Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

A good deal of rain afternoon and evening. The congregations were rather small, but somewhat better than they have been.

Fine, bright, mild. Took Clubs and Penny Bank money at school. Visited C Leaver, Widow Hancock, Mrs Alcock and Mrs Turner. Children’s entertainment in school room this evening. Met Dr Routh who told me that there were 27 cases of influenza at the Friends’ School. He told me also that Mister Wynne, who has just “failed” for £250,000 was supposed to have “bolted”. Also, that Mr Brassey had been selected as the Conservative candidate for the Northern division of the County of Oxford.

Fine. Trustees’ meeting at 2 pm. Present Rev A E Riddle in chair, Mr Woolgrove, Mr Stall, Mr J Ward Shellswell. Jesse Bishop presented himself without having written as I told him. He was extremely rude to us all and did himself no good. He made a sort of incoherent statement of complaint.

Children’s second entertainment in school room this evening. Public admitted on payment, 6^d front seats, 3^d back.

Distributed clothing tickets in accordance with resolution of Trustees yesterday. It was not given out as usual just before last Christmas as we were not sure that we should have money to pay for it. I visited Joseph Alcock, Widow Aris, Thomas Aris, Widow Bond, Thomas Coleman, Edward Fox, J Fox, Ezra Green, George Green, Thomas Green, Widow Green, Widow Harris, Thomas Holland, Widow Hone, Thomas Henry Hone, Thomas Lamb, Widow Lamb, Widow Manning, Benjamin Messenger, Jane Messenger, William Payne, Widow Sabin, John West Senior, John West Junior, Widow Wyatt. Frank Wilkes, Widow Young, John Lively, John Bloxham.

Very bright and pleasant day, though there was a sharp frost this morning. Bessie left to return to Cheltenham. I drove her and Bell to hook Norton station via “the Elm”. The roads were so extremely “heavy” with mud, owing to the break up of the severe frost which went very deep, that my dear old mare “Ruby” had the greatest difficulty in getting the carriage up the hills. But we caught the 3.48 pm train just in time. I think this is the first occasion of my driving out since Christmas, but it did me good, I think.

William Coleman came this evening for his clothing ticket and asked me whether I would let him one of the gardens down the lane, I told him the larger one was to go with the cottage, and the smaller one I could not spare.

Fine. Visited George Payne, William Barnes, Joseph Coleman.

I received last night by carrier from Banbury GWR the parcel of new books for the Sibford Lending Library, consisting of 22 volumes of “The Leisure Hour”, “Sunday at Home” etc, many half bound, which I ordered a few days back through Messrs Simpkin, Marshall & Co having sent cheque for £3.7.2 in advance.