Tuesday 16 April 1839
Fine but dull morning Fahrenheit 45 1/2 inside and 42 outside at 7 3/4 - looking over drawings of Shibden before dressing by way of helping me to determine about the drawing room and red room windows - had Ann a few minutes - crying prayers saying and low as ever
Went out at 8 - to the meer Jack Green and David Mann puddling George and my own 3 horses bringing clay from the hall (above laundry court road) and George Naylor's 2 horses bringing scale from Airgate pit - begun this morning Robert Mann + 2 filling the two one-horse carts - all down hill, can keep 3 fillers employed - Thomas Sharpe following after the carts
Home to breakfast and breakfast at 9 5/60 in 3/4 hour
Then with Robert Norton and Robert junior in the tower study putting the newly - plateglass-glazed windows - glazed on Saturday
Walked with Ann from 10 10/60 to 11 10/60 down to the meer and a little in front of the house - lowering - a few drizzling small drops of misty rain sent us in
At 11 10/60 came to my room read a little of 'Every man His Own Butler' Ann sitting by me till near luncheon time then took her with me into the cellar for 1 sherry for Mr. Harper, and 1 of Ann's old madeira or it turns out sherry for her - then sat with her at luncheon till Mr. Waterhouse called about 1 and sat talking (Ann upstairs and did not come down) till 2 1/4
Mr Harper having been come 5 or 6 minutes - told Mr. Waterhouse I was glad to see him - should be glad to see him to Dinner sometime - yes! he would be glad to come - thinks it more likely there will not be a rail road up to the town than that there will - he would rather get £20,000 or £30,000 instead of it towards making the once proposed alteration in the road Sowerby bridge to Halifax the rail road station being there, and the Halifax people going by omnibus - If a station at Sowerby Bridge there would not be one at Salterhebble if there was not one at Sowerby Bridge - I gave no opinion but thought the general interests of the town would be best served by a rail road - mentioned the Mr. Bull affair - Waterhouse thought 15 guineas (3 guineas per each of the 5 times) would have been quite enough - seemed surprised that Mr. Norris should have been employed as attorney
Mr. Harper here till 7 1/4 - took him to Listerwick - he thinks the engine a clumsy concern doing no credit to the Lowmoor concern - asked him to tell me what he thought I had best be done - whether he had not best write for me complaining of the delays - Harper seemed to me to think it would be well to get the bill and check the extras - had the front gables bared - Harper said the old wood stoothing was so good, he would not cover it again - make up anew with stone and cement (to write to Earl of Hull for 3 barrels tonight) between the stooth, and oil the stooths then so - to which I consented - to give a drawing of the windows immediately on his return to York from Lancashire - settled about outdoors, hall stone chimney piece reworking and the space closing at the top, and hall window shutters to be done as I proposed &c. &c. &c. (i.e. to draw up with weights like the north parlour window shutters) - found the same fault I find with the stone of the tower study mantel piece - poor Booth very sorry - the plate glass windows put in this morning - the glass good - the effect beautiful - Harper owned the stairs alteration was a great improvement to the hall - admires my pattern of framing that forms the passage from gallery to red room - gave Booth directions about the flagging in front of the house - says Booth is very much improved much quicker and more understanding about things
Dressed dinner at 7 25/60 had told Harper we hoped to be off to the continent on Whitsuntide Tuesday - Ann read French in the dining room 5 pages - I afterwards asleep on the sofa – Coffee
Letter tonight in answer to mine of Friday 12th. instant directed to Mr. Session - from Charlotte de Grave, æt. 28 native of Brussels - lived last with Mrs. Larouch number 7 Bolton Row (London I suppose) wages £20 - not much taken with all this - the line of Gross better
Had just written all but the 1st. ten lines of today now at 10 35/60 p.m. fine but dull day - the drizzly rain at 11 10/60 did not continue long - Fahrenheit 46 1/2 inside and 44 1/2 outside at 10 55/60 p.m.
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