| Description | [Diary Transcription]
244
1839
February
N
Booth to consider what repairs necessary — I proposed taking the division wall to mend
the other walls and to part the fields with set stone — Booth thought they could be bought at 1/6 per
yard running (each set stone 5 feet long) would cost 2/. a rood setting at least — (Robert Mann
said yesterday he would set them at 2/.) — Round tops could not be got at less than 9d. a yard running
if so little — I proposed bringing random tops from Lane Ends or Sun wood — no random
tops to be got at the sandstone quarry above H-x [Halifax], not far from my fields where the wallstone
are generally got — One of the fields (the upper) in grass — very fairly clean — the
other potato fallow — Returned up the old bank — home at 2 1/4 just as A- [Ann] was setting off
to Cliff hill — she had Booth — I had talked to him about the Langley’s farm — and he
determined to take it at £38 per annum the whole of the house (not including the cottage or the
part lately occupied by Mr. Warburton) A- [Ann] offering and promising to allow him £8 out
of the 1st year’s rent — Agreed — A- [Ann] appointed to meet Booth at Hipperholme at 4
and I promised to be there also at that hour — A- [Ann] rode off to Cliff hill at 2 3/4 and I came upstairs
found on my desk the following note from Mr. Stocks ‘Mr. Stocks will feel obliged if Miss
‘Lister will state the lowest price she will take per acre for the lower bed coal
‘on a lease for twenty one years, and what quantity per year Miss Lister would
‘expect to be paid for — upper Shibden hall — Friday morning’ — It immediately occurred
to me to write in answer as follows — Mrs. Lister informs Mr. Stocks in answer to his note that it
is not at present her intention to set any price on the lower bed coal; but, if she should determine
to let it, it is probable that biddings will be taken by ticket — out again and off to
Listerwick about 3 — Edward Waddington and about 3 more masons walling the new flue —
Edward Waddington and Abraham ——— began it yesterday at noon — Joseph and Robert Mann and company digging
out — all very busy — Joseph Mann shewed me a copy of what they had signed — a
bad binding business — and Mr. Freeman now seems as if determined to keep them to their
bargain — Joseph had told him quietly they would not meddle with it — they could not make it
answer — it was not as they were given to understand — if they began with it, they could only
get into debt — and they had nothing to pay with — if Mr. Freeman was determined to take them and send them
to prison they had better go now as they were, as honest men, than get into debt and go at last
advised them to say nothing and do nothing — (but ask Holt’s opinion and advice) — and let the
matter rest — leave Mr. Freeman to do what he thought best — they could but employ
an attorney when Freeman tried to compel them to sign the lease — and as they had nothing,
Freeman could get nothing — Booth and I at Langley’s farm at 4 and A- [Ann] came soon afterwards —
looked over the house attentively — all very agreeable — A- [Ann] and I walked home and came in
a minute or 2 before 6 — dressed — dinner about 6 1/2 — A- [Ann] read French and part of the newspaper aloud — coffee
wrote the whole of today till 11 1/2 — fine day — Fahrenheit 44° at 11 35/.. inside and 41° outside at 12 midnight and
high wind —
[margin text:] H-x [Halifax] fields repairs
Langley’s farm let to Mr. David Booth
Mr. Stocks asks the price of the lower bed coal
The Manns’ coal agreement with Freeman
245
1839
February Saturday 16
7 40/..
12 1/2
N
fine but windy morning Fahrenheit 44° inside at 8 3/4 — and 36 1/2° outside at 8 55/.. a.m.
breakfast at 9 5/.. in about 1/2 hour — then with joiners or masons or with A- [Ann] a little once or
twice, and had Booth a few minutes till out and off to Listerwick at 11 50/.. — had sent Booth
off in a hurry about 11 to tell them to keep the digging of the new flue deep enough —
merely a few minutes at Listerwick — on returning found Booth with A- [Ann] annoyed at the flue
not being deeper — it will have to be mounded over a little near the boiler house —
then about in the house — Booth dined in the servants hall and before 2 took with him my note to Mr.
Stocks (to put into the post office) written before I went to Listerwick this morning and left on my
desk that it might be ready if Mr. Stocks should send for an answer the
servant being said to have been very anxious for an answer yesterday — did not write as
vide last page but merely as follows ‘Mrs. Lister has the pleasure of informing Mr. Stocks,
‘in answer to his note, that it is not at present her intention to set any price on the lower
‘bed coal — Shibden hall Saturday 16 February 1839 — Booth to put into the
post my note as above to ‘Mr. Stocks Upper Shibden hall’ — about 2 A- [Ann] and I
had each a basin of broth — she rode off to Cliff hill at 3, just after
I had paid and settled with the gardener — hoped he would find his wife doing well after
her confinement and that he would have a good journey — I then came away, having
merely before inquired what sorts of peas he would advise to be sown in succession
and noted the sorts down immediately Early green marrow and same time early warwick
and afterwards during the season Cemetery or Woodford’s marrow — heavyish shower
of rain soon after breakfast this morning and afterwards a few flying drops of rain and light small
snow — and a hail shower as I returned from Listerwick — highish wind all the day —
had just written the above of today at 3 1/4 p.m. — then at Joseph Mann’s bills which he
gave me yesterday a large packet — had Booth about I scarce know what Sorry I said
he might have the keys of Langleys farm for A [Ann] thought he ought not to have
forgotten to ask herself this morning — the Manns here before 5 — busy settling
with and paying them (and still Robert’s bills not even entered in my rough book) till dinner at 7 —
talk about the new flue — Joseph Mann sure the masons cannot be ready in time — said I would have
another — set to set the boiler immediately — Joseph Mann to bring Holt on this account on Monday morning
dinner at 7 — A- [Ann] read French in the dining room — coffee at 9 1/4 — skimmed over the paper — came upstairs
at 10 35/.. at which hour Fahrenheit 39° inside — A [Ann] cried much after dinner I did not seem to take much
notice perhaps it was at the great colliery expenses for she let me have
thirty pounds to pay the Manns with paid them near ninety pounds —
uncertain sort of day vide lines 13 and 14 above from this — Fahrenheit 32 1/4° outside at 10 55/.. p.m.
[margin text:] Robert Rawlinson left us —
succession crops of peas
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