DIARY 13 August 1883 - January 1885

22 Aug. Visit to relatives at Lower Stone

25 Aug. To Pen-y-Fan

11 Sept. To Lower Stone for day

13 Sept. Description of Cheltenham College baths in Sandford Field 'All filled up in the best stile - The engine which pumps the water etc. all polished - The bath holds 100,000 gallons. The boys go in 50 at a time - ½hr. allowed to each lot - stalls for undressing etc.

New houses at Battledown

14 Sept. Noted great increase in graves and monuments at Leckhampton churchyard especially white marble crosses

29 Sept. 'A detachment of the Salvation Army went by. The leader firing expleteives as they passed "You are all going to Hell, Come with us" etc. [at Cheltenham]

10 Oct. Arthur [aged 14] applying for post at Cavendish House in Mr. Carter's department

13 Oct. 'concerned to hear that Mr. Carter is dangerously ill bordering on brain fever from overwork'

7 Nov. Arthur apprenticed to Walter Hambling

On coroner's jury - death of Mr. Joseph Hopkins

8 Nov. 'Sent off my rough notes of the inquest to the Editor of the Cheltenham Free Press and Examiner

1884

14 Jan. Leonard on trial at Fielding & Platts, Gloucester

25 Jan. Views of Mr. Champney [dissenter] on Luther indulgences, etc, not meeting William's approval

17 Feb. Mr Champney holds bible class in Churchdown

20 Feb Statistics of children passing exams and amount of grant thereby

22 Feb. "Mr. Champney's threat to have a Gospel Tent next summer"; he hired Mr. Vine's barn to hold meetings in because he was not given permission from Dr. Smithe to use parish school room

10 March Incident on railway - joke box like dynamite put on rails. In Citizen 'a dynamite scare'

20 March Mr. Champney's "barn meetings' attracting considerable numbers: "the missioner...prayed for Dr. S that he (Dr. S.) might come amongst them [the saved inside the barn]"

27 March Vestry minutes "Dr S. characterised the proceedings afterwards as 'Bumbledom'"

28 March Reginald Friend to Skating Rink or Winter Garden to see the Gas Exhibition

29 March "Mother described these [lectures on cooking at the Gas exhibition] "as being allright except putting pepper in the Yorkshire pudding"

9 April Copy of Diocesan Inspector's report on school

3 May Description of Matthew & Co., Southgate Street, Gloucester, where Arthur was to be apprenticed. [Furniture makers?] (Also on 10 May)

6 May 'The Three Hats' performed at Cheltenham. Description of plot "Lord Fitzharding came in towards the end and received an ovation - a good many of the Hussars were present giggling, smoking and strutting in the Promenade - some of them rather broad in their pronounciation"

10 June Dr. Smithe's account of Mr. A. Champney's religious beliefs and preaching

24 June Copy of commonplace letter from his mother

30 June Mother's silver wedding celebrations

21 July Choir trip to Weston - 'beer, beer, beer' "Fr. Mills sank into a feeble state - Anthony Morris became silent - only Geo. Davis kept alive. Constance was drunk and kept opening the carriage door and getting on to the step to our terror - He dragged one Mrs. Lapper into the carriage at Bristol and kissed her...I was very glad to get out of it all at about 10.30"

11 Aug. Visit to relatives at Lower Stone (busy harvesting)

(Loose at 18 August: page from rule book of Benefit Club)

4 Oct. Eclipse of the moon.

Copy of the Citizen's report on death and inquest of Thos. Millard, thatcher, at Berkeley

(Loose at 1 December: Aunt Sarah's recipe for Sloe wine, 1907)

1885

2 Jan. Opinion of Mr. Steele, senior, on extra penny income tax and Squire Allsop on the Education and Agriculture Acts

20 Jan. Had to visit Matthews of Gloucester because Arthur had been taking stamps, "exceedingly ashamed"

26 Jan. A 'Cosmoramma' at class room showing Egyptian, Afghanistan, S. African war; 130 slides shown