| Description | [Diary Transcription]
32
1836
April Friday 1
7 1/2
11 3/4
V
V
V
U
No kiss A [Ann] perhaps rather better this morning fine morning Fahrenheit 40 1/2° at 8 40/.. and breakfast — Mr. Jubb
came about 9 — did not see him till after he had seen my father — quite as well this morning as last night
and had passed a quiet night — advised Marian’s having someone to relieve Frank — at last she would take this
advice when given by Mr. Jubb though not when given by me — agreed to send for a man recommended by Frank
and brother to Hannah Pearson so long cook here in my uncle’s time — Pearson of Well Green, who had
nursed Mr. Hudson and several others — had Mr. Jubb into the north dining room to A- [Ann] and myself — regretted Marian’s
not managing better — glad she would take Mr. Jubb’s advice — a few minutes with my aunt at her bedside with A- [Ann] setting her draw and colour small
figures — and a little while in my fathers’s room till Mr. Freeman sent in for me about 11 to the quarry — all his men
and 6 horses today as before — 8 men at the Rockwork and Robert Mann + 3, and 1/2 dozen? of Freeman’s men
at Whiskum quarry — went there to say what sort of stone I wanted — then at the rockwork till
after 12 — then took A- [Ann] out to the end of the walk and back for about 3/4 hour — the better for it — left
her lying on the sofa — the better for the 2 of Dr. Belcombe’s pills she took last night — then with Marian in the little dining room # then a little while in my father’s
room and out with the men — Mosey’s 2 sawyers here — John Booth had taken a load of
clay up to Walker pit this morning — all at work as if it was not good Friday — dared not
venture to stop the men, not knowing when they might be got together again — took A- [Ann] out
again for 40 minutes at 3 — went to the Lodge and sauntered on the terrace in the garden — then A- [Ann] and I had
Hutchinson — he is to write out his method of conducting the school — inquired at Whitleys
about the commonly used books, prices, etc. — the school to open next Monday week — Mr. Musgrave
called while Hutchinson was here — had called to see my aunt — found she was asleep and I would not awake
her — Mr. Musgrave did not know my father was so ill — I regretted that it should happen at the time
there was unavoidably all this press of work — mentioned the workmen being at work, and my
not in these times venturing to prevent it — then a few minutes with my father — then out again —
# she had Pearson — did not like his manner — he would be a highty tighty nurse and not do
for my father — indeed she had told him my father would not allow him to go into the room — I saw
the man — I did not think unfavourably of his manner or appearance — on the contrary sorry that Marian
had managed the matter so little well — the man talked very reasonably — had 18/. a week
and his board when nursing Mr. Hudson —
at the quarry again and out from a little before 5 to 6 3/4 when brought in Mr. Freeman to take wine —
he had come in about 12 3/4 or 1 and asked for something to eat — very glad he had done so — he
mentioned Washington and Armytage’s survey and valuation — objections to it — Washington and Armytage had consented
to run the valuation over again — Freeman and others against being assessed up to rack rent — had consulted
old Mitchell who said it was a serious thing — we should be assessed accordingly to County rates etc.
said I at once entered into the force and justice of this observation — Freeman asked if he might say that was my opinion
I answered yes! — he begged his name might not be mentioned to which I consented — dinner at 7 1/4 — Mr. Jubb
came — had him in while I was eating my pudding — he thinks my father quite as well as last night
in spite of Marians having alarmed A- [Ann] and sent for me once or twice this afternoon thinking he was in the
act of dying ‘drawing away’ — coffee — A-’s [Ann] French with my aunt about 1/2 hour till 9 1/4 then wished Marian
[margin text:] good night saying I had been in to my father and should go to bed —
till 10 5/.. wrote all the above of today — fine enough day. Fahrenheit 35 1/2[°] now at 10 5/.. p.m.
33
1836
April 2
7 3/4
12 20/..
N
No kiss a slight sprinkling of snow on the ground and snowing or raining 1st 1 then the other till 8 3/4 at which hour
F40° and breakfast in 3/4 hour — my father had been restless till 2 this morning — then up — his bowels moved, and very
composed and quiet and easy afterwards — a few minutes in his room — he seems to me much the same as yesterday — out at 10 —
Robert Mann + 3 and Mr. Freemans 8? men preparing for the great coping stone as they call it (9 tons +
Mr. Freeman says) and doing what they could till it arrived about 12 — all the afternoon getting it down from
the road and setting it till 4 1/4 when all left off work — Mr. Freeman and his nephew came a little before
4 for a minutes on their way to H-x [Halifax] — out at 10 this morning till about 10 1/2 when called in to
see Mr. Jubb — did not seem to think my father worse than yesterday — a few minutes then and afterwards
in my father’s room — and with A- [Ann] drawing costumes again this morning — took her out about before 12
for 3/4 hour — to the rockwork, and the bottom of the walk — we came in for a minute or 2 to pay
Walton (by check) the Low moor company’s agent, for tram rails — A- [Ann] rode to Cliff hill
off at or before 2 and back at 3 1/4 — out from about 1 3/4 to 4 1/4 — then had Robert and Joseph Mann — settled with them
A- [Ann] wrote note to Miss Rawson on her going to Edinburgh with Mrs. Rawson — her mother on Tuesday and offering to take
anything for A- [Ann] who has nothing to send — dressed — dinner at 6 — coffee A-’s [Ann] French — Mr. Jubb came
at 7 — my father worse since 2 p.m. today — Mr. Jubb finds his pulse worse — irregular
— down between 70 and 80 — his breathing worse — yet he may get over the night —
some time with Marian in my father’s room while A- [Ann] with my aunt — then with her and my aunt till came upstairs about 9 1/2
till 10 20/.. wrote the above of today — just before dinner compliments from Mr. and Mrs. William Priestley and inquiries after
my father and the family and A- [Ann] and myself particularized — Marian gave the message that my father was very ill, and I that ‘the
family was much obliged and as well as could be expected’ — some coal-pit conversation with the Manns
but resisted all effort on the part of Walton this morning to bring on any conversation — A- [Ann] had Washington
this morning who brought her an intellegible plan of the Water Lane mill property and the well as it is — wild day —
showers of rain snow and hail all the day frequent and the hail showers heavy in the afternoon Fahrenheit 32°
at 10 p.m. my father so evidently changed resolved not to undress — but lie down by A- [Ann] who did
not like to go to bed without me — about 1/2 hour in my father’s room till 12 — and then did my hair and at 12 20/.. A- [Ann]
got into bed and I lay down or rather got into bed with my clothes —
[margin text:] Inquires
Sunday 3
7 3/4
10 55/..
I had hardly been lain down 10 minutes when John Booth called me up — went to my father —
breathing short — but no pain and quite composed — I thought he would continue till morning — Marian would
not leave him — John Booth and Frank, too, sitting up with him — A- [Ann] low and nervous with me —
went to lie down again soon after one — A- [Ann] who had been awakened when John Booth came fell
asleep, and slept pretty comfortably — I, too, must have fallen asleep after much thinking for I counted not the
hours and though I heard Frank come gently up the stairs and was up before he had time to tap at the door, yet I think
I was asleep before I heard him — it was just by the hall-clock 4 40/.. when I got into my father’s room, and it
was just 4 3/4 when all was over — death could not come more gently — more easily — though at the bedside I
scarce knew that the last breath had passed away — Marian was more composed than might perhaps have
been expected — I took her down stairs into the kitchen — got her a little brandy and water to rinse her
mouth with and a little to drink and a biscuit which she ate and after talking about 1/4 hour she seemed relieved
and went to bed — I had given the necessary directions to Frank last night — he and John went to bed about 6 and
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