Entries from Anne Lister's Journals

Hard frost, but sun out, and Fahrenheit 40 inside and 49 outside at 9 1/4 - wind whistling and rather hazy Breakfast at 9 1/2 - to 10 - then walked with Ann in front of the house 1/2 hour, and afterwards alone till 11 - then looking about in the house (chiefly in the hall) till 11 55/60 - from then to 1 40/60 read and made notes from page 168 to 209 volume 2 Wilkinson Off to church at 2 - a few minutes at the school - Mr. Horsfall did all the duty as usual - preached 34 minutes from Genesis XLiii. 8. 9. Judah's being surety for Benjamin - 25 minutes at Cliff hill - Mrs. Ann Walker seeming much better than for some time past - really very well - home at 5 Wrote and sent off Letter to 'Mr. Hutton tailor 114 Park Street London Post Paid' ordering groom's coat and waistcoat of Oxford mixture - and a pair of breeches such as Hutton usually makes for grooms, to be made and sent to me here as soon as Hutton can - buttons to be got and paid for of strong italian[?] and the bill...

Fine frosty cold sunny morning and Fahrenheit 39 1/2 inside and 43 1/2 outside at 9 a.m. breakfast at 9 1/4 in 3/4 hour then standing musing on the gallery looking at the joiners Then about 10 1/2 had Booth - till 12 1/2 - came for money - £50 ended by giving him check for that amount - long talk - tired to death of the Northgate accounts - never done with - It seems I shall have all Booth's bills to pay = £200 except about ten pounds to be paid by Mr. Crossland - said I lost £400 a year by the place - Booth said he thought it would cost ten thousands - yes! I thought it would at the rate of never having done with it - Booth has bills engine house and all to set against his creditors side with me + £300 towards which he has now had 2/3 in account - told him to measure off his work, and let me have these bills that I might know how I was going on Then had Ann with us - she had a kitchen maid to offer - advised Booth to get Mr. Washington to value for him - supposed 7 1/2 feet of sto...

Thinking of Mariana last night Fine sunny morning Fahrenheit 41 1/2 inside and Fahrenheit 40 3/4 outside at 8 3/4 and very small snow flying about - breakfast at 9 1/4 in 1/2 hour Then standing over Robert Norton laying the deal floor of the gallery till after 10 then came to my room and sat down to Wilkinson volume 2 Ann came to me about (before) 11 - about the defeat of the Romans at the Caudine forks - went down to my books, still in the drawing room - temporary book-case, and got her volume 3 Rollin's Roman History on the subject Had just come upstairs again at 11 1/2 when Mr. & Mrs. Fenton called and staid till 1 1/2 - l ong and confidential disclosure of their troubles on our leaving them on Wednesday they went to call on the widow Mrs William Emmett old Wilkinson 'courting' her! had offered half a dozen times and she obliged to run round the table to escape him Mr Fenton had consulted his friend Mr Torore who had advised his making a friend of the lady I seconded...

Much snow on the ground snowing hard and wind whistling at 7 40/60 and ever since till now 8 35/60 at which hour Fahrenheit 33 1/2 inside and 29 1/2 outside Breakfast at 9 and sat reading alternately Ann and I from page 21 to 77 volume 2 Murray's Summer in the Pyrenees - his account of passing the Cambriel to Gèdre and his ascent of Mont Perdu - I had read the first 21 pages of this volume before breakfast Came upstairs at 10 10/60 - had Riley the little tailor from the new bank to measure George Wood for stable suit - to be done next week - making 24/ or 25/- stuff, beaverteen, at 1/8 per yard Then had Booth brought me back the Nelson-papers I gave into his charge yesterday - Nelson very much dissatisfied would have his father over and remeasure today - wanted Booth to meet them - Booth thought this unnecessary unless I particularly wished him to go - no! I think he ordered enough by going yesterday - Nelson said Mr. Harper's settlement and prices would not pay the men's w...

Snowing at the time I got up and damp and small rain afterwards and wrote to 'Mr. McKean Yorkshire District Bank Halifax' and sent by George, for £35.8.0 payable at York to William Oldfield Esquire and £50 for myself, on his going to Wheatley's to fetch Mangnall back - and Fahrenheit 35 and breakfast at 9 55/60 in about 1/2 hour Then out - in the outbuildings - fair before 10 and the men masons, and Robert + 3 and the 2 masons and James and Mark Sharpe at the lower wall against the road - and Amos and Robert Sharpe began the blacksmith's shop and John Sharpe and Abraham Murgatroyde were at the walling above the front stable and door - and Edward Waddington at the laundry drying closet and flue of adjoining room - Booth here - Firth the glazier and his man here about farmyard water pipes - and 2 of Mercer's men putting in the old china closet and west tower windows George brought Mangnall back from Mr. Wheatley's with a letter from Mr. Wheatley warranting the hor...

Damp hazy morning shower of small snow flying about now at 8 50/60 and Fahrenheit 34 out till 9 then breakfast - Ann just made it, and then went to Mr. Horner Out about 9 3/4 about till Holt came between 11 and 12 when Ann had Samuel Washington - shewed Holt the agreement drawn up by Messrs. Holt & Thomas to which I would not agree - would not pay more than 2/3 of the money on the engines working and would keep 1/3 in hand till after the warranty of the engine (say 6 instants of 12 months) was over - Holt thought this very right - I had settled for Holt and Booth to meet Engine Holt here on Monday - when Holt said he had been at Little Engine Pit and at Airgate pit and believed the latter would be very nearly if not quite out of water - there is a throw up of 5 or 6 yards - all are of opinion this is the case but it can be ascertained by Monday - well then, said I, we can do without an engine at all at Listerwick - yes! agreed to wait another week before proceeding farther about th...

Damp hazy rainy morning Fahrenheit 38 now at 9 20/60 and breakfast in about 1/2 hour - then sat (in the breakfast room) till after 12 reading from page 201 to within 4 or 5 pages of the end of volume 6 (read to the end after coffee) Indian Antiquities Called off to Empsall butcher came to thank me for allowing him to turn sheep into the Mytholm Ings (said I could not say for how long - perhaps till Christmas I would let him know) and to ask to turn a little pony in for a fortnight from this time - refused at 1st - consented at last - asked if he would still like to have a farm if I had one to spare - he did not know - yes! but not far from Halifax - should I wish him to live on the farm? yes! I had not one at liberty at present but knew not what I might have - he would like to be let know of it - to have the 1st refusal - if I had - I should want a blue vote - would not let to anyone who would not give me one Then a little while with Ann at her luncheon in the breakfast room and then c...

Rainy morning Fahrenheit 40 at 9 5/60 and breakfast in about 1/2 hour Out in the outbuildings - Culpan's son and another bricklayer and a lad or 2 began walling off the coach house from the present cowhouse A gleam and rode her pony to Cliff hill at 10 1/2 or near 11 About 11 had Mr. Wheatley - shewed me Mr. MacAulay’s answer to his letter respecting the horse - Wheatley agreed with me Mr. MacAulay seemed to have consulted with his attorney brother - Wheatley said the horse had not coughed during the 10 minutes or 1/4 hour he rode him on trial - I explained what had passed on MacAulay’s calling here on Friday - Wheatley said I had him too much - Wheatley thought MacAulay’s letter to him ungentlemanly - Wheatley to come this evening or tomorrow about 8 when he would hear the horse cough - if he thought him not  sound, to give me a certificate of his unsoundness and I to send the horse back by George - if the horse not taken in, to be left at an adjoining public house and sold by auc...

Rainy morning Fahrenheit 48 at 9 1/4 and breakfast in about 1/2 hour Then out in the outbuildings all the day - Edward Waddington and James and Mark Sharpe 2 of them with Gray the labourer walling up laundry room chimney and James flagging the one step at the entrance door - all the rest of Booth's men John and Robert Sharpe Robert Wharton Amos Ambler and Abraham Murgatroyde and the lad (Edward's nephew) hewing under the farmyard shed - no other men came John Booth poorly, with a boil (vide yesterday) and went home before I came downstairs and Sam Booth turned the Dolly till 11 - then had him and Abraham all the rest of the day till dark taking down the floor over the cowhouse and putting the joists and garden chains &c. over the barn passage, and putting the larch boards the long over the cowhouse and 2 stall-stable across the roof-beams - and the short boards into the hay shed, and put there also all the old lead and iron that were in the cowhouse and the remaining oak bo...

Very fine rather frosty morning sun out and Fahrenheit 42 at 9 1/2 and breakfast and sat downstairs till 1 1/4 reading from page 816 to (this volume begins with page 773) 1091 end of volume 5 Maurice's Indian Antiquities Then came upstairs - dressed - read the 1st. 42 pages volume 6 of the same work and about two incurred a cross thinking of Mariana from reading of phallic worship Heavy rain between 10 and 11 and also between 1 and 2 and small flying flakes of snow in the latter rain - then more or less from about 10 1/2 to after 2 p.m. service to begin at 2 1/2 this afternoon Off from here at 2 1/2 by our kitchen clock at least 1/2 hour too soon - at church in 25 minutes - waited 5 or minutes - Mr. Wilkinson did all the duty - preached 24 minutes from Mark iv. 26 and 3 following verses 20 minutes at Cliff hill - Mrs Ann Walker looking as well as she did last Sunday - in fact, looking very fairly well Home at 5 1/2 - John Booth begged off driving the market cart today to church in ...

Much rain in the night - fine morning and Fahrenheit 40 now at 8 50/60 breakfast at 9 in about 1/2 hour Then had Mawson and paid him in full for moving stuff from about the house to the embankment in front of the house and to near the bottom of the hall croft near the wood, and at the bottom near the quondam hall lane - had paid him as per agreement 7 1/2d per yard cube for the stuff taken from under the house windows I supposed all the rest would be at the same price but Mawson brought me a bill for it done by day! this I declined taking and referred to Mr. Samuel Washington’s measurements and on his making out the quantities accordingly it seems the stuff cost 11d per yard cube moving and still I have paid £4+ less than the account delivered by day! - I told Mawson that the Manns would have taken the job at 8 1/2d per yard and abided by it - take care in future Then had Mr. Samuel Washington he brought me the quarry plans - Mr. Freeman has still 1000 yards to get Samuel Washington th...

Much rain in the night and rainy morning and rather windy and Fahrenheit 42 1/2 at 9 1/2 a.m. and breakfast in about 3/4 hour Ann off on the older pony to Cliff hill before 11 in spite of the rain Neither Robert Mann nor any of his men here - nor did I see any masons but Booth's - Booth here some time both in the morning and afternoon - out in the stabling and outbuildings all the day - siding posthouse (2 stall) stable and piling bricks (George Naylor's cart brought 3 loads = 1500 and my own cart, Sam Booth, 350) and siding hay shed and putting in old wainscotting from the posthouse stable - had John and Sam Booth in the morning and Jack Green, who happened to come, and Sam in the afternoon - difficulty in getting the corn winnowing machine into the hayshed - Robert Sharpe took one of the door jambs down and Robert Wharton helped him, at 4 10/60 p.m., and gave the former 9d for the thought and the latter 8d of the shilling for helping and afterwards gave Sam and Jack 6d a piec...

Fine but dullish morning Fahrenheit 42 at 8 1/2 - and sat reading Murray's Encyclopaedia of Geography Ann came for me to breakfast at 9 - She had breakfasted and Mr. Horner came about 9 10/60 I out about 10 and out the whole day in the barn and stabling siding the cowhouse and piling bricks in the coach house 3 loads = 1500 by the George Naylor’s cart and a load = 350 by my own cart (Sam Booth) from Mr. Rawsons - Culpan to wall up the coach house against cow house to the top on Monday - Booths man hewing and finished putting windows into hay shed and did a little at the front stable and door Robert Mann's men went home in the afternoon - and all the other men - Robert Mann helped John Booth to side and pile bricks - Booth here all the afternoon and part of the morning Ann off to Cliff hill about 11 and not back till 6 20/60 had sent for Mr. Jubb to see her aunt - the blister put on last night had been troublesome Came in at 5 55/60 - dressed in the tent room - Mrs. Ann Lee here...

Ann's cousin came this afternoon Much rain in the night fine morning but dullish at 8 and now at 9 and Fahrenheit 40 read a few pages Ann came for me to breakfast at 9 20/60 and we sat from then to 10 Afterwards out about the whole day - came in to Ann at luncheon - before 1 and Mr. Jubb came and staid near 1/2 hour - lanced Ann's face which did not seem to do it much good - he agreed with me she ought to go from home if possible - thinks Mrs. Ann Walker as well as can be expected at 83 - said I thought of going away a little about the middle of January Ann rode the older pony to Cliff hill, about 3 or after and back about 5 1/2 or nearer 6 Mrs. Sowden sent me this afternoon by her youngest son, some trout and one or 2 gold fish taken from out of their little combing pond now dried - sent Robert Mann with the boy, young man?, down to the meer - met the boy returning home as I was returning from Little Engine Pit and asked him to bring his mother to see the meer &c. &c. ...

Rain in the night and raining fast at 7 a.m. but fine at 8, and sunny and Fahrenheit 55 at 9 but all very wet about and hazy tho' sunny, and damp and autumnal - breakfast at 9 10/60 in about 1/2 hour Mr. Wheatley the veterinary surgeon had waited a little while - he had just ridden the horse 'in the park'- he had gone very well and Mr. Wheatley thought his cough a grass cough I expressed my fear that this was not the case, but that the horse had been starved in early life got a bad cold from which he had never thoroughly recovered, and his present was the consequence and was a consumption - Wheatley owned he feared it might be so - the pleura might be affected and it might be sometime before the horse was laid up - (grass I think he said) - But he Wheatley would write to Mr. McAuley - say that the stable treatment was very good &c. &c. everything right done to the horse, and that if with this and above all he did not get better of his cough Wheatley should think of ...

Finish dullish morning Fahrenheit 50 at 8 25/60 out - with Robert Mann dressing off the front slope for the gardener and Joseph Booth and the other garden man sodding - took Jack Green from the glen-wall masking to the slope and sent Robert Mann to his son David + 1 at clearing away fallen road wall for foundation of new wall - 2 more of Roberts men at the flower garden drains - Michael not come - breakfast at 9 Ann not right for she saw me silent but she had seemed as if right in bed this morning and did not then find out that I should be grave tho what I did say and do was in the usual manner Ann had order the ponies at 9 1/2 but was off (to Cliff hill) at 10 - George saddle Mangnall (1st time) and Ann the older pony - I watched Mangnall - far too skittish - and I cannot get out of my mind that his wind is not good - In fact this afternoon, George told me he was now afraid so too - he (the horse) quite 'roared' this morning - well! said I, you were all me - but now you are co...

Finish but damp morning flags wet Sent George off at 11 with my letter to 'the Lady Vere Cameron' in a Paris envelope under cover to 'the Lord Abercrombie Airtheray Stirling' - breakfast at 11 Sometime looking about in the oak room and gazing out of the west tower south window then from about 12 sat reading in my study volume 2 Portugal and Gallicia by a friend of (dedicated to) Lord Egremont - interesting - the author a man of rank and writes with all the gentlemanly agreeableness of his stature Fahrenheit 61 at noon and fine and sunshiny - sat reading till 2 50/60 in my study from page 79 to 182 having read the former 78 pp. pages last night and all the latter 463 end of the volume 10 days or more ago Dressed - off to church at 3 by the kitchen clock yet still in church before Mr. Wilkinson began the service - preached (I suppose about the usual time my watch stood) from Philippians ii 12 - to work out our salvation with fear and trembling About 1/2 hour at Cliff hill...

Finish hazy soft morning Fahrenheit 49 at 8 a.m. out till breakfast with Ann at 9 On going to bed last night Ann seemed not urgent against going to Paris for a month after Christmas but had asked where the money was to come from saying I hoped soon to have done with workmen and adding something insignificant I scarce know what about the alterations she did not speak what said I gently have you nothing to say answer no nothing I stood silent a minute or two and then without uttering came to my room on getting into bed she was not asleep but seemed so and I took no notice but fell asleep by and by is a wall was not right at breakfast but I talked as nearly as possible as usual - out all the morning till about one and a half then came and sat a little with Ann talked as far as I could as if nothing was the matter then came way to send John to the bank and had Booth &c. and found Ann gone to Cliff hill how all this pothers me! I have several times laughed and said she must keep her pon...

Soft damp dull but finish morning Fahrenheit 52 now at 8 50/60 - breakfast at 9 in about 3/4 hour - then out Then with Ann a few minutes before her going to her tenant Ogden (Halifax) about building him a new pantry &c. to the amount of about £20 at 1/6 poundage, or 28/- + 12.12.0 = £14 per annum Then out again about for the whole of the day till came in at 6 1/2 The idea of driving making a new road from the house to the garden struck me this afternoon - to come out under the great ash tree just on the other side of the road - If this could be pretty easily done, it would rid me of all pother about Gray and his pools - and getting the road past them somehow - anyhow but comfortably Just went down to the site of Airgate pit - Joseph Mann and his son John setting it out again - Joseph said (he had the compass) the pegs had been moved Dressed - wrote the above of today till 7 and then went down to dinner - dinner in about 3/4 hour Ann received tonight from Whitley and Booth's 2 v...

Fine frosty morning Fahrenheit 47 and the sun out at 8 - 1/4 with Ann at breakfast in the north parlour to be ready for Mr. Horner - then out about till breakfast at 9 in about 1/2 hour Then out again till came in to Ann for near 1/2 hour at 12 - then out again - in the stable and about George shewed me his new coat worn 1st time on Sunday - cloth so bad, had burst into 2 tears in the back with merely putting on - came in about 12 to tell Ann my vexation, and that we had best get a new tailor - in the midst of all this came Mr. Jubb - told him - he mentioned Mr. Crossley tailor (Heath) who made the liveries of the Messrs. Dyson - Mr. Jubb has his own clothes generally from Messrs. Hardwicke and Nelson tailors and woollen drapers Leeds who have made liveries for the Harewood family for a great many years - Mr. Jubb hired his present excellent man servant, groom and general house servant, for £16 per annum and 1 dress suit and 1 stable dress and 1 hat (and I suppose 1 pair boots) and the...

Found my cousin coming very gently so prepared accordingly Damp soft morning Fahrenheit 52 now at 9 a.m. Butterworth end is to be sold this morning! Breakfast at 9 5/60 with Ann in about 3/4 hour - then out till 12 1/2 then 1/2 hour with Ann out again as in the morning about About 3 saw John walk Marywell in the fields below the house for 1/2 hour - then in the garden - said the gardener might have the wall against the wood 8 feet high - can mound and plant it out Came in at 6 1/2 - 1/4 hour with Ann - dressed dinner at 7 - Ann read French - I asleep, or nearly so, on the sofa - coffee at 8 3/4 Ann read aloud the news I had lashed my right eye just before dinner with a little twig Came upstairs at 10 20/60 at which hour Fahrenheit 43 fine and oft dry - the damp cleared off soon after 10 a.m. WYAS: SH:7/ML/E/20/0147

Damp small rainy morning and Fahrenheit 48 at 8 1/4 - then out 3/4 hour till 9 and from then breakfast with Ann in 3/4 hour Then out, about - had Mr. Matthew Naylor between 11 and 12 - he brought me a plan of worsted mill for 20 frames - and specification of mason's work - I asked what I was indebted to him - he said he would rather wait - for if I employed him it would be different - if not he could not afford to sell his plan for nothing - I merely said I had told him, that I should shew his plan to Mr. Harper whom I employed as architect and Mr. Booth was my master builder I would therefore leave Mr. Harper to settle the matter with him (Mr. Naylor) Mr. James (Collier) Holt had been waiting a few minutes (I left Mr. Naylor in about 10 minutes to drink his beer) went with him to Listerwick pit - he had given up the thought of driving from Listerwick Pit to Airgate Pit in the upper bed - would drive  in the middle band - coal 11 inches thick = 3 loads per yard at 6d - would sell a...

Fine frosty-aired sunny morning Fahrenheit 57 at 8 50/60 - then out till came in to breakfast at 9 1/2 - Ann had breakfasted but came and sat with me Her tenant Joseph Taylor from Hard Platts here - came to be paid for carting pit wood for me - (92 feet at 5 1/2d) some weeks ago - sat talking to Ann till after 10 - then out about till 12 then came in and sat 1/2 hour with Ann then out again With Robert Mann to set all the five platform casts to bring soil to the garden and as they came at last to bring one load of scale from the platform, so that they might not come empty even as far as to the top of the wheat field where the soil was to be carted from, - the road so terrible along the Laundry court wall, the poor weak horses could not get along their one horse carts without a chain horse - Robert would rather they went back to their own job and so would I - therefore they did return to it after emptying in the garden their load a piece of scale Then with Robert + 2 and my own 2 carts ...

Fine morning frosty Fahrenheit 49 at 10 1/4 and breakfast and sat downstairs till near one reading from page 202 to 305 on Collieries and the Coal Trade - then out Gazing about from the turret, and in the stables and about till 1 20/60 then dressed - off to church at 2 50/60 On coming downstairs this morning the gardener wanted to speak to me, to ask if I should wish him to be a member of the Gardeners Horticultural Society now about being established - no! I would rather he had nothing to do with it - he owned it took people often from home and into company yes! said I, and I would rather my people attended to my business than that of other persons Mr. Ramsden did all the duty - preached 29 minutes 1 Epistle general of St. John v.3, the love of God should be always in our minds About 1/2 hour at Cliff hill - Mrs. Ann Walker much the same as last Sunday and pretty well Home a few minutes before 6 - dressed - went into the cellar - sat with Ann till dinner at 6 3/4 - coffee at 8 Read th...

Very fine frosty morning but sun shining and Fahrenheit 54 at 9 and breakfast with Ann and Mr. Gray in about 1/2 hour for Mr. Sowden came and had to wait nearly all the time Had him in the little breakfast room from about 9 1/2 or 9 3/4 to 10 1/4 - came about his rent - had seen Mr. Samuel Washington and proposed paying £80 instead of 70 guineas = an advance of £6.10.0 - said I was not acting for myself - thought the advance of £10 really fair; and it ended by Mr. Sowden's 'he must fall into my will' and he agreed to pay £83 per annum - talked of Walterclough mill - Sowden no mechanic but thought there was some miscalculation for the new wheel instead of having more power had less than the old one and took more water instead of less - said I could understand - my Listerwick wheel by the same wheelwright (George Bates) firm of Messrs. Timothy Bates and son, wrong speeded - 12 frames at Waterclough mill - but not water enough now - and a very Bad place for hands - not worth s...

Very fine rather frosty sunny morning and Fahrenheit 53 at 8 50/60 - breakfast at 9 with Ann & Mr. Gray in about 1/2 hour Then in my study - writing out business letters into business Letters book & wrote to Mr. Oldfield saying I have sent 16 dozen bottles on Monday evening and ordering 6 dozen fine old rich port & 2 dozen newer and less priced, and 4 dozen fine sherry and 8 dozen marsala as before - and wrote for a footman who thoroughly understands his business - can have an unexceptable character from his last place, and being about 30 years of age. Read over Ann's letter to her sister respecting Bentley's offer for the Ladymere stone and I wrote in one line under the seal 'Mrs. Lister's kind regards and congratulations on the happy choice of a name for the little girl' Off with Ann to Halifax at 11 (walked) went by the Lodge - put into the post (had pennies to pay) at 11 1/2 Ann letter to her sister and my letter to 'William Oldfield Esquire York...

Very fine morning Fahrenheit 77 at 9 25/60 and breakfast till 10 - found Mr. Gray at breakfast Out from 10 to 2 25/60 in the garden and had the gardener there (Conery wood) my piece of Long field and at Walker pit - met with Joseph Mann - mentioning my intending to mask the Conery wood wall (east end) with the pit scale, and lowering the road to Walker pit and then taking down a yard of the wall against the upper Conery wood be a better job at 6d per yard cube then moving the stuff from part of house at 7 1/2d - might it not be done at 5d per yard cube? Then walked with Joseph Mann to the wheel-race to see about setting up the gin - he is now all for it - thinks it would be set up for £5 if the water pumped off would answer for bottoming the pit (about near 20 yards to sink) in 6 weeks Returned by Pearson's fields Sown holm and Tilly holm and the walk - walked to the head of the meer and back and found and talking some while to Frank there - came in at 2 35/60 Took the juice of 3 o...

Fine morning Fahrenheit 54 at 8 - out at 8 5/60 no stone to go on with at the new pool, and with Robert + 5 throwing the soil up along the east side of the back Lodge road and about till breakfast at 9. Had Mr. Samuel Washington and then Hardcastle - the former gave me the note and measurement of Mawson's jobs strengthening and pitching with stone the embankment and wearing the brook = £133+ and at last settled with Hardcastle to give him £20 for the road (6 yards wide) up to the bit of wood I have just bought of him - Booth shewed me Parkinson's estimate of garden wall footings 1 yard high and levelled over at the top ready for the brick work at 5/- per rood and finding lime and sand and everything and I finding everything Hay barn to be done at 6/6 per rood walling and 1/- a yard for corners - Booth thought it very fair and so did I Off with Ann and little Mary at 10 1/2 by the Lodge to Spa house to see about Mr. Samuel Washington's setting out about 11 or 12 roods of wal...

Very fine morning had written rough draft of answer to Messrs. Alexander last night wrote ditto off Sutherland this morning and stood musing on both letters but with satisfaction  squeezed into my tall glass and drank off the juice of 3 oranges - 1st time of my taking them in this way - the weather hot and this kind &c. made me unusually feverish - mais avec le temps tout s'arrange - Fahrenheit 65 1/2 now at 8 1/2 and went out till breakfast at 9 to near 10 - 1/4 hour at breakfast before Mr. Gray Began gravely with the assurance that Ann should have no trouble with me she had only to do as she liked she began crying I changed my manners said all this was ridiculous she wanted a good whipping and I got her right I told her I must buy a rod and in truth I must not indulge her too much said I should take her by Hull to Rotterdam and Paris the end of next month and she made no objection Out again at the pools puddling with Robert Mann + five - and with Booth about till Ann sent for...

Very fine morning looking over the sent list Samuel Washington left with Ann for me yesterday - Fahrenheit 68 now at 7 3/4 and went out - home sat with Ann in the north parlour 1/2 then out at the pools till breakfast at 8 3/4 in about 3/4 Then out and out all the day chiefly at the pools with Robert Mann and co. at the meer with Mr. Gray from 12 to 1 he busy all the day with Mawson's 5 men building foundation walls of boat-house - my 2 carts fetching bricks in the morning (3 times) and home at 2 and at 4 p.m. I met them at Hipperholme quarry to choose for each a load of large flags for flooring the meer Back at the pools at 5 1/2 and there till dinner at 7 10/60 - afterwards with little Mary and Mr. Gray at the meer till came in at 9 1/4 Ann had made coffee but did not take any - she seemed in right humour at first but soon fell off she had lost the storeroom key this afternoon and got my key and I had joked a little about scolding me for taking it away too soon did this annoy her...