Friday, March 3, 1837

1837

March

Friday 3

7 5/..

1 1/4

No kiss. All fair this morning. I spoke as usual, but not much.  No tenderness on either side. 

Ready and out at 8 – Fine morning; Fahrenheit 37° at 9 1/2.  Breakfast at 9 in 1/2 hour – Out about –

On the top of the west tower, top-room floor finished at 3 p.m. yesterday – With the joiners and masons in my study – and with them after breakfast – and getting things out of anteroom cupboard into China closet – More shelves to be put in the former to hold papers and pamphlets –

Wrote the above of this morning till 11 10/.. –

Joseph Mann came for me at 11 1/2 – Mr. James Holt and Holt the Engine-maker setting out the platform and engine-stead – Went to them – A sketch chalked out on a stone and wooden pegs driven – All very clearly explained – Very well satisfied with all but the coal-staith above – Holt (James) had ordered for it to be on the other side of the road in Park Farm land – This would not do – I would not let it cross the road – Holt thought the ground too narrow on the Godley side (in Walsh land) – I set the thing out myself – Walked over the line I wished it to go in – and everybody satisfied that my plan was really best – The length of chain for this = 173.  The length of chain as set out by Holt (James) = 140 – The additional 33 yards more than compensated by various advantages, let alone the comparative value of the ground –

Holt the Engineer to give me a regular plan of Engine and Incline and everything by next Thursday, with a specification and estimate of the Engine and its appurtenances – Length and weight and price of chain – The Engine (6 horsepower) would require 300 gallons of water per hour  –

Left the 2 Holts and Joseph Mann on the ground, and walked (down the new bank) to the Library – Met and stood talking some time to Robert Mann on the bridge over the Godley road – 

At the Library at 1 1/2 and stood 2 hours reading the Foreign Quarterly Review (17 volumes bound from the beginning) and the Foreign Review (5 volume bound from the beginning).  When in the Tyrol,  see the Pustertal and the valley of Salzburg by all means – The roads over Monte Branglio and Stelvio or Stilfser Joch –

Never looked off my book, but heard the voice of Mr. Samuel Waterhouse, Junior, who, of course, seeing me so intently engaged, never attempted speaking to me –

Went to the bank in passing, and got £100 in their notes. 

Returned up the old bank, and back at 4 – A moment in the house – Sent Edward and Abraham the masons from their drinkings to my study chimney –

Then with Robert Mann +3 (Sam and Jack and Michael who had worked here before and began again yesterday) planting largeish old holly roots along the hedge in the wheatfield against the wood, till came in at 6 1/2 –

Dressed – Dinner at 6 3/4 – Coffee at 8 – Read the newspaper – Little bits aloud – 

Ann quite talkative at dinner and afterwards.  I talked only civilly enough.  She was eloquent against Cookson, whom she wished me to send off.  If she complained to me, I waved this, but without saying anything annoying to Ann.  I shall not give in about Cookson for a trifle, tho I see Ann is nearly bent upon getting rid of her.  Ann will be like her mother, ordering and fussing about, and I shall my work set to keep well-bred servants, but I will try to keep Ann in better order.  For the future, I will be a little more particular in keeping up my own dignity before her.  I see I must not give up to her too much –

Fine morning till about 10 – Afterwards, small south rain and damp till between 2 and 3, and afterwards fine afternoon and evening – Wrote the above of today till 10 10/.., at which hour, Fahrenheit 35° –

Then wrote note to go by John tomorrow morning to Messers Norris and Macauley, Solicitors, Halifax’.  Mrs. Lister is obliged to Mr. Norris for the abstract of the little (received yesterday) of the little South edge field, which abstract she had sent to Messers Parker and Adam, with instructions to convey the field to Miss Walker, her steward Mr. Samuel Washington, being of the opinion that she ought to have the field – Having met Mr. Parker this afternoon in the town and told him I would send the abstract, merely wrote in pencil on the back of it, ‘the field to be conveyed to Miss Walker, Mr. Samuel Washington being of opinion  that she ought to have it – Friday 3 March 1837’

====> A- Ann not liking this note, wrote and sent another, merely acknowledging the receipt of the abstract, and saying I had transmitted it to Mr. Parker, and rubbed out what I had written in pencil on the abstract itself –

All this took me till 10 3/4 p.m. – Till 12 10/.., getting down the old parcels of magazines, chiefly European Magazine, from the top of the Library passage into the anteroom cupboard –

 

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/20/0029