Diary September 1881 - August 1883

At front: notes about rent on property in Cheltenham (1876) - 1883

13 Oct. Giving up office of assistant overseer

29 Oct. At the Noah's Ark Cheltenham. Sat in the kitchen a while - "there sat 'Cock' Robbins cheating at cards. The whole scene made one wonder how men could act as they did, swearing, cheating and lying"

7 Nov. Meeting of committee of (benefit) club: a recipient of sick pay had been seen at work cider-making

9 Nov. Wedding breakfast at the Crown. Wedding at All Saints

11 Nov. Meeting of the School Board (William regularly recording business as it affected him)

15 Dec. Programme for 1st Winter Concert at Churchdown school room

1882

16 Jan. Negotiating maintenance for illegitimate child of Frank Poole by Kate Prust

4 Feb. Son Reginald to start as watchmaker's apprentice (to Wm. Waite)

5 March Details of sermon by Father Ignatius of Llanthony Abbey at the Assembly Rooms, Cheltenham

16 March Confirmation of Churchdown candidate at Cathedral "Geo. Garness... not allowed - having received a black eye while at play"

22 April "Met Frank Wheeler who told me of young Frank having run off to America thro' some bother 'at College'"

4 June Burial of an illegitimate child "in a soap box - and the name written in black lead pencil"

29 June "Dr. S[mithe] told me how he had been indiscreet in making a remark that all the scandal came from the Meeting house"

14 Aug. Visit to relatives at Lower Stone

19 Aug.-24 Aug. Visit to Bream and Pen-y-Fan

9 Sept. To the Spread Eagle, Gloucester, to the auction of Mr. Beauman's estate. Includes list of lots, names of purchaser and prices

23 Sept. At Cheltenham "The circus band played several times in the street. The circus on the first night after taking the peoples money had no horses to go on with the performance and as Mrs. Williams expressed it "When they came to 'the point' had nothing to perform - which caused an uproar"

25 Sept. "A man from Bristol... photographed the children by the dry process which did not last but a moment"

14 Oct. "Pig killing on Wednesday at Mother's caused as usual Fr. Mills to get helplessly drunk - gave him a bit of my mind - he was brought in by a man at 4.30"

17 Oct. Programme of lectures and events at a 'Conversazione' at Gloucester School of Science, Brunswick Road

25 Nov. Description of Children's Home in Winchcombe Street, Cheltenham, in which lived Walter Hambling. Clean but spartan 'little Walter was lying in a perfectly horizontal position [no pillows] engaged in knitting [he died 11/4/83]

1883

27 Jan. Leonard sitting P.T. [Pupil Teacher?]'s exam at St. Lukes schools, Gloucester

31 Jan. Parish entertainment

19 Feb. Gloucester 'quite alive on account of the assizes...grand carriages with powdered and plushed footmen'

15 March Transcript of Inspector's report on school

26 March Summonsed by policeman to attend inquest on illegitimate child of woman called Coates of Huccelcote

Detailed account of coroner's court

29 March Vestry meeting minutes

31 March-2 April Summoned to another inquest of the poor man James Bowyer of Bamfurlong, Staverton (killed while working on railway line); detailed account

7 May Account of auction at Lower Stone (sale room in the Berkeley Arms) including lots, purchasers and prices

30 July Detailed account of choir outing to Weston-super-Mare