| Description | [Diary Transcription]
80
1837
April
the line of Incline to be nearly plumb dip of the strata = 2 inches per yard and from the top of the
bank to measure not more than 700 yards in length then 700 yards at 2 inches =
1400 inches = 116 8/12 feet = 38 2/3 yards = 38 yards 8 2/3 inches ∴ [therefore] 60 yards deep at the top of the bank
+ say 40 yards deeper to go = 60 + 40 = 100 ÷ say 700 yards length of Incline ∴ [therefore]
100/700 = Incline dips 1/7 of a yard or 36/7 inches = 5 1/7 inches per yard but the Incline
will probably be about 750 yards long ∴ [therefore] 100/750 = 4 60/75 inches or 4 4/5 inches per yard
This will do very well — Had Robert Mann till 2 1/2 — then till 3 20/.. wrote all the
above of today — Charles Howarth said Jonathan Walsh should not have allowed the old road by
Denmark to be stopt up — his top-water went down to the road and had only the road to cross
to get into the brook — now the matter is quite different — he could only turn his top water
down the clough through my wood (Medley Park wood) into the brook — out at 3 1/2 —
some time with David Booth — ordered the stone pen-trough for the Meer-drift clow to be done, and the Lodge
chimney to be smoke-cured tomorrow — then with Robert Mann and company Samuel Booth, Jack Green, Michael
and John the Irishman — levelling and soiling over clay laid at the bottom of the coal-pit field — Frank carting
stone from Hipperholme quarry to raise the carriage court with his son John jobbing about with the old
bay and grey horse and carried stubbed up hazels (from between Pearson Ing and coal pit field old hedge)
to near the great sycamore near the old Wakefield road — came in at 6 — a long while with Bligh — dressed — dinner at
6 35/.. — tea instead of coffee — read the newspaper and got books from out of the cupboard in the little dining room till 10 p.m.
at which hour Fahrenheit 34° — fine day but cold and snow-ribs lying on the ground made it look
winterly —
Friday 14
@
8 3/4
12 5/..
Meant to have slept with her last night had a goodish kiss she inclined and was dropp
ing asleep when she snored so I could not sleep got up and went to my own bed at twelve and a half
and was just comfortable when I thought I heard her at my door jumped up and asked who
was there no answer stood with my father’s pistols in my hand ttill I was cold then thou
ght A [Ann] would be frightened if she awoke and found me gone so crept back to her
but no sleep she snored so at three therefore went back to the kitchen chamber and slept
without awaking till eight ~ A- [Ann] came to me at 8 1/2 and sat by me for 1/4 hour — she had never
awoke last night or rather this morning till after 4 — breakfast at 9 3/4 and A- [Ann] read French
sat talking till 11 — just gone out and going to Robert Mann and company when met Mr. Copley
Brown coming and turned back with him and had him till after 12 — he came to answer the
inquiries about a Dr. Thompson of Greenside street Edinburgh (elderly — very respectable several children)
for Charlotte Booth to go to — A- [Ann] had sent John to inquire — much obliged — he agreed with
me her father seemed against her going so far — long talk about George Robinson introducing
card setting machinery—Mr. Brown thought it would require capital — £10,000 — evidently not for it.
81
1837
April
V
very civilly offered to shew me his new wire-mill (Driver’s mill, late a corn mill) — I said
I wished it had been taken by the person for whom I was about to build a corn mill — Mr. Brown said the rent
was £160 per annum — I said I could not afford my mill for that — But said Mr. Brown besides the rent there was
the coal to find for the Engine and a new engine to find which has just cost me £1500.
thought I, Aquilla would not have mended himself by taking Driver’s mill — he has mine cheaper
than that would have been to him — walked with Mr. Brown to the Lodge, Edward being there taking up
the fire grate etc. in the low room and trying to cure the chimney of smoking — Booth had proposed
setting the fixtures in John Booth’s house at the Conery (now taken down) instead of the new
ones bought for the Lodge — John Booth brought them in the cart while I was there — sometime with Matty
and William — Came in about 1 or after to A- [Ann] and sat with her near an hour till she rode to Cliff hill
and returned about 6 — had Joseph Mann — A- [Ann] had sent for him to go to Cliff hill about the cesspool emptying — Out about 2, and with Robert Mann + 4 till 6 1/2 planting hollies
hazels, and 1 beech etc. on the raised sort of mound on the embankment (East) close above the
rock bridge — a great improvement — dressed — dinner at 6 — tea — read the newspaper till 9 55/..
then wrote the above of today — F34° at 9 55/.. p.m. fine day — my eye and myself very much better for
the air and getting out again — A- [Ann] had letter tonight from her sister — Little Mary and Hannah to
come early next month — Letter tonight from Messrs Gray — in daily expectation of receiving
the money — had just written so far at 10 1/2 p.m. —
Saturday 15
7 10/..
12 1/2
@
V
A good one staid with her till she began to snore at one and twenty five minutes
my eye not so well this morning — I hope it is not going to be ‘bad’ again — fine but dullish morning Fahrenheit 39°
now at 8 1/2 — having been 20 minutes or nearly with A- [Ann] in the blue room — breakfast at 8 3/4 in about 1/2
hour from about 9 20/.. to 11 had Cookson to help me down with it and unpacked and put away the wine received in
3 hampers from York last Tuesday week the 4th instant — 5 dozen port — 3 dozen sherry and 4 dozen Marsala — gave out
1 bottle of the port yesterday and 1 bottle of the Marsala and 1/3 dozen sherry now this morning — A- [Ann] Had Mr. Washington —
I with him a few minutes to give him my assessed tax paper to carry in — off to H-x [Halifax] at 11 1/2 — down the old bank
to the bank — Got order on the York branch for £22.7.0 payable to William Oldfield Esquire for the wine
received last Tuesday week — and got £100 in cash and left £2 with Mr. MacKean for the poor
distressed starving Highlanders — a general national subscription for them — then to the Post Office and got post office
order for A- [Ann] to pay a sovereign (which A- [Ann] gave me) to Miss Bradley of the Devonshire Arms Hotel,
Skipton for the female organist there for copying and sending A- [Ann] 1 or 2 psalm tunes — directed
A-’s [Ann] letter enclosing the order and sent it off — left it at the office for the post — then to Whitley’s
to pay my bill for the books received on Monday last — home about 1 1/2 — some time with A- [Ann] — out at
2 — at the Meer-drift head — the masons working there as they have been for some time past at
the clow-fixing and now at the stone pentrough — then with Robert Mann and 4 levelling down
top part of the old hedge row between the 2 brook Ings — then with them puddling at the Meer drift
head ready for the stone pen-trough setting — Let the water (— the brook) into the Meer, the Meer-end
clow being down — meaning to have the Meer as nearly full as we can by Wednesday when Mr. Gray comes —
came in before 5 — dressed had the 2 Manns and Charles Howarth and paid them — dinner at 7 — neither tea nor coffee —
no newspaper come — asleep on the sofa — settled with John — wrote the last 15 lines — fired off the pistols and reloaded
[margin text:] wine received last Tuesday week
them — fine day till about 1 p.m. then a little light rain more or less during the afternoon. Fahrenheit 30° now at 11 10/.. p.m.
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