Tuesday 9 April 1839
The roofs covered with white frost almost like snow - lighted the 2 fires - went back to Ann in 1/4 hour for a minute or 2 - then washed and 1/2 dressed and went back to her again and gave her her saline mixture - finished dressing
Downstairs at 7 1/2 one of the masons having come at 7 20/60 - some time with them - then with Ann a minute or 2 till 8 and her medicine began to operate - Fahrenheit 39 inside and 36 outside at 8 a.m. made and gave Ann a cup of tea then out a little about
Then with Ann she came down to breakfast at 9 1/4 in about 20 minutes but merely took a cup of tea - sickish and poorly - she then came and sat in the blue room and I was in and out about seeing after bricks to finish out the entrance passage &c. &c.
Had Booth between 9 and 10 - sent him to help to flit (moving from Wood Nook to Langley's farm house at Hipperholme) taking down beds &c.
Edward waiting for a wheel-barrow of bricks from Listerwick, set him to mend the setting of the upper Kitchen fire-grate
Ann had had Mrs. Lee - Directly after breakfast just after Ann was gone upstairs came James Pearson and his brother Thomas with him, the latter to speak to Ann about the Flashes - I said Ann had got a bad head-ache, and explained for her respecting the fields - James Pearson at last offered 20 guineas for the 2 fields to have a shed - had told Booth to ask Turner whether he meant to have the fields or not
Came up to Ann at 11 just as Mrs Lee left her, and gave her a second dose of saline mixture, and with her except called down now and then till now 12 1/2
Had John Mann after 11 to borrow my little hand pump - said I would not lend it except to him and he must bring it back soon - he said he thought in a few days and bring it back as good as he took it - I told him I would not begin of lending things therefore he must not tell where he had borrowed it - he is to fetch it tomorrow morning
Ann has now had three motions and I have just made and given Ann 2 cups of tea now at 12 35/60 she then lay down on my bed and I sat by her
Before or about 2 had Holt - he said he had seen Mr. Lowrie who promised to do all he could to please him - pulling scale today and going on between said I wanted all settling - how everybody was to be paid &c. &c. Holt to get the Low moor bill and all other bills - £5000 already gone - I should be thankful for all saved out of £7000 - no! Holt said, it would not cost that - the colliery would soon pay itself if the coal did not lie up - told Holt to give me a written paper of what each ought to be paid Robert as banksman to have 10 pence a score, and seen the risk of the country - Holt's brother Joseph banked at Southowram on these terms - Joseph Mann to be paid by day - mentioned Mr. Parker or Booth to help to balance the accounts every month - ended by thinking Booth would do best - said Samuel Washington had lost his job - to measure surface for us? - Holt mentioned Casson - told Holt to order a set of books like his - and let everything that could be let - want to know what I am about and to have all settled so that nothing may prevent my going or staying or being quite at liberty - Holt still says the colliery will pay - would not have me build a cottage on the ground - better wait - thinks I may let off power - a £100 a year would he said be a good thing - He would rather have someone to check the accounts - said it would only take 2 or 3 hours once a month - He values Ann's coal in the flashes at £150 per acre more than it is worth - but perhaps Hinscliffe may give that - He values the coal at Lee Lane at £60 per Day Work or at £200 but nobody could tell what there was to get - some of it had been got - thought the place worth £600 - Mr. Mitchell was at High roydes the other day valuing for sale! If Holt had thought Miss Marion would have sold it, he would not have gone back to it - now pays £70 per annum - if the place is sold, he will not stay there
On Holt's going a Mr. Davidis came, having sent up his card and errand (about pictures he had to sell on leaving Halifax) I went down for a minute or 2 - just to say I was neither connoisseur nor amateur, and sorry I could be of no use to him
It was now about near 3 p.m. - Ann very poorly and exhausted by her medicine - opened a pint bottle of malmsey madeira and gave her near a wine glass full at twice with a little interval between and she ate a biscuit and seemed better - then up and down chiefly with her till went out at 4 to Listerwick
Abraham Murgatroyde and his lad there and the waterwheel and meer - Robert + 2 as yesterday filling and carting as yesterday - all the bad scale taken away from the Engine Pit at the water wheel as I stood by about 4 1/2
Home again at 5 10/60 poor Ann very glad to see me she had seven motions in all I gave her a little more malmsey and Ann ate 2 or 3 new baked biscuits and then lay down while I dressed and wrote all but the first 2 1/2 lines of today
On my coming in found Edward Waddington and the other mason just laying down the first passage flag next the north door - they rewalled up the upper kitchen fire place from 11 to 4 today - Robert Norton set up and bolted the oak post against the new doorway into the upper kitchen
George groom returned from Brookfoot having paid Ann's and my assessed taxes up to 5 April instant
Had just written so far now at 6 1/2 - Hebblethwaite came to tell Ann (did not see either of us) that some of the new walling was down at Spa house wood - sat reading a few pages forwards volume 1. Mitford's Greece while Ann slumbered by me
Dinner at 7 - Ann read French as usual I then asleep - sat in the little breakfast room for Ann to avoid the change of temperature of going along the cold open hall - coffee - wrote memoranda in rough book - Letter from Mr. Harper, York - the glass sent off from York March 12th.! - he will be here on the 16th. instant
The ground white on getting up this morning 2 or 3 driving small show-hail showers before noon - afterwards fine - finish day on the whole but very cold - Ann seems better this evening - read aloud a little of the newspaper - had just written so far at 10 40/60 p.m. Fahrenheit 38 1/2 inside and 30 1/2 outside now at 10 55/60 p.m.
Comments
Post a Comment