living very shortly.

If you care to negotiate I should be pleased to hear from you, and especially as to what prospect there may be of a Vicarage house being built.

Faithfully yours
JHE Bailey.

Saints Simon and Jude. Not very good congregations to day. Several boys and girls absent from Choir but at Church. Attended choir practice this evening.

I lay in bed all day in order to get rid of a cold which has troubled me more or less all the week. Rosa took Clothing Club for me.

Lay in bed till mid-day with my cold when I got up to dinner. Weather extremely dull and Novemberish, but not cold. Sent £5.5s to Clergy Pensions’ Fund. Wrote all afternoon and evening.