Diary May 1890 - May 1892

15 May Goods train coming from Glos. derailed outside Churchdown Station

17 May Report of value of land near Lower Stone (from property sale at Berkeley Arms Hotel)

20 May Inserted advert. in Citizen for Miss Smithe: "Wanted at once a good plain cook, wages £18 - not over 30, also a house and parlour maid - wages £16. Apply to W. T. Swift - Churchdown"

24 May To Bournemouth

26 May Seek out and find Rufus's Stone in the New Forest. Inscription on stone set out in full

28 May Takes a trip to Ventnor

31 May Visits bath (Abbey) in course of return journey to home

9 June Becomes an Associate of the English Church Union

28 July Choir outing to Weston. Spent 1hr. on board the "Earl of Jersey"

31 July Wedding ceremony took place in school - specially licensed by Bishop (fee 2 guineas). Son Reginald obtains work with Mr. Simmons (watchmaker and jeweller, High St.), wages 15/- per week, to rise to £1 in 1 year

5 Aug. Tricycle purchased

9 Aug. Uncle Tom came and talked of his experiences as a butler c.p. with the Duchess of Hamilton

11 Aug. With Uncle Tom visited Cathedral, also St. Mary de Crypt where they saw the spot where Robert Raikes lies buried

18 Aug. After staying at Bournemouth went to Amesbury and Stonehenge; lengthy description of the latter

19 Aug. To Salisbury Cathedral

25 Aug. Presented with copy of Dr. Smithe's brochure "The Minerals of Gloucestershire - observation on celestite - read at Gloucester Jan. 25 - 1890 by Fred'k Smithe"

30 Aug. Epitaph on Dick Pearce's tombstone in Berkeley churchyard quoted in full [Died 18 June 1708]

13 Sept. Another wedding at the school. "Shall not be caught again - as I received not a farthing"

15 Sept. Great light seen in sky over Gloucester as if there is a fire. [It proved to be Fielding & Platts 'Patern Department' - £5000 worth of damages - and one man drowned in the canal

29 Sept. Copied in the church the list of Benefactors to Churchdown from a delapidated tablet which will not be renewed. List entered in Parish Vestry Minute book [List also in diary under 30/9/90]

12 Oct. Pews in S. aisle of church now demolished preparatory to new floor and chairs

7 Nov. The wells are all very short of water

13 Nov. Concert and entertainment held in Drews Court Barn

14 Dec. After Evensong Dr. Smithe talked "on the animal life of Thos. Lawrence, John Do., James and Wm. Wells and James Wicomb all formerly and within my recollection farmers in this parish - who all save the first - who was kept in order by his wife - delights in debauching the servant girls or women who worked for them in the fields etc."

20 Dec. His mother died. He went to Dicks the Drapers to make arrangements for the funeral. The Registrar came to register the death - fee 1/-

21 Dec. S. aisle of church "has been fresh laid with tiles - old pews removed and all for the better"

422 Dec. Weather extremely severe, 26° of frost at night

23 Dec. Mother's funeral described. £10.2.6. paid to Mr. Walter Dicks for funeral expenses

1891

18 Jan. Very cold weather still persists. Unable to walk to church by usual route owing to mass of ice

20 Jan. Smart show of rain filled water tub - "The missus has not washed for over 5 weeks for want of water"

4 Feb. Dr. Smithe said he was busy yesterday with T. Merrett taking down the organ gallery to make the place into a vestry. They found a vault underneath containing skulls etc.

20 Feb. Dr. Smithe spoke of how he had been wrongly accused of marrying for money

5 March Visited Mr. Oakey at Badgeworth. Much talk of various scandals

7 March Visited Tewkesbury Abbey - description

10 March More than 1ft. of snow and drifts 4ft. deep. In consequence a marriage ceremony at school as church could not be reached

17 March Report on school received and quoted

20 March Shown over Draggett's Court, which has been renovated

26 March Vestry meeting. Overseers for 1891 & 1892 appointed. Salaries adjusted, and various reactions to adjustments described

28 March 2½ doz. chairs arrived from Norton. Carried up to the church from the Green

29 March Easter Day. Choir processed from the new vestry (described)

30 March Complimented on work as choirmaster at Easter Vestry meeting. Later learned that cloth trade in Stroud has gone down and that umbrella handle and walking stick manufacturer had somewhat taken its place. Started delivering census papers (he was census organiser for Cheltenham)

1 April Account of a suicide

6 April Census Day. Route taken in collecting completed forms

10 April Summary of Churchdown Census, showing population to be 750. Hucclecote population 459

15 April Had to rewrite Hucclecote census return, having failed to differentiate between 2 ecclesiastical divisions - St. Bartholomew and S.S. Philip and James

23 April Measles in parish. Discussion whether school be closed

27 April Visited Brockworth church - description

28 April Agreed terms for apprenticeship of son Harry with Thos. Merrett

4 May Account of vandalism by youths. Mr. Lucas said "the parish should now obtain a uniform for Morris" [constable]

6 May Paid for census enumeration £3.4.9.

7 May Dr. Smithe recounts the history of his career

11 May Has the 'Influenza'

16 June (Opposite) St. Bartholomew's Church - Statement of Account of recent Restoration - set out in full (dates 13/6/91)

23 June Harrison & Baily Auctioneers said their fees for putting a cottage up for sale would be 2½ guineas

28 June Asked what he would like from the testimonial at Easter Vestry, said a gold watch would be as appreciated as anything

6 July Dr. Smithe gave list of dates of Churchdown events, e.g. "1859, Aug. 5 Vicarage House began"

14 July 50th birthday

27 July List of donors to choir outing fund

31 July Informed that a single woman - very lately left, was in fact a regular prostitute. On one occasion a man crying fish was admitted to her favours and on coming out forbore to cry any more

17 Aug. Desciption of furnishings of Leonard's house at Cape Hill, Birmingham

20 Aug. Description of Bilston in the Black Country

21 Aug. Visited Lichfield - Cathedral, Dr. Johnson's house - prices of refreshments

28 Aug. School Board resolved to accept the Free Eduction Grant from the Education Department from Sept. 1st next

31 Aug. Visited Wells - Cathedral etc.

9 Sept. Vestry meeting to consider management of Giles Cox Bequest

11 Sept. Mr. Pelly from London spoke of the No. of foreigners in London - of the Socialists etc.

22 Sept. Offer of £150 made for ½ acre of land adjoining Draggett's Court (area 2280 sq. yds.)

7 Oct. Declined offer of above land @ £171.10.6 (1/6 per sq. yd.) Instead purchased 2 cottages Nos. 1 & 2 Chosen Villas and adjoining piece of land for £475. Conditions agreed with Mr. J. H. Jones (solicitor)

8 Oct. Copy of account sent to the Cheltenham Examiner of the Harvest Festival Services

12 Oct. Financial statement etc. relating to purchase set out in full

17 Oct. Letter drawn up by Dr. Smithe, to accompany wedding present to Edwin Redman, employee of Midland & G.W.R. at Churchdown Station, set out in full. Donations comprising gift totalled 6 guineas - to be presented in "old fashioned" purse

19 Oct. Full account of Mr. Redman's wedding service and subsequent breakfast, dresses, food etc. described

30 Nov. Copy of his parents' marriage certificate (Leckhampton Church 19 Oct. 1840), also copies of accounts relating to his father's burial, 22 Sept. 1841

1892

11 Feb. Attended concert in Glos. Cathedral - programme

26 Feb. Summoned to attend a juryman inquest at the Old Elm on the late John Evans. Dr. Smithe attended and on being thought to be a jury-man (erroneously) was elected foreman, so jury consisted of 13 instead of 12 members. Body of deceased lay in Old Methodist Chapel, "now a part of the premises of the Old Elm". Verdict - suicide during temporary insanity

9 March Attended (as member of jury) inquest on Jeremiah Dallard, who had been found dead in signal box the previous day. Verdict - death from valvular disease of the heart

11 March Meeting at school in support of Sir John Dorrington as M.P., with account of his speech and of other supporting speeches

12 March Funeral of Jeremiah Dallard. Reference to "utter insensibility" of Dr. Smithe

24 March Overseers for 1892 - 3 and 1893 - 4 appointed, J. H. Jones elected church warden, and Henry Morris reappoints Parish Constable at increased salary (£12)

1 April Meeting re. allotments - "Squeezing by Mr. Jones to get the highest rent he could". All the prices taken, rent £1 per acre for first 2 yrs. and £1.7.6. afterwards

18 April Agreed at Vestry Meeting that churchyard be enlarged on S.W. side

15 May Dr. Smithe recounts his experiences