Anne Lister Entries Only – 1st-15th October 1834

Wednesday 1st October 1834

[up at] 7 1/2
[to bed at] 12 5/..

pretty good one last night       Settling washing account – out a little while – breakfast at 9 1/4 – Mallinson began reopening place for window into Hall chamber closet to be called linen closet – got my great canteen (the future linen chest) into it – Adney filled it with her table and bed linen – Charles and James Howarth moved Adney‘s mahogany wardrobe and my large mahogany chest drawers into tent room as also my paper-drawers and oak cupboard – moved Adney’s 2 mahogany bureaus into the north parlour (north dining room) – busy with the moving till 12 50/.. – had with great difficulty got the new sofa into my aunt’s room – she did not like it – so had it put in the blue room there to remain – At my desk at 12 50/.. sleeping  and dawdling and downstairs with Adney till 2 3/4 – then till 4 5/.. dawdling and writing copy of letter to Pearce and Baxter about the carriage – afterwards till 5 1/4 wrote (and sent between 6 and 7 by John) wrote to ‘Mr Hutton Tailor 113 Park street Grosvenor Square London Post Paid’ to say the pelisse was duly received and fits very well, and subjoining order upon Hammersley’s for £8 – wrote also to ‘Messrs. Pearce Baxter and Pearce coachmakers 103 Long acre London Post Paid’ – 1 page ordering additions for inside of carriage and new drag chain and shoe, amounting to 7 or 8 guineas – asking for dimensions of top of front boot and what depth of imperial it would take thinking the boot imperial of my other carriage would probably do very well – wish to know before determining about patent axles if they had put them on many carriages for abroad and if all things considered they had been found to answer – my only fear being that if any accident occurred it would be difficult to get it repaired on the continent – ask how long I might reasonably expect their new wheels with patent axles to run, making allowance for bad roads – ask their advice about mail coach lamps – observing they seem to shed a stronger light and be less liable to blow out than the others – say Messrs. Pearce Baxter and Pearce may keep the carriage 4 months – dinner at 6 3/4 – coffee – had Mark Town – wants me to build for him, and to let him sell off his oat straw, about 100 stone of it – no objection if he would cart on an equivalent of rotten manure of which Washington to be judge – Washington to settle and look after this matter – but thought Mark might make manure as cheap as buy it – said I had told him before that when he changed his mind and gave up wishing me to build for him just before I left home, I had made up my mind not to do it – and I had no thought of building for him – would not say I would never do it – but had no thought of it at present – did not mean to do it at present – he better provide himself with a house – an hour with my father and afterwards shewing Marian the tent room and explaining how her own room was to be done – then 1/2 hour with my aunt till 10 10/..  – wrote the last 21 lines – fine day – Fahrenheit 60° now at 10 50/.. p.m. – till 11 1/4 (Adney sitting by me writing to her sister) read from page 269 to 283 Boase’s primary geology – 

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, CalderdaleSH:7/ML/E/17/0090

Thursday 2nd October 1834

[up at] 7 25/..
[to bed at] 12 1/4

no kiss  very fine morning Fahrenheit 56° at 8 1/2 a.m. – left Adney to breakfast and go (take George with her) to Lidgate and I off at 9 or 8 1/2 by Halifax old church down the old bank  to Halifax  – 1/2 hour at Mr. Parker’s office – he said the Staups title deeds would be ready in a fortnight – he was to ‘sound’ me about a road from Brighouse thro’ my land to Halifax – not knowing whether by Pump or not – should probably have a deputation to wait on me on the subject – said I should want time to consider about the line proposed – thought on the Hipperholme side the valley coming out just above Mytholm would be good – I should be for it – but whatever they proposed, if they came handsomely forward and backed their proposals by good reasoning I should neither in this nor any other case make frivolous or selfish objections – Mr. Parker seems inclined to Joseph Stocks for Stump Cross Inn – his interest at my command would be useful – said Miss Jenkinson’s head waiter was anxious to take it, – and would make a good tenant – Mr. Fuller had spoken about Northgate – what rent would I take – said I had told set to Mr. Fuller himself £120 – I thought it worth this – but had Mr. Fuller I might have agreed for £110 – Parker thought Fuller fast with his present house for the next year or 2 – but Northgate would suit him – said I was not very anxious about letting it in that way – would rather have it a good Inn – would lay out as far at £2000 – oh! then said Parker no fear of getting it licensed – He will accommodate me with £200 or £300 till Christmas if I want it – then to Bowling iron warehouse – Caux (how spells he his name?) the agent could not take the unused grate back – very civil – but do not much like his manner – too much sangfroid and equality-manner about him – better have dealings elsewhere – then at Greenwood’s – a wardrobe, with armoire in the middle instead of drawers, would be £15 instead of £17 – then ordered (by De la Beche) Geological notes – and tabular proportional view of rocks and the Geological transactions to be taken in – and to know lowest price of the old and new series complete – brought away volume 1 Naturalist’s magazine to look at – Booth agreed it was odd to tell him 4 guineas for the carriage to London then send me bill charging  5 guineas and now wanting 6 guineas – Booth to inquire of one of the principals for me, and settle the affair – Mr. Sharp who married a Miss Camidge of York, and organist of Trinity Church here wishing to get up a subscription concert in December – got my name for 1 ticket 10/6 – put into the post Adney’s letter to her sister (on business from Washington foolscap sheet ends written by Adney)  at Stony Royde at 11 25/.. for 1/2 hour Mrs. Rawson going early to dine at Mill house – all the town talking of Adney’s coming here – so cruel to leave her aunt – and how did my father like so many families in the house – with her fortune so strange to give ‘up her and come and live so out of the world[’] – said I was more cruel then in leaving my aunt – worse to have seas between than only 2 miles – Miss Cliff hill should have invited Adney to live with her – I myself told Miss Cliff hill this twice – what could Adney and I do better – both left alone – all of us better – and very comfortable – my aunt, father and sister – everybody pleased – people should know all sides before they judged – yes! agreed Mrs. Rawson and seemed satisfied – Miss Cliff hill has asked Miss Mary Rawson of Mill house to go to her and she is going next week? it seemed as if to live with her – home up the old bank at 12 1/2 – found the Bowling warehouse man here – he had made no reply when I asked him to come – a sit-down manner while one speaks to him – had poked the fire and by dint of round coals made it tolerable – nothing more to be done – said I was obliged for his coming, and said no more – but that I should probably take up the grate and contrive some way or other – but as he refused changing the unused grate, I  shall not trouble him further – breakfast on tea and reading volume 1 Naturalist’s magazine till 2 – then till 3 40/.. read from page 283 to 333 Boase – not once sleepy over it – till 4 1/4 wrote so far of today – then with the workmen – Mallinson and 2 men and 2 boys – finished Linen closet window and flagging court – Charles  and James Howarth put in window frame and glazier glazed it, and they began laundry window-frame – Pickells finished paving up to new coach house door – off at 4 3/4 and met Adney and George at German house – sent him forwards – told Adney all I had heard at Stony Royde – she burst into tears on hearing about Miss Mill-house Rawson being to Cliff hill – had seen her – her aunt had spoken as if the girl had merely arrived by accident – Cheered up Adney – she said those who did most for people were not always most thought of – home at 6 1/4 – dressed – dinner at 6 3/4 – Had Mallinson about fire gate and Greenwood’s man 1/2 hour about sofa for my aunt and for ourselves and wardrobe for ourselves – coffee – sat talking till 10 10/.. – then 35 minutes telling my aunt all the news – then rubbed Adney’s spine with brandy for 20 minutes till 11 10/..  wrote the last 8 lines till 11 40/.. – very fine day Fahrenheit 59° now at 11 40/.. p.m. – from then to 12 5/.. read from page 333 to 349 Boase – 

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0090

Friday 3rd October 1834

[up at] 8
[to bed at] 12 1/4

no kiss   she fast asleep   I had rubbed her back twenty minutes with brandy   very fine morning Fahrenheit 58°at 8 50/.. at which hour went out – till 9 1/2 when breakfast in 1/2 hour – read the prefaces and preliminary observations to Bakewell’s geology come this morning with Swainson’s preliminary discourse on natural history – Adney called me down about 11 and from then for the rest of the day siding and presiding over siding 1 thing or other in doors or out – the things last from Lidgate – the old family carriage into the new coach house etc. etc. – Mallinson not here but 1 of his men and 1 boy – court finished flagged – Laundry fire-range set – the young man holing stone posts – planned window in barn-end towards farm-yard for joiner’s shop – Charles and James Howarth finished opening window light in Linen closet and helped to side – Pickells sweeping the walk of leaves – note this morning from the philosophical society – annual meeting to be held on Monday 6th instant at 4 p.m. – Had Holt this afternoon – sure Mr. Rawson cannot get the 11 day’s work of Mrs. Machin’s coal – to come at 10 a.m. on Sunday – the pictures (prints bought at Geneva etc. and framed in London) arrived this afternoon – dinner at 6 20/.. coffee – calculating for Adney – 1/2 hour with my aunt till 10 5/.. – wrote the above of today till 10 20/.. at which hour Fahrenheit 61 1/2° very fine day – Adney writing to her sister beside me in my study till 11 40/.. till when read from page 348 to 379 Boase’s primary geology – 

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0091

Saturday 4th October 1834

[up at] 7 5/..
[to bed at] 12 3/4

no kiss   very fine morning – out siding barn end for window to be broken out for shop for Charles Howarth and wood to season in – breakfast at 9 1/2 and had Washington till about 11 – his field adjoining Hardcastles contains 7964 yards – cost him above £300 – calculates frontage at 4/. per yard – where he wants to straighten the fence (hedge) between him and me, about 50 yards across – if I put the wall just behind the hedge, I should want to take at least 100 yards at 3/. what Pearson sold ground for for new Methodist chapel to be built on in Bramley lane – had better buy the field – would take £500 for it – Adney said well! if I did not take it, perhaps Washington would sell it to her – said I would think about it – great crowd at the Stag’s head last night – Holt and Washington there letting the pit sinking – John Mann took it at 23/. a yard and driving for water for John Bottomley at 5/3 a yard and little Jagger took the well-sinking for Pickells at Whiskum cottage at 3/6  a yard   Pickells took carting the stuff down at 1/. a yard – Told Washington to settle with Mark Town about an equivalent of manure in return for selling off his oat straw – notices to quit sent to John Balmfirth John Oates and Thomas Pearson in 1829 – disclaimed the 2 latter – 1/6 each for serving them charged by Williamson a sheriff’s officer – desired it to be paid – John Pearson says he succeeded his father and found 3 fields ploughed out – the valuation of tenant right (without skin-pits) amounts to £40 – Piece of druggett (dark coloured 66 yards (good quality) at 2/9) came this morning from Ely Bates and Co. Gibbet Lane – from Washington’s  going about 11 for the rest of the day with Charles Howarth,  planning about north chamber and opening prints from London arrived yesterday or the masons, or Adney – walked with her in the garden 1 1/4 hour and then sat by her on the sofa in the blue room 1/2 hour – lowish today about her aunt and looking a little in her forlorn way     shall I be able to keep her right?   out at 4 1/2 alone – 1 1/2 hour in the walk – dinner at 6 35/.. – coffee – Adney won 4 hits a suite and then I got a gammon, and we gave up – we were with my father and Marian – staid with the latter till 9 55/.. – then 3/4 hour with my aunt – my father’s little carriage (britska phaeton) came this afternoon built by Piercy of Halifax price paid down £100 – wrote the last 6 lines till 11 at which hour Fahrenheit 64 1/2° – very fine day – Adney had letter this morning 3 pages from the reverend Mr. George Fenton, the ends filled and crossed by his wife   to ask A- [Adney] to lend on their joint bond and on interest four hundred pounds    helped A- [Adney] to indite letter civilly declining   saying she had had within the last two years heavy expenses   more hung over her    and she could not – 

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0091

Sunday 5th October 1834

[up at] 7 1/2

[to bed at] 12 5/..

no kiss   An hour last night seeking Adney’s keys of dressing box etc. – very fine morning – breakfast at 9 in 1/2 hour – saw my father and Marian off in their new britska-phaeton – sat downstairs talking till 11 10/.. at which hour Fahrenheit 64° – Letter this morning from Hutton, 114 Park street London – he had received my letter – much obliged but thought there was some mistake – the pelisse being £9.17.6 + Adney’s habit sleeve 21/. – wrote 1 1/4 page to Mariana – went to my aunt at 12 – Adney and I read prayers in 1/2 hour and I fell asleep and slept till after 1 in my aunt’s room – horses from Miss Jenkinson and Adney and I off in her carriage at 2 40/.. (1st time) to Lightcliffe church – there in 25 minutes – 1/4 hour before service began – Mr. Wilkinson did the duty – preached 27 minutes good plain sermon from Isaiah xxvi. 3 – home at 5 1/2 – we walked 1/2 hour in the walk – dinner at 6 1/2 – coffee – Adney came upstairs to bed at 7 3/4 – tired – sat by her while undressing, and rubbed her back with brandy 10 minutes after she was in bed, and left her at 8 55/.. – very fine day – Fahrenheit 64 1/2° now at 9 p.m. – then in my study read from page 378 to 390 end of Boase’s treaty on primary geology a very interesting work – asleep 1/2 hour – with my aunt from 9 40/.. to 10 1/4 – then till 11 3/4 at the preliminary observations and explanations of  plate 8 Bakewell’s geology.

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, CalderdaleSH:7/ML/E/17/0091

Monday 6th October 1834

[up at] 7 35/..

[to bed at] 11 3/4

no kiss fine morning Fahrenheit 63 1/2° at 8 1/2 a.m. out at 8 40/.. till Holt came at 9 – John Mann and company ready to begin tomorrow – gave Holt one of the coal plans to set out the pit by – the sinking to be measured off every fortnight, and paid for every alternate Saturday by Washington – John Oates steward for Wilson so anxious for his sinkers to get the job that they might be kept in the country, and ready to get Wilson’s pit down to the lower bed next summer – Holt saw Illingworth, Mr. Rawson’s coal-steward on Saturday – Rawson will now buy the coal – Holt to speak to me about it – declined saying anything to me about it – Joseph  Wilkinson told Holt he and Mr. James Norris were going to begin getting the Upper brea coal – should level next week – put down an engine in the field going down to the brook, and bring the coal out at the pit near the house if they could free it of water as they thought they could – Wilson wanted to buy some coal of Joseph Wilkinson – what did Holt value it at? answer £100 per day’s work both beds Joseph Wilkinson said he would not take twice that and then mentioned he was going to begin getting himself – Holt said he told him the upper bed was worth nothing – very little sale for it – not fit for engines – it was the lower bed that was wanted and that would soon be very scarce in this neighbourhood – a man of the name of Robinson came on the part of Mr. Edward Alexander owner of Belvidere to know if I had any objection to join him in getting rid of the dye water from the black brook, and wishing me to write him a note – said I had no objection on the contrary was anxious to get rid of the nuisance – had thought it done with till the day before yesterday I had heard of it again – thought we had better the neighbouring proprietors to join us – Mr. Edward Alexander to see Mr. Parker on the subject and make to him what proposal he Mr. Edward Alexander thought of it – breakfast at 10 –  read my letter 1 half sheet full and 1 page of envelope from lady Stuart de Rothesay and 1 half sheet full from Charlotte Stuart – very kind letter from the former – begging to hear from me  and concluding yours affectionately for the second time in her life   the once before being just before they left Paris   Lady Vere en famille (enceinte) again – Charlotte delighted with the watch, all impatience to receive it – sat talking to Adney till after 11 – the glazier came to finish tent room window new glazing –  Pickells in the new approach road making good footroad for us – 2 masons and 1 boy at joiner’s shop window – Mallinson and 1 man and 1 boy at Whiskum cottage laying causeway alongside the house – James Howarth went to Halifax for deal boards – Charles Howarth a little of the morning and all the afternoon hanging pictures in blue room – I busy with him all the time – dinner at 6 1/2 – coffee – won 3 hits against Adney – had Marian from 9 to 10 1/4 – then with my aunt 10 minutes – wrote all but the 4 first lines of today till 10 50/.. fine day – Fahrenheit 64 1/2° now at 10 50/.. p.m.

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0091

Tuesday 7th October 1834

[up at] 8 5/..
[to bed at] 11 35/..

no kiss fine morning – near an hour looking at the panorama of the lake of Geneva etc. before dressing – breakfast at 10 – Game from Isabella Norcliffe Langton killed on the 4th a brace of pheasants and ditto of partridges – ordering about north chamber and enlarging new coach house – the window into joiner’s shop finished except glazing – 2 of Mallinsons men and 2 lads here – Charles and James Howarth at north chamber wardrobe and the latter casing tent room window – Pickles shifting stones from Hall green – My father and Marian went about 11 in their open carriage to call at Cliff hill and Adney and I walked afterwards and got there at 1 – very well received and sat there an hour saying our call was on Miss Rawson (Mary of Mill house) as well as on Miss Walker – looked about the plantations – some time at Lidgate – Mr. Hird’s foreman spoke to me about Stump Cross Inn – would be glad to take it – said I thought of letting it by ticket – Mr. Hird himself came while we were there, but we did not see him to speak to, as we went out by the fields into Bramley Lane – home (thro’ Hipperholme and the end of Common wood) at 4 3/4 – found Throp’s son, as we went, in the walk gathering sycamore seed with my leave given some time ago – out with the workmen and walking about in the new approach road in Trough of Bolland wood till after 6 – dinner at 6 ½ – coffee – had Pickels – set to prepare for planting ivy along the wall at the top of Wellroyde lower wood – with my father and Marian a little – 50 minutes with my aunt till 9 1/2 – wrote the above of today till 10 p.m. at which hour Fahrenheit 62° fine day – writing copies of letters to Messrs. Hammersleys Hutton, Milbourne, till very near 11 – 

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale  SH:7/ML/E/17/0092

Wednesday 8th October 1834

[up at] 8 10/..
[to bed at] 11 1/4

no kiss  at my desk at 9 10/.. fine but windy morning Fahrenheit 60 1/2° at 9 10/.. a.m. finished my letter to Mariana before breakfast at 10 – then afterwards wrote to ‘Mr. Hutton 14 Park Street Grosvenor Square London’ saying that from inadvertence the box had remained unopened till the moment of writing and I had written in a hurry fancying I had before paid £8 for each pelisse and forgetting there was any extra and sending him a check on Hammersleys for the additional £2.18.6 – wrote also to ‘Messrs. James Milbourne and son 195 Strand London’ had received the prints on Friday the 3rd instant ‘very safe and very well done’ and enclosing a check on Hammersley’s for £14.4.6 quite satisfied with the charge – wrote also to ‘Messrs. Hammersleys and Co. Bankers London’ begging them to pay Hutton the 2 checks for £8 and £2.18.6 and Milbourne – aware my account is some shillings overdrawn but will order the payment of £200 into their hands before the end of this month – Had Mr. Parker – Out with Adney at 2 1/2 and left the above letters and my letter to Mrs. Lawton 3 Cliff Scarborough for George to take to the post this afternoon A- [Adney] copied for me the material part   kind letter – she perpetually in my thoughts – ‘so long as you assure me that my letters are valuable to you, you are the last who shall have to complain of me as a correspondent’ – always delighted to hear from her and affectionately and earnestly anxious about her – …. ‘you rather surprise me by the sentence ‘I cannot quite make out what you mean by saying ‘from the moment I deliberately told you my determination’ – Did I ever tell you any determination? I dont remember it’ – of course, you know that by the word determination I meant the break-off, wholly and solely your own doing in May 1832 during the week I then spent with you at Lawton – If to the latest moment of my life I remember any circumstances that have occurred to me, surely this one circumstance in question will be amongst the number – your ‘shadow of turning’ had flitted across our path twice before, when, heaven knows, my London friends could have nothing to do with it directly or indirectly – if they had anything to do with this 3rd and last time, it is equally unknown to themselves and to me, and is only a mortifying proof that I was not without reason to complain that even you could believe me influenced by motives which I have always and honestly disclaimed – But, Mary, there has ever been a film across your eyes to me; and this, perhaps, should justly bear the blame – you have feared where no fear was – you have doubted where no doubt ought to have been, – and why seek farther for a reason of our present position with regard to each other’? I say, and think, you determined wisely for us both, because our happiness together was become too difficult – Remember how you yourself despaired of it, from the time of our ill-fated journey to Holland – However astonished and miserable I was when you 1st told me this, I have since known the value of it, and been grateful – But, God bless you, Mary! I can serve you better now than I could have done before; and I can only say, that you may safely count upon my friendship and regard – I shall be delighted to see you at any time –‘ the above dated Sunday 5th instant the following page 3 and the ends dated today – ‘you say I never answered the question you asked me some months back – I hoped and fancied, the manner in which I had noticed it, might be sufficient – thank you, my dearest Mary, for the wish ‘may you be as happy as you have been’ – all the rest bavardage – out with Adney at 2 1/2 in the walk – left her gathering acorns (of which she afterwards lugged home a large heavy basket full – wonder how she got it along) and went to Wellroyde wood – Pickells had hacked up ready for ivy in the morning – he was gone at 3 p.m. – called to see old Mr. Wilkinson at Haugh – out – his wife ill – met him afterwards – Joseph Wilkinson not going to get coal that he (old Wilkinson) knew of – then sauntered along the Godley road to Halifax – called to ask Booth the shoemaker how he did – out – then to Greenwood’s ordered wardrobe according to the last plan – to be £17 with rods and holders but unlined – they calculated lining (flannel underneath and brown holland over it) at £3 – agreed for the wardrobe at £17 the lining to be thought of afterwards or let alone – Greenwood going to Liverpool this day week and Hull next Sunday week – to inquire about someone likely to manage Northgate house as an Inn if I laid out £2000 on it, rent to be £250 per annum for house and buildings – the land I should keep free to dispose of as I liked – Greenwood said another market would soon be wanted and that would pay well – would buy the best Riga logs (oak) at Hull – the Memel oak twists all ways – would deliver me inch Riga oak boards, keeping the outsides of the logs himself, at 6 1/2d a foot at Shibden (he said 7 1/2d before but I said I had heard of oak to be had at Leeds I believed at 6d and meant to go over) and picked deals at 6 1/2 a foot – said I liked 21 foots the best – brought home from Whitleys Geological notes by De la Beche – home at 6 20/.. – dinner at 6 1/2 – won 3 hits and lost 3 – 1/2 hour with my aunt till 10 10/.. – fine but very windy day – Fahrenheit 61° at 11 p.m. –  

[In margin:]
sent Miss Walker of Cliff hill this morning the pheasant and brace of partridges received from Isabella Norcliffe yesterday – 

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale  SH:7/ML/E/17/0092

Thursday 9th October 1834

[up at] 6 3/4
[to bed at] 12 1/4

no kiss  her cousin came yesterday fine morning Fahrenheit 60° at 7 40/.. – out at 7 3/4 with Pickells – at Whiskum – agree with to do the bit of walling from the house along the pond to the high road gate (finding everything stones and carting and walling) at 10/. a rood, and the walling also 4 feet high for the new road into Mark Town’s fields at 9/. a rood also finding everything – Throp’s son and 3 men hacking up Bairstow – began yesterday – a little while with them – the driving begun at John Bottomley’s happened to mention at 3/6 a yard – Pickells said I must be mistaken – it must be 3/1 for he knew a man who had delivered in (at the letting) at 3/2 a yard – home and breakfast at 10 in an hour – Marian had come to us, and staid talking about inviting her protégée Miss Sarah Inman, and said she had lately made up her mind to take her to live with her and had told her so – all thought of Miss Mosey quite given up – should be miserable with her such a figure – out at 11 with Charles Howarth – went with him to Mytham about the chimney piece as a model for the blue room – part of the mill unlet – too small for a worsted mill or would have let again and again – met John Bottomley – Pickells had told me he declined signing his lease – said he must sign it, or I would quit him next spring – he explained and so did I, and it ended, on his finding me so determined, in his promising to sign tomorrow at Mr. Parker’s office – Adney came and met me in the walk – out with her till 2 – then in and out – Mr. Alexander’s clerk brought up the purchase deeds of ground on which the new museum is building for me to sign as one of the 12 purchasers and subscribers of £100 each – bind ourselves not at any time to erect a steam engine or place for any sort of trade or nuisance on the ground purchased at the end of Dr. Kenny’s garden, Barum top, 432 yards for £350.   bind ourselves to the repairs and ornament of the building – a majority of votes of the 12 proprietors being binding on the rest – the property 1/12 to each a fee simple transferable by sale or other deed capable of conveying other real property to heirs executors and assigns – I signed the purchase deed of 4 or 5 skins, and the deed of constitution (rules of the society) on one skin – with Adney – dinner at 6 1/4 – read aloud to her from 7 3/4 to 8 3/4 the 1st 25 pages of volume 1 Niebuhr’s history of Rome – then won 3 and lost 2 hits at backgammon – 1/2 hour with my aunt till 10 – wrote the last 20 lines of yesterday and the above of today till 10 3/4 – fine day till about 4 p.m. then rain for the rest of the afternoon and evening Fahrenheit 60 3/4° now at 10 3/4 p.m. – note from Mr. Parker, this morning, being a form of agreement for cottage tenants to sign – William Green told me that Amos Gauk pays £4 a year for one of the cottages (bought of William Green, and called Bridge-end) rent due 20 January and 20 July, and John Green junior (William’s son) pays for the other cottage £3 a year rent due a fortnight after Gauk’s –      48 bricks wall 1 square yard walling 1/2 brick in breadth –

[In margin:]
Pickells entered to Whiskum cottage this day Thursday 9 October 1834.

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale  SH:7/ML/E/17/0093

Friday 10th October 1834

[up at] 7 40/..
[to bed at] 12 5/..

no kiss  very fine morning Fahrenheit 57 1/2° at 8 3/4 a.m. at which hour went out – will want 1200 bricks for George’s shoe black-place – went to John Bottomley’s to tell him to bring them – then to the top of the hill John Mann and company (2 Manns and another) began sinking the pit in Greenwood’s well field this morning – some time with them – home and breakfast at 9 3/4 – then sat talking and some while with Marian – she says she will not have more than £300 a year to spend – told Adney of the offer I had made Marian some years ago – £400 a year and a knife and fork here or to pay for her man and maid after the rate my aunt pays my father for hers – out with Adney about 12 to set acorns in Trough of Bolland wood – too hard work for her to stand on the slopes – walked her to Godley and by Lower brea and the walk home about 2 1/2 – she lay down after luncheon, at 2 1/4 – wrote the above of today till 2 1/2 – with Charles Howarth then sowing acorns in Trough of Bolland wood on the slope along the new approach road and in the bit of ground taken from Carr’s field and afterwards in the old Godley road part of Park farm wood – latterly sowed them broadcast – the basket of acorns (including basket) weighed 25 pounds – John Bottomley brought 500 bricks at twice and 1 dozen lime – 2 masons and 2 lads at the new coach house wall – Charles and James Howarth at wardrobe for north chamber – came in at 6 1/4 – dinner at 6 20/.. – coffee – won 2 and lost 3 hits with Adney – from 8 1/4 to 9 1/2 read from page 26 to 55 volume 1 Niebuhr’s Rome – then 1/2 hour with my aunt till 10 10/.. – very fine day – Fahrenheit 57 1/2° now at 10 1/4 p.m. – George Naylor’s 2nd wife died this afternoon of a fortnight’s illness – wrote to go by John in the morning note to ‘Mr. Booth Bookseller etc. Halifax’ saying I could only find one more Leeds Intelligencer which I send to be bound with the rest and ordering the last Quarterly review and to have this review as well as the Geological transactions regularly in future – ask why the last Gentleman’s magazine and Adney’s last Gardener’s magazine are not yet come – Charles Howarth said this afternoon £1000 too much for Upper brea but likely enough Stocks offered it – worth more to him than anyone else – would lose all his Northowram coal – Read 1/2 dozen pages of Bakewell’s Geology to page 15.

[In margin:]
I must buy Up[p]er brea

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale  SH:7/ML/E/17/0093

Saturday 11th October 1834

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

no kiss  asleep as usual when I got into bed    very fine morning Fahrenheit 53° at 8 a.m – out at 8 – to 9 1/4 at which hour breakfast – had been with Charles Howarth beginning the ornamental part of Blue room chimney piece from a clay model of the one at Mytham – and had been near 1/2 hour in the walk – Had Washington – wishes me to make up my mind about his field adjoining Hardcastle’s – would wish to be paid in a month or 2, or at the Christmas rent day – Came upstairs at 10 3/4 – settled with John – from 11 1/2 to 1 3/4  read very attentively from page 15 to 39 Bakewell’s geology – Adney then came to me – off with her to Lidgate at 2 – there about an hour – just saw Mr. Hird (Lampleugh) for Adney to speak to as he arrived and we were going away – an hour at Cliff Hill till 3 3/4 – graciously received – with Charles and James Howarth and about – paid Charles Howarth and Pickells – dinner at 6 – played only 3 hits and lost them all to Adney – then from 8 1/2 to 9 40/.. read aloud to Adney from page 55 to 85 volume 1 Niebuhr’s Rome – 25 minutes with my aunt till 10 10/.. – very fine day – frosty, fine, cold morning – but warm afterwards in the sun – Fahrenheit 55° now at 10 1/2 p.m.

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale  SH:7/ML/E/17/0093

Sunday 12th October 1834

[up at] 6 50/..
[to bed at] 11 25/..

no kiss   she said she had more cousin   very fine morning Fahrenheit 52° at 8 a.m. breakfast at 9 – went to my aunt at 12 – Adney and I read prayers in 1/2 hour – drove to Lightcliffe church in 18 minutes – waited 11 minutes in the church (till 3) – Mr. Wilkinson did all the duty – preached 26 minutes from Ephesians vi. 13 – on getting home walked 1/2 hour in the walk – dinner at 6 – coffee – before and after breakfast and by snatches this evening (sat all the day downstairs with Adney) read from page 38. to 89 Bakewell’s geology – came upstairs with Adney at 9 – put A- [Adney] to bed – with my aunt 20 minutes till 10 – very fine day except a few drops of rain between 2 and 3 p.m. Fahrenheit 54° now at 10 p.m. in my study – till 10 40/.. calculating price per yard of Washington’s field adjoining Roydelands (Hardcastles) farm – 7964 yards £500       = 1 shilling 3 pence 540/7964 per yard or 1/3 + nearly 1/15 of a penny – 7964 yards = 2 dayworks 2 quarters 4 perches 3 yards let at £6 per annum    too dear a purchase considering its relative importance to me Adney and me; but she wishes it to be bought to prevent its being covered with buildings –

[In margin:]

Samuel Washington’s field

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale  SH:7/ML/E/17/0094

Monday 13th October 1834

[up at] 7 5/..
[to bed at] 11 1/2

no kiss  found her asleep   very fine morning Fahrenheit 54 1/2° at 8 a.m. – read a few pages – breakfast at 9 – Had Mrs. Dewhirst about her son’s taking Mytham – said John Pearson had said I would not let it him (Dewhirst) at any price and if she (his mother) came again ‘I should turn her out by the shoulders’ – disclaimed all this – very civil to her – said I should let the farm by ticket – Had Mr. Bradley the architect from about 11 to near one – had been so ill, had not been able to stir therefore had been delayed moving to his house at Elland – all his papers afloat – but would if possible get the plan of new buildings done for me in a fortnight – said I would not hurry him but wished to have his plan as soon as convenient – then much talk about buying timber and about the Calder and Hebble navigation – he thought I might do better than buy of Greenwood (vide line 4 from bottom of page 175) – should buy for 4d a foot, or under, at Hull and 1 1/2d a foot would pay for water carriage from Hull to Brighouse and from Brighouse here – should be allowed to pick both deals and oak logs at Hull – could not do better than go and take someone with me to choose the timber – advises it to be cut up immediately into boards and perked (reared up against a perch) all winter and summer too – floor boards should even be dressed ready for laying before they are perked (reared up on end), and not touched afterwards – workmen not generally aware of this, but many a good floor spoilt by planing after the seasoning – Deals contract a sort of coating from the atmosphere, like a varnish, and this attained shrink no more – but this planed off, they have to acquire another and will shrink as much in acquiring this other as they in acquiring the 1st – has seen deals after 20 years on being replaned require as much seasoning as ever again – Pine wood not fit for outside work but very good for inside work for pannelling (wainscoting) etc. – does not shrink in seasoning like deal – much talk also about the navigation – the Sowerby part deepened (for larger vessels) too much – the walling not properly done – the banks will not stand long – he told them (or his friend Mr. Hodgson) if they took the clay away from the bottom they would be wrong – the old navigation act better than the new (meaning that by which the restriction to 14 percent was taken off) for under the old the navigation not liable to taxes, and the proprietors had a power to leave the river for any distance not exceeding 2 miles – Lord Shaftesbury in the committee objected to both these clauses; and they were given up before he would agree to the new act – so that now we pay taxes, and, on applying (last year I think it was) to parliament to leave the river entirely and make the whole line a canal, Sir George Armytage successfully objected (on account of his mills on the river which would not have water enough if the requisite water for the canal was taken away) and we are obliged to keep to the river – when his father was engineer, he took care never to stop navigation if possible to avoid it; but never stopt it above a day or 2 – it had lately been stopt for a fortnight together to the great detriment of the country and merchants who having government and other contracts to fulfil were obliged to forward the good by land – this would be urged against the navigation in favour of a rail road – quite of my opinion    a rail road would be obtained sooner or later – the proprietors might oppose it and get the better for a year or 2, but not longer – said I had in 1829 or 1831 mentioned to Mr. Waterhouse my plan for our taking up the rail-road ourselves – Bradley quite approved it – said if we took a rail road from Ravensbridge (a little on this side Dewsbury) along the valley to Leeds (about 10 miles) it would not be an expensive line – would pick up a great deal of trade – all the people thereabouts were for it and would facilitate by non-opposition – (probably we might do without going to parliament) and the money would be easily raised – £50,000 would make the road and £50,000 more would buy the ground etc. that is £100,000 paid at 5 or 6 instalments in 2 years would do the whole – suppose the stock now = £100,000 cent per cent on this would keep the rail road in the hands of the present navigation proprietors – the low river company (Ayre and Calder) making very great improvements in their river and canal – Bradley thought great improvement might be made in the velocity of canal boats – steam might be used – the vessels propelled from the stern so as to do little injury to the canal–banks, or they might be altered and made strong enough – the affairs of our navigation now managed by a sub–committee which sits every Friday fortnight – the following gentlemen of the number    Mr. Clay of Rastrick, 3 Messrs. Hodgson, Mr. Briggs senior, 2 Messrs. Waterhouse seniores, Mr. Edwards of Pyenest, Messrs. Christopher and William Henry Rawson = 12 – there may be some others – the affairs of the town (Halifax) now quite in the hands of 2nd rate people e.g. Mr. Charles Whiteley (building a house in King Cross Lane) a principal leader – such men as Mr. Waterhouse who ought to lead, are now set aside – Consequently work done cheap and not for lasting – the bit of bridge-raising at the bottom of the bank we agreed was a foolish job – too little done to do any good – Bradley staid till near 1 – when Mr. and Mrs. Copley Brown called on my father and Marian !!! Adney and I kept snug in our little north dining room – messenger this morning from Messrs. Parker and Adam enclosing Mrs. Scatcherd’s notice to quit Northgate house next Mayday – Adney had letter this morning from her sister – all right – consent to all the business matters proposed – out with Adney at 1 25/.. to 2 1/4 – at Whiskum cottage – Pickells and his wife and family got into it yesterday – she looked as if she would rather have staid living in Halifax – then took Adney up to see the pit sinking – sat with her 1/2 hour during her luncheon – then till 3 3/4 in my study – then and before, during the day, had read from page 88 to 122 Bakewell’s Geology – from 3 3/4 to near 6, out – in the walk – at Denmark – Charles and James Howarth had cut and laid ready for the slating the spars on Thomas Pearson’s back kitchen shed – 2 masons and 1 lad putting out window into George’s is-to-be shoe-black place – dinner at 6 – coffee – lost to Adney a gammon and then won 3 hits – then looking over Adney’s estate plans – she wishes it so determine to buy Washington’s field saying we could not afford  to buy much at this rate – (vide line 9 page 178) – 1/2 hour with my aunt till 10 – very fine day – Fahrenheit 57° at 10 3/4 p.m. till which time writing out to bottom of last page journal of today – 

[In margin:]

Buying timber at Hull.

Seasoning timber

Navigation 

much speculation now but Bradley would not sell

Railroad from Ravensbridge

notice to quit Northgate house

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale  SH:7/ML/E/17/0094 & SH:7/ML/E/17/0095

Tuesday 14th October 1834

[up at] 7

[to bed at] 10 55/..

a tolerable kiss last night   weight of two blankets and quilt rather much   she a little exhausted and said    ‘it is killing work’    of which I took no notice but seemed to sleep – at my desk at 8 – had Pickells to ask to cart a few stones from here to raise the back kitchen shed at Denmark or the roof would be too flat – had Mallinson to beg to take his man off and finish the shoe-black place in a few days – yes! said I, I have no objection – but they will find the job done when they come back – I shall certainly not wait – finished my letter (3 pages and ends the 1st page written last Wednesday) to Isabella Norcliffe – breakfast at 9 1/2 in 35 minutes – wrote the above of this page till 10 25/.. when my aunt’s sofa came from Greenwoods – cushion a bad fit – downstairs with Charles Howarth then with my aunt   at my desk again at 11 3/4 – kind letter to Isabella Norcliffe – daily thinking of writing to her mother – she the last I should neglect to pay every attention to in my power – thanks for the brace of pheasants and brace of partridges that arrived this day week and for the leveret to my aunt 19 June – she did not write because now even writing to me is ‘almost too great an exertion – She sends her love, and bids me say, we often talk of you – I think she is, all things considered, marvellously well – She suffers a martyrdom; but her general health remains such, that we none of us see any near danger – my father is become very feeble; but it is merely the feebleness of 82, without pain’ – has just got a German phaeton and airing about does him good – say how busy I am, and come in too tired ‘to snatch the time I might have between dinner and going to my aunt – we each of us pay her a regular daily visit, besides occasional poppings-in – She gets out on the terrace on a fine day’ – ask questions for Isabella Norcliffe to answer about themselves – if going to Bath, etc. – mention our arriving at home on the 30th August after a delightful tour – enjoyed ourselves exceedingly – ‘She’ (Adney) ‘is a capital traveller – we did a great deal – much more than many would believe, without seeing it – Her being such a good rider, was everything for us – otherwise, I myself should have been afraid for her – Our tastes harmonize so well, that, deo volente, we shall probably be off again as soon as our divers circumstances permit – we really get on admirably – one of these days, you must come and see – I was delighted to find my London friends thinking me very wise, and to find Adney’s shyness wearing off amazingly – In looks she is certainly improved – However, I am very comfortable; and everybody in the house is satisfied’ – George very much improved – had a mule for him and took him everywhere – in great hope he will turn out a Fisher – only want a Burnett – ‘But Adney understands keeping house better than I do, so that I am better off than formerly’ – mention Myers’s job done for about £56 – our new wheels would hardly bring us home – have sent the carriage to Baxter (Long acre) to be done up as per estimate £150 – ‘my love to all at the Rectory’ written under the seal – read a little then with Adney till after 3 – off with her to Halifax at 3 20/.. – before getting to the top of the bank a few drops of rain made us turn back – left Adney at home and off again alone at 3 3/4 down the old bank to Mr. Parker’s office – left a message for Mr. Adam (Mr. Parker from home) to come at 10 a.m. tomorrow   went to Greenwood’s to find fault about my aunt’s sofa cushion (vide line 9 of today) – put into the post my letter to ‘Miss Norcliffe, Langton hall, Malton’ – some while at Whitley and Booth’s – bought and brought away Rennie’s catechism of natural theology and number 1 published this month of Millars Gardener’s dictionary octavo new improved edition and ordered my name putting down as a subscriber – home at 5 1/2 – dinner at 6 – coffee – Adney won 3 hits and a gammon to my gammon – with my aunt 20 minutes till 9 3/4 – then rubbed Adney’s back of neck with brandy 23 minutes – fine day, and evening – the drop or 2 of rain (line 8 above) held off – Midgley and another mason and 1 lad at George’s shoe-black place, began walling it off – Charles and James Howarth at closet door between library and blue room closet and Charles going to Halifax about locks    Fahrenheit 54° at 10 35/.. – 

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale  SH:7/ML/E/17/0095

Wednesday 15th October 1834

[up at] 7 20/..

[to bed at] 12

no kiss   ready in 50 minutes fine but rather hazy morning – out with the workmen – breakfast at 9 – Had Mr. Adam from 10 1/4 to 11 – Adney gave him instructions to settle the administration account for her and Mrs. Sutherland with Mrs. Clark – Mr. Adam hoped it would be done in a month – to try and manage the Staups title deeds so that Adney’s money would be in time for me to take of her £1000 and have the other thousand of Mr. Wainhouse – it seems A- [Adney] and Mrs. S- [Sutherland] have still to pay three thousand and six pounds one shilling and sixpence out their share to be received    £5375.15.0 – 3006.1.6 = 2369.13.6   that A- [Adney] can let me have a thousand for which I shall give her security as it is not out of income – Adney and I off at 11 25/.. by the walk and common wood and Bramley Lane to Lower Rooks farm lately purchased by Mr. Joseph Whiteley 70 dayworks let at £80 per annum – seeking Mrs. Sutherland’s Harper wood to see about Mr. Rawson’ coal-water that breaks out near there and damages a good deal of land – found a very intelligent man draining for Mr. Joseph Whiteley – Jonas Lee of Thirston chapel, near Colne, about 20 or 21 miles from here (Rooks) and 18 or 19 from Halifax – built Thirston chapel and preaches in it – extraordinary said the man that the himself should both build it and preach in it – for cross cutting digging 30 inces deep, setting loop-hole drain and filling up, 8d a rood – and for main 30 inches deep,  flagged at bottom walled 8 inches square and well covered 1/. a rood – some parts of it 30 feet deep – those parts paid for accordingly – a capital job to take off upper bed coal canker water – the tenant ___ Parkinson came to us – very civil young man – told his rent, on my inquiring – directed us to Norwood Green – some time at John Holmes’s – he told us the story of Mr. Priestley’s being grossly affronted by Mr. Rawson’s calling him an ass or some such name about the tithe business in 1827? and stopping up the coal water vent in revenge – so that Rawson was obliged to agree to pay £5 a year for it – but somehow got off this – Mr. William  Priestley now has nothing to do with it – the water has burst thro’ the stoppings, does damage, and Rawson has the benefit of it for nothing – Adney and I walked back all along the new road and resting 3 minutes in the hut from 1 50/.. to 2 47/.. – very good walking for Adney and she really seemed not much tired – sat with her while she ate her luncheon till 3 1/2 – then in my study from 3 1/2 to 5 25/.. read very attentively from page 144 to 185 Bakewell’s Geology – out a little workmen as yesterday – Ann Lee and her assistant here yesterday and today making and finishing and Charles Howarth  put down druggit in Tent room   dinner at 6 – coffee – Adney won 2 and I 2 hits at backgammon – then from 7 40/.. to 8 25/.. wrote the last 12 lines of yesterday and so far of today – (Adney writing to her sister) – a minute or 2 with my aunt then Adney went to her to read her the letter she (Adney) had just written – meanwhile and afterwards read from page 185 to 212 Bakewell – then asleep (Adney returned from my aunt and still writing copying her letter) till 11 1/4 – fine day – both came upstairs together at 11 35/.. at which hour Fahrenheit 53° –

[In margin:]

Draining in Lower Rooks land

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale  SH:7/ML/E/17/0095 & SH:7/ML/E/17/0096