| Description | [Diary Transcription]
Diary 295
1828
April Thursday 24
8 1/4
12 1/2
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sent off by John at 8 1/2 my aunt’s letter to Mrs. Veitch — From 9 3/4 to 11 wrote 3 ppages and the ends to M- [Mariana] Breakfast at 11 1/4 —
[illegible] — Just going out at 12 1/2 when Mr. and Mrs. Scatcherd came — Ended by agreeing to give the
first year’s rent for repairs they to do as they liked about them to give them a lease for 8 years at 80 guineas per annum from 1 May next and allow them
2 months to put all done in — i.e. in fact allowing 14 months’ rent — Mr. Hudson of Hipperholme then called for 1/2 hour —
Then off to Crownest at 2 met the Vicar and Mr. Bull — The former will call on Tuesday about the church land — sat 35/60 hour with the 2 Miss Walkers — Then to Cliffhill — sat 1 1/4 hour with Miss Walker —
Miss Anne Walker came in while I was there, detained the last 1/2 hour by the rain — Then went to Lightcliffe — Mrs. Priestley lying down
so sat with Mr. Priestley till near 6 talking of the tithes — he decidedly thinks the vicar will get them — but still hopes the matter
may be settled — Parliament would settle the thing as in some other cases for the value of so many quarters of wheat
per annum The average price to be regulated every 10 years — Tea at 6 (a little hung beef with my bread and butter) — rain and thunder and lightning —
agreed to stay all night — sat looking over some Swiss views (Geneva, Chamonix, etc.) — said they ought to go there —
should not be at all surprised if they do next year - John came about 9 — finish moonlight night — got home in
35 minutes at 10 1/2 — sat up calculating how many trees at 4 feet distance would be enough for a days work = 3136 square yards —
fine morning — began to rain about 4 p.m. afterwards rainy with thunder and lightning between 7 and 8 — but fair about 9 or soon
after —
Friday 25
6 1/4
11 55/60
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My calculating last night so got hold obliged to compose myself as well as I could by the constan
t repetition of the Lords prayer till I fell asleep ~ Breakfast at 8 — Sent off my letter written yesterday (nothing
particular just added this morning that I had let Northgate at 80 guineas for 8 years) to M- [Mariana] Lawton hall, and John
took the gig to have the spring mended — young William Keighley came — sent him to value the Cunnery plantation —
he values the firs (larches) at £71 and there are sycamores = £11 which, he says, I should not take down —
planting 2000 oaks per days work at 50/. per thousand = £30 and £10 for upholding them for the first 3 years =
£40 for care and planting altogether — Went out with William Keighley about 9 1/2 — [illegible] cut down the middle of the 3 birches
planted many years ago by my father in the hall wood, and cut down there a holly or 2 — Then went to Mitholm wood and pruned
a little Thence to Cowgate wood and pruned a little and gave orders for peeling a fine large oak, dying — blasted by lightning a year
or 2 ago — 18 feet of wood at 2/6 or 2/8 per foot and a (pack) of bark 15/. the tree valued at £3.4.0 — It had rained
sometime but now came on so heavily sent William Keighley home and got home myself at 1 — Changed my dress — somehow felt tired and sleepy
lay down about 1 1/2, fell asleep and only got up at 6 — Dinner at 6 1/4 — not a moment fair all the afternoon — a soaking rain —
John had been to inquire after Mark Hepworth — rather better today — heard at Cliffhill yesterday, he was taken ill in the
fields about 3 on Wednesday afternoon — bled 3 times that day — complaint in his head — hardly expected to recover — but I hope he
will do now — In the evening wrote the journal of yesterday and the above of today — read a little of first the last month’s gardener’s
magazine came up to bed at 10 10/60 —
Saturday 26
8 1/2
11 1/4
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Breakfast at 10 — At 11 1/2 off with my father down the old bank to H-x [Halifax] — my father went to the office of Messrs. Thompson and Stansfield
and I to that of Mr. Parker with the papers to make a title to the part of Cabbage lane field to be sold for the new church — left
with Mr. Parker the lease and release from Mr. Edward Valentine Stead to my uncle Japhet — Miss (Elizabeth) Listers deed making over her
property in trust before her marriage — The marriage settlement — The lease for possession from Mr. Watkinson to my uncle Joseph, the
conveyance from ditto to ditto of the property — and the probate copy of the will of my uncles Japhet, Joseph, and my late uncle Lister —
9 parchments — Then to Pearce the coach maker — doing up the gig would be £5 to paint it would be 3 guineas additional — met my
father — we went to Northgate — met Thomas Greenwood — he pointed out how the trees in the walk were going back — said he would
venture to give me £100 for all the trees on the land — thought I, William Keighley has just valued them at £55 — Thomas said
he would give me for any wood 10 percent more than William Keighley had valued it at — If I had ever any wood to fell advised me to
have 2 valuers, 1 from near home 1 from a distance — Just strode over what would be the quantity of Mr. Keighley’s land next to mine
in Broad street — 71 or 72 yards by 18 2/3 yards — my father and I walked down to Lowgate lane to see the oak tree that is to
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1828
April
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be taken down — got home again at 2 1/2 — we had been talking of letting off the upper land — It seemed as if my father’s objection
hinged up on having no certain supply of water near the house — determined to send to James Holt to hear what he said about trying
for water in the field above the barn — Sent John to tell Holt to come tomorrow afternoon and with a note to the coach maker to tell him
to do up the gig at £5 — Then looked over Mr. Briggs’s cashbook — read over the purchase deeds of the Godley land etc. etc. and
copied Mr. William Priestley’s calculations respecting the tithes — Dinner at 6 20/60 — afterwards wrote the above of today — threatening
rain yet finish day — a slight shower between 4 and 5 — read a little of the Gardener’s magazine for this month came to my room at 10 —
Sunday 27
7 5/60
11 1/2
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A cross thinking of π [Mariana] in fact for an excuse to myself for lying in bed Note to Mr. Briggs sending back ‘the cashbook
‘and 1 of the new plans of the collieries, having seen Mr. Washington, who says, it will be no great trouble to call for the plan
‘left here, and fill it up when he does the other — I have asked him to make a plan of Yew Trees wood — Mr. and Mrs. Scatcherd
‘came here on Thursday; and we agreed about the house and land — Rent 80 guineas a year — lease for 8 years — To enter to the house at May day, and
‘to the land from Candlemas last — I saw Greenwood yesterday, and begged him to see you, and get to know what he thought he
‘ought today to have, as soon as possible — Mr. Scatcherd will see to the repairs, allowing him 14 months rent —
‘I will send you the quantities of land belonging to the different farms, some other time’ dated ‘Saturday evening 26 April 1828’ —
Then wrote the following to Mr. Parker — ‘I cannot help thinking that, as my aunt is only entitled to the rents, and profits
etc. arising from the premises in Northgate, the necessity of her signing the deeds might be prevented by my giving a bond of
‘of indemnity against any claims she could make — will you give this a thought — I should like to have the trees at Northgate
‘reserved (should you see Mr. Scatcherd, will you have the goodness to name this); for, on looking them over after seeing you yesterday, I found several dead, or dying, at the tops; and in this case,
‘it may be advisable to take them down’ — dated this Sunday morning 27 April 1828’ — breakfast at 9 20/60 — Sent off my 2 notes — walked
to church with my father — The curate read prayers the vicar preached 38 minutes from Numbers xxxiii 10. Let me die the death of the righteous
and let my last end be like his — In returning from church walked down the Godley road to look at my new wall along the upper field
I bought there — got home at 2 1/2 — on coming upstairs found a letter from Mrs. Barlow (Paris) 3 ppages the ends under the seal and the first
page crossed all very small and close — A great deal about and against Madame de Rosny ‘I have no objection to her acquaintance
in a moderate degree but anything beyond that appears like a prostration of all judgment propriety and credit to o
nes sself I always comfort myself with the hope that Mrs. Lawton would think like me’ she seems to have said a great deal
very foolishly to Mrs. Barlow how odd I was when I had been about a month with her she began to suspect I was the person ta
lked of at Mrs de Boyves she would not have received me had she known it ‘however she afterwards reconci
led herself with the thought that Madame B was her guarantee at other times she thought the world might s
uppose she had someone in disguise living with her everything I told you respecting herself she has
told me again’ ~ she said I was so struck with her the first time of seeing her I had ever after languished
to spend a few months with her’ ~ Mrs. Barlow says ‘she is a deep turn penny’ ~ not very deep I think or she would play
her cards better ~ Madame de Rosny got Madame de la Bacheliere Lady Vavasour, and Miss Bennet in to solicit Mrs. Wainewright’s forgiveness,
and gave a ball, and had them all — Mrs. Barlow to be in England the end of next month — My aunt seems to have been worse in her
limbs, but now better again — Still uncertain whether we can have Dr. Tupper’s apartment — Madame de la Bachelerie
of bad character — her sister Madame de St. Marceaux still worse — Affectionate letter ending under the seal
‘I fear you never wish your poor little one at your side but be happy and I shall be so’ ~ from about 3 1/2 to 6 wrote 3 ppages (smallish
and close) to Mrs. Barlow Annoyed at all this about Madame de Rosny but very cool and calm about it it seems Madame de Rosny had not meant me to tell
Mrs. Barlow she had written to me she blushed and seemed confused at receiving a message from Mrs. Barlow Mrs. Barlow thanks me for telling her
after all she is jealous and Madame de Rosny little thinks what mischief she is making at first I thought we had better
live with Mrs. Barlow at once let us leave Paris go to London or go to Lyndhurst 9 miles from Southampton where Mrs.
Thistlethwayte has taken a cottage for a year — Think I should like to leave Paris Dinner at 6 20/60 — afterwards wrote the last 22 lines — the
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