Diary May 1878 - March 1880

19 May Mr. Jenner and Dr. Smith clashing over church ritual "Dr. Smith in high dudgeon with Jenner"

20 May "Asked Jenner for his subscription to the school, he said he intended to overhaul my books once a month - reported this to Dr. S which still more increases his ire"

23 May "Jenner writes to Dr. S to ask if (Dr. S) thinks that he Jenner is a Jesuit and Romanist - and that if so - he will withdraw from officiating as Reader"

6 June Fossil hunting at quarry at Down Hatherley with sons

17 July 'Rose is washing today a gigantic wash of 5 weeks' [this is one of the infrequent references to William's wife]

31 July "Went to the Conservative Fete held in Chapel Hay.. 5.30 to 9.00 listening to [Cheltenham Town] Band and the speeches of Mr. Stroud, Rickets and Clifford etc., a little nigger melody etc., but the whole proceedings were very flat"

10 Aug-17 Aug Trip to Standlake via Northleach and Burford, 3 hrs to get to N/leach on Butler's 'caravan' (the courier from Old Swan Inn to Burford) and walked to Standlake (stayed with Harry Poole's family) "Fr.Mills bewailed the toilsomeness of the road and the evils of life to my most intense amusement" (13 miles)

13 Aug Ghost story of 1865 concerning young Hall of Cut Mill on Windrush

19 Aug-22 Aug Visit to relatives at Lower Stone

16 Sept Writes letter in dispute over property sale [this is an example of a frequent occurence, being often asked to write wills, make up books, etc, by neighbours]

16 Oct Crowded theatre in Cheltenham to see Miss Bateman play Leah

18 Oct At distance, saw glow from fire at the Wagon Works, Gloucester. Several £1000's timber lost

(Loose at entry for 4 Nov: page from directory of Churchdown) see also 21 November entry

6 Nov Amused by sight of rate demand note being delivered upon Saunders. Prepared class room for teatotal lecture

21 Nov "letter from Bretherton asking for names of persons of position to go in his Directory"

27 Nov-4 Dec "Frank Wheeler performed several experiments in electricity" at Devonshire Street School, Cheltenham

25 Dec Snow at Christmas;

"Assisted a man who had upset his trunk loaded with dinner knives in boxes"

31 Dec Detailed description of New Year's Eve party

1879

3 Jan 'Robinson Crusoe' and harlinquinade at Cheltenham

11 Jan At Gloucester for rate book [auditing]; noticed new 'American Shop' in Eastgate Street

31 Jan Wm. Lawrence (of Pirton Court Farm) talking of forming an agriculture class

12 Feb "Jenner continuously tells my boys that they are the dirtiest children in the parish - so on. Dr. S. advises to speak or write upon the subject and not to stand it"

9 April Describes electro-magnetic experiment at Devonshire Street School, Cheltenham

28 April Villager Boswell recounting witch craft stories: especially evil eye and Brinkworth senior (deceased) who could cast spells "of course I opposed all this but was opposed of course"

4 June Visited Bream (F of D) where Harry Poole was now teaching; walked to the 'Devil's Chapel' (old Roman iron ore workings) & coal mine nearby "about the only one working it seems owing to the late strike. We also noticed many cottages empty, their tenants having gone to America"

5 June Walked to St. Briavels and by train to Tintern

14 June Rev. Viner's bad reputation

23 June At Cheltenham "found Fr. Mills "on". (Mother) had gone to accompany Mrs. Meek to the office (Police) where Mrs. Meek summoned her husband for an assault - for Judicial separation - Fr. Mills got drunk in the meantime"

19 July Received certificates for agriculture, electricity exams

Aug. Boys with measles

(Loose at 11 August 79 'Cuttings from comic journals')

19 Aug.-25 Aug. Visit to relatives at Lower Stone; great beer drinking & merriment "Fr. Mills in his element"

22 Aug. Watching fox club hunting in Nutcracker Wood "where Perry etc. shot the keeper many yrs ago"

25 Aug. From Lower Stone to Abergavenny where relative Frank Hambling was landlord of the Somerset Inn

28 Aug. Welcomed by Jn. Pick, mother's cousin, at Penyvan (nr. Whitebrook-on-Wye)

29 Aug. Walked through St. Briavels to Bream, admiring countryside

8 Sept. Children's tea party & parish entertainment

30 Sept. Meeting of assistant overseers at Waggon and Horses, Hucclecote. Talking of agriculture classes

4 Oct. F. Mills drunk again; "gave him a good blowing up twice"

16 Oct. Funeral of George Hambling (died young of consumption)

29 Oct. Negro minstrel entertainment at Assembly Rooms, Cheltenham

4 Nov. At Plough Inn near Parton. Landlord Snook described "their late festivity over the removal of the Turnpike close by"

11 Dec. Entertainment at Cheltenham theatre given by North Ward Conservative Association 'songs, speeches - and a farce.. "sink or swim"

20 Dec. Extortionate doctor: Dr. Turnbull of Cambray

31 Dec. "I have no company but the cat" to see in the New Year, "so ends 1879 - a year of disaster, bad weather - bad trade - only the general health good of the country"

1880

3 Jan 'Butler come poorly; wanted particulars respecting club doctor etc."

6 Jan Dr. Johnson of Gloucester to be hired

10 Jan Trying to arrange doctor for Shurdington club men "1st Dr. Newton then Dr. Jessop... refused because he did not keep drugs - then to Dr. Cottle.. he was in the solemn act of dining "(and kept William waiting)"

26 Jan "Wrote to Lady Mary Egerton.. for Elizabeth Dallard who is seeking a scullery maid's place"

19 Feb School inspector's visits

17 March At meeting of Cotteswold [Naturalists] Society in Gloucester Museum theatre

At end list of books read in 1879