Entries from Anne Lister's Journals

Rainy morning and windy - fair about 9 - had Ann then with Robert Norton the joiner - till Fahrenheit 44 1/2 inside and 40 outside at 7 3/4 - moving books till breakfast at 8 5/60 in about 1/2 hour Mr Horner came about 8 40/60 - then till nine and a half preparing linen for cousin and sewing up one stocking for ditto Ann would be bad as ever but as I told her I would make no more inquiries and take the least possible notice From 9 35/60 to about 10 1/2 at accounts &c. then went down (Ann came for me to see her drawing) to Mr. Horner till 10 50/60 - then gave Ann her Brodie tonic 1 teaspoonful in 3 ditto of water and she lay down by me for a few minutes till 11 10/60 - then had her with me dusting and moving books till luncheon at 12 for about 3/4 hour or more - She had a Cup of sago with a glass of sherry in it - stood talking said I would ask her to trust but was decidedly of opinion she had better do it she says she will and we are to go to York on Saturday for the purpose of see...

Rainy morning Fahrenheit 46 inside and 41 outside at 7 35/60 a.m. and loudish wind - breakfast at 8 50/60 in about 1/2 hour Before and afterwards till 3 (except a little while backwards and forwards with Mr. Harper who was here before 10) dusting books in the drawing Ann with me and John footman carrying them up into the tower study till after 12 Ann rode off to Cliff hill at 3 I wished Mr. Harper good afternoon and walked by the side of Ann as far as Listerwick - there sometime Robert Mann and William Lord walling against the road - William Mallinson at the roof of the blacksmith's shop - Baldwin preparing slate for this and David Mann's cottage - Edward Waddington cornering stone for David Mann's chimney - the engine chimney finished yesterday i.e. topped up like a cluster of 4 house chimneys Then at the water wheel - the first Engine pit covered over yesterday Joseph Mann + 3 digging up and righting the ground - then at the meer - the water within a foot of running into ...

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 ...

Fine but dull morning Fahrenheit 48 inside and 46 1/2 outside - had Ann to say her prayers at eight and talked and tried to cheer her poor soul I wish she was better but she is sadly low Wrote to Mrs. C. Gross and to Mrs. Hawkins - breakfast at 9 in 1/2 hour then wrote note to Mrs. Devoeux to inquire the character of Mr. & Mrs. C. Gross who had lived with her and been on the Continent with her as travelling servant and lady's maid - ask if they are 'perfectly honest, sober, obliging, and trustworthy - if Mrs. Gross is a good dress-maker, milliner, hairdresser, and packer, - and if Mr. Gross is an attentive, active 'servant, who thoroughly understands carriages, and the business of a travelling servant - Mrs. Lister hopes that neither of the 2 servants left Mrs. Devoeux for any fault' - wrote to Mr. and Mrs. Gross to call on Mrs. Hawkins, saying I had sent her a note to Mrs. Deveux which she Mrs. Hawkins would send if she thought them likely to suit me - wrote to Mrs...

Fine but dull morning Fahrenheit 47 3/4 inside and 43 3/4 outside at 8 50/60 and breakfast in 1/2 hour Then came upstairs and sat reading 'Every Man his Own Butler' good till 10 35/60 when Ann came to me - worse than ever this morning what shall I do with her we must get off  Walked with Ann in front of the house from 10 40/60 to 11 20/60 and she then lay down on my bed beside me Had Robert Mann while we were walking - came for orders for tomorrow - to be off the scale carting for a couple of hours in the morning to get stone (from Jonathan Mallinson's) for pitching the inside of the meer-embankment breach While Ann lay down wrote copies of letters in answer to the one of last night and wrote copy of letter for Ann or much altered what she had written to her sister before and after her luncheon With Ann at luncheon at 12 3/4 - wrote the last 3 lines now at 1 40/60 Ann sitting by me writing to her sister - at colliery accounts till 2 25/60 Mr. Horsfall did all the duty - pre...

Fine morning Fahrenheit 48 1/4 inside and 48 1/2 outside at 8 55/60 and breakfast in about 1/2 hour - then with Ann and walked with her in front of the house till about 10 1/2 Then out - to Listerwick - Robert + 3 filling carts as yesterday but the heap of better stuff close to the orchard - some time talking to Joseph Mann - got his and Roberts bills to be ready for settling this evening A flow of water into the pit that Joseph Mann did not like - thought the pumps shook the tubbing but hoped it would be of no consequence - paid Robert Fielding his last fortnight's wages - a minute or 2 at the waterwheel - Alfred Mann and Charles Carter levelling and trenching there Returned by the meer - Jack Green and David Mann at the puddling and Thomas Sharpe following after the carts, but the men were at dinner Home by the walk at 12 1/2 - with Ann at her luncheon - at my desk at 1, and she lay on the bed by me for 1/2 hour or more - I was at accounts She rode off to Cliff hill about 2 1/2 o...

An hour reading last night's paper and writing copy of letter to foreign advertising maid  at 7 1/4 to 8 1/4 dressed latterly with Ann fine but dull morning Fahrenheit 46 1/2 inside and 45 1/2 outside at 8 1/4 a.m. Went to Listerwick - Booth's cart had been there and was gone to Halifax for boiler for the kitchen - sent George Naylor off after the cart, to choose at Greenwoods or elsewhere 10 or 11 21 posts and 3 six foot deals and to tell Booth's man to bring them back Home again at 8 3/4 - Edward Waddington and a lad pulling up the kitchen fire-place - no mason at Listerwick Breakfast at 8 50/60 in about 1/2 hour when Matthew Booth brought me a pair of strong iron-nailed boots - good comfortable fit - 12/- cut my nails  out a few minutes At my desk at 10 wrote and sent off by George at 11 letter inquiring the name, age, native country, wages, address of Lady with whom she lived last, - of foreign Lady's maid advertised in last night’s Morning Herald - directed to Mr. ...

Fine morning Fahrenheit 43 1/2 inside and 41 1/2 outside at 8 40/60 Holt just gone - had waited 20 minutes - told him to be sure to see one of the partners as well as the engineer Mr. Lowrie at Low moor - to say that now the latter was civil we were all satisfied but that we really could not wait, and it would be best to get Garforth to set us right Breakfast at 8 55/60 Mr. Horner come - Ann hurried off to him after merely taking a cup of tea - and I after I had breakfasted was some time with Ann and Mr. Horner And then came upstairs about 9 3/4 and copied my letter written before breakfast to O.Y. a native of Germany who offers himself (vide last night's Herald) as travelling servant and his wife (together or separate) as lady's maid - wrote to ask age - wages - address of people with whom they lived last - directed my letter to 'Mr. Bamford tailor 6 Dorset Street Manchester Square London Postage Paid' Had just written so far at 10 - then at Ann's rent lists and sl...

Fine morning Fahrenheit 41 inside and 42 1/2 outside at 9 a.m. Ann had a motion on getting up and seems rather better  Ann got up a little before 8 - backwards and forwards with Ann breakfast at 9 in 1/2 about 1/2 hour - with Ann about Out at 10 3/4 - to Listerwick - all seemed going tolerably - Robert Mann and William Lord and Ben and Thomas Sharp began this morning filling for my own carts and George Naylor (my 3 horses and his 2) stuff from reservoir water drift in John Oates's field down to the meer embankment-breach - Jack Green following after the carts Then to Sunwood - the frost had been so severe they had not been working - one man there dressing wall stone about nearly 2 roods done and about 2 roods to dress Then across the fields from the quarry to Langley's farm (Booth's) at Hipperholme - Booth and his family slept there last night 1st. time - Mrs. shewed me over the house - she takes pride in it; and all will be very nice - told Booth to see about the bit more ...

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 Kit...

Fine morning - frosty Fahrenheit 40 inside and 38 outside at 8 1/4 a.m. - breakfast at 8 3/4 in about 1/2 hour Then about and looking over tax papers &c. till 11 3/4 then wrote as follows to 'Mr. Jubb, Lord Street' - 'Mrs. Lister will be glad to see Mr. Jubb anytime today after half past four in the afternoon Shibden hall. Monday morning 8 April 1839' - and sent off George the groom with it immediately and with the Waterhouse charity cup, and note to 'Charles Norris Esquire Halifax' Compliments - sorry I did not before know that the cup ought to be returned - it was a Halifax cup descending from one of my great uncles to my uncle late of Northgate house since whose death, upwards of 21 years ago, the cup had never been used except as a sacramental cup - 'Miss Walker begs Mrs Lister to inform Mr. Norris she has no remembrance of having even seen a Waterhouse cup either at Crownest or Cliff hill' Ann and I filled up our Assessed taxes returns to send t...

Fine sunny morning highish wind Fahrenheit 50 inside and 47 outside at 9 a.m. breakfast at 9 1/4 and sat talking then till from 10 10/60 to 11 10/60 Ann and I walked in front of the house talking of our getting off She seems resolved to sign all over to me to go to York and get it done as soon as we can talked this morning and yesterday of going to Saint Petersburg by sea in June or July  - then from 11 10/60 had Ann with me in the blue room reading I wrote letter to go tonight to Hutton with order on Messrs. Hammersley and note to Mr. Charles Norris to go tomorrow with the Waterhouse charity cup - and then Ann and I put away the morning Herald newspapers, last year's to go to be bound Poor Ann we shall be obliged to hurry off - she is getting all low again I shall enough to do to keep her up  Tis now 2 20/60 - have just made rough draft of index for this volume up to the second instant Dressed - off to church at 2 40/60 - the children gone so stopt at the school 2 or 3 minute...

A little of the snow of yesterday left sprinkling over the ground - fair, dull morning Fahrenheit 38 inside and 36 1/2 outside at 9 a.m. breakfast at 9 1/4 to about near 10 Afterwards with Ann and about in the house ordered doorway breaking out from the entrance passage South door into the hall - had Booth who dined here and then went to Halifax, followed Mosey whom we had just had with his estimates of Ann's guards and the walk pallisading - Mosey said William Keighley had done nothing about the 50 larch posts ordered by Ann and it would be better to have them cut out of large stuff - therefore Booth went to see if William Keighley would have no objection to give up the order - (no! none at all, was afterwards the answer) Ann had had before 12 her Lower Crownest tenant Mr Hirst - she said she would repair the barn doors, but thought he ought to pay a little more rent - no! he could not pay more rent - had applied to Mr. Jones to get Sir Joseph Radcliffe to lower the rent, and Mr. ...

Wild windy snowy morning the ground white Fahrenheit 34 inside and 31 1/2 outside at 9 a.m. breakfast at 9 1/4 and sat talking till about near 10 Then about in the house - Edward Waddington and another mason at the passage laying it with brick - 3 bricks laid flat one upon another and an air vent all along each side in the middle course - the plaster here as yesterday and finished lathing this afternoon Out about 11 - at Listerwick - nobody for Lowmoor at the drum - then at the water wheel - Robert Mann + 2 filling and carts as yesterday but could not go on in the afternoon the snow made it too soft therefore sent George Naylor's man to Lane ends for stones, and sent George to Wilson's for a load of coals - I waited at Listerwick till Jack Green had got his dinner then sent Joseph Mann to fill in his place (but they soon gave over and Robert and William Lord to help in getting up trees and Ben went to Lane ends) and took David Mann and went to Lower brea wood and shewed them wh...

Ann had a large loose motion on getting up seems rather better? Low last night after getting into bed but I roused her White frost this morning and cold bleak wind, and 1/2 frozen small snow occasionally driving about Fahrenheit 35 1/2 inside and 33 outside now at 8 40/60 a.m. breakfast at 8 3/4 to 9 10/60 when Mr. Horner came then with one workman or other till 11 1/2 Then a few minutes shewing Mr. Horner Mr. Harper's lithographs and 2 beautiful coloured drawings of the Pandroseum at Athens and an Egyptian temple - and last but not least his talented bird's eye view of what I should have liked to have been done at Northgate comprising exchange shops market &c. Shaw's man the plasterer here this morning lathing the bits in and about the hall ready for plastering - Edward Waddington and the young man William (here yesterday and Tuesday) had taken up the entrance passage flags at 8 3/4 - set Sam Booth to help to wheel the clay out - 3 courses of bricks and an air drain to...

Better this morning but far from right - gave Ann salts who has had no motion since her physic on Saturday Very cold white frosty windy morning Fahrenheit 34 1/2 inside and 31 1/2 outside at 9 a.m. and breakfast and sat talking Out between 10 and 11 to Robert Mann at the scale road down Charles Howarth's field - he and Joseph going to their maternal uncles funeral this afternoon - then at Listerwick - the Lowmoor men bodding at the drum - won’t do at all well yet Home about 11 1/2 - a little while with John Booth in the brew house (the pig killed yesterday) then with Ann she had only had one motion  Ann had a basin of mutton broth Had Booth - about 2 - backwards and forwards with him Out with Ann walked in front of the house 35 minutes - she seemed rather better for it Then had Holt at 3 1/2 for minutes - the drum wont do at all - to write and tell the engineer so by the men this afternoon and to see Mr. Hird this evening - up and down with Booth And wrote as follows to Mariana ...

Finish, dullish, cold morning - high wind - Fahrenheit 40 1/2 inside and 38 outside at 9 a.m. bilious brought up sheer bile Went downstairs about 9 1/4 and sat by Ann while she breakfasted, and afterwards sat over the fire in the great chair she sitting by me - had Booth between 11 and 12 about the new blacksmith's shop at Listerwick begun this morning by 2 of his men Ann had had Booth before and had had soon after 10 (and I with her) Sunderland, Rufus's son, about her cottage in Hipperholme part of the Langley's farm building which she let him to enter 1 May next and pay £5 per annum - about 50/- to be laid out extra for his butcher's shop - if he leaves in one year to pay two pounds of this sum, and it in 2 years to pay one pound of it, and if he stays more than 2 years to be rid of this extra payment At 12 had a little boiled milk - and sat over the fire till about 1 1/2 when Booth who had dined here called Edward (he and a new man squaring entrance passage flags) to...

Finish, dullish, windy softish coldish morning Fahrenheit 39 1/2 inside and 38 1/2 outside at 8 25/60 studying how to do the armories in the library passage - till breakfast at 8 50/60 in about 1/2 hour Then had Booth - Edward Waddington come to square the flags for the entrance passage - had Booth up in the blue room while I looked over (turned out) my drawers to see for the mason-working drawings of the stables at Northgate, for Mr. Nelson - Mr. Harper said he had left them with me - no! certainly not - on seeing them from Blythe, I gave them unopened to Booth, and have never had them since Then with Robert the joiner till off with Ann at 11 55/60 to Crow nest to look after William Keighley pruning poplars there and to see about some spouting wanted at the house - could not find William Keighley sauntered in the plantations in the sheep pasture - 4 good larches lately felled - 1/2 the firs or rather all of them want taking down, and the under wood might then get up - 1/2 the wood in ...

Ann low and getting into her old low way we must be off lay talking to her and again mentioned her settling her property safely on me Small snow when Ann got up at 6 to light the fire - and at 7 50/60 small snow driving about - but tho' cold, soft - the snow does not remain on the ground at all - Fahrenheit 38 inside and 35 outside at 9 The horses ordered (Sam went to order them after Ann and I got up) for 10 this morning to go to church - breakfast at 9 in 1/2 hour read a page or 2 of Lardner's Encylopædia Antiquities of Greece and Rome volume 1 Off to church at 10 took Oddy in the carriage with us, and the 2 men behind, all the rest staid at home - from before 9 small snowy, rainy, in part haily wild morning - 8 or 10 minutes longer on the road than usual got out and walk up the hill to the school - the horses would not go - restive - desired the postboy to get us another pair and he did change the horse he rode, and then the other came well enough back Mr. Wilkinson at churc...

Fine, cold morning - hard frost - ice - Fahrenheit 38 inside and 33 1/2 outside at 8 40/60 a.m. Breakfast at 9 - with Ann she had Thomas Riley (I think his name is) about cottage in Hipperholme - signed his agreement as entering to it today at £4.14.0 per annum - to give 12 notice - pay all taxes and keep in repair - rent payable weekly if required - not to keep a beer shop - I witnessed the agreement - it seems the old tenant is still in the house - he will go as soon as he can - when gone the day must be noted on the now-signed agreement Then had Wood John (mason) of Orange Street Halifax to be paid for pulling down and rebuilding boiler house and resetting boiler 6 + 15 = 21 and extra work £2.8.1 1/2 = £23.8.1 1/2 - abating the penny ha’penny in payment he seems a quiet steady man - whig or radical - longish political quiet talk - he said he should think of it afterwards All this and entering accounts and making memoranda took me till now 11 3/4 - then went out to Robert Mann + 3 on...