Thursday, March 23, 1837

1837

March

Thursday 23

8

2

No kiss. Ann not in bed for long after me last night –

The ground covered with snow at 8 this morning – Breakfast at 9 1/4 – (Ann had Mr. Horne till 11, then off in about 1/2 hour to Cliff hill) –

From to near 12 packing my traveling bag, etc., except had Holt and Joseph Mann for 1/4 hour or more about 11 or before – Came about the Engine pit goit to take off the water pumped up – Settled how it was to be done –

Roebotham made Ann’s engine for Holt, Thomas, and Company.  Holt (James) going to have the boiler for his engine a separate concern – I said he might make a fair use of my job – That if Holt and Thomas did not come to fair terms of allowance for the [?] he must remember the Engine for me was not yet ordered.

Out before 12 – No! Went into the drawing room and arranging my books till 3 – Then out 1/2 hour – at the Lodge – Joseph Mann’s 2 men had begun this morning sinking the well for water down to the rag –

With Robert +3 or 4 stubbing the old hedge-row remains – Not here this morning – With Ingham a little while – then busy about 1 thing or other –

Dressed – Off in the carriage (the yellow) for Skipton at 5 35/..  Ann had walked home from Cliff hill, and was knocked up – Fitter for bed than a journey in a snow-storm –

Met Mr. Harper within the entrance – Stopt the carriage and spoke to him for 10 minutes – Asked him to come again about the 15th of next month – With 2 or 3 days notice, he said he could come any time – Asked him to give orders how to do the armoires wardrobes in the library passage and how to do up the buttery and my uncle’s room – Mentioned about the difficult entrance to it by a cross gallery next the north chamber – Said Blight would explain – Mentioned Holt and Thomas’s plan of steam engine – Wished to have separate estimates given in for the engine and boiler – Oddy would give Mr. Harper the plan and Joseph Mann would explain.  Mr. Harper to see the people – Said Robert Mann would explain my idea about closing in the west side of the house – laundry court, and entrance road – Forgot to mention about the coachhouse and west tower roof – laundry and brewhouse doing up – Inquired how things were in London – ‘worse than ever – at a complete stand[still]’ – Very bad too in Manchester and Liverpool –

Very wintry day; tolerably fair in the morning – perpetual snow showers in the afternoon – Snowing when we set out at 5 35/.. – then 10 minutes talking to Mr. Harper – At Keighley (a dreary road) at 7 3/4  – Off from there at 8 (long in changing horses) and alighted at the Devonshire Arms Skipton at  9 1/4 – 13 miles + 10 from  Shibden here –

Comfortable Inn – tea in 1/4 hour – at 9 1/2 – At 11 had just written the above of today – Fine moonlight evening from Keighley – No thermometer with me –

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/20/0037