Monday 24th November 1834

W[illiam] Keighley brought his valuation (which amounted to 16/./ of damages done in Holcans – Hinscliffe & Washington came – the latter brought valuation of farms according to Rent list – I ordered him to give me valuation of each field & said I should write & tell Mrs. S. [Sutherland] what I had done, & that she might have a copy – if she choose [chose] – dearest put her own & my name down as subscribers to a plan of the town; & townships of Halifax – Mr. Jeremiah Dyson called, (not at home) went to Cliff Hill – my Aunt very kind, & wished me a pleasant journey. to Hull; told her I was going there, & if we could get, by railway from Leeds to Selby, if not, we probably should go by York – , got home about 20 minutes before 5 – dearest told me that Hinscliffe had let out, that Wilson, was almost ruined – that he could lose Stocks’ coal – & that it was supposed Mr. Rawsons would if they could buy Wilson‘s coal in opposition to Stocks – that Rawsons would never attempt openly to buy S[hibden] H[all] coal, but would underhand purchase it from any person who bought it – Got unpacked the drawings that I got in York.

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale WYC:1525/7/1/5/1/0032 & WYC:1525/7/1/5/1/33

[up at] 7 3/4

[to bed at] 1 1/4

no kiss emptying out paper drawers to be painted – breakfast at 9 3/4 after having had William Keighley with valuation of damages done by the hunters in Adney’s Holcans land = 16/. – Had Washington – brought plan of the Brookfoot valley etc. to be about £5 – I pointed out additions to be made that will add I know not how much – said I would never consent to the proposed road coming out at Pump – from Washington’s rough measurement the one on the Hipperholme side the valley coming out into the Lower brea road at Mytholm would be 1/2 a mile round about – Hinscliffe came about 11 and staid till after 2 – had Myers in the mean about the plan he is publishing of the parish – made alteration the ground about Shibden so as to be as will be without garden in front or approach road except thro’ the wood, etc. – In the long talk with Hinscliffe, learnt that he will do his best for me about the Wellroyde loose – thinks my valuation of £10 per acre to charge for it to the Spigs company not too much – Hinscliffe told me as a profound secret that he pays for a loose in Shelf £20 per acre to the Low moor company I think and somebody else using the same loose also pays £20 per acre so that this loose makes £40 per annum – from his manner when I said I heard Mr. Rawson would now give me my price for the coal (said he did not think Mr. Rawson himself had said so) impressed with the idea that he is tolerably in his confidence – and tho’ I told him I spoke to him (Hinscliffe) in confidence said nothing he might not repeat – Hinscliffe is in Rawson’s confidence – he owned Rawson will lower his coal a penny a load on my opening my pit for sale (said I wanted nothing but what was fair – did not want to glut the market – but thought Rawson could not make his coal pay better at 8d than I could mine at 7d and I could last it out as long as he could – I had a good road for nothing and had only to take a corner of Greenwoods raff yard for a coal staith) – and Rawson is probably anxious for Wilson’s coal works on his Wilson’s failing in them – Perhaps Rawson has advanced him money thro’ the Alexanders – on my saying nobody was interested to buy these works but Stocks – Hinscliffe’s manner (Stocks would not give much – could buy the whole farm for as little as he might give for the loose) put into the Rawsons into my head – I must take the best care I can – with the 2 painters, and Greenwoods joiner putting up blue room closet wardrobe doors – off to meet Adney at 5 – she had gone to Cliff hill about 2 having finished copying the navigation report for me about 12 or 1 – had written this morning from page 15 inclusive to the end 28 pages – met her at the end of the walk – siding – dinner at 6 1/4 – coffee – had Marian some time – some with my father and Marian till 9 – then siding – a minute or 2 with my aunt at 10 1/4 and wrote all the above of today till 10 3/4 – fine day Fahrenheit 45° now at 10 3/4 p.m. packing till near 1 – 

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0113