Tuesday 11 January 1876
Saturday Xmas 75 We spent at
home by ourselves, and were very happy, our chief sorrows were for dear Lizzie
and the Bradleys, whose memories must be so mingled with sadness.
Xmas eve we spent at the
Dolmans. Monday after Xmas was a general
holiday and I spent the whole of it painting.
Had Henry Bemrose and Harwood
to inspect it last week and they commended it highly.
29 December 75 Went to supper
party at Miss Rogers, met amongst others the Rev and Mrs Ellison. Had a nice evening
December 31 Did not
attend the midnight service as the weather was very cold and I was
rheumatic. We sat it out at home.
On the whole this Xmas season
has been one of great hope for the future whilst I have had many grievous
errors in the past to deplore.
1 January Commenced
painting “The Witches’ Cave”
5 January Went to the
Mickleover anniversary. A large party
there, and spent a very pleasant evening.
Arrived at home at 3am!
6 January In bed all day
with sick headache.
8 January Saturday
Finished up “Garden party”, The Winnats and Annie’s Likeness.
10 January Dolmans had an
Xmas tree for a children’s party, and we dined there afterwards. Had a very pleasant evening.
18 January Fanny Cooke came.
19 January Had a dinner party - selves, Mr and Mrs Fred Greaves,
Dr and Mrs Lindsay, Rev and Mrs Allison, Mr and Mrs Dolman, Miss Rogers, John
Smith, Fanny Cooke, JS Cooper, Mr F and Miss Borough.
Menu
Clear soup. Cod - Red Mullet - Stewed Kidneys
Harwich Mountain Mutton (5
weeks hung) Boiled chickens
Brace pheasants brace birds
etc etc
20 January 2nd dinner party - selves - Fred Sale Mr
and Mrs Cox Mr and Mrs Bowing Mr and Mrs Fulton Rev Harkness Fanny Cooke. Mrs F Sale could not come, her little boy ill
- and Mr and Mrs Tom Clarke asked but he was ill and they could not come.
.
Menu
Clear spring soup - Turbot -
Sweetbread - salmi of game
Oyster patties, Roast Turkey
Calfs head then three birds etc etc
Friday 21 January I have
advertized the Tan Yard in the Leather Sellers Journal and three parties have
been over it, but nothing has been done yet.
Monday 6 March 1876
22 January Bought “air
gun” for drawing room shooting. It is
very accurate and creates much amusement.
John Smith called whilst we were trying it, and had a few shots.
27 January Took Annie and
Fanny to ‘Rough and Ready’ Mr and Mrs Billington the ‘Stars’. Enjoyed it very
much.
February 4 Bought
new dress for Annie from Peter Robinson’s.
February 10 Annie and Fanny went with me to “MP” Craven
Robertson’s Company. Very good.
February 15 To
Fulton’s dinner party at the St James’s Hotel.
Met Dolmans, Captain and Mrs Lane. Captain and Mrs Safford (Mrs Fulton’s
sister), Fred and Mrs Borough, Mr and Mrs Jobson. A very pleasant party.
Lost both Clark’s county
court cases.
February 21 To London with Annie at 3pm. To Drury Lane pantomime Whittington and his
cat.
February 22 To collection of pictures by Old Masters at
Burlington House, made by the Royal Academy.
To Dore Gallery and British institution Pall Mall. To “Piff Paff” Lydia Thompson’s Company at
the Criterion.
23 February Called on Kimpton at the Langham Hotel and went over
the reception rooms for the first time.
To the zoo. Shopping and to
concert at St James’s Hall at night.
Edith Wynne, Sherrington, Patey Whitock Moss. Sims Reeves.
A Lloyd. Joli and others.
24 February Called on Lawrence about the Tan Yard, and then to
Brighton. Staid at the Pier Hotel (Miss
Gilburd). At night to the theatre and
heard Charles Matthews in “My Awful Dad”.
25 February Sketched at the aquarium etc and to the aquarium
concert at night.
February 26 To the skating
rink. Tried a pair of four wheel skates
and could not get on at all. Home by the
1.30pm train arriving at Derby at 8.30pm.
February 28 Sent picture of The Winnats to Keene’s
exhibition. It gained notice in the
Derby Reporter.
February 29 Spent some time at the Exhibition.
March 1 Fanny left us to stay at Mr Hallam’s.
March 2 Bought 2 pictures at Higgins’s sale. Fish and an old landscape. Renewed them.
5 March In the house all day with a bad cold. Mrs Stanley of St Alkmund’s church died very
suddenly on Sunday night last. I spoke
to her in the morning and she seemed very well.
6 March Took down all the dining room pictures and washed
them, and also had the room cleaned.
Wednesday 19 April 1876
March 11 WN Mason and H Brown came. Drove them to Horsley Woodhouse and looked
over Tannery.
March 12 (Sunday) To St Alkmund’s in the morning. Mr Abney preached a capital sermon. Brown liked him very much. They dined at Dolman’s. To St Andrews at night. Mr Scott preached. They have got a new organist who plays
beautifully.
March 13 Went with
W.N.M. and H.B. to Wirksworth by train and drove to Longcliffe and Bradbourne,
then to Ashbourne and home by train from there.
A very pleasant day.
March 14 They left by
first train.
March 16 J.J. Simpson
died.
March 20 (Monday) to London.
March 25 Sale at
Hilton.
March 27 Returned after
making application for Registrarship to Probate Court. Sir Henry Wilkins M.P. and M Evans M.P.
signed my testimonials but I have given up all expectation of the
appointment. It will go to a London man.
March 30 Applied for perp com.
Hollway Lawrence and Mellor 2 @ signed recommendation.
April 3 (Monday) Rheumatic attack in hip came on.
April 12 (Wednesday) Joe went to Colonel Sanderson’s. He also asked me but I could not leave.
April 13 (Friday) Good Friday and to St Michael’s in the morning; not
out after.
April 19 Returned
to the office for the first whole day.
Much better but not free from Rheumatism yet. Wrote home to Mother.
Monday 11 September 1876
April 24 At St Alkmund’s Spelling Bee as Interlocutor. It is very slow amusement.
This month commenced painting
of an entire carthorse - a likeness of T Mayer’s horse which took first prize
at the show.
June 3 Took Boys to Willington. Painted view of River and Repton Church.
June 6 Went with Annie to Burton and walked back to Repton
and Willington station.
June 24 With Annie and Fanny (M) to Via Gellia. Painted sketch of the Swiss Cottage.
June 27 Fish Company wound up received dividend of 12/6 in
the £.
July 8 Annie the Boys and I spent the day at Rev Suttons at
Rosliston. Enjoyed it very much. Had long drive in the afternoon.
July 14 Same. Spent the afternoon at Melbourne with the
Misses Dolman.
July 15 To
Cheedale. Painted river 24 x18.
July 18 To Royal
Academy to study. See special notes.
July 20 Returned by Birmingham to meet Will M and Dolman at
Agricultural show. Saw Jabez Turner
there.
July 22 Took Boys and Fanny and Joe to Matlock.
August 5 Took
Annie and all the children with Maria to Rigsby to stay a month.
August 8 Returned home.
August 24 Put up Horsley for sale again but got no bid.
August 26 To Rigsby by afternoon train.
August 27 Put 25
crayfish brought by me from Dovedale into the Brook as an experiment.
August 28 (Monday) Fishing at Thoresby (Will and I). I caught 2 ½ brace and he 3 brace trout
between 11am and 5pm. Very good fish.
August 30 All went to Chapel.
The Boys enjoyed it immensely.
Will and I walked first to Auderby with our guns and shot 3 Dottrell 1
Diver and 1 Stint. The Dottrell were at
least 60 yards off on the ground and we both fired together, one barrel each a
little across and dropped 3 out of about 8.
We had great fun after the
diver and I fired 3 times at him whilst he was just under the water. The last time he was near and put his head
out a good way, when I blew it clean off.
I had to strip and wade to get him, in a muddy deep.
In the afternoon we walked to
Colonel Kay’s and I shot a Curlew and a Sandpiper.
August 31 Rain part of morning.
Cleared from 2pm. Sketched
Johnson’s cottage and drove to Alford.
Called on Mrs Bradley and at Father’s.
Had a croquet etc party in the evening.
September 1 Father and I
went to Bilsby. I shot 5 ½ brace birds
and he shot a Rock dove. He was shooting
with a new gun and only had 3 shots which he missed.
September 2 Same
- to Beesby first I shot one hare and brace of birds right and left. Father a brace of hares. Then to Woodthorpe and Aby Scarp then I shot
three brace birds and Father 1 bird.
Total self 4 brace birds 1 hare; Father 2 hares 1 bird.
September 3 Sunday
September 4 Very
rainy. Sketched a litter of pigs
(“Startled”). Went with Will and Father
to Bilsby at 3pm. I shot 2 brace birds,
Father 1 brace and Will 1 bird. Left
shooting at 5.30.
September 5 Returned
home. Fanny with us. To Agricultural Implement show in afternoon.
September 6 Will
came. Went to Agricultural show. Dined at Dolmans.
September 7 (Thursday) Arthur drove Will and me to Ireton
Wood. Looked over farm and I shot 1
brace birds right and left. Dolmans all
dined with us.
September 8 With Will in market etc. Walked to see Breadsall landslip in
afternoon. Will and I to Maccabee in
evening.
September 9 Fanny and Will left.
Painting etc.
September 10 To St Alkmund’s church 1st time for 5
weeks. Mr ---- of St Michael’s preached
a very good sermon.
14 November 1876
September 18 Skating rink opened.
I was not invited to the lunch. I
did not venture to try as the place was so full.
September 19 Had first
practice and progressed fairly. Took
Annie and the Boys to see it.
September 20 Went with Bond and Bantock to Longcliffe.
September 23 At a meeting of independent Females in one of the
sections of the Philadelphia Exhibition it was so resolved that for the
emancipation of the sex from its slavery to man “a garmenture for the legs
of a dual form is to be the remedy.”
September 27 To Anniversary at Mickleover Asylum. Enjoyed it very much.
October 3 To
Oxford to the Annual provincial meeting of the Incorporated Law Society.
October 4 First day of meeting.
Dined (by payment) in the Hall of Christ Church. Duke of Marlborough there.
October 5 2nd day.
Converzagione at night in the Museum.
Made the acquaintance of Jas Anderson Rose of London, who conducted the
Defence of governor funeral Eyre. A most
amusing man he is.
October 6 I started at 7.30am to Magdalen College and made a
sketch of the Founder’s Tower which has been overgrown with Virginia Creeper
and at this season the whole is a mass of crimson and orange.
Expedition to Blenheim. The Duke and Duchess and Family all at
home. He gave us a lunch. The Duke and Duchess personally showed us
round the Palace even into their private sitting rooms. The pictures are very fine. The grounds lovely in the extreme. They have a quantity of Emus and Cangaroos (sic)
running together in an open paddock.
Wilkin dined with me at the Mitre.
October 7 (Saturday) Spent the morning with Rose going over the
Cathedral and several colleges. See special
notes. Returned home.
October 14 Paid Joe his first month’s salary. The first money he has earned.
October 20 Took the Boys (by myself) to Day’s menagerie. A very poor lot. The lions are all dead. They had a pig born without hind legs. It looked very healthy.
October 21 Mother and Lizzie came to stay.
October 22 To St Luke’s in the morning. St Alkmund’s at night. Rev Abney was away.
October 23 Took them to Rink.
October 26 Took them for a drive to see Kedleston Park. Had a very good view of a herd of deer
feeding close to the park.
October 28 To Rink.
Lizzie began. Also Ernest.
October 29 (Sunday) To St Alkmund’s in the morning; St Michael’s
at night.
October 30 Took Mother Lizzie and Annie by train to Wirksworth,
then by trap to Brassington Bradbourn and Bentley, where we turned off to the
Peveril Hotel and had tea. Lizzie and I
ascended Thorpe Cloud. Mother and Annie
only went to the foot. This is their
first visit. We then drove on to
Ashbourne and home by train.
November 4 Mother and Lizzie left. I accompanied them to Nottingham and took
Joe. We let some fireworks off for the
Boys at night without a misadventure.
November 6 To office again in earnest.
November 9 Took Boys to Rink.
Ernest has now fairly started by himself, he has learned in three
lessons. Barney had a pair on today, and
managed to go about by himself, he has only had them on for about 20 minutes
previously. Annie and I went to T
Clarke’s at the Elms to supper and met Mr and Mrs Unwin Sowter. They have been married about a month.
November 10 First snow
November 11 Took Annie and Fanny Mason, who is staying at
Dolmans, to see the Autumn Exhibition of Pictures at Birmingham. Many of the Academy best pictures are
there. We enjoyed it very much. We also visited a Skating Rink and various
places in the Town. I bought a young guinea
pig and took it home in my pocket; some of the journey he rode in Annie’s muff.
November 12 (Sunday) A very rough snowy day. I did not go out, feeling rather rheumatic.
November 13 Painted Rabbitt and guinea pig. New nursemaid came from Norwich. Maria is going to be married.
To dinner at Dolman’s in
anticipation of Lotties’s birthday tomorrow. It came out during the evening that Fanny’s
report to Lottie of the pictures chiefly comprised a ‘cat’, ‘puppies’, a
‘canary’ and two nuns (old maids) in a garden.
Rather ominous for a spinster of 30.
November 14 11am Entered up the forgoing from pocket book memoranda
etc.
Sunday 17 December 1876
15 November Shooting party at Breedon. Geo Whuldon invited me. We had 18 guns, and about 40 beaters! (Note in margin Geo Whuldon died 25 April
99). Killed 141 head viz 58 pheasants, 9 Woodcock and 80 Rabbitts. I shot 10 pheasants and 5 Rabbitts. I did not get many shots at Rabbitts the
beaters were so much in the way. John
Smith J.P. Geo Whuldon J Roe and –
Swingler were our hosts. They ‘stood’
champagne lunch. Met there Needham of
the Midland Railway for the first time.
18 November Went to Longcliffe to arrange for repairing Kiln
etc. Very foggy day walked there.
21 November Arranged to keep Bedford St property..
November 23 Anniversary of the Infirmary. Canon Hill preached a very good sermon. Attended the Annual meeting of
governors. They have gone nearly £1000
over the income again.
To Mayor’s dinner at
night. W Higginbottom Mayor for coming
year. Ernest is getting on well with his
skating at the rink and Barny is beginning.
November 27 To Longcliffe again.
November 28 Took Boys to the Rink again.
December 2 Joe went with me to Longcliffe by the 8am train,
after making a sketch plan of the farm we walked to Ryder Point gate, over the
hills (instead of going down the Via Gellia) by Dale and Bonsall to the top of
Masson and then down to Matlock, a total distance from Wirksworth of over 12
miles, without allowing for deviations, going round the farm etc. Enjoyed it very much. Bought Annie a set of Blue John ear-rings and
neck locket.
December 6 Great floods about.
Walked with – to see the Derwent below the Town. Went to Nottingham in the afternoon much
water out there.
December 9 To Longcliffe
at 8am and attack of Rheumatism came on.
Had to drive. Laid up on sofa
when I got home at 12.30 noon.
December 10, 11, 12, 13 At home all the time, very sharp attack in the
hips. On Wednesday night the 13th
went to Dinner party at Harvey Whistons, the first time out and, well wrapped
up in a cab, and took no harm. Met Mr
and Mrs Henry Holmes, Mr and Mrs Morley, Miss S Rogers, Mr F Wright, Mr and Mrs
Wigg a pleasant party.
December 15 Friday Out for the first time, very middling.
December 16 Saturday Out for a short time, rather better.
December 17 Sunday date of entry Cooper has lately got engaged to a Miss Le Feuvre, we
have not met her yet, but I have seen her in the street. She is of course a good deal taller than he.
I have not been able to do
any painting at all this week. Have been
very busy.
12 o’ clock I must stop. They will be home from church directly.
During the week I have
catalogued all my paintings. They amount
to 180 - including sketches.
Sunday 9 September 1877
Morning - at home from
rheumatism in my knees; never had it in them before this morning.
Nothing particular occurred
during the early part of the year.
1 March Caught a cold and had an attack of “German Measles”,
succeeded by Rheumatism in my right hip which confined me to the house for
nearly six weeks, during which time the wind was nearly always in the East very
cold and dry as a rule.
25 March 1877 Concluded terms with Mr Cooper to date from 1 January
1877. Firm to be “Cooke and
Cooper”.
16 May 1877 Henry Edwin born at — both did well. Had Nurse Johnson. Mrs Potter is worn out and has been suffering
from Rheumatism. We have had four nurses
for our five children. 1st
Mrs Horobin whom “we could not abide”. 2nd Mrs Green for
Barney. She was engaged when next
wanted. 3rd Mrs Potter (“dear
old Mrs Potter”) for George and Rosa.
She went round North Wales with us when George was 6 weeks old. 4th Mrs Johnson. We don’t much like her as an individual, but
she is a good nurse. We don’t want her
again nor anyone else. Harry is now a fine
boy, and has not yet been vaccinated.
I got out for the first time from the Rheumatism to go with Annie to
“church”.
27 June 1877 Fine Art Exhibition at the new School of Art opened
by the Duke of Devonshire. We took two
season tickets. I joined the
procession. We have enjoyed it very much
it has made a very pleasant change in the town.
I have one picture there “Feeding the Swan” painted this spring from a
sketch at Melbourne.
Pictures I sent ‘The Winnats’ and ‘Magdelen College Tower’ to
Suffolk street but they rejected them.
25 July 1877 Tom Wright
married. Annie and I went to
wedding. We went over on Tuesday 24th
getting there (Coleshill near Birmingham) soon after 3. Emma met us (at the station) whom I had not
seen for 17 years, she knew me and I knew her at a glance. She is still “Miss Wright” but very jolly.
We had quite a party at T.
W.’s that night, several of the Bride’s friends and her father coming to
supper. She did not come of course. Her father is Mr John Barker surgeon of Coleshill,
who is the 5th John Barker all the former direct ancestors having
been “John Barkers” surgeons and from the first to the present they have all
lived in the same house.
The present representation
had one son who was of course “John” but he died at an early age. He has only two daughters now, both
married. Mrs Wright’s sister has 3 boys
and a girl like us.
The wedding on the 25th
was very well done for a description I refer to the local paper which I have
kept.
They had a very large number
of presents. We gave them a pair of
engraved silver dinner napkin rings.
Mr John Barker has two
brothers one a Doctor also and the other a clergyman; they are all so kind and
jolly that we christened them the three Brothers Chausible”.
27 July 1877 I went up to London by the evening train to study at
the Academy not having before been up to Town.
28 July 1877 Saturday spent nearly all day there. See my notes.
29 July Sunday Went by steam boat to Kew and walked on to
Richmond. Dined at the “Castle” and
walked afterwards into the Great Park and sketched a stag. They are very tame there and you can walk up
to within 5 or 6 yards of them. Return
to London by the river in the evening.
Enjoyed it immensely, it was a splendid day.
30 July At Business in the morning. Home by 5pm train.
1 August 1877 (Wednesday) Went by the 12.20 train to W. Alexander’s
(Colwich Rectory, Nottingham) and spent a very pleasant afternoon with them.
17 August 1877 Alice (Spratt) came to stay.
18 August Alice Annie Ernest Bernard and I went to ‘Crich’, it
is the first time I have been there. We
walked from Ambergate station, had tea on the top of the stand, and scrambled
down the rock to Whatstandwell station to return. It came on a very heavy shower.
29 August Took Alice Annie Ernest and Bernard to Longcliffe,
and by Cromford and Matlock home.
1 September to Ireton Woods shooting. Alice Annie the two Boys and Joe went. Shot 2 brace of birds without a dog on 40
acres of land. 1 first rise then old
hen, then most of them went out. One
stopped over the hedge. Walked it up and shot it. 2. Another stopped in some clover, walked it up
and missed, it went into the hedge, put it out and shot it first shot. 3. Going home got another. 4. And wounded a fifth but it went off the farm.
Horsley - Tannery. Have let it out at last for 2 years at a
reduced rental, to be raised.
We have not been out this
summer, too poor; nor into Lincolnshire since last September!
Monday 10 September 1877
Had Dolman. Says I am full of “acid”, and must have
medicine. My knees are still very stiff.
Monday 17 September 1877
My knees were better on
Thursday afternoon. On Friday I was
about and had a very long day. Alice
left at 3pm.
15 September Saturday Annie and I went for a walk by Chaddesden
fields; had a long round and enjoyed it very much.
16 September Sunday Sharp attack of rheumatism came on in my hand
this morning. Saw Dolman and had to keep
it in flannel. Thought I had gout. At home and kept warm all day. Dolman and Mrs came to supper, hand and arm
to elbow very hot and painful all night.
Rosa who is still 2 months
under 3 years old very much astonished us this evening by singing a whole verse
of a hymn words and music, which she has learnt from hearing the boys sing it,
no one having helped her at all.
17 September My hand better
this morning, and quite free tonight, but too weak to lift heavy books.
Sunday 28 October 1877
Tuesday 18 September 1877 1st day of Derby Agricultural Show. Chiefly machinery in motion, Poultry and
Roots. Took Ernest and Bernard and they
enjoyed it very much. There was
exhibited a Bicycle about 7 feet across the driving wheel, but no one
mounted it!
Wednesday 19 September 2nd day.
Spent most of the day there. A
very good show. Did not go to the
dinner.
3 October To Horsley to inspect progress in clearing the
Engine.
Saw Lucy’s mother and agreed
to keep her 3 months on trial.
6 October Saturday Went with Annie to Burton hunting. Walked to Repton and Willington on the way
back, and enjoyed it immensely; the weather exquisite.
Tuesday 9 October Rheumatism very bad; went at 3pm to Bristol to the
Annual meeting of the Incorporated Law Society.
Travelled there with Bramley of Sheffield. Staid at the Grand Hotel. He stayed at the Royal as did most of my friends
I found too late. Rose of London was not
there.
Wednesday 10 October 1877 First day of meeting.
Very good papers. Next meeting
proposed at Manchester.
Splendid dinner at night in
‘The Merchant Venturers’ Hall’; real turtle, vintage wines and everything to
match. Brought away as a souvenir a bone
from a Turtle. Fine.
Thursday 11 October 1877 2nd day Attended meeting of solicitors
Benevolent Association at 10am. Still
very bad with Rheumatism but did not doctor.
Dined by invitation at the
Royal, with Wilkin (Wakefield) Barr (Leeds) Ryder (Leeds) and 2 others not
known to me. Concert after at the –
Rooms (Ball Rooms etc) by a gleed company very nice adjourned after to Royal
for a time and back to Grand. Met Mr
Fairless Barber (Yorks) a great antiquarian.
Friday 12 October 1877 Trip to the “Chepstow” from Bristol to Chepstow then
by coach to Tintern; walking on the Wynd Cliff.
Better of Rheumatism and able to walk with moderate comfort. A most delightful day, and lovely
scenery. The tints in the foliage of the
trees were most beautiful and struck me as particularly ‘light’. It may be owing to the dry summer, the
limestone stratum, and a couple of sharp frosts without wind.
The view from Wynd Cliff is
in many respects like looking into Matlock from above Cromford village; but
although the rocks are about the same height, the view is much more extensive;
and having added to it, a sight of the open Severn is to my mind most
imposing. The colour of the rock too is
much finer, varying from the ordinary cool grey, to crimson and orange. We passed down through the Moss Cottage,
where the President had rather the worse of an encounter of wits with the old
lady who keeps it. She wore a large,
very clean, white old fashioned linen cap, and the President asked if she would
give him it for his wife. Her reply was
that he would not look as well in it as herself and I think the old dame was
right. We arrived home late and I did
not go out.
Saturday 13 October 1877 Was better of rheumatism this morning, but rather
stiff. I went about 10am to see Wilkin
but he had left, so I took a carriage, and drove under the suspension bridge at
Clifton, then to the top of the Rock on the Downs and finish; there was a
zoological collection (and gardens). I
stopped there. They had some very fine
animals and a good collection of monkeys; the latter were very lively.
I returned in time for lunch
and to catch the 3.20 train arriving home at 8pm after a most pleasant outing.
Made the acquaintance of the
following: Fairless Barber, (—) Watson (of Hull), Kay (Leeds), Lewis (Wrexham),
Payne (Liverpool), Lawes (Bristol), Oken (York).
Renewed with — (Manchester), Marigold (Birmingham),
Morrell and Peppercorn (Oxford), Wilkin etc.
Sunday 14 October Rheumatism worse.
Did not go to church.
Very heavy storm during the
night. The Cleopatra Needle,
coming across the Bay of Biscay, said to have been lost; the tug having
abandoned her. She was found again by
another next day and taken to safe quarters.
Monday 15 October 1877 Dolman moved to Friar Gate. Their house in Full St is not safe, and is to
be pulled down. They will build a new one.
Wednesday 17 October 1877 To exhibition to see “Telephone”. It is a great advance but will require much
perfecting before it can supercede the present mechanical instruments.
Better of the Rheumatism
without doctoring.
28 October 1877 Have continued
free from Rheumatism. Weather is rather
better (query) Is this the cause? Went
to church this morning; first time since 30th September.
Sunday 30 December 1877
2 November 1877 Joe left for a holiday to stay at John Cooke’s.
8 November Tenants entered at Horsley Woodhouse. Went over to inspect measure for grates etc.
10 November 1877 Took Annie to Nottingham. Went into exhibition etc etc.
17 November 1877 Went to Birmingham
Autumn Exhibition of pictures with Annie - a very good collection. Enjoyed the day very much. See catalogue and special notes. Bought two guinea pigs (one died next
morning, the other is now very tame).
30 November 1877 Counted steps from the Hall to the top of the house
to make a note of them viz 46 to our bedroom floor and 17 to garratts(sic)
total 63.
4 December 1877 Went to see Trotting Races on the Derby Racecourse -
slowish work.
15 December 1877 Took Ernest to Nottingham first time. Went to marble skating rink and Ernest
started off skating as well as he did when he last practised in February
last.
20 December 1877 Sold Bedford St Houses to S Breary for £610. Arranged with John Payne.
24 December 1877 Will Mason came for Xmas. Fanny staying at Dolman’s. Spent Xmas Eve at home.
25 December 1877 Snowy Xmas.
Will and I had walk in the afternoon.
Dolman came at night to supper.
26 December 1877 Will and I called at Dolman’s and went by 12.15 pm
cheap trip to Birmingham Pantomime. Went
to “Ali Baba and his Forty Thieves” at Theatre Royal. Enjoyed the visit very much. Went over the exhibition of pictures
again. Arrived home at 2am had supper
and sat chatting till 4am!
27 December 1877 Will left by 8
train.
28 December 1877 To Dinner
party at Fulton’s. Dolmans and Fanny,
and selves and Mr and Mrs Berger (musician) staying with them. Very snowy, which at midnight turned to rain.
29 December 1877 Sick headache and rheumatic neuralgia till 3pm!
30 December 1877 At home under physic.
Mr C Allen, Solicitor Bedford
Row has offered Joe his articles and £35 per annum - a very handsome proposal
of which I shall urge acceptance.
Monday 31 December 1877 Had in 18 tons of coal.
Monday 11 February 1878
8 January 1878 New
client Mr Rendall (late Holden) a county man.
17 January Annie and I
went to see Wybert Reeve in “George Geith”.
19 January Went for long
walk in the afternoon by Chaddesden etc.
Heard a song thrush sing strongly on the top of an ash tree, walked
within 30 yards of it.
26 January Went to latter
part of Hoskin’s lecture on Shakespeare Goldsmith and Dickens - only heard him
read a piece of ‘Christmas carol’.
27 January “Harry” said
‘ta-ta aged 8 ½ months. Wrote J
Higgins and Lizzie as to Joe.
28 January Fanny
came on a visit, looks very well.
2 February “Lady” began.
4 February Same playful
5 February Done. White
I. 5 mins.
7 February At work from 10.30am to 10pm.
11 February Have been very quiet lately. On Tuesday last - 6th- had a small
boil come in my right nostril. On
Wednesday it seemed to spread and I consulted Dolman, when he ordered me into
the house, and I have only been out about half an hour today, for the first
time since. It turned out to be
erysipelas, a slight attack, but had I been out all Wednesday in the cold as I
intended if Dolman had not stopped me it would probably have been very bad.
I heard last week that nearly
all Morley’s capital had been spent in costs and it so upset me I have never
looked at the papers since. Thank
goodness we have plenty of other current business. I have had no time to go out or do anything
but law and accounts lately.
Last Friday evening we all
went to C.C. Bowing’s to dinner, met Dolmans, Mr and Mrs Morley, H. Jadsby,
Macpherson, Mr Irwin of Leeds and Miss Ball Mrs Bowing’s sister.
18 February 1878
13 February Lady again. B.
Net 11 mins
Went with Annie and Fanny to
Skating Rink for the first time since last year..
S Woolley valued Horsley at
£1630.
16 February Saturday to Skating Rink - with Annie and Fanny Ernest Bernard
and Rosa. The boys can go safely by
themselves. Rosa tried for the first
time 3years and 6 months old!.
She managed to keep her feet together and slide when pushed, and to walk
by herself a little.
17 February Sunday St Alkmunds in the morning. Long walk in the afternoon.
18 February Settled with Bakewell and burnt note. Drew clip to Harrison.
Examined childrens savings
bank books with receipts from chief office and then burnt the latter.
Friday 22 February 1878
February 19 Walked to station in afternoon and had tea. Went to concert Madam Valleria (first time I
have heard her) Foli and others. Very
good concert.
February 20 Engaged on accounts 10am to 10pm.
February 21 To tea Party in connection with the working mens’
constitutional and church defence society.
Annie took a tray. Sir H Wilmot
presided. About 1500 sat down in the
Drill Hall. When I went in at 7.30pm it
was very stuffy!
Wrote to Lizzie, J.H, W.N.M.
and Aunt B.
February 22 Small gave me a definite appointment for Monday as to
Horsley.
W. N. Mason On Saturday last Will had some cattle begin to be ill
and by Sunday evening there were 23 grown cows and 23 yearlings (?) dead
from spleen apoplexy. The food etc is
being examined but no cause has yet been discerned.
23 February Saturday Took Annie and Fanny (C) to Nottingham. Went to the Marble Rink and generally round
the Town. Enjoyed the afternoon very
much.
26 February Tuesday To skating rink in afternoon. Saw a man knocked down by a runaway horse from
the cattle market - don’t know the result.
Wednesday 27 February 1878
Met Turner and Harper (both
born in 1827) Worthington and others at Royal Hotel from 5.30 to 6pm. Turner said he remembered the Red Lion and
White Lion both being on the sites of the present Royal Hotel, the Brook being
open along Victoria and Albert Streets and a boy fishing from the Morledge
Bridge, the football fights between St Peters and All Saints, and that he was
nearly suffocated near the junction of the Canal and the Derwent about where
the cattle market is now situated.
Henry Bemrose the Mayor for
this year is chiefly going in for tea total and church meetings and Bazaars.
Sunday 3 March 1878
1 March - Friday.
Dolman and Mrs to dinner.
Small made an offer of £1400
for the Horsley property, declined.
2 March Saturday - Fanny left.
Elected member of the “Athenaeum
News Room.
3 March To church in
the morning. Long walk in the
afternoon. Painted a little “The
Vagabond”.
Sunday 10 March 1878
4 March Monday Up at 7am and had a walk before breakfast. Went to view property at new Normanton after
breakfast.
5 March To Nottingham for F Woodward.
7 March Thursday To
spend the day at Rev Sutton’s at Rosleston.
They sent their wagonette to meet us at Burton. Annie and the two Boys and I went. The early morning was very windy and rainy
but we only got our faces wetted and about 1pm it cleared up. The Boys had a ride on the pony in the
afternoon and Mr and Mrs Sutton and Annie and I had a drive round Lullington
etc. We had a very pleasant day.
9 March Saturday Took Annie the Boys and Rosa to the Skating
Rink. Saw the performing dogs there, and
had a good skate. The Dolmans there
also.
10 March Not very well - in bed until 1pm. Walk in the afternoon.
Harry had his dinner at the
dining room table today for the first time and Rosa cut her own meat also the
first attempt.
13 March Went to see “Newton” selling watches. He drives 4 chestnut horses as an
advertizement. The children went to see
them and were delighted. He sold a great
many watches at low rates. I think it
must be a sell.
22 March To Sowter’s to tea.
Met Mr and Mrs Hobson (Father of the senior wrangler of this year).
23 March To Nottingham
on business.
24 March At home all
day. Cold east wind and snow. The Euridice capsized.
27 March 1878 Evans and Co
began to press.
Saw Bakewell yesterday -
explained all and made peace.
Sunday 22 September 1878
Since writing here last many
daily circumstances have combined to put me off from continuing a frequent
account, and on the whole such a record would not have been of much future
interest, as would only have contained a monotonous account of struggles with
difficulties and dangers without victories.
Charles Allen relieved me
from the Flower and Evans difficulties, and now I am finishing a sale of
Longcliffe to clear all off together. He
came down for a night.
Joe. I went over
to Alford in April when it was finally arranged that Joe should go on with the
Law scheme, and he went up for the Preliminary Exam in May, which he
passed. Shortly after however he met
Colonel Sanderson in London who obtained an introduction for him to a Mr
Middleton who has been for about 30 years in business Coffee Planting in India
and a very good offer was finally made by Mr Middleton and accepted to take Joe
for 3 years and instruct him, paying a salary 1st quarter £150; 2nd
quarter £200; 3rd quarter £250.
Mrs Bradley and sons gave him an outfit (about £80) and Sanderson paid
his passage. He sailed on 16 July. We have not yet heard whether he has arrived.
About the end of June W.N.M.
asked us all to stay at Rigsby. I took
them over on Saturday the ---- and returned on Monday staying by myself at home
for a fortnight. On Thursday – July, a
very hot day over 130 degrees in the sun, I had a slight sunstroke which quite
upset me, and I went over on Saturday till Tuesday, but when I got back I could
not do any work, so returned on Thursday evening, arriving at Rigsby at 4am on
Friday morning and stayed there until three weeks the next Tuesday when I
brought the children back. Annie had a
bad throat which formed three times and made her very weak and she stayed two
days longer. The change did us all good
the children especially, and we enjoyed it immensely.
I went to Skegness by Great
Northern railway one day early this year for the first time since it was
opened, it being 15 years since I was last there. They are altering and improving very much and
building extensively.
We went three times to Chapel
to Aunt Bradleys.
Father’s hay fever was rather
worse than average this year. Harrison
has been pressing since August, and on settlement of the Horsley purchase I
paid off £100.
20 September 1878 At last! The
only remaining portion of Horsley settled for.
It has cost me over £2000 a very serious loss to me. I have not taken out a certificate for this
year, and we are economising everywhere that we can.
Harry is just beginning to
talk and walk.
Fanny (Cooke) came back with
us from Rigsby to keep house while Annie remained there, and she stayed a short
time after Annie’s return but I fear it was a very uncomfortable visit.
Mr Walker our managing clerk
has been and is seriously ill. I do not
think he will be fit for any more work even if he recovers.
Have begun early rising again
having been put off for some time by rheumatism.
Monday 23 September 1878
21 September 1878 Took Annie
Ernest Bernard and Rosa and Lucy to Ambergate for the day and all enjoyed it
very much. The last outing for the
season for the children. Made a sketch
of “Crich Stand” from Alderwasley Wood, also a sketch “In the Wood”.
22 September 1878 Church and touched up paintings etc.
23 September 1878 Went out a short walk with the Boys before breakfast.
Thursday 24 October 1878
27 September Ault and Speechley began to press me through Briggs
set.
1 October Ill in bed all day with violent pain in my head.
3 October Called on Walker.
He is very bad and I fear will never get better.
6 October Very much disturbed about my affairs. Mrs Uttley threatening execution for Topham’s
debt and other pressing. Painted in the
morning. In the afternoon went for long
walk to Chaddesden and on to Morley Moor, about 9 miles did it in about 2 ½
hours and was better for it, but it did not make me sleep.
8 October Uttley’s execution in.
10 October Decided to file petition.
11 October Filed petition.
12 October Warhurst’s case heard, sent to assizes.
Bail refused.
Mary Kyte left.
13 October 1878 Sunday 8am. Annie Boys Rosa and self to St
Andrews.
Harry walked by himself for first time.
Walked round Chaddesden in
afternoon.
15 October Met John Smith for Cooper at Luck’s to arrange as to
separation but could not agree.
16 October Henry and Mrs Brown called for a short time on the
way to Stone. They found us in the midst
of our difficulties. They were very kind
and sympathising. Explained
circumstances to them.
17 October 7 am. Mrs De Bergne
called. Got Bailiff out.
18 October Saw many clients and friends and all promised support.
19 October To reading room early. Explained to Crammond and made all right.
20 October L told me all about Mrs D’s enquiries and
reports. Went to St Andrews Church. Told Annie as we walked home. Bad attack of hysteria 1 1/4 hrs. M Borough called in.
21 October Told D and agreed to let it go no further. All right with Annie.
22 October Mrs D came and denied past.
Moved furniture into Dining
Room.
23 October Rev Abney called to condole with us.
Wrote to W N M and Fanny as
to progress in difficulties.
24 October M Woodroff called was very kind. I have many letters and kind promises and
have today obtained the first new business since the smash up.