Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

G Selwyn Edwards, District Inspector of Drawing, visited School this morning.

Mrs Neil, of Burdrop, a woman who has been living with Joseph Messenger as his wife, and has 3 children by him and is living at John Lines’s, sent to say she would like to see me. So I went this afternoon. She was in bed. I had to go to her room by a ladder. She showed me bruises, and a wound on her head which she said he made last night. I gave her 2/- to get food for her children, but recommended her to go into the workhouse with her children where they would be properly fed and taken care of. I spoke to her very plainly of the misery she had brought upon herself.

I visited Miss Sabin.

Anniversary of my dear mother’s burial at Saint Margaret’s, Ipswich in 1843 and of my marriage at Saint James’s Church. Halifax, Yorkshire In 1853.

I did not go out during the day but in the evening walked as far as Mr Woolgrove’s, and then to “the Elm”.

Fine. Frank helped with Boys’ School. I attended choir practice this evening. Rain fell for two or three hours at night.

Extremely mild, but dull. Yesterday morning there was a frost which however was not very severe. I drove Bell to Hook Norton this morning and brought out Bessie who arrived by the 12 o’clock train.

I saw a notice in the Times of York-Powell’s appointment to the Regius Professorship of Modern History at Oxford in succession to the late Professor Froude. So I wrote to congratulate him.

Visited James Lines, Anna Aris, Charles Barnes, Anna Young. Mrs Aris, Widow Thomas Lamb, Thomas Keene, William Haynes, Jane Messenger, Bodfish, and gave 24 parcels of grocery supplied by Jewell each to cost 1/10 and containing ½ lb of 2/- tea, 1 lb loaf sugar 2^d, 1 lb raisins 4^d, 1 lb currants 4^d.

Christmas day. Not bright sunshine, but very mild, calm and dry. HC 26, offertory 15/-. Morning congregation 10.30 at least 120, afternoon about 180. We had some Christmas carols very well sung by the choir and full choral service this afternoon. The children sang extremely well. We dined off roast beef at 5.30. Self, Bell, Rosa, Frank and Bessie. I visited Mary Sabin and Miss Sabin.