Saturday 31st January 1835

No diary entry today

[up at] 9 10/..

[to bed at] 12

no kiss fine morning Fahrenheit 43º at 10 – breakfast – Adney had Mr. Lampleugh Hird for 10 minutes about 10 1/2 about her not signing the lease, she objecting to bind herself to pay his and her own prospective property tax on the place (a general property tax being chiefly thought of and wished for by the whigs?) – he at last proposed her letting the lease stand as it is for the ten years, and to say nothing about the other 7 years for which Mr. Lampleugh Hird has an option, under the lease, of having the place or not – Adney agreed – much annoyed at his manner – I had Washington to whom I gave £41.17.6½ to pay Pearson’s tenant right on giving up the Mytholm farm – I had also had Pickels who came with Dobson of Southowram to be paid for wheel stone for Walker pit road (93 yards at ./11½) and covers for Whiskum cistern 12 1/2 yards at 1/6 – Adney and I off at 11 1/4 – walked with her as far as Lidgate (on her way to Cliff hill about the thorn-planting in front of the house as yesterday) and there left her and walked direct along the old road down the old bank to Halifax – met Mr. Parker a little way up it coming to Shibden hall to see Adney about Mr. Hird’s lease – he (Mr. Hird) had been at Mr. Parker‘s office and had not found out that Adney was annoyed – Mr. Parker turned back with me – explained what Adney said and how much she was annoyed – that she would have written a note but was gone to Cliff hill – would however write in the evening if Mr. Parker would prefer it – Yes! He should be thankful for a note – for he would go to Liget /Lidgate/ tomorrow and shew it to Mr. Hird – he (Mr. Parker) thought Adney would be annoyed – not surprised at the way in which she took Mr. Hird’s words but quite sure he did not mean them to be taken in that way – shewed me the memorandum Adney was to have signed – said I was sure she would not sign it – so he said he would keep it entirely out sight   mentioned that Adney had told me, Mr. Hird seemed as if he was the Landlord not the tenant, and that she was particularly annoyed by the manner in which he had told her she had seen the rough draft of the lease and should have objected then – In fact, she had read it over too hastily – Mr. Parker not surprised at the observation on Mr. Hird’s manner – just like him – they were all alike (meaning the Low moor company) and fancied they might domineer over everybody – I said it would not do here – Adney so much annoyed would have nothing more to do with him – would probably never go near them (not visit them) and Mr. Parker must settle the matter – then gave Mr. Parker note of hand dated 2 February for £250 of his father’s money at 4 1/2 percent to be paid off the next rent day – this £250 + £50 I paid him in country notes, and £100 paid before to Samuel Washington + £100 due from him to Adney for Lidget hay of last February = £500 the price of Samuel Washington’s field to be paid up in full and title deeds signed on Monday – Mr. Parker very well satisfied with Mawson the tenant of Stump Cross – thought I had chosen very well – Mr. Parker had inadvertently made an error in the advertisement of about 4 dayworks of land – which on being explained Mawson said very handsomely was of no consequence – I said ‘he will lose nothing by behaving so well’ – Mr. Parker advises letting Greenwood have Northgate house and land on verbal agreement or a mere memorandum that he is to give up all or any part on a certain defined notice (3 months) at any time – went to Greenwood’s – ill in bed – had never been out since he was last here – met Mr. Bradley on his way to Shibden as I went to Whitley’s – brought home myself (too impatient to wait for John’s going at night) King’s Interest tables, Philip on Indigestion, and Fortune on the funds, a large parcel – paid for these and the newspapers binding and a small note for Adney – returned up the old bank – home at 2 40/..  musing what Adney should write to Mr. Parker         wrote rough copy and then found Mr. Bradley waiting for me downstairs – had found all going on well – thinks Pickells, a clever, quick man who knows what he is about – (Pickells took away this morning the 2 old pistols and long ditto that used to hang up in the upper kitchen to go to Turner’s to be cleaned) – out with Mr. Bradley – spoke of cottage near gate into Adney‘s is-to-be flower garden – Mr. Bradley said as I meant to take down the Conery houses those stones and materials could come in – Yes! said I, we could take the Conery barn any time – This would do very well – and the cottage would be done for very little, before mentioning the old barn, he had said £80 would do – a little with Pickells at the drybridge – and off for Adney at 4 20/.. – called at Cliff hill and left my compliments without going in, Adney being gone – found her with Robert Scholefield repairing wall close to entrance gates –– home at 6, by the walk – Adney wrote as follows to ‘Messrs. Parker and Adam, Solicitors, Halifax’ – ‘Shibden hall 31 January 1835. Sir – Mr. Lampleugh Hird called upon me this morning, and finding that I declined signing the lease with the objectionable clause in it respecting a prospective property tax, finally proposed, that I should let the ten years stand as they are, and say nothing about the other seven, – to which I agreed – I shall therefore be obliged to you to put the lease upon this footing, so that I shall then be bound for a no longer term than Mr. Lampleugh Hird himself is bound – I wish you to be so good as inform him, that I hope it will be as much to his satisfaction as to mine, that the matter should be left to you to settle, without my having any further trouble than to sign the lease as soon as it is ready – I am, Sir, etc. etc. etc. Ann Walker’ – the above note was taken by John – dinner at 6 3/4 – Washington came before we had done bringing Adney parcel (box containing epitaph of her daughter obiit in 1831 and a long madcap letter) from Mrs. Broadbent – had him in to wine and coffee – smiled and said (on hearing of the nonsense and excitement about the dinner to Wood and Protheroe to be given on Wednesday) he must really choose his colour – he could not be neutral – he said he had told his wife to say if they came again (Mr. Bateman for his vote for the Riding for Morpeth and Strickland) he would give his vote to those who paid him most for it – took that to mean, he would vote for Adney‘s side and mine – Adney and I sat talking long downstairs – Miss Sarah Inman came to Marian this morning and is to be here from Saturday morning to Monday every week – this and Marian’s cher ami every Thursday evening will keep Adney and me pretty much out of my father’s sitting room – 1/2 hour with my aunt till 10 10/.. sat up talking – Fahrenheit 34 1/2º at 10 10/.. p.m. – fine day – mild –

[In margin:]

Payment for Samuel Washington’s field

old pistols

Adney told her aunt of the division of the estate – Mrs. Ann Walker very well satisfied – Mrs. Rogers to go next month

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0157