1894, November 19, Monday a b c
Coal distribution commenced. I had a bad and long fit of coughing last night and many sleepless hours. Consequently I did not get up till rather late. Received a letter from my brother. He is better than he was. Miss M Dix called this afternoon. I visited Charles Barnes who told me that at the last rent night at the School when Mr Abbots (of Miller & Abbots) was present, Henry Harris and Jesse Bishop refused to pay their allotment rent in advance.
I visited Thomas Coleman, Edward Fox, Thomas Fox, Ezra Green, Thomas Green, Dolman, Charlotte Harris, Thomas Henry Hone, Sarah Hone. Saw David Hone there. He is living there with his mother, an entirely unwelcome guest. She pays the rent. Mrs Turner, the landlady, will not accept David and he cannot get a cottage big enough for rent which he can pay. They had high words in my presence. David said his wife was gone to Banbury to do her mother’s washing. I told him he might call on me or send his wife, as I wished to talk to one of them with the view of befriending them without breaking the rules of the Charity with respect to the coal distribution. He said he would go to the Relieving Officer on Wednesday and ask for an order for the workhouse for himself and his family. He asked why I gave his mother the coals whilst he was tenant and she was living with him. I replied that they were given to her because she was a poor old woman by special order of the trustees. Her other son William Hall came in whilst I was there and spoke of the vile conduct of his son Charles to him. He said he was afraid to go into his own house whilst he was there for fear of his violence.
They are not a nice family, but I have some sympathy with both the men. David complained that several single men and old widows occupied roomy cottages who might be satisfied with small ones and leave the others for men with large families and instanced John Bloxham who has taken the roomy one next Ewings which old John Lamb has just gone out of.
I visited Lewis Poulton, and spoke with him about the Parish Councils’ Act. He lent me the “Rules of the Local Government Board” and said that he and Fred Inns, who are the overseers, think of asking for the school room for a preliminary meeting to discuss the Act. I told him I had been asked by the editor of the Oxford Times to recommend a Unionist and churchman to send reports of Parish Council business and asked whether he would undertake it. He said he would. Visited Ben Messenger, Jane Messenger, George Spicer, John West Senior, John West Junior, Fanny Wyatt and John Bloxham.
