Saturday, March 2, 1839

1839

March

Saturday 2

8

12 3/4

Fine but rather dullish morning. Fahrenheit 45° inside at 9 and 2nd new thermometer from Roper’s;  44 outside at 9 10/.. and breakfast in about 1/2 hour –

About in and out of the house – With Robert the joiner, till 11 –

From then to 1, made notes and read up to page 65, Volume 1, Wilkinson’s Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians – Had looked into the volume yesterday and last night –

Went out at 1 25/.. to Listerwick and ordered about a 3 foot head being built up against the Engine house so as to close in the boiler house to 6 feet of opening at the firing up end, George having just brought down an oak beam to carry the parpoint wall that is to make up the top part of the end, against my wood drying chamber over the boiler – Some time at Listerwick –

Then to Sunwood quarry – Lee thinks the quarry will hardly pay for working –

Then stood a little while at Lane Ends quarry – The baring a large one – Not yet done – Then back to Listerwick before 4 –

John Booth came to say Mr. Nelson wished to speak to me – Home at 4 5/.. – Mr. Stephen Nelson surprised I had  not more to pay in full of all accounts than 76.3.10 – The Northgate account paid up – Shewed him Mr. Harper’s statement, and bills – He (Nelson) had not time to copy them – Would like to see all measured over – Booth to meet him at the Northgate hotel at 10 a.m. on Wednesday next – I gave him a check for £76.3.10 and he gave me a receipt for the money on account – It was 4 35/.. when he went away in haste to get the money at the bank this afternoon –

A little while at accounts –

On the terraces at 4 55/.. but Robert Mann and his 2 men gone – Annoyed to find they had been taking out twice as much clay as necessary – so that the top walk, instead of being done, not 1/2 done –

Then some time talking to Mark Hepworth on the embankment – He began carting stuff from Northgate St. Anne’s Street, on Thursday – Taking out a breadth of ten yards for the present road and future street – A great deal of Nelson’s stuff left – The road it seems will average 2 to 3 feet deep at 1/6 per cube yard – The length = how much ? I must look after it on Monday –

Mark told me Speight of Scholes (Innkeeper) had formerly been a collier and got and measured for Hinscliffe’s father 20 years ago when he stole my uncle’s coal – Will come forward any day to prove it –

Came in about 6 – Dressed – Paid the mens’ wages – Had paid Robert Fielding at Listerwick – He said he had been off – I said I should not take it into account, because I intended him to take his turn in watching the premises on a Sunday – A little while at accounts – Dinner at 7 5/.. – Ann in tears and I asleep till left the dining room about 8 1/2 –

Wrote all the above of today till 9 10/.. – Coffee at 9 10/.. – Then read the newspaper till about 10 1/2 – Ann had long foolscap letter from her Sister tonight with copy of Samuel Washington’s accounts – The Landymere Stone-yard seems to have cost already £165 and the Oakview mill water wheel and extras repairs etc. £700+

Read from page 65 to 85 Wilkinson volume 1 (see line 3 of this page).

Fine day – Fahrenheit 46° inside and 37° outside at 11 1/2 p.m., at which hour came upstairs – Went into the cellar immediately after dinner, 1 pinot [?], one Marsala

Stood reading after leaving Ann about 12 10/.. from page 85 to 103 Wilkinson

 

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/22/0133