Anne Lister Entries Only – 1st – 13th November 1834

Saturday 1st November 1834

[up at] 7
[to bed at] 11 3/4

damp rather hazy windy morning Fahrenheit 52° at 8 40/.. my letter written yesterday went this morning by the bag before breakfast as usual to ‘Mrs. Lawton Claremont house Leamington Warwickshire’ read from page 241 to 258 volume 1 Niebuhr – breakfast at 9 – Had Washington – and Holt with bill for 16 yards of pit-sinking £10 and 52 yards drift driving for water for John Bottomley £5. Gave the bill and money to Washington – Told Holt to order about Gin – he prefers wood to iron – has some oak that has been laid by 7 or 8 years that will come in for 1/2 the bends wanted – can get the rest of the oak heart, of Greenwood who asks 2/8 and 3/. a foot for it – the axle tree will cost about £3 – the other part of the work (wood included) about £22 – the Gin will be wanted by Christmas – they hope to have the pit down to the bottom in July – some little talk about Spigs colliery – said I thought of stopping the Wellroyde goit – Holt said it might be easily done – would advise writing a letter 1st for permission to send someone to measure – will come again about 2 or 3 p.m. on Tuesday – Had Jagger (Thomas) from Clough hole quarry (Mr. Stocks) near quarry house with bill for 50 stone stoops delivered here at 1/4 each – Referred him to Mallinson – Had Mary, wife of Joseph Smith, to speak for the cottage (late William Green’s) that Amos Gauk is leaving today – rent £4, due from Amos Gauk 20 July and 20 January – Off to Halifax at 11 1/2 – down the old bank to Mr. Parker’s office – signed and brought away John Bottomley’s lease – inquired about the progress of the settlement with Mrs. Clarke – promised by the Alexanders in a few days – returned up the old bank to John Bottomleys – thence up to Beacon hill – along the top into the Southowram road past the Chequer to Law hill – stood looking about – thence across to Joseph Hall’s – to the new quarry and by the pit (Walker pit) home down the Little field at 2 25/.. – out with Adney at 2 50/.. in the walk and to Wellroyde and in George Robinson’s garden (by ourselves) and took a turn in Lower brea wood – 1/4 hour in the hut and came in at 4 25/.. – with Charles and James Howarth doing north chamber top with diaper about 1/2 begun and done today – Had Pickells with long tale about his summoning the Hunt game-keepers before the magistrates – made nothing of it, and had expense to pay – Mr. Pollard? said Miss Walker’s giving the leave to shoot to Pickells was my doing  
dinner at 6 1/4 – some time with my father and Marian – coffee upstairs – from 7 3/4 to 9 3/4 read aloud from page 258 to 301 i. Niebuhr – 1/4 hour with my aunt – 20 minutes rubbing Adney’s back of neck with brandy before the blue room fire – wrote the last 13 pages till 11 1/2 p.m. at which hour Fahrenheit 52 1/4° and windy night – high wind all day, and lowering as if for rain but it held off – Note this morning from the Halifax philosophical society announcing the next monthly meeting for Monday the 3rd instant when a paper to be read on malaria –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0101 & SH:7/ML/E/17/0102

Sunday 2nd November 1834

[up at] 7 3/4
[to bed at] 11

a good kiss last night    fine morning Fahrenheit 51° at 8 35/.. – read from page 347 to 362 Bakewell  breakfast at 8 55/.. – breakfast and reading the newspaper (Morning Herald) till 10 1/2 – then read from page 362 to 420 Bakewell – prayers in 1/2 hour at 12 1/4 – Mr. Sunderland came at 1 – out with Adney at 1 35/.. – walked on the flags before the house – off to church at 2 1/4 – there in 18 minutes – reading the confession – Mr. Wilkinson did all the duty – preached 29 minutes from 1 Peter iv. 18 – home at 4 40/.. – walked in the walk 40 minutes – dinner in 40 minutes at 6 5/.. having read to page 427 Bakewell’s geology – 25 minutes with my father and Marian – then coffee upstairs – read aloud to Adney till 9 1/4 the 1st 2 chapters pages 53 volume 1 Gulztaff’s [Gutzlaff’s] sketch of Chinese history – then she on the amorosa   I happening to say I wished we were in bed she said  well let us go and take off drawers   which we did and in quarter of an hour had a pretty good kiss   then put on my pelisse etc. again and at  at 9 40/.. went to my aunt for 20 minutes  wrote the last 4 1/2 lines – fine day Fahrenheit 53° now at 10 10/.. p.m. –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0102

Monday 3rd November 1834

[up at] 7 5/..
[to bed at] 12

fine rather hazyish morning – Fahrenheit 51° at 8 3/4 – Adney had parcel from London (Mrs. Plowes by Mr. Thomas Dyson) an hour ago – breakfast at 8 50/.. – Adney and I off in the carriage at 9 1/2 – at Mill house at 10 1/4 – sat 1/4 hour with Mrs. William Henry Rawson and her daughter Caroline – then to Thorpe – there 3/4 hour – Mr. John Priestley 10 minutes before he came and afterwards came his brother Walker – the former had not heard any late talk of a road along the Brighouse valley – perhaps I should be affronted but he thought the best road would be to come out at the Pump and then cross the Shibden fields just below the house into into the new Godley road (it would be no nuisance to the house and the road in front might be stopt) – yes! said I, along my intended lined-out new approach road but I would prevent it if I could, and, if not, should leave the place and make what I could of it – he saw this would not do – begged him to let me know if he heard anything particular on the subject and not let the thing be hid under a bushel – then 20 minutes at Haugh end with Mrs. Henry Priestley and Mr. Lloyd who happened to be on a visit there – saw only them 2 – then 23 minutes at Willow field with Mrs. Dyson and Miss Lucy Atkinson – then 1/2 hour at Darcey Hey saw both Mr. and Mrs. John Edwards (very properly civil) and Mrs. Protheroe and Miss Waterhouse who were there 1/2 our time – Miss Waterhouse aetatis 71 and Mr. Waterhouse of Wellhead aetatis 65 introduced to Mrs. Protheroe and talk to her very civilly – she is the image of Mr. Waterhouse and not more ladylike than he is gentlemanlike – Mrs. John Edwards never saw Adney look so well – she had taken a new life – going abroad always likely to do good – people should not grow mouldy at home – then to Pyenest – nobody at home – Adney then ate sandwiches as we drove along having refusing taking anything wherever we went – called on Mrs. William Rawson – out – sat a few minutes with Miss Mary Briggs looking wretchedly – apparently in a rapid decline – 

Adney then set me down at Mrs. Veitch’s at 2 3/4 while she called on Mrs. Bramley and Mrs. and Miss Prescott (both parties at dinner and did not receive her) and on Mrs. Norris, not at home and sat long with Mrs. Hudson and Miss Walton, and not back at Mrs. Veitch’s till 3 3/4 – after sitting a few minutes we called at Wellhead – not at home – Miss Catherine Waterhouse dangerously ill – consumption? – then 1/4 hour with Mrs. Catherine Rawson – then to the vicarage – not admitted – afterwards met Mrs. Musgrave who stopt the carriage and was very civil – then 20 minutes at Stony Royde, Mrs. Rawson very glad to see us and very kind and civil – was aetatis 81 yesterday – Mrs. Catherine Rawson aetatis 79 and Mrs. William Rawson 6 months older – then 1/2 hour at Heath with Mr. and Miss Wilkinson – called at Throp’s (his son to come tomorrow) Lowe’s Nicholson’s and Walker’s and home at 5 3/4 – some while with my father and Marian then dinner at 6 3/4 – coffee at 7 1/2 – sat talking – ^§Marian called us down and out on to the flags in front of the house to look at a singular circle of light across the sky – occupying about or near 2/3 of it – neither leg of the arc resting on the horizon, but each about equidistant from it – broader than a rainbow – 1/2 hour with my aunt till 10 10/.. – 1/2 hour with Adney while she got into bed – then read from page 54 to 73 Gulztaff’s [Gutzlaff’s] history of China volume 1 and wrote all the above of today till 11 1/2 p.m. at which hour Fahrenheit 52 1/2° – a little drizzling rain about 10 and afterwards for about 1 1/2 hour afterwards fine day and evening –

^§vide 2 Notices and descriptions of this phenomenon from the Liverpool courier and Birmingham advertiser in the Morning Herald of Saturday 8 November page 3 column 1

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0102

Tuesday 4th November 1834

[up at] 7 55/..
[to bed at] 12

her cousin came yesterday so no kiss fine soft morning tho’ damp and rather hazy – fine morning for planting – Throp’s son in the garden edging the border under the front windows with gentianella – Fahrenheit 51 1/2° at 8 55/.. at which hour went downstairs – with Throp – and Charles Howarth in the north chamber – breakfast at 9 1/2 – off with Adney to Lidgate at 11 – there in 40 minutes – Mrs. Hird and her maid came – which hurried us off and we just bowed to her in passing in the garden – walked with Adney to the Cliff hill gateway and left her at 12 – sauntered home along the walk in an hour – Throp’s son gone – dawdling about the house – till Adney returned at 2 3/4 – her aunt had been good humoured and glad to see her – sat with her at her luncheon and talking for an hour – then with John a little – send order by him (going to Halifax with the cart) to Throp for 100 little yews. 2 arbor vitae 2 Lignum vitae (if any difference between the 2) 1 large purple beech, 1 Lacinated beech, 1 scarlet arbutus, 2 willow–leaved oaks, 1 quercus catisbaea – then from near 4 to 5 1/2 looking over the 2 plans of the estate – Have I ever been paid for the ground taken for Hipperholme new Bar-house – By memorandum of Thursday 13 June 1833 Samuel Washington said 40 yards wanted and that 2/6 a yard had been given in such cases – and talking to Adney about her letter to her sister – and wrote the above of today – dinner at 6 – Adney and I 1/2 hour with my father and Marian – then coffee upstairs, and sat talking and looking over estate plans, both mine and Adney’s – till went to my aunt at 9 3/4 for 25 minutes – fine day Fahrenheit 53° at 10 10/.. p.m. – till 11 1/4 (while Adney wrote to her sister and Mrs. Plowes) writing quantities of land belonging to the different farms –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0103

Wednesday 5th November 1834

[up at] 7 1/2
[to bed at] 11 3/4

no kiss Rainy morning – with Charles Howarth in the north chamber – breakfast at 9 and reading the newspaper and hearing A–‘s [Adne’sy] letter to her sister   at my desk at 11 1/2 – having had Hoyland’s man – the plaster not dry – to wait till next Monday week the 17th instant – Fahrenheit 56° at  11 1/2 p.m. rainy, windy day – from 11 1/2 to near 3 (except a little while with Adney at her luncheon) making the quantities of land of the different farms, rents etc. – then tidying my study a little – out at 3 3/4 and with John till 5 1/2 planting large purple beech and small lacinated ditto and 1 willow leaved oak and 1 quercus .  .  .  in the garden – and 1 juniper and 1 willow leaved oak in the shrubbery and 2 chinese and 2 common Arbor vitae near the 2 Scotch firs in the place of the 4 American firs that died last autumn (planted last spring) – 1/2 hour with my father and Marian – dressed – dinner at 6 1/4 – Adney and I 25 minutes till 7 1/2 with my father and Marian – then coffee upstairs – skimmed and read partially aloud from page 73 to 212 volume 1 Gutzlaff’s history of China – with my aunt 35 minutes till 10 1/4 – wild, windy, rainy day till between 3 and 4 p.m. – afterwards fair and calm – Fahrenheit 56 1/2° now at 10 1/2 p.m.

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0103

Thursday 6th November 1834

[up at] 8 5/..
[to bed at]11 50/..

no kiss Rainy windy night and morning Fahrenheit 55° at 9 5/.. at which hour breakfast – Ann Lee and her assistant here – got much wet in coming – could not come yesterday on account of the weather – Had Mr. Washington – would have me build Hopkin a small barn to cost £70 – asked him to think about and let me know for what he would do me a plan of the whole valleys of Shibden and Brookfoot and Brinescoles – with Charles and James Howarth in the north chamber planning the crimson put round the top part and put into the cellar 2 bottles soda water and the 3 dozen large and 23 pint bottles of Cowslip wine made by Sarah and arrived here about a week ago – out with Adney from 12 1/2 for 1 50/.. hour – walked along the walk and Lower brea wood and by Wellroyde to Bridge-end cottages just bought of William Green – Mary Smith, Joseph’s wife, came up to us – took her to see the cottage they are to have at 4 guineas rent (as William Green told me it was, yesterday) – looked over this cottage and John Green’s – and the 2 William Green occupies – then Pearson coming up, shewed us all over his premises (the public house) – would want the old barn taking down and putting close to the house in the form of good stabling with a good large room over it – the shed should be covered in – water wanting – in fact, there will be a good deal to lay out? – home round by the public road – sat with Adney at her luncheon and some while afterwards – ^§then except having George Naylor about the stone quarry (to know when I should let it as he had nothing to do for his horses) all the afternoon with Charles and James Howarth in the north chamber putting up the top over the bed-recess, and planning how to crimson-cord this recess and put up the curtain to it – dinner at 6 1/4 – 3/4 hour with my father and Marian – Pickells brought a present of a woodcock – did not see him – said I would go to Whiskum tomorrow – coffee upstairs – Adney complained of her back –and talked of Mr. Day   I did not contradict her having him   talked about Washington   wished I said nothing to him about Captain Sutherland    I had not said much this morning about the division of the property it was not Captains   but saw it did not do so I was off and told her tonight I would not name the subject to S- [Samuel] anymore unless she herself asked me    nor will I    Steph said I should have a deal of trouble with her    is she getting rather wrong again?   let me take care of my own affairs at all rates   20 minutes with my aunt till 10 10/..   then rubbed A–’s [Adney’s] back for twenty minutes with brandy and then wrote all the above of today – finish day after the rain ceased between 9 and 10 a.m. – 

^§John planted out this afternoon the 100 yews that came from Throp’s yesterday –George Naylor said Mrs. Machan’s farm at £50 was too dear by £20 a year – only 22 dayworks including the 4 little fields = 9 dayworks along the top of Beacon hill wood – leaving 13 dayworks in 4? fields including the old quarry near the house – Bridge end cottage late Amos Gauk some small repairs wanting about the Kitchen fire-place – new iron plate and some plaster putting on – 4 cracked panes of glass all patched and bad – 5 cracked panes upstairs – 1 of them patched and bad the other four slightly cracked –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0103

Friday 7th November 1834

[up at] 8
[to bed at] 12 35/..

no kiss very rainy night and morning Fahrenheit 51° at 9 1/4 a.m. – breakfast at 9 1/2 to 10 35/.. – then 3/4 hour reading the newspaper – and then writing out agreements for Joseph Smith to sign tonight and for Pickels – then with Charles and James Howarth in the north chamber ordering about chimney piece and window curtains – then with Adney and read from page 212 to 253 volume 1 Gutzlaff’s history of China – Out with Adney at 2 20/.. down the old bank to Greenwoods to look at the bookcase and wardrobe and tell the foreman to come to Shibden tonight – at Walker’s shop – some time at Whitley’s – bought a Brief sketch of Ecclesiastical history 12 duodecimo 1/. then at the public library and brought back volume 2 Sismondi on the Literature of Southern Europe – returned up the new bank – met Mr. Freeman’s servant with a note Compliments and he will call at 10 a.m. tomorrow – home at 4 1/2 – Jenny Fitton waiting to see Miss Walker – with Charles and James Howarth in the north chamber about the chimney piece – determined to have no chimney piece or shelf – dinner at 6 1/4 – Had Greenwood’s man to measure for wash-stand for Marian’s room – then had Joseph Smith – let him the cottage late Gauk’s bought of William Green at £4 – and he signed the agreement and ‘Joseph Booth’ witnessed it – had Marian having just read from page 253 to 283 volume 1 Gutzlaff’s history of China – 1/4 hour with my aunt till 10 1/4 – very rainy morning till about 11 a.m. afterwards fair and warm yet windy – Fahrenheit 52° now at 10 40/.. p.m. then rubbed A–’s [Adney’s] back with brandy twenty two minutes just before getting into bed read the first 39 pages (the 1st Chapter) of volume ii. Sismondi on the Literature of the South of Europe

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0103

Saturday 8th November 1834

[up at] 8 40/..
[to bed at] 11 10/..

no kiss fine but windy morning Fahrenheit 59° at 9 3/4 a.m. breakfast at 9 50/.. – Mr. Samuel Freeman and his son came about 10 1/4 and staid till about 11 1/2 – then had Holt (who had been waiting some time) till about 1 1/2 – then sat with her at her luncheon and with her till about 3 – then with Charles Howarth about re-hanging my aunt’s bell etc. till 3 20/.. – Freeman brought a debtor and creditor account of the quarry in Upper Place land which I did not look into saying I was satisfied he (Freeman) would do what was right; and we could settle about it when the stone was got down to, fit for shewing, when I would (as I had said) put it up by ticket not binding myself to take the highest bidder – he thought nobody could take it right before then by the yard there were so many holes in it – there had been old works before – and some old lead-bullets had been found 8 or 10 feet from the present surface – it would be best to measure off as they went on, and pay for the stone according to what quantity there might be of it – answer – yes! certainly – I wanted no other – wanted only what was fair – when would the quarry be fit for putting up to let? was not the thickness of the bed of stone now known? answer no! whatever people said they knew nothing about it – there had been some good flags got, but we had only just got down to the great bed – and should shew down to the bottom of it – this was about 3 months even tho’ he would immediately set more hands at work – he thought there was stone worth 4/6 a yard – I merely replied I was in no hurry to press the stone into the market if not worth while – when we had once beared fairly down to the stone I should not care to let it alone and not work it at all for the present as Freeman had told me before stone would be more valuable by and by – yes! said he that it certainly would – they were 1/2 of them breaking in the stone trade – a great failure in London for £40,000 had just touched almost everyone in the stone trade in Southowram except himself – he himself sold stone for less than anyone else could get it for – by and by they should know who could stand and who not and the trade would get into a steadier way – Asked why he had given up trying in Joseph Hall’s land – did not the stone answer his expectations? answer It was not that, but he had a letter from Mrs. Machin (which he shewed me) asking by whose leave he had put the rubbish on her land   Freeman saw her on the subject – It was her Mr. Samuel Hall and brother in law Isaac Thwaite and Isaac Green told her it was a great hardship that such people as Freeman and I should take advantage of her for nothing we ought to pay her something handsome – Freeman told her he wanted to do nothing but right – he thought the damage could not be assessed at more than 1/6 for all the stone got was not worth more than £7 and so the matter ended – Freeman having given up further trial for stone in that quarter – It was Wombsley the tenant who gave him leave and he was so offended at Mrs. Machin’s letter that he talks of leaving the farm in consequence – Freeman had not heard exactly what passed at the meeting about the road from Brookfoot – had told them he thought I should not consent to the road coming out at Pump – I explained what John Priestley said at Thorpe  I [k]new if the road went in front of the house there would be pother about it hereafter and therefore I would oppose it to the last of my power but would further it if it came out just above Mytham – Freeman to get to know what passed and let me know – said it was he who could loose (at Cromwelbottom) all John Priestley’s coal – then a good deal of conversation about the Calder and Hebble navigation – Freeman as executor receives the dividends on about £1000 stock – does not like the present system of management – throwing money away – a rail–road here (and there will be one sooner or later if the proprietors do not lower the dues) will not pay; and the country would not support if the navigation people were more accommodating – but if there be one whether it pays or not, it will ruin the canal – deepening it, as they are doing at present, will not answer – Despatch is the soul of business – a light load can get on quicker than a heavy one – and at last they will be obliged to buy light vessels to get the goods forward – this is the case now with the Ayre and Calder canal – the proprietors have laid out 1/2 a million on the port of Goole and 1/2 a million in deepening their canal and they are now having small light vessels for expedition and the worst of it is, they cannot get past the big vessels which lie in the locks and all along and hinder all passage – Freeman hates to see these large vessels – they stop everything – taking goods forwards in 1 bottom is all a farce – would [have] no canal more than 10 feet? of water and no vessel draw more than 9 feet 10 inches – If there is more depth of water, the vessels are only made to draw so much more so that stoppages are frequent as ever – our proprietors have lately annoyed the trade instead of conveniencing it – he was applied to for information – took much trouble to get it, and then nobody minded it but Mr. Waterhouse who could be bought over – stone is taken from Bradford to Hull at 8/6 per ton – costs 10/. from here – Did not seem to think the proprietors taking up a rail road from here to Leeds would answer – it would be unnecessary, if the canal carriage was lowered 1/2 and the proprietors would then gain more than now – what the use of enabling large vessels to come up to Halifax? – does not like the committee – Hodgson an old woman – Clay, of Rastrick one of the best – has made his money and knows the good of liberality to trade but is a litigious man – about £120,000 stock – begged him (Freeman) to call again – get all the information he could – let us try to embody it, and see if we could not propose something (well backed) that must be attended to – would not advise selling out in a hurry – Lord Whar[n]cliffe thought the proprietors wanted some powers too arbitrary, and was against them in their getting the last act – said I had confidence in Lord Whar[n]cliffe – if things were right managed, he would not be against us – Holt brought me a little bill from Whitley for handbills 10/. and taking off ‘sinking for top sod’ 10/. and allowance on the tickets (that is on agreeing for the job) 10/. and brought word the sinkers were out of heart   there was (at 18 20 yards deep) so much water – said I was glad of it – they must drive a drift and turn the water into the Conery – Holt said it would come out about at the level 1/2 way between the pit and upper Conery hedge that is somewhere about the present line of troughs – Talk about Sammy Hall’s coal – no way of there being a title to it but by the daughter keeping unmarried (her cousin Sutcliffe an attorney visits her regularly) till 21 and joining her father to cut off the entail – to tell Mr. Hall of my saying this and that I would give a fair price for it – Holt wants 23 dayworks (worth paid for as got £100 per daywork both beds and could be got next spring) of Mr. Walker Priestley joining up to Mr. Hall’s land near Law hill did not know Walker Priestley or would have applied – thought I could help him – well! said I, if it can be shewn that I am in any way fairly interested, I will name the business – It seems, if Holt had these 23 dayworks and I Samuel Hall’s coal Messrs. Rawson would be on all sides shut in and confined to the coal in Cristopher Rawson’s own estate perhaps about 150 dayworks – if he gets Walker Priestley’s coal, he (Rawson) can go forwards without Samuel Hall’s coal, towards the town of Southowram – But I am not directly interested so strongly advised Holt to go himself openly and fairly to Walker Priestley on Monday – say who he was and bid a fair price at once, if the matter should go so far; and if not to get the 1st refusal of the coal, and that would be enough as I believed Walker Priestley a man of his word – It is Walker Priestley’s interest to have competition, and even if he would not sell without letting Rawson know, still Holt might bid him up – then talk about Spigs colliery – shewed Holt or rather read to him from Business letter book ii. page 11 et sequens the account of my interview with Tommy Clarke and James Crichley Holt on the subject – they have nothing to shew for a right of Loose thro’ the Wellroyde Goit – neither for loosing the coal in what was Swaine’s land, nor even Spigs land itself – much more to loose any part of the land never belonging to Swaine’s land, but to Mr. Dean of Scoresby, valued by Illingworth at soft bed 80 guineas and hard ditto 70 guineas per acre – Holt values this loose at £5 or guineas per acre which I ought to have – he would rather not interfere – Hinscliffe would do very well (said I would send for him) – but if he objected, I might try Illingworth – wrote in pencil and read to Holt the following which I told him I should send, probably on Monday, to ‘Messrs. Holts and Co. coal merchants Booth Bank Halifax’ – Gentlemen as I hear you have applied for coal to Mr. Dean of Scoresby, under the idea that you have a right of loose thro’ the Wellroyde holms, I think it proper to inform you, that I do not consider you to have any such right, and that it is my intention to take immediate measures for stopping up the drain, if we do not come to an agreement about it, on, or before the 22nd of this month – I am gentlemen etc. etc. etc. A Lister’ – Holt approved the above letter saying it would be easy to stop up the goit effectively and so as to drown all their coal – at 3 20/.. in about an hour read from page 253 to        volume 1 Gutzlaff’s history of China – wrote out the 1st page of today then had Pickels – he signed his agreement for Whiskum cottage rent £5 per annum payable quarterly entering 9 October last – to quit at a month’s notice or pay 4/. a week rent for every week he stays after the expiration of the months notice – and not to keep a beer shop – paid him the expense on the summons he took out against Hanson for shooting in Adney’s joint property and paid him expenses for summons on my own account some time ago   said I did not want a shrubbery at Whiskum cottage – if he did not want the ground for an useful garden I should take it and plant it with oaks – shewed that I was much displeased at his coming the last time in liquor – said that John or anyone who had been his friend would have prevented his seeing me at such a time – but he had better not do it again – dinner soon after at 6 1/4 – ten minutes with my father and Marian – then coffee downstairs – and till 8 50/.. wrote out the 2 last pages and the above of this page of today Adney sitting by me reading volume 1 Sismondi on the Literature of Southern Europe – Holt had seen the burst out of Mr. Rawson’s coal water into Captain and Mrs. Sutherland’s land in the occupation of Hanson – £10 would stop it entirely – the Loose worth perhaps £200 or £10 per daywork but Edward Tattersall a man collier living in a cottage at Rookes who worked for Rawsons but now at variance with them could tell – played and lost 1 hit at backgammon – 1/2 hour with my aunt till 10 1/4 – Rainy day Fahrenheit 49° at 10 1/4 p.m.  in 10 minutes while undressing read from page 40 to 63 ii Sismondi’s Literature of the South of Europe –

[In margin:]

Stone in George Naylor’s land

Brookfoot road

Loose for John Priestley’s coal

Pit sinking

Walker Priestley’s coal.

Spigs colliery

Proposed letter about Spigs colliery

Pickels signed agreement

Mrs. Sutherlands coal

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0104 & SH:7/ML/E/17/0105

Sunday 9th November 1834

[up at] 7 1/2
[to bed at] 10 50/..

no kiss fine morning – read from page 63 to 100 ii Sismondi’s Literature of the South of Europe – Fahrenheit 47° at 9 10/.. a.m. at which hour breakfast and read the Morning Herald – then out with Adney in the walk 1/2 hour till 11 50/.. read a few pages – prayers to my aunt in 1/2 hour at 12 1/4 – Adney and I off (in the carriage as ever since the 1st Sunday in last month) to Lightcliffe church at 2 – there in 20 minutes – waited 12 minutes – Mr. Wilkinson did all the duty – dined at Newhouse – preached 26 minutes from Ecclesiastes xi.3. (where the tree falls there it shall be) – this text generally understood of the soul quitting the body – in whatever state it does this, so it must remain – that which was unjust let it be unjust, – filthy let be filthy – holy, let it be holy – i.e. not only let it be so but it shall be so – we are born the children of wrath – the image of God nearly effaced from us – this ‘must be restored upon us’ in this life, or it not at all – there is some sort of determination of the soul’s state immediately after death – the great day of judgment is the day of the justification of the sentence of each before our saviour into whose hands this is committed – the most interesting sermon I have heard from Mr. Wilkinson – home in 25 minutes at 4 25/.. – Kind letter this morning 3 pages and ends and under the seal from Mademoiselle Ferrall dated 25 October – only received my letter from Paris of the 24th August the day before (i.e. 24 October) the still de Hagemanns go on as usual ‘with this difference that this year they do not receive visits…. ‘he has been in a great passion at not having been made Chamberlain this year’ – they have had the Disbrowes on their way to Stockholm – begs me to write soon, saying the Danes do not mind postage –read from page 253 to 398 end of volume 1 Gutzlaff’s China. dinner at 6 – coffee – about 3/4 hour with my father and Marian till 9 1/2 – Marian’s talk against my buying a market cart – Adney and I sat talking all this over – 1/4 hour with my aunt till 10 – finish day tho’ a little smart rain between 2 and 3 as we drove to church and rather cold and windy all day – Fahrenheit 46 1/2 at 10 3/4 p.m. –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0105

Monday 10th November 1834

1834 November Monday 10
[up at] 7 1/2
[to bed at] 11 40/..

no kiss fine cold frosty morning Fahrenheit 44 1/2° at 9 35/.. a.m. read from page 399 to 436 end of volume 1 Gutzlaff’s history of China – breakfast at 9 – Had Samuel Washington – gave orders for Richard Woodhead to fit up Pickels’s stable with 2 cow and one horse stalls immediately, to be done this week – for 45/. to 50/. finding wood and labour – Samuel Washington brought me plan of the Godley slopes intended to be sold by Mr. Stocks and 2 or 3 other commoners together with some other bits of ground – adjoining the Godley road and the new bank part of the old Wakefield road – just staid to finish breakfast and came away – Adney off to Cliff hill at 10 35/.. having had much talk to Samuel Washington about dividing the property – determined upon it – he convinced Adney had better name it to the Sutherlands herself first, and he, Samuel Washington, have nothing to do with it – from about 9 3/4 to 12 1/2 making extract from volume 1 Gutzlaff’s China – note to Adney from Mr. Parker (she out) with Mr. Hird’s lease. down the Old Bank to Halifax at 1 to Mr Parker’s office about the Godley slopes (Godley road embankment) Mr. Parker had been confined to the house with a bilious attack 2 or 3 days – above 1/2 hour with him – to be a meeting of the commons on Monday – Mr. Adam will attend – to buy for me what adjoins me, and to prevent the 150 yards near the new, present turnpike being sold at all, if possible – if not, to get it for me if law and money can do it – Mr. Parker said they had just sold to Isaac Green a field in Gibbet Lane (for £900 I think he said) at about 2/10 a yard the field through – or which field with 2 others had been bought for £900 in 1832 – my 2 fields in Hopewood Lane are on Day’s map no. 277 = 2 dayworks 0 quarters 6 perches and no. 279 = 2 dayworks 0 quarters 5 perches – Mr. Eastwood going to give up business as a sort of working jewellers shop – the young man going into the stone trade having married Mr. Greenwood’s sister (the mason’s son who has got on so well at College (Cambridge?) and to have the stone in Northowram in a farm of his – Eastwood had inquired if Parker knew of a place in the country with a little land – would Mytholm do? I said Eastwood had better see it – there were about 30 or 32 forgot which I said dayworks and I had asked Pearson £65 per annum rent but the place must be put up to let by ticket – Pearson said Mr. Sutcliffe would like to stay on at Northgate house – well! said I, if he will take it on my terms i.e. on a running lease from year to year, so that I have it at liberty when I like, I will not be so hard about the rent – in that case, I should not think myself bound to stick up to the £120 a year which I have asked – Parker to ask him what rent he will give – 
then (after being full 1/2 hour at Mr. Parker’s) to the library Mr. John Waterhouse junior there – shewed him the plan of the slopes and begged him to explain to his father and say I should be glad to see him at Shibden-hall, having much to say on other business subjects – John Waterhouse junior sure I should find his father at the counting house and walked with me there – 1 1/4 hour talking about the road and navigation – He cares not about buying that part of the embankment opposite his farm – the commons will not allow it to be planted and it is good for nothing else – it was Mr. Emmett of the Back Lane said so much against my being allowed to plant the piece I had got – well! said I, nobody needs be against it – I want merely a copse wood, and dont care much about it – I should be willing enough to sow it with whin seed (I have plenty) if that would do any good – of the farm belonging as I thought to Mr. Waterhouse he has only 1/3  jointly with Mrs. Empson and the late Mrs. Christopher Saltmarshe – Mr. Saltmarshe does not care about it; and the Empsons want him to buy their share but he will wait till he sees what is to be received from the commons for land taken – thinks the 150 yards ought not to be sold – does not believe a word of Joseph Wilkinson’s having bid Stocks 10/. a yard for it – said I understood Stock’s object was to erect a beer-shop on it which I wished to prevent, and would not let the land go for 10./ a yard if I could help it – asked for a list of the proprietors of the navigation – excused himself from giving it, and could hardly believe that he had lent me one to copy before – said any proprietor could consult the books at Mr. Norris’s and gain any information from him – would get me from him a copy of the last act – I saw Mr. Waterhouse was rather shy of saying much – he said it had not been made law to make the concern public and he thought it was prudent not to do so – he offered me the loan of a sort of balance sheet which I declined saying I merely wished to know the sum total of stock which I noted down from the last settlement dated 31 May last = £159631.15.7   there is nothing in hand – at least if the dividends were due just now there would hardly be enough to pay them? said I had lately heard much about the concern, and hoped the money was laid out judiciously – this seemed a sorish subject – yes! all laid out well – nothing could be said against anything but perhaps that too much had been spent at Salterhebble, and it appears there was some inadvertence on the part of the subcommittee on this point – I asked if it was true that the canal was to be deepened for large vessels – no direct answer – but this plan seems to be the favourite one with Waterhouse and his friends – it would be good for the coal trade which goes on 2/3 of the line to be able to ship the coal in vessels that could coast it to London – canal and locks, all would be to alter, but something must be done – old Briggs now the largest proprietor – William Briggs 1 of the subcommittee timorous – none of them liked the responsibility of determining with a general meeting of the proprietors – Waterhouse urged the necessity of the subcommittee giving a decided and unanimous opinion in which I agreed – William Briggs will only give an opinion as an individual – no member of the subcommittee more delight in inquiry into the business than Mr Hodgson and he satisfied with all that had been done – I asked if as a friend Waterhouse would advise me to sell out – no direct answer – but situated as he was he should not like to sell out in a hurry – a good investment – always marketable – owned shares might sell less well than now for by and by much money might be to be advanced – had been no transfers these 3 months – when I said I had reason to suppose I could sell at £430 he seemed surprised – would not take upon himself to say there never would be a railroad but it would not be supported by the people of this parish – the Leeds and Selby a poor concern – would never pay till there was a rail road from East to West right across the country – the proprietors of our navigation would never have anything to do with a rail road – I asked if the half million spent in widening the Aire and Calder, and the 1/2 ditto spent on Goole paid well – Waterhouse answered that was such an immense concern, nobody could tell except those who had an intimate knowledge of it in all its bearings – there is to be a meeting of the subcommittee on Wednesday and will probably be a general meeting soon – said I did not wish to sell out if the concern of ours was likely to go on well – had no wish for parsimony, cared not what was laid out if it was laid out reasonably and paid a reasonable interest – Waterhouse owned a rail road would hurt the canal, but when I said, would it diminish the profits one half? he seemed to think not – I came away with the impression that Waterhouse the Messrs. Rawson and company want a ship-canal, that twice cent per cent must be raised on the original stock, and that this measure will be carried without a well-sustained opposition – Waterhouse owned it was a risk to run – but there was hazard in everything – even to let it alone, was hazard – yes! I agreed that something must be done, but the question is, what –  some time at Greenwood’s (the cabinet maker) about washing-stand for north chamber etc. – home at 4 35/.. – Mallinson just come to see if we could get a window to light the little landing place near my aunt’s room door – no! not for the gutter – gave up the thought – nailed up with board the hole made in the underdrawing – thinking of getting a borrowed light from my aunt’s room – talking to Adney telling her all, and 1/4 hour with my father – dined at 6 1/4 – coffee downstairs – played 4 hits of which lost 3 – then talking about the navigation concern and looking over maps – 1/4 hour with my aunt till 10 10/.. – then till 11 writing the 2 last pages and so far of this – cold windy day – a slight shower about 12 3/4 p.m. Fahrenheit 45 1/2° now at 11 p.m. took back to the library volume 1 Gutzlaff and brought home volume 2 –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0105, SH:7/ML/E/17/0106 & SH:7/ML/E/17/0107

Tuesday 11th November 1834

[up at] 7 1/2
[to bed at] 11 1/4

no kiss fine cold frosty morning Fahrenheit 43° at 9 1/2 a.m. looking over Baines’s map of the West riding – breakfast at 9 1/2 – Had Greenwood’s man about the washing stand – got him to take off and rehang the door between the blue room closet and the entrance to my study – then ordered him to take measure for a new door (the 3rd) and for new doors for the armoire – Charles cannot make cabinet-work doors – dawdling over 1 thing or other and a little while with Marian till 11 1/2 – Read Saturday’s (published on that day the 8th instant) paper – page 2 column 2 Mr. Adam Lee mentioned as ‘one of the most competent men in the architectural profession’ ‘clerk of the works for 25 years’ government works or, 2 houses of parliament works – page 2 column 5 Prince Talleyrand continues in excellent health, ‘thanks, as he has often said, to his repugnance to physic and his taking only one meal a day’ – page 2 column 5 last article the Earl of Kilmoreys estate in Huntingdonshire, sometime in the market, has been sold by private contract by Messrs. Farebrother – it comprises the fine manor and domain of Waresley, including the whole parish and village thereof, mansion house, with offices of every description; finely timbered park, stocked with deer and game; extensive pleasure grounds, gardens, orchards, conservatories, graperies, fish ponds, woods, several farms, with farm-houses and agricultural buildings, cottages, and nearly 2000 acres of meadow, pasture, arable, and wood land. Rental and estimated value £2,467 per annum the whole sold for £53,900. If the estimated value be not too high, the purchaser has a capital bargain – nearly 5 percent for his money – so much for Huntingdonshire, and the landed interest – 
till 12 1/2 reading the newspaper and writing the above of today – then wrote to ‘Messrs. Holts and Co. coal merchants Booth bank Halifax’ the note exactly as at page 199 Saturday 8th instant but dated ‘Shibden Hall – Tuesday 11 November 1834[’] and the words goit and 20th replaced by drain and 22nd – till 2 1/2 read the 1st 120 pages volume 2 Gulztaff’s [Gutzlaff’s] China – Left my letter to Messrs. Holt and Co. vide the 4th line above for George to take to the post, and out with Adney at 2 3/4 for 2 1/4 hour – by Whiskum cottage and road to Pickells walling off road along the upper land – then to the top of the hill and along the old Wakefield road by George Naylor’s and Lower Place into Adney’s Hipperholme stone-quarry, and thence clambered up into Miss Wadsworth’s wood and walked to the end of it, that is to Mrs. McCauley’s boundary – then back by the quarry and Mytham and Lower brea wood and the walk, and home at 5 – a little while with my aunt and with Charles Howarth in the North chamber almost finishing putting on the crimson cord – dined at 6 5/.. – Adney and I 1/4 hour with my father and Marian the latter talked of going to Market Weighton for 3 days to tell Mr. Robinson to tell Mrs. Boynton of the Low farm that 1 of her sons might choose one of his sisters to keep house for him and stay at the farm, but all the rest to quit! Marian would be knocked up, she knew, by the journey – uneasy to leave my father but would leave Miss Sarah Inman (aetatis 14 I believe) from Miss Watkinson’s school (and of whom neither my aunt nor I take any notice) to take care of him!!! I asked if I could do anything to prevent the journey as I might soon be passing thro Market Weighton – no! I would write the copy of a letter for her if she would tell me the substance of what to write – no! then would she really think it necessary to have her protégée to take care of my father when Adney and I were in the house and Cordingley in the kitchen parted only by a wa[i]nscot and peeping in every minute? oh! yes! she should not be easy without having her (Miss Inman)!!! coffee and sat downstairs as we have done the last few evenings   Mrs. Lee and her assistant here today and yesterday doing the lining of our bed – played 4 hits and lost all but one – then read aloud from page 120 to 179 ii Gutzlaff’s history of China – 20 minutes with my aunt – fine day – Fahrenheit 46° at 11 1/4 p.m. in my little dressing room Adney having taken away the key of my study that I could not get in – meaning to make me by this means earlier in bed – 

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0107

Wednesday 12th November 1834

[up at] 9 
[to bed at[ 11 1/4 

goodish kiss last night   lay in bed an hour after A- [Adney] and when she left the room to have Eugenie and finish dressing by the blue room fire    incurred a cross    breakfast at 9 3/4 in 40 minutes having left the room for Adney to have her tenant Taylor of the Tanhouse and Thwaite who wants to take it – wrote the last 19 lines of yesterday and so far of today till 11 at which hour Fahrenheit 44° in my study – from then to 12 55/.. skimming over Voltaire’s letters and trying at French letter to Mrs. de Bourke   Miss Rawson of Gledholt called at 12 55/.. – sat downstairs with her and Adney till they had had luncheon, –till 1 55/.. and then 1/4 hour with Marian  happening to ask if she meant to go to Market Weighton led to my saying how odd it would seem to have Miss Inman here – (a strange reflection upon me) – and she (Marian) got all wrong and into tears, saying pro forma, how she wished herself away – how she was inconvenienced here by myself and my aunt etc. etc. – I took it all very quietly and civilly but felt annoyed and went and talked it over with my aunt who owned her bad night was owing to thinking of Marian’s being so queer – Miss Rawson off at 2 55/.. – well pleased with her reception – Throp came to ask about ordering more acorns – would put in a bushel and half per daywork into the Godley Slope at the rate 20/. per bushel = 30/. per daywork – gave him leave to set 1/2 acorns 1/2 spanish chesnuts on the pit hill at the bottom of Bairstow – Adney and I out at 3 1/2 – down the old bank to Nicholson’s about glazed calico to line North chamber window curtains – then called at Wood’s warehouse in the square to ask for something new Mrs. Lee told us of – woollen and cotton damasky, for window curtains – no such thing answering the description – returned up the old bank very slowly and home at 5 – Adney and I sat talking 1/4 hour downstairs – then at my desk, wrote the above of today – dinner at 6 5/.. – coffee – Adney got 7 hits against 4 and a gammon – played all the evening – 25 minutes with my aunt till 10 10/.. – fine day – Fahrenheit 43 1/2° at 10 10/.. p.m. – found cousin come just before going out at three and a half

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale  SH:7/ML/E/17/0107

Thursday 13th November 1834

[up at] 12 55/.. 
[to bed at] 11 1/4 

my cold so bad could not speak beyond a whisper last night and no better this morning so lay in bed till 5 minutes before one and then got up because of cousin dirtying the sheet   washed it and was quite dressed in an hour and ten minutes – Adney off to Cliff hill at 10 5/.. but was back in time to receive Mrs. Bateman Mrs. Hartley and Miss Champaign and Mr. and Mrs. William Priestly about 1 1/2 – the 1st inquired after me – the 3rd (Mrs. Bateman’s sister) I do not know  the 4th and 5th never named me but told Adney their call was on her – breakfast in the blue room at 2 1/4 – the people gone and Adney came and made tea for me – parcel and note from Mr. Waterhouse containing the last and 2 preceding navigation acts – ‘this book however contains the law and the prophets – the 1st act 31st act 31 George 2nd was entirely repeated by the 2nd act in 1768. We had a committee meeting yesterday where after ample discussion the committee were coincided in the opinion to what extent and upon what scale it would be prudent and desirable to undertake the improvements projected – I remain yours most truly John Waterhouse November 13th 1834’ – had just written the above at 4 25/.. when I had also finished copy of letter to Mrs. de Bourke much to my satisfaction – wrote copy of note to Mr. Waterhouse – Dined at 6 – played 4 hits and lost them all – coffee in the blue room – read the newspaper – fine, cold, frosty day – Fahrenheit 42 1/2° at 9 50/.. p.m. –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0107 & SH:7/ML/E/17/0108