Friday 13 October 1837

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' and my letter to 'The Register office for servants opposite the George Inn Coney Street York Postage Paid' then to Nicholson's - then Mounsey's and left Ann at Whitleys while I went to the Bank and got one hundred pounds

Ordered at Whitley's Adcocks Engineers' Almanac and Brunton's Compendium of mechanics - then to Mrs. Greenwoods  Ann asked her to order Fish and plums for us (wines ours and plums for tarts) then had returned some way past the Pine apple before Ann remembered we had forgot what we went to Halifax for, i.e. to see what her tenant Ogden wanted doing at his windows and to see Mrs. Bottomley's ovens - returned some time at the two tenants' - then up the Old Bank (Ann much tired) and back at 2

Sat with Ann at luncheon till 3. She off on her pony to Cliff hill at 3 10/60 - and I had Mr. Pollett with him 5 or 6 minutes till 3 25/60 - he brought estimate of ten horse power steam engine Mr. Holt having told him I wanted one - from above all the rest - £395 of which only £5 to be thrown off for the present crank and small wheel - therefore Engine £390 - Reckons £39 per horse power ten horse boiler included which separately would be from £50 to £60 4 horse engine £180 = £45 per horse power which is so much higher in consequence of the smallness of the Engine - 4 horse Engine separately = about £30 vide Mr. Howarth's 4 horse engine (turning bobbins at Sowerby bridge) strong enough for six horse - said I should leave Mr. Harper to determine but I had already brought Mr. Holt down from 14 to 10 horse engine and still not satisfied - thought 4 horse power would be enough - had told Harper yesterday not to get more Estimates till I had made up my mind - Pollett said he had now a person who had 2 sixteen inch bore pumps for lifting water - (I suppose he meant off coal)

Wrote the last 19 lines and went out immediately at 3 50/60 - no! out at 4 - about - at the haybarn (the woodwork of the roof almost put on - Riley working at it for Stephen Mallinson) at the manure place in Walsh land, &c. till came in at 6 40/60

10 minutes with Ann dressed - dinner at 7 10/60 - coffee read the paper - Ann and I came upstairs at 9 20/60 and lay slumbering on the bed in our room 1/2 hour - then undressed

Very fine day - white frost this morning and tonight and Fahrenheit 41 at 10 p.m.

Read Collieries and Coal Trade 1/4 hour.  

WYAS: SH:7/ML/E/20/0145