| Description | [Diary Transcription]
112
1837
May
Solomon at heavy work — If his job answers, it is all well — if not, I could (I think) do
it myself solidly and perhaps too in tolerably good taste — niggling is a favourite word with him, and
often applied to my doings — Query — might it not be applied to his own work at the
rough walling and high sod banking at the Lodge? There will be no nature in it?
sauntered down the walk to Well-royde again — a little while in the stable — came in at 5 40/..
and wrote the last 16 lines of today — then at colliery accounts till 6 40/.. — dressed — dinner at 7 1/4
Coffee at 8 1/2 — came upstairs almost immediately after A- [Ann], at 9 25/.. — sat talking — very fine day —
Tuesday 16
7 20/..
11 5/..
:
@
+
Vc
A’s [Ann] cousin came this afternoon Slept in Kitchen Chamber as since the 11th ultimo A [Ann] much inclined an hour with her long good kiss the best she said
she ever had went to my own bed at twelve ~ very fine morning Fahrenheit 51 1/2° now at 8 25/.. a.m. sat reading
1/2 hour till breakfast at 8 55/.. from page 50 to 66 Higgins on the Earth — off with A- [Ann] at 10 — hearing I was
going to Hill Top she proposed walking with me — went with her to Cliff hill — sauntering about there
10 minutes and sat 10 minutes with Mrs. Ann Walker and left A- [Ann] -there at 11 20/.. — found Booth and Joseph Mann
waiting for me at Hill Top at 11 1/2 — there 2 hours — 1st settled with Joseph Mann about the well
enlarging and deepening if necessary — then setting out shed, and garden and homestead walls necessaries
water troughs etc. would not have the old dry wall at the inside of the barn plastered, near the inside ledge
(on which Mrs. Carter’s cottage wall is built) smoothed off for fear of disturbing Mrs. Carter’s
wall — from Hill Top to Yew trees and into the garden-house Croft to look at the yew tree Mark
Hepworth mentioned planted in the young hedge (when the hedge was 1st planted) 11 years ago —
The yew small and worth nothing for me — looked round all the hedges at Spouthouse and about
for hollies — not much to suit me — home by the Brighouse road and Lower brea road to Well royde
the gateway into the wood made ready yesterday and Mawson carting stone down for the Meer
he had 3 or 4 men breaking rubble into the ruts in the wood — got across the brook in Tilly
holm — some time talking to John Booth in the upper brook Ing and then across the fields to the Lodge at 4 —
Staid there till 8 busy the last 2 hours slipping an old oak root from the top to about midway
the high embankment — poor A- [Ann] half famished with waiting but took it very well —
dinner at 8 1/4 — Coffee at 9 1/4 — Came upstairs (just after A- [Ann]) at 9 1/4 — very fine day —
Wednesday 17
6 10/..
1 25/..
PN
N
very fine morning — A- [Ann] came to me for a few minutes and 10 minutes brushing my pelisse that not
out till 7 10/.. — stood by while Zebedee’s cart was loaded with rag for the Lodge rough
walling — then to the Lodge and busy with the gardener and his sodding Mr. Gray apparently glad of
my help — A- [Ann] off by or before 8 to the school — rode — Little John walked by the side to bring
the pony back — Mr. Gray breakfasted at 9 — I just after he had done i.e. at 9 35/.. in 1/2 hour
then came to my study and wrote the whole of yesterday and so far of today till 10 1/2 — George gave me at
breakfast the packet that came yesterday from Mr. Adam and my banking book that he (George) should have brought
on Monday and £50 — I ought to have had the packet given to me yesterday — Note from Mr. Adam
saying Mr. Graham’s attorney would be here today to receive the money £1174.17. 8 They would not
dispute the point about the declaration of trust — I must have my own way — Plan of Hardcastle’s
property for the purpose of having the road to the wood property marked out — I must go to H-x [Halifax]
about all this this morning — George has just brought me a note from Mr. Parker saying that
[margin text:] Ingham began the Laundry Court cistern.
113
1837
May
V
V
V
V
+
Mr. Wainhouse begs I will pay the money or not as may suit me ‘as is most agreeable’
very civil — off to Halifax now at 11 down the old bank to the bank — just called and told Mr.
Davidson of the check I was going to give Mr. Parker — Mr. Davidson said he was much obliged — then to Mr.
Parker’s office — Gave Mr. Adam the check dated today payable as usual to Robert Parker Esquire
no. [number] 117 = £1174.17. 8 — said I should invest the £400 for the infant when I went to London — should make
a memorandum to the effect that it was invested as soon as it was done, on the back of my will
and that I thought the money would be safe enough — to which A- [Ann] assented cordially — said Samuel Washington should see about a
road to Hardcastle’s wood — Mr. Parker then came in — he said Mr. Wainhouse begged me to do as was most
convenient to me respecting the money — said I would pay another thousand this day fortnight — but said Parker
if you should not at the time find it convenient it will be quite the same to Mr. Wainhouse about 5 minutes or
not so much at Mr. Parker’s office — returned up the old bank and from the top of there down to the Lodge and there at 11 3/4 —
or 11 40/.. — stood over the gardener directing his sodding till the dinner hour at 12 — Mr. Gray went
home to luncheon -I sauntered about till the men returned and was 1/4 hour or more talking to Matty
and William Pollard at the Lodge — 1/4 hour there again during the afternoon — took them a very young rabbit
William Greenwood (one of Joseph Mann’s men) had caught and for which I gave him a shilling, saying
the very young ones were to be only 6d. apiece — with the exception of this, all the afternoon with the gardener
(Mr. Gray evidently glad of it and looking on every now and then always satisfied) — till Holt came between
5 and 6 very near 6 — walked to the house with him and left him with A- [Ann] about his Bouldshaw coal — advises her not to sell the hunting coal — only 3 or 4 yards from the surface and will let in some of the best land — he is to be here again on
Friday afternoon — Walker pit cabin to be brought down to Listerwick pit immediately and the
wood piping to be brought from there home — the hay barn in the paddock (Godley Top field) will be
on the hollow but all safe (large posts of coal) except the low corner, and that may be made
safe by large rag footings — back at the Lodge soon after 6 till near 7 — home dressed
dinner at 7 20/60 — Messrs Warburton and Nelson having called on A- [Ann] — (got £2) for subscription)
for sundry necessaries for Coley church — £15 wanted — Coffee at 9 — I had been 1/2 hour
asleep as I sat on the sofa — A- [Ann] came upstairs a little before 10 or about 9 3/4 and I before 10 struck —
1/4 hour with her in her room Low cried of no use her having workmen if she was not at Cliff
Hill to look after them then I would have her go and stay as long as ssuited her she would have
nothing to do with Cookson very well look out for another but advised getting a better before
she parted with Cookson poor Ann what a miserable temper very fine day Fahrenheit 50° at 10 1/4 p.m.
had just written the last 27 1/2 lines now at 10 40/.. p.m. — sent by Robert Mann tonight a pencil
written order to Firth for 35 yards more lead pipe 14 lbs. [pounds] to the yard on the same terms as before for the
Little field cistern — sat in my study reading till 11 20/.. Gibbon’s Manual of the Law of fixtures —
[margin text:] Pay Mr. Wainhouse this day fortnight
order to Firth
Thursday 18
6 3/4
11 1/2
very fine morning — a few minutes with A- [Ann] — out at 7 3/4 at the Lodge till breakfast at 9 40/.. — A- [Ann] had Mr. Homer —
out again at 9 50/.. at the Lodge a little while — then at the Meer, and thence by Wellroyde to Mytholm quarry and thence into Hardcastle’s
to see about a road to the wood — then to Hipperholme quarry about rag for Mr. Gray — Frank and Zebedee carting from Mytholm
quarry this morning and Hipperholme this afternoon — met Mrs. Robinson in the road — Longish talk about the advanced rent — said I would
not take so little from anybody else — would not give way about the notices to quit — Mrs. Robinson said her husband would never sign the lease
I proposed — said I did not wish him to sign it — had no thought of making him the offer again — had he signed it, I should have thought it
right to be very liberal — as it was whenever he left the place, he would just get what the law would give him — and said I would not lay
[margin text:] Mrs. S. Robinson of Lower brea
|