Monday 25th August 1834

Stopped to breakfast at Abbeville at 10.30, discovered bad make of wheels of carriage & detained till 2.30 in getting them so repaired that we could travel on with safety –  at Montreuil, were told that packet would start for Dover at 3 oclock in morning – restive horses, at Nanpont [Nampont] dearest complained of them in livre de poste – & paid one of post boys 30 sous, because of his impertinence, to other she gave 40 sous – Eugenie told me at Abbeville she was ill, said to our enquiries en route that she was no better, at Samer, dearest gave her choice whether we should stop there or go on, she choose [chose] the latter, luckily for us all –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale WYC:1525/7/1/5/1/31

[did not go to bed the previous night]

.. [did not go to bed]

At Beauvais at 1 1/2 a.m.   fine night and fine morning as it became light – Oats (short and poor) to cut near Poix – At 10 20/.. cutting poorish barley – at 10 18/.. pass 1st bridge into Abbeville – at 10 35/.. alight at the hotel de l’Europe, at Abbeville – the moyeux of the wheels (naves) merely wedged and so flying in pieces – had the carossier from 3 doors off – all the wheels made safe and carriage raised behind and before – the box of the off fore wheel broken – put into the fire, and fastened in its place with straw and matic of argille i.e. clay puddle – the grease had got between boxes and naves – George said the iron rim of one of the naves was loose after the 1st day or 2 – the boxes too short – should be as long as the perforation of the nave, in order to keep the grease out – naves should be bored small and boxes heated and driven tight in – surprised who did such a job – the wheels “dangereusement malades” but might last some time – astonished to hear they were new not 3 months ago – naves not wedged now in this way either in London or Paris – Had worked for Daldringen in Paris – knew he was dear – recommended Binder rue Cadet, Faubourg St. Honoré – wheels here 60/. a pair = 120/. the four and painting 160 francs – springs weighing from 50 to 60 pounds fer de Berri at 2/50 per pound – Restive horses at Montreuil and laughing impertinent people clustering round the carriage – (the garçon had said the wheels wanted greasing and took two off – no! not at all wanted touching but George fancied them hot or warm) – Adney sadly frightened – said I would complain of the horses, the postillion said there was no reason but I might do as I liked – so got out at Cormont next stage, went into the single house (not an auberge) – and wrote ‘25 August 1834 Mrs. Lister having taken 4 horses from the poste at Montreuil, to Samer, this evening, complains of the restiveness of the horses’ – should have written Cormont instead of Samer – paid the impoli postillion 30 sols per poste and gave the other 1/. in addition – fair, but rather dullish day, i.e. – little or no sun but rather warmer than yesterday –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0079