Thursday 2 November 1837

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 the engine - and now in great hope of doing without it till wanted for the Incline - this if true, will be the 1st piece of luck about the colliery - told Holt to bring with him on Monday his calculation of what the colliery will make at Listerwick- he said it would not make so much the 1st year or 2 on account of there being 'so much yarding' and straight work that is driving water level, &c. but thought it would make as much afterwards as theirs (the Holts') colliery at the top of the hill - that is four hundred a year I did not take much notice of this apparently but thought within myself that surely I having no £80 per acre sent to pay ought to clear more than the Holts clear tho' perhaps charges for agency surely = rent - I said I should try the colliery under Holt's management with Joseph Mann as Bottom steward and Robert as Banksman - Holt proposed having a bookkeeper - but I thought this might be done without while the concern was confined to Listerwick? yes! I said Holt he meant there should be a bookkeeper at the Incline - but I think £400 or £500 a year would hardly afford the salary of a regular Bookkeeper - the Banksman might suffice at Listerwick? - I said I meant the coal to pay for the Incline; and it must wait accordingly

Then on Holt's going a little while with Ann then in my own room a little while then again with Ann near 1/2 hour and then out from before 2 till dark

George took Mangnall to Mr. Wheatley's between 10 and 11 this morning and left him there

Robert + 3 at the bur walling against the road where the entrance gates were, the new wall and much more tumbled down in consequence of the platform stuff laid against it, Jack Green and David Mann filling up the 2 stall stable to level of cowhouse and making  overflow drain to farmyard low trough this afternoon

Somewhile with Ann came upstairs at 6 1/4 dressed - wrote and sent this evening by Sam Booth Letter to 'Mrs. Thompson Register Office Coney Street York Postage Paid' an inquiry this morning gave up the arrangement alluded to in my letter of yesterday - wish to know if she has a footman that will suit - should be glad of a man of good character to be employed by the week or month for the next 3 months - to let me know the terms asked

Dinner at 7 1/4 - tea - read the newspaper - Ann read French - then we each wrote our journal

Told her as I wrote it what had passed today with Holt - said I had not mentioned it before for fear of the news being too good to be true

Wintery morning - snow showers and rain - sunny then and damp this afternoon but on the whole tolerably fair from about 2 p.m. that the men could work out of doors

Then till 10 3/4 read a little in Murray's Encyclopaedia of Geography on Indian botany - came upstairs at 10 3/4 at which hour Fahrenheit 34 1/2

Joseph Mann told me this evening Holt said 8/- but sure the mine from Little Engine Pit could not be done for less than 9/- a yard = 180 yards = £81 and the mine from Listerwick Pit to Airgate pit fetching up all the level could not be done for less than 15/- a yard = 140 yards = 105 = 186

WYAS: SH:7/ML/E/20/0154