Thursday, November 20, 1834

1834

November

Thursday 20

8 20/..

11 1/2..

No kiss.

Very fine morning, Fahrenheit 49° at 9 40/.., at which hour, downstairs and Moses Barker and John Jagger just come –

Barker a civil, good sort of man and talks like a good farmer – Pays £46 per annum for 20 daywork and Gledhill pays £26 or 27 daywork, equally good land if well farmed – but bad buildings – Wants £100 laying out – but it might be inferred that Gledhill is a shiftless fellow at too low a rent –

The hunters had always done damage; very glad to get rid of them –

Mr. George Dollard struck Barker’s wife a heavy cut with his whip last year because she held his horse, not willing to let him pass through this side bar without paying – which, however, he succeeded in doing – Barker went after him – Parker said he was in a passion and must be excused, but told Barker to call on him, which he never did –

Pickles came also to tell of hunters in Holcans wood yesterday, and his friend Mr. Atkinson came with him.  I had him in the drawing room and left Atkinson to hear Pickle’s story – Said I had no objection to his, Atkinson’s shooting with Pickles.  Atkinson is a Wortley man – There was a snug meeting of Wortley men last night to consider what should be done –

Then came a man from Scotland to get subscriptions for some works published in Edinburgh.  I declined having anything to do with them –

Then came Henry Gledhill – Civil – Did not encourage hunters – Should be glad to get rid of them –

Then came Heblet (whom I scarcely saw, having Atkinson the while) with loud complaint against the hunters for damage done yesterday – Complained more particularly of Mr. Jeremiah Dyson, and the huntsmen – Eastwood with them, a busy encourager of the hunt –

After 11 or near 12 before Ann and I could sit down to breakfast, and then had not done when came Mr. Benjamin Outram of Greatland near Halifax (cousin to Isaac Thwaite of Southowram) to shew us his lama-hair shawl and cloak-pieces –

Seems an ingenious man – Had him into our little dining room to take wine –

Said a lens was his pattern-card – a green just-bursting-into-leaf bush, or an ivyed wall beautiful through a lens – An analysis of the light, into points – The lens had not been enough attended to – This and many of Sir Isaac Newton’s discoveries not sufficiently followed up –

Bought £7.10.0 worth – 4 yards at 22/. for 21/. per yard 3 1/2 at 20/., on which no 5 per cent allowed –

It seems he has just opened a connection with Somerset house ‘Messers Halling Pearce and Stone Cockspur Street London’ – Told him his prices should have been set higher for the London market – Has 2000 yards ready – about 1400 for gentlemen and 600 ditto for ladies – Gentlemen’s black pelon (i.e. ‘Spanish for long hair’ or shag) at 24/. per yard would make a good common travelling cloak –

Wished for an introduction to Stultz the Tailor – Advised his calling on him and stating fairly his article and prices, and, if Stultz did not take, going to the next tailor of eminence –

Outram said he would call occasionally and tell us what he had new –

Staid till 1 20/.. – He would shake hands with me.  I did it, but did not like it, tho I did not shew my dislike –

Sat with Ann at her luncheon – Then with Mrs. Lee and her assistant and Charles and James Howarth doing up the bed in our room, tent room and with the 2 painters till near after 1/2 3-

Then wrote the whole of today till 4 –

Then again with the workpeople and with my father and Marian till 5 –

Then read 1/2 hour, from page 458 to 468, Bakewell’s geology, when William Keighley came (his father William died a short while ago) about Spiggs Colliery –

My letter not received till yesterday –

Said they had no intention of buying any coal without 1st agreeing with me about the loose –

Should not have any coal of Mr. Dean – it was valued too high – Besides, could not get it without agreeing with Stocks – He had bought all the coal in the waste, and therefore claimed a road they should have to cross –

Said I was sorry William Keighley had anything to do with Spiggs Colliery if he had bought his share under an idea of having a right to my loose – He said no! they knew they had no right –

I explained about Mr. Clarke’s coming in the queer way he did – annoyed – Said they had no right to shew at all, even for Spiggs land – but as William Keighley had come about it fairly, I did not wish to be too hard –

He said Holt, my agent, had said I had said I would take £5 and acre for the loose – I answered that I had not bound myself as to what I would take, but I had valued the loose at £10 per acre and Holt had only the other day advised me to take £5, saying times were hard etc. but that he behaved very well and wished me to employ somebody else in this particular case on account of his relationship to the 2 young Holts (his cousins) – Said I would consider about it – Would speak to some colliers about it (not saying whom) and let William Keighley know . . I should want a regular agreement with power to send an agent to measure for me – to which William Keighley made no objection – Said I might send any time –

It seems Wilson had got down to the soft bed, but something the matter with the engine that it will not work just at present – His estate doubly mortgaged – Mr. Christopher Ward has the 2nd mortgage – Wilson can loose Stocks but Stocks will not pay him much for the loose –

Mentioned the subject of James Keighley’s window overlooking the Northgate property –

James Keighley very ill –

Joshua Keighley has bought Johnny Flather’s little farm for something more than £700 – Said I had offered him something more than that, but he had asked me £1200 – Johnny Flather had at 1st told Joshua Keighley that Mr. James Norris had bid him £1000, but Mr. James Norris denied it – I said Joshua Keighley had bought it dear enough – Yes! said William Keighley – There was not much to be got out of it, and his brother did not care about selling it – as if I might have it if I chose – to which I merely said I did not care about it –

Dinner after all this talk at 6 1/4 – Ann read aloud a chapter or 2 of Volume 1, Last Days of Pompeii, and told me the story of the rest to the end of the volume – Then read me about a chapter of Volume ii – While she read to herself I read the 1st 63 pages, Volume I, Italy etc. by the author of Vathek (i.e. Mr. Beckford) –

Had Marian a little while – 20 minutes with my aunt till 10 5/.. Then wrote the above of this page till 10 25/.. –

Soft, small rainy, or damp, hazy day – Fahrenheit 45° now at 10 25/.. p.m.

Mrs. Lee and her assistant and Charles and James Howarth finished doing up our bed –

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/17/0111