Diary July 1889 - May 1890

3 July Talking " on the sayings and doings of O'Brien M.P. who spouts rank treason". Miss Smithe [Sister of Rev. Smithe] poured out her heart on her brother's treatment of her (he having gone to Sicily and given no indication of date of return)

13 July Man in train complaining of heat and obliged to get out of bed last night "his wife and 2 kids being with him - 4 in a bed!"

17 July Another Whitechapel murder early this morning

22 July Choir outing to Weston

24 July Robert Fletcher, retired butler, an old friend, found dead in his apartment at 3 Andover Cottages, Park-place, Cheltenham. Inquest verdict "natural causes"

30 July Letter from Rev. Smithe, posted at Milan, telling of difficult voyage from Naples to Leghorn and on to Marseilles

3 Aug. Travelled to Bournemouth by train. To pay 3/- for the week for the lodgings

18 Aug. Dr. Smithe recounts his adventures in Sicily

19 Aug. Description of wedding ceremony and reception in Cheltenham

[Loose account for coal for Churchdown School]

23 Aug. Visited Berkeley Castle - description. The dungeon 'gave one a turn'

26 Aug. Visited Ludlow. Descriptions of various places in the area, e.g. Camp of Caractacus (Caer Caradoc), Leintwardine, Knighton

8 Sept. Capt. Child announced to the Vicar that henceforth he would attend Hucclecote church because his seat in the chancel was occupied by a Master Cook, who has read the lessons for the past 3 months. Dr. Smithe not in slightest degree put out

14 Sept. Visited Oxford

21 Sept. To Elmstone Hardwicke Church - description

27 Sept. School Board Meeting - first for 6 months. Complaint that teachers' salaries had been raised

1 Oct. Read Dr. Smithe's Notes on S. Bartholomew's Church - Churchdown - which had been read before the Archaeological Society in July last year

12 Oct. Visited theatre in Cheltenham - play "New Men and Old Acres". Most enjoyable

15 Oct. 108 children present at school

24 Oct. Mr. Balfour's speech on Irish question discussed

4 Nov. Dr. Smithe, at the Club, describes briefly Pasteur's treatment for mad-dog bites

19 Nov. Changes affected at the church (stove re-erected, pews pulled down etc.)

5 Dec. Dr. Smithe taking silicate [sic] of quinine - 1 5/6 per dram - for sciatica

1890

14 Jan. Account of what took place in former years when the Court Leet was held at the Hare and Hounds

26 Jan. "There are very few subjects upon which [Dr. Smithe] can not talk"

8 Feb. Sarah Kingscott (barmaid) has frizzed and dyed her hair - so as to present a becoming appearance to the customers

11 Feb. Leonard married to Miss Smith. Mr. L. G. H. Mayer was the officer who married them - 9/6d - cost

18 Feb. Mr. de Sausmerez (school inspector) said there was no school in his circuit which had better arrangements for the children's comfort

25 Feb. Extract from Archbishop's Certif. (written by Dioc. Inspector):- "Churchdown School in the Diocese of Glouc. and Bristol 'The Instruction which these children receive is of a most useful and intelligent kind - Mr. Swift is certainly a very efficient teacher'"

8 March Attended Morning Service at Cathedral "The reredos is coloured and looks very much better - panels are inserted, painted at the sides etc. - of the altar"

13 March Confirmation Service in Cathedral described

25 March Mrs. Ch[andler] discursive as usual and finding great fault with the Dr. [Smithe] for not doing more visiting. Proceedings of Vestry Meeting (election of overseers, parish constable etc.)

26 March School tea-party - details. 130 children present

29 March Dr. Jessop died last Saturday and is buried today

7 April Election of School Board - result regarded as very satisfactory

19 April Attended meeting of Commissioners of Income Tax, Shire Hall

23 April Meeting of newly elected School Board

26 April Mr. Rodway Butcher killed himself last evening by cutting his throat. Shocking affair

1 May Reports intention of Mr. Oakey (Badgeworth) to take legal action against his neighbour, Mrs. Elizabeth Parsons. Various charges set out

2 May Meeting regarding the condition of the church and action to be taken. Advisability of spending money on old church. Committee set up to consider this and also the advisibility of 'obtaining an entire new church here in the vale below'. Dr Smithe said that nothing would ever break his resolution of not agreeing to abandon the old church: which if we did we should be the laughing stock of all sensible people - i.e. of all who had a taste for antiquity

11 May The Dr. [Smithe] fell out with the Vicar's Churchwarden (Mr. Cook) in consequence of the latter's persistence in thinking of a new church instead of reparation of old one. "The quarrel is so far gone that Cook says he shall not come again to Ch. - The Dr. told me privately that Lawyer Cook had a very fly-blown character - that Parson Viner had told him the Dr. that Cook had or does keep a mistress (this I do not believe)"