Friday, February 15, 1839 (Partial Entry)

1839

February

Booth to consider what repairs necessary – I proposed taking the division wall to mend the other walls and to part the fields with set stone – Booth thought they could be bought at 1/6 per yard running (each set stone 5 feet long) would cost 2/. a rood setting at least – (Robert Mann said yesterday he would set them at 2/.) – Round tops could not be got at less than 9 pence a yard running, if so little – I proposed bringing random tops from Lane Ends or Sun wood – No random tops to be got at the sandstone quarry above Halifax, not far from my fields where the wallstone are generally got – One of the fields (the upper) in grass – very fairly clean – The other potato fallow –

Returned up the old bank – Home at 2 1/4 just as Ann was setting off to Cliff hill – She had Booth – I had talked to him about the Langley’s farm – and he determined to take it at £38 per annum the whole of the house (not including the cottage or the part lately occupied by Mr. Warburton).  Ann offering and promising to allow him £8 out of the 1st year’s rent – Agreed – Ann appointed to meet Booth at Hipperholme at 4 and I promised to be there also at that hour –

Ann rode off to Cliff hill at 2 3/4 and I came upstairs.  Found on my desk the following note from Mr. Stocks

‘Mr. Stocks will feel obliged if Miss Lister will state the lowest price she will take per acre for the lower bed coal on a lease for twenty one years, and what quantity per year Miss Lister would expect to be paid for –

Upper Shibden hall – Friday morning ‘ –

It immediately occurred to me to write in answer as follows:

Mrs. Lister informs Mr. Stocks in answer to his note that it is not at present her intention to set any price on the lower bed coal; but, if she should determine to let it, it is probable that biddings will be taken by ticket –

Out again and off to Listerwick about 3 – Edward Waddington and about 3 more masons walling the new flue – Edward Waddington and Abraham Mallinson began it yesterday at noon – Joseph and Robert Mann and company digging out – All very busy –

Joseph Mann shewed me a copy of what they had signed – a bad binding business – and Mr. Freeman now seems as if determined to keep them to their bargain – Joseph had told him quietly they would not meddle with it – They could not make it answer – It was not as they were given to understand – If they began with it, they could only get into debt – And they had nothing to pay with – If Mr. F- Freeman was determined to take them and send them to prison, they had better go now as they were, as honest men, than get into debt and go at last.  Advised them to say nothing and do nothing (but ask Holt’s opinion and advice) and let the matter rest – Leave Mr. Freeman to do what he thought best – They could but employ an attorney when Freeman tried to compel them to sign the lease – And as they had nothing, Freeman could get nothing –

Booth and I at Langley’s farm at 4 and Ann came soon afterwards – Looked over the house attentively – All very agreeable –

Ann and I walked home and came in a minute or 2 before 6 – Dressed – Dinner about 6 1/2 – Ann read French and part of the newspaper aloud – Coffee –

Wrote the whole of today till 11 1/2 –

Fine day; Fahrenheit 44° at 11 35/.. inside and 41° outside at 12 midnight and high wind –

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/22/0126