Diary of Rev Edward Stevens

… Walked to Burdrop with him this evening. It is Sibford “Wake” time so there appeared to be dancing going on in Mr. Leake’s Barn.

… My paper on the old Church Wardens of Epwell and their Account Book was returned by the Editor of the London “Guardian” this morning without note or comment. I sent it up at his invitation about a month or five weeks ago. The course of literature is very disheartening as a supplementary source of income.

I sent a postal order for 3/- for a reserved seat for “The Sign of the Cross” to Mr Commin, bookseller Banbury for tomorrow evening. One of William Greet’s Companies is to perform it at the Exchange Hall, Banbury tomorrow and Thursday. Mrs Ainge is going to drive a party in tomorrow evening and Rosa is going with them.

… I hear that some members of the Sibford Brass Band, jealous because a Harp and Violin were employed to play for the dancers, made a disturbance outside the School room. They were mostly the worse for drink. Fred Inns threatened to summon some of them before the magistrates before they finally left.

Mr Langley showed me a letter he had received from Mr William Lamb, Quaker Farmer, saying that he wished to send his two eldest boys to school, but did not wish them to learn the Church of England catechism as they had not been baptized.