| Description | [Diary Transcription]
170
1826
April
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§§
to meet Mr. Parker at Northgate (to look about all these things) at 3 1/2 — went down into the fields — the 2 young
men gas-tarring the railing round the bottom of the Dolt wood — got to Northgate at about 3 — settled matters in my own mind —
Mr. Parker came as appointed — thought Mrs. Lees would be well satisfied — the house to be ready for her to enter upon the
1st of September — she wants to have a lease for 10 or at least 5 years — so advised by Mr. Edwards of Pyenest —
if she did not live, it would be a home for her grandchildren — said we did not like to tie up our property for
so long — would agree to a lease for 5 years, but Mr. Parker was not authorized to say for longer — staid talking to my
father and Marian, and looking about — Mrs. Lees will not have the walk which we think of throwing to the field, nor the room
and chamber over it next to the stable which it struck me let off as a cottage — Got home at 6 20/60 — Mr. John
Williams the appraiser had not quite done — Dressed — dinner at 6 55/60 — Mr. Williams sent in his valuation —
I noted the following items silver plate £160.7.6 — Farming stock, including our gig horse, £165.5.6 — my uncle’s
wearing apparel £15.4.3 — Books in the library £30 — Drawing room furniture £18.9.6 — Furniture in my aunt’s
lodging room £27.9.6 — etc., etc. making altogether a total of £675.4.2 — the furniture at Northgate is still to be
valued — I fear we cannot make the personalty come under £3000 — tea and coffee at 8 3/4 — afterwards wrote the last
16 lines — Very fine day — Barometer 1. degree above changeable Fahrenheit 52° at 10 p.m. at which hour came up to bed —
my aunt not so well today — bad night last night after being out yesterday in Mrs. Rawson’s (of Stoney Royde)
Bath chair — much shaken — very rheumatic (acute rheumatic pains) today, and hardly able to stir —
told Mr. Parker I would rather meet the surrogate at their office — did not wish him to come here on account of my aunt —
the occasion would only distress her — to meet him probably on Tuesday next — wrote a note to Mr. Freeman to go early
in the morning to ask him to fix an early time for calling here — I want to settle about the stone, and want ‘£500.
or more, or less, at present, as may best suit Mr. Freeman’ —
Thursday 20
6 55/60
11 10/60
x
L
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L
Incurred a cross last night thinking of π- [Mariana] ~ From 8 to 9 read from page 60 to 125. Dr. Clark on the climate and diseases of the South of France and Italy — Letter from M- [Mariana]
(Scarborough) 3 ppages — her sister will not go to York while Dr. and Mrs. Belcombe etc. pay their visit at Boynton — little Offley Crewe and Watson cannot
therefore be left in York — Can they be here — Went up to my aunt about it — yes! they can, but not very conveniently —
I thought M- [Mariana] had best send them home, but left her to do what she deemed best, begging her to let me know her
determination as soon as she could for they must sleep in my uncle’s room (the kitchen now too hot)
and it would require some preparation — said we had given up all thought of going to Northgate and to Buxton — should leave
England 4 or 5 weeks sooner than we had thought of before — should stay here till after the rent day, and perhaps be
far on our journey the middle of August (instead of being at Buxton) — wished to tell all this myself to Mrs.
Norcliffe and the Duffins — M- [Mariana] to say nothing more than that we did not go to Northgate — Did not not hint where
we think of going — she says ‘I hope you have done right by explaining to Steph and Harriet the misunder
standing between you and my mother — I take much you do on trust, and must do it in this instance, for I do not know
their reasons’.... replied I was glad she was willing to take me on trust did not like mysteries and would have as few of them as possible ‘I act from the dictate
of my conscience, and feel as if that ‘stout-siding champion’ would bear me out’ — She seems very
‘nervous’ at the thought of our going — bid her not be so — bid her set her mind at ease — promise to make her
at least comfortable when she comes, and assure her she will find little fault with the person or plans of
hers verily especially and entirely — A kind letter but I know she will be nervous about our going and particularly now
that the time is hastened — George took my note to Mr. Freeman (Southowram lodge) before breakfast and brought me one
back to say he was engaged today, but would call this week — Breakfast at 11 — sent off my letter to M- [Mariana] —
171
1826
April
§
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(Dr. Belcombe’s, King Street, Scarborough) — said I would do as she liked about meeting her in York — went out at 12 — Mosey has sent his companion to set stoops
and will come himself tomorrow — one (perhaps the 2 young men) gas-tarring the railing along the top of the wood at
the bottom of Charles Howorth’s little Ing or acre field — James Sykes went to Huddersfield, Mirfield, and Dalton yesterday but
could get no hollys except 50 of one of his brothers — planted them out today along the bit we have taken from the Tilly holm
to put to the Lower brook Ing wood — Told him to go to Pontefract tomorrow (he can go one day and return the next)
to see if he can get 1500 hollys there — to tell Jackman to come early tomorrow morning to speak to me about
Northgate — Sauntered up and the down the walk — fell almost asleep under the sycamore I call my summer house
overhanging the brook — delightful day — warm, but plenty of air, or wind — thought of our journey — and of M- [Mariana]
To tell Steph before her and Harriet too if it so happens that if π- [Mariana] cannot stay with L- [Charles Lawton] I wish her to have
a small lodging and live quietly in York where all the world can see her good conduct I will make business to
come to England at the first succeeding rent day and take her back with me ~ Came in at 3 — talked a few
minutes to my aunt — then came upstairs and wrote all the above of today — As to our plans, told my aunt yesterday we would leave
here the Monday after the rentday — on Monday 10 July — go to Paris — thence, staying a few days en passant at Fontaine
-bleau, to Neuchatel (en Suisse) on account of Madame Carbonier who may perhaps be of use to us, and cross
the Simplon in 8br. [October] to winter at Florence — we can pass the summer — next year in the neighbourhood of the lake
of Geneva — at Lausanne, Vevay, or somewhere near — Had just written the above at 3 3/4 — Read over Miss MacLean’s
last letter — From 4 1/2 to 5 3/4 wrote 1 2/3 ppages small and close to Miss MacLean Dressed — dinner at 6 25/60 — tea and coffee
at 8 1/2 — Afterwards read great part aloud from page 35. to 96 Matthews’s Diary of an invalid — Very fine day — fine
cool air, or rather wind that made the heat of the sun pleasant — Barometer 1 2/3 degree below changeable Fahrenheit 54° at 9 55/60 p.m.
at which hour went up to bed — Just before dinner and now after coming up to bed read from page 125 to 153.
‘Medical notes on climate, diseases, hospitals, and medical schools, in France
Italy, and Switzerland; comprising an inquiry into the effects of a residence in the South
of Europe, in cases of pulmonary consumption, and illustrating the present state
of medicine in those countries by James Clark, Medicinæ Doctor London Printed for T. and G.
Underwood, 32 Fleet Street; sold also by T. Vigurs, Penzance: and T. Besley,
junior 223. High street Exeter. 1820.’ ‘T Vigurs printer Penzance.’
1 volume 8vo. [octavo] ppages 249.
[margin text:] Began Monday 17 April 1826.
Friday 21
6
11 25/60
From 7 35/60 to 8 35/60, wrote the latter 3rd of page 2, and all but a line or 2 of page 3, [illegible] small and close, to Miss MacLean
Jackman came went with to Northgate at 9 — looking about there and planning alterations for Mrs. Lees etc. etc. Jackman thought
the stable and loft over it would be worth £10 a year, the barn and mystal £15 a year, the room and chamber over next the
stable to be converted into a cottage would be worth £7 a year — we might build up the cottage next to the street and throw
the ground to it bought of Mr. Kershaw etc. and make the place worth altogether £15 a year — the land 6 1/2 days work
Jackman said £4 a days work — I told him it had been valued at £6 a days work — Got home at 11 50/60 — breakfast at 12 —
afterwards slept a while — looked over some papers in the bureau — went upstairs about 2 — making out James Smith’s and John
Booth’s account — went out at 3 3/4 — Mosey’s companion setting rail-posts as yesterday in Lower brea lane — the 2 young men
not here gas-tarring — James Sykes gone to Pontefract I suppose — From Throp’s bill this morning he charges 12/. a hundred for
the 160 hollys we had of him sometime ago — Sauntered about — came in at 4 3/4 — from 5 to 6 — finished page and wrote the ends and under the seal
very small and close of my letter to Miss MacLean dressed in 10 minutes Dinner at 6 1/4 — tea and coffee at 8 1/2 — my aunt went up to bed
and to have a warm bath at 9 35/60 — Told Miss MacLean we had given up the thought of going to Northgate and of going to Buxton — should stay here
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