Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

1894, November 10, Saturday 

A delightful, sunny morning. Cold and rainy in afternoon. Joshua Lamb called for Loggin poor rate £1.1.6. I married Richard Westbury, widower, age 44 and Mary Ann Harris age 49, widow at 2 pm this afternoon. They are residing at Chilloway Barn. They kept me waiting 20 minutes. I told them I was just on the point of returning home when they arrived.

1894, November 11, Sunday 

Fine. Taught Boys’ Sunday School this morning and attended choir practice this evening. There was a large attendance. The children are learning to intone Tallis’s Service and do it heartily and well. There were over 70 children at schools this morning, and all were very clean and neat and well-behaved.

I baptized Muriel Ada, daughter of Joseph Lovell farmer, of Sibford Ferris.

1894, November 12, Monday

My cough was very troublesome last night after I got to bed, but it subsided at last. A very wet day. In the afternoon the rain came down in torrents.

Received 2 quarters of oats (black) from Mr Phillips of Oakham? Farm, Little Compton at 15/- per quarter through Dr Routh who asked me to pay him for them. The man shot one bag into the bin and took the other three up into the little loft, but did not shoot them. He said it would be all right if I sent the empty bags to Dr Routh. The ladder slipped whilst the man was on it with the last bag of oats, but I caught hold of the foot of it and an accident was happily avoided.

1894, November 13, Tuesday 

Very fine, but cold wind. Had to reprove boy Hyde severely for neglect of duty and stupidity in leaving Ruby standing out in the cold wind by the stable door while he went to his dinner. I told him to groom her there. He merely tied her up there and left her. She broke loose and went into the sunshine in the yard.

I drove Rosa to Shenington to visit Mrs John and Miss E Shellswell. We staid to tea. Arthur Shellswell was not at home, but I put Ruby in his stable. We left at 7.30 pm.

1894, November 14, Wednesday 

John Lively called this morning and spoke of Hyde’s bad usage of the mare. He and his elder brother who seems to have no work ran the mare round the pound against her will and she broke loose from them. I have had frequent complaints about the conduct of my boy, and would discharge him, but there is not another to be got, and he can do very well if he will. I reproved him severely.

There was a very high wind and heavy rain all night.

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