~~~1 May THURSDAY [121-244]~~~

St Philip & St James, Hol at Bank Transfer Office and South Sea House

Letter from William Bacon announcing the melancholy intelligence of the death of his little sister- the twin Eliza, a pretty, innocent, merry sprite, whose earthly sojourn has been short, rejoining her kindred sphere with no earthly contamination; her disease was water on the brain & it is to be feared Fanny the other twin is also liable to be similarly affected; how deeply she must feel the loss of her sister.-

~~~2 FRIDAY [122-243]~~~

Yesterday, Uncle Charles dined & spent the rest of the day at Mr. Needham's, I and CG joining him there a little after 7; in the Gardens with John and Willy CG playing chess with John, & Uncle Chas, draughts with Miss Needham, & after with Mr. Needham.- Jane down last evening, at our rooms alone, Mother being at Wilson's until late; CG and I  "sent" Jane home.-

~~~3 SATURDAY [123-242]~~~

Quiet day today; indoors in evening, stormy & cold as was also today, rain, hail & snow falling.- Father seems determined to have Mother home so I have consented to let her off on Monday.- Uncle Chas, Mother and I in town; at Birleys, Deightons etc. buying presents etc. to send home; caught in hail storm at Birleys and kept there for half an hour. Chas Geo at Corn Market.- Uncle Charles bought CG & I a set of chessmen, Board & Draughts, so I must learn. Uncle Charles says & says truly the water we drink here is very impure being impregnated with the soaking of the cess-pools about the wells.-

4  Sunday -2 aft East [124-241]

Chas Geo, Mother, Uncle, Mary Wilson (who had come down) & I up to Boughton found all en dishabille; Cinderella soon became Columbine & Jane came to us in "full fig!" studying Theatrical effects then CG to our place to dinner.- John's makeup was splendid.- With all the Griffins to tea & in evening. Chas Geo at their Chapel with Alice & Uncle, Mother, Aunt Hy & Jane with myself up at Wilsons in the evening.-

~~~5 MONDAY [125-240]~~~

Letter from Edward Thackray this morning; his health is better. In town with CG, Mother & Uncle, at Leicester's bought Engraving, or rather Water Color print for Robert Eagle,[1] Uncle buying another for Joshua Griffin & one in Oil for Ned (Windsor Castle).- Mother & Uncle left us this evening at 7:30; after a very very pleasant sojourn amongst us; Mother's presence day by day, with the shorter visits of Father, Uncle Clepham, & Uncle Charles have given an importance to my stay here so as to make me look a permanent fixture; they come to see me, not I to them; I am strong enough to revolve on my own axis, & I draw others into my sphere of action as I was formerly drawn into theirs.  Mother's stay has been quiet & gentle; I pray it may exercise a good influence over me; we spoke in allusions indistinct, about the home in the future which I should now mark out.

~~~7 WEDNESDAY [127-238]~~~

I had a letter from Father yesterday morning hoping I took his wish for Mother's departure kindly, and knowing his great love for her, I am content to do so willingly.- CG & I were quiet indoors last night, writing & squaring our cash a/c's up; my cash in hand being "beautifully less" than I had imagined.- Jane and Fred came down this evening & had tea with us; talking, accompanied them partly home.-

~~~8 THURSDAY [128-237]~~~

Half  Quarter Day

Short scrap of hasty lines from Mother this morning announcing her safe arrival at home & her disappointment at not seeing any of her friends in Birmingham except Mrs. Stone. Uncle Henry Mayfield continues seriously ill. Yesterday a man named Rogers called at the office (Mr. N being from home since Tuesday- down at Nottingham) and wished to engage with me for the removal of 150 to 200 tons Hay, & Timber to B'ham, from Bucknalls of Hallow, saying he had seized the whole of the Farm in execution, sent Bromley over; found Rogers was the head of a gang of fellows who get up false writs, seize & dispose of what property they can thus obtain; a new mode of plunder.-

~~~9 FRIDAY [129-236]~~~

Wrote to Edw Thackray on Wednesday to announce the death of one of my Silver grey hens by croup, all being ill in it. Wrote to Father last night; future home; his & Mother's visit re - In town today; Deighton's ordered Illustrated London News for tomorrow, sent last week's home.- Letter from Mr. Needham.-

~~~10 SATURDAY[130-235]~~~

Wrote to Miss Smith last night in reply to her three last.- Eliza Bacon's death- Mother's visit etc. Hearing of a garden to Let on Rainbow Hill I think it would prove an advantageous investment of my labour & money, though unluckily I am no botanist and know not parsnips from potatoes until they are brought to table; but one is never too old to learn & with all the friends I have in the gardening way, Mrs. Griffin, Uncle Wilson, Uncle Henry, surely I shall get something out of it.

11 Sunday -3 aft East [131-234]

At breakfast this morning Chas Geo took "tiff" at some unfortunate words of Mrs. Jones and myself as to his ornamenting side tables with brown paper, & marched off in dudgeon to College, I stayed in & wrote to Mrs. Bacon on poor "little Eliza's" death, & also to William Bacon, & then had a walk up the Tolladine Road, cross Gas Hill & back by Rainbow Hill, to dinner meeting CG, still unthawed; afterwards we went up to Boughton and had tea with them, Jane coming back with us unwittingly giving further offence to poor CG on the way by leaving his arm in a narrow path too narrow for us to walk abreast; CG went ahead & left us; Jane & I after calling at my lodgings walked up to Groves ! on Lark Hill calling at Wilsons by the way  & returning again to my lodgings & found CG returned in silent reserve, accompanied Jane home & returned; expostulated with CG on his inconsiderate conduct render himself & all in his presence so uncomfortable, when with a frankness just as welcome, he owned his fault & will amend.

~~~13 TUESDAY [133-232]~~~

Old May Day. Easter Term ends

Last night CG and I at Athenaeum to exchange Art Union, & on to Jones' to borrow his Harries Life of Napoleon for CG to read; looking thru part of illustrations in evening.- Letter from Ned Thackray, relative to fowls & their treatment, to the great race between Voltigeur & Flying Dutchman to come off today & to his desire to visit Worcester again, no one would be heartier welcome to both CG & I and we will tell him so.-

~~~14 WEDNESDAY [134-231]~~~

Trip to York today, inclination to go- but £.s.d. Yesterday evening Fred & Jane came to tea with us & spent the evening; Mr. Barnesley came in; being over here from Manchester for a few days; he looks vastly improved; marriage evidently agreeing with him; reports Mrs. B very well; all walk up into St. Johns together- moonlight- clear. Mr. Needham at Birmingham to-day, having driven his mare over in the phaeton- 56 miles- & does it again with her on Friday.

~~~15 THURSDAY [135-230]~~~

CG & I at Hilbournes- Agnes Cropper &  Adelaide there; afterwards he & I walked in Pitchcroft as far as the Grand Stand & home by the Butts, by 10. Looking over "Napoleon" last night & finishing Volume 1. - I am reading during the spare time I have - George Burrows Lavengns - Went last night with Mrs. Griffin to see the garden, which a Mr. Charles Parsons in Mealsheapen has to let; decided to take it & today entered on it paying him rent from 25 March last at £3 per annum payable every 25th March & 25th Sept. he giving a six month's notice from  25th Sept. so as to leave it at the same season I entered it.- Paid him a soverign for all the plants & stock.

~~~16 FRIDAY [136-229]~~~

Charley and I at Hilbournes last night. Received Vegetarian Report for last year in which I am astonished to find myself registered as Local Secretary for this district- an extensive scene of labour containing two members- myself and a crazy bootmaker.

~~~17 SATURDAY [137-228]~~~

Mrs. Jones, Alice, Joshua, CG, Kemble and I at garden last night to  show them it and to put in a few kidney, scarlet & dwarf beans, & to show Kemble the work I have planned him out, of building a new summerhouse, having sent up a quantity of timber up during the day from our yard, & also a quantity of manure[2] for hot bed etc. In town this afternoon, Deightons, Chaplins etc. & in evening walked up High St.

18 Sunday - 4  aft East [138-227]

Letter this morning from Charley Cox setting at once & for ever the unpleasant business of my letter to Eliza Lomax, by owning then an attachment between himself & her had long previously existed, & they are now betrothed - God bless them both, he will make her as good a husband as she will be a wife, & I grieve I had not wit enough to see how matters stood.- Letter also from Mother of 12 pages on her welcome back to home, on the busy time they have had, & the friends they are with & that are cultivating the friendship of the Miles.

~~~19 MONDAY [139-226]~~~

After breakfast  yesterday CG and I walked by the river to Greenley, reading on the road Macaulay's Horatius, & scraps from the Merry Wives of Windsor; called at Mr. Turners to correct a blunder I had made at the office yesterday; came on to rain, stayed a couple of hours with him talking on trade, & protection which neither he nor any of the tenant farmers I know, either expect or hope to see; started & got soaked through before reaching home; changed & stayed in all the afternoon.

~~~20 TUESDAY [140-225]~~~

CG went to the Catholic Chapel in the evening to hear Mass; I wrote long letter home, mostly respecting the home I am looking for in the future; Miss Miles; Miss Lomax & Charley Cox; their visit & its pleasure & so on.- Mr. Needham went to Ludlow yesterday with his phaeton and will stay a week.- Uncle Wilson & Richard at Garden with me in the evening, arranging cucumber beds & so on,[3] came to tea & Aunt and all the others called for them -

~~~21 WEDNEDAY [141-224]~~~

At garden last night, hoeing potatoes; CG there digging; John Fullwell sticking peas; Harry Kemble and Joshua pulling summerhouse down; Jones joined us & came to supper. Sat up writing to Charley Cox a letter of explanation & reconcilition in reply to his candid one, on my stupid conduct to Eliza Lomax, also enclosed one to her, begging to be received into her friendship again & to call her cousin.

~~~22 THURSDAY [142-223]~~~

Pleasant letter from Robt Eagle yesterday morning, thanking me for the water color print sent him. At Garden last night & at Mrs. Haynes in the day.- Enter Diary up, grown a week behind. Letter from Uncle Charles this morning, saying he has ordered garden tools for me from B'ham in  payment of CG's entrance fee to the garden, but thinking dirty diggings will soon spoil my new love.

~~~23 FRIDAY [143-222]~~~

At my garden last night; hoeing taters; John there sticking peas, preparing cucumber bed, sowing peas etc.- CG at Boughton.- Charley and I had a long walk this evening as I could not go to the garden owing to Henry being too unwell to work at the summer house; CG and I went by Pitchcroft, past the Pope-iron tea gardens & round by Barbourne & up Merriman's Hill & down Rainbow Hill home.-

~~~24 SATURDAY [144-221]~~~

Queen born 1819, Hol at Com Pl & Law Offs

Wrote long letter to Uncle Clepham for his opinion of my plan of remitting  spare odd sums at intervals to work up into furniture for the future home, also in my garden. - Reading London News, which I had got from Deightons with large view of the Exhibition, having an allegorical border by Harvey.- Got also the official Catalogue of the Exhibition & Parlour Magazine for to-day.- Left the office by 1/2 past 8 this evening, having had a quiet day. Planning for tomorrow; decided to go to Witley & neighborhood.

25 Rogation Sunday [145-220]

Letter from Mother & Father giving me their full approval to pursue such course towards Miss M as my own feelings & sentiments prompt me; Father speaking in high terms of her, and strangely enough while both were writing to me, in she came & they made her stay and would be happier for having the company of her sweet face & her yet intelligent conversation.- P.O for £1 enclosed & a short scrap from Wm. Dewse.

~~~26 MONDAY [146-219]~~~

Chas Geo & I started yesterday morning by 9 & walked thro a beautifully cultivated & undulating country to Martley ( 8 miles), two miles beyond which we ascended the Abberley Hills & along the summit to Lord Ward's (Witley court); rested there, descended thro the Park to Little Witley & that way home by Hallow; having a 28 mile walk- enjoyed tea. Wrote home in the evening, as to Miss M- suggesting the propriety (almost needless too, on consideration) of them not naming it to any one. -

~~~27 TUESDAY [147-218]~~~

Trinity Term begins

Sent London News to Miss Miles, yesterday; last night at garden & afterwards up to Wilsons, not having been there of late; CG up at Boughton.- John at garden with us, planting; sowing flower seeds to form a fencing between me & my neighbour- hollyhocks & major & minor convolvulus; cleaning walks etc. At Post Office with order, not paid owing to error in name; wrote to Father & enclosing it, requesting him to send me some white celery plants first opportunity he has.-

~~~28 WEDNESDAY [148-217]~~~

On the Hill with Mrs. Jones & Alice to see fireworks, which we did not see.- Long letter from Aunt Jane this morning having her views as to Miss Smith & her conduct when with them, which she looks very disparagingly on; & on my vegetarianism with quiet, feeling remarks on it. - In town this afternoon; saw Cooke's Equestrian boy enter, looking brighter than such people usually do; at Mrs. Haynes for Cucumber plants & Canariensis to grow up Bower.-
29 Holy THURSDAY [129-216]
Ascension Restoration Ch. II.  Hol at Excise, Stamp & Tax Offices

At Garden last night with CG, Joshua & Harry, John disappointing us.- Harry made progress with the Summer house (his 4th evening at it); cut asparagus & picked a few gooseberries. Entered diary up.  Letter from Father this morning returning corrected post office order; Uncle Henry Mayfield continues very ill. Mother is desirous that Aunt Wilson should go over to York to see him;- Miss Miles & her mother together with my Father & Mother and a party of other known ones at Bishopthorpe on Sunday last, tea at Challengers & over the Garden of the Palace, all being happy and I happy in hearing so.

~~~30 FRIDAY [150-215]~~~

Yesterday morning saw Uncle Henry Walker pass on the way up to the Railway Station & walked up with him; Old Mr. Powell his decrepit father-in-law, Uncle had converted into his porter, though himself, John & Fred had carried nothing, & because the poor old man was not so rapid in his movements as they wished, all three reviled him, tho not to his face, in a manner contrary to all feelings of respect, which should be his portion.

~~~31 MAY [151-214]~~~

Wrote to Lindsay on Thursday night in reply his last, & on our seeing each other this year. - Review of Germany Calvary yesterday. At Wilson's this evening to see Aunt as to Henry Mayfield & her going to York.
Footnotes for May

³²  see accounts for cost of the purchases

³³  see accounts for cost of the manure

³⁴  see accounts for cost of his gardening

 

ACCOUNTS FOR MAY
CREDIT

Date	Description	£	S	D
May 1	Balance from April		5	0
	FH Needham, 1 mo. salary	5	16
May 20	AH Jones art catalogue		1	0
May 26	Mrs. Walker, Cash repaid for board during visit	1	0	0
		7	2	8

DEBIT

May 1	Mrs Griffin,  board lodging due 29th April		15	1 1/2
	Hair cutting		1	6
	Marmalade at Wests		1	0
	Juo Griffin Desk, polishing & repainting		3	0
May 2	Whiting, parasol for Mother		10	0
May 3	Deightons, books for CBW & Josh Thackray		2	0
May 6	Mrs Griffin, board & lodgings to date		13	0
Mray 5	Edw Thackray 1 pair gloves		2	9
	Sundries		4	0
May 6	Candles at Pomphreys 3 lbs at 8d 1/2 with CG		1	0
May 6	Water color print (in block) of "The Gleaners" for Robert Eagle		1	6
May 5	William Weaver, bookmaker for Boots reps 2/6 Do3/6 Do1/6 Do3/6 Do2/6 Patent leather boots 16/Total less discount	1	9	0
May 6	Mrs Griffin for extra lodgingduring Father, Mother & Uncle' visit		17	0
	Joshua for bootcleaning (additional to Uncle's gift)		1	0
	Geo Birley for hairbrush		3	6
	Pomaturn		1	0
	Envelopes		1	4
	Glass rep		1	9
	Desk lining		2	8
	Marking ink		1	0
	Inkstand		1	0
	Skittles for Robt. Thackray		11	0
	Repairing gold pencil case		1	3
	7 squares soap		1	0
May 9	Geo Birley, toothbrush			6
May 14	Half carriage on filter for London			8
May 16	men oading manure etc.		1	0
May 19	Woods - 1 quart Knight's tall marrow peas for seed		1	3
	Pea sticks			6
	John assisting			6
May 21	Seeds, mustar 1 d ress 1 d Aster 1d			3
May 15	Charles Parsons for Garden Stock		1	0
		7	2	8

 

---

[1]Water color print (in block) of The Gleaners" for Robt Eagle cost 1/6

 

[2]Cost of men loading manure, 1/0

 

[3]Bought 1 quart marrow  peas for seed 1/3; pea sticks for 6 pence; Seeds, mustard, cress and aster 1  pence; each ; other seeds 1 1/2 pence; Charles Parsons for Garden Stock £1/0/0