Thursday 18th December 1834

Dined at Cliff hill – I was standing near clump of trees close to sunk fence, & my Aunt herself came to ask me – offered to send letter to P[ost] O[ffice] for Mrs. Rodgers – Mr. & Mrs. L[ampleugh] Hird came to reside at Lidgate –

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale WYC:1525/7/1/5/1/0035

[up at] 8 35/..

[to bed at] 11 3/4

no kiss finish, damp morning Fahrenheit 43 3/4° at 9 1/2 at which hour breakfast – Letter from Mariana (Lawton) 3 pages and ends – she now wishes to see me, and so earnestly asks me to go over to Lawton before the end of this month that I cannot refuse – the new cabinet completed – likely to be a good and strong ministry – off with Adney on her way to Cliff Hill at 10 55/.. – went with her and remained with her there (out in the field) a little while – then across the fields to Yew trees – thence to Hopkins – then direct (up the new foot path and across Upper brea field and along my upper Wellroydewood to old Mr. Wilkinson’s – 1 1/2 hour there about this road being stopped up – at last got him over to acknowledge my right of road and to be reasonable so told him I would not inconvenience him and would even pay 1/2 the expense of a gate from the Hough road and let him wall up the road at the end of my wood – off to Cliff Hill for Adney at 3 1/4  and back at 4 1/2 – some time out with John in the barn and then with Charles Howarth in the north parlour about the chimneypiece – he put it up today – ordered it down again to have the shelf part shortened at the upper buttery end – At my desk at 5 40/.. wrote the above of today and the following to ‘Mrs. Lawton, Lawton hall, Lawton, Cheshire’ to go by John tonight – ‘Shibden hall – Thursday evening 18 December 1834. My dearest Mary – I had your letter this morning – It rejoices me exceedingly that you are able to give so good an account of your improved health – I was certainly not prepared for so entire a change in your feelings respecting our meeting; but I think your present decision the better – I must entreat you to excuse my entering further upon the subject just now – in fact, it is unnecessary; as I shall hope to see you early in next week – I fear, I cannot reach you before 8 in the evening – It is possible I may be with you on Monday; but do not expect me after 9 – I am not, at this moment, quite certain of my arrangements; but, I trust, you may count upon me on Tuesday, at any rate – Ever very affectionately and especially yours AL-‘ on my return home found Mr. Wortley’s card – Mr. James Norris came with him but of course left no card. dinner at 6 1/4 – coffee – Mr. Abbott came to Marian – 1/2 hour with my aunt till 10 10/.. – finish dampish day – rather small rainy in the evening – 

Courtesy of West Yorkshire Archive Service, Calderdale SH:7/ML/E/17/0125