Saturday, February 16, 1839

1839

February

Saturday 16

7 40/..

12 1/2

Fine but windy morning; Fahrenheit 44° inside at 8 3/4 – and 36 1/2° outside at 8 55/.. a.m.

Breakfast at 9 5/.. in about 1/2 hour –

Then with joiners or masons or with Ann a little once or twice, and had Booth a few minutes till out and off to Listerwick at 11 50/.. – Had sent Booth off in a hurry about 11 to tell them to keep the digging of the new flue deep enough –Merely a few minutes at Listerwick – On returning, found Booth with Ann, annoyed at my flue not being deeper – It will have to be mounded over a little near the boiler house –

Then about in the house – Booth dined in the servants’ hall and before 2 took with him my note to Mr. Stocks (to put into the post office), written before I went to Listerwick this morning and left on my desk, that it might be ready if Mr. Stocks should send for an answer, the servant being said to have been very anxious for an answer yesterday – Did not write as vide last page, but merely as follows:

‘Mrs. Lister has the pleasure of informing Mr. Stocks, in answer to his note, that it is not at present her intention to set any price on the lower bed coal –

Shibden hall, Saturday 16 February 1839 –

Booth to put into the post my note as above to ‘Mr. Stocks Upper Shibden hall’ –

About 2,  Ann and I had each a basin of broth – She rode off to Cliff hill at 3, just after I had paid and settled with the gardener – Hoped he would find his wife doing well after her confinement, and that he would have a good journey – I then came away, having merely before inquired what sorts of peas he would advise to be sown in succession, and noted the sorts down immediately:  Early green marrow and same time early Warwick, and afterwards during the season, Cemetery or Woodford’s marrow –

Heavyish shower of rain soon after breakfast this morning and afterwards a few flying drops of rain and light small snow – and a hail shower as I returned from Listerwick – Highish wind all the day –

Had just written the above of today at 3 1/4 p.m. – Then at Joseph Mann’s bills, which he gave me yesterday, a large packet –

Had Booth about I scarce know what.  Sorry I said he might have the keys of Langleys farm, for  Ann thought he ought not to have forgotten to ask herself this morning –

The Manns here before 5– Busy settling with and paying them (and still Robert’s bills not even entered in my rough book) till dinner at 7 – Talk about the new flue – Joseph Mann sure the masons cannot be ready in time.  Answered I would have another – Let to set the boiler immediately – Joseph Mann to bring Holt on this account on Monday morning

Dinner at 7 – Ann read French in the dining room – Coffee at 9 1/4 – Skimmed over the paper – came upstairs at 10 35/.. at which hour Fahrenheit 39° inside –

Ann cried much after dinner.  I did not seem to take much notice.  Perhaps it was at the great colliery expenses, for she let me have thirty pounds to pay the Manns with.  Paid them near ninety pounds –

Uncertain sort of day, vide lines 13 and 14 above from this – Fahrenheit 32 1/4° outside at 10 55/.. p.m.

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