Author: Thomas Turner

In the morning wrote out the window tax books for Mr Joseph Burgess and Joseph Fuller… Several very heavy showers of rain in the day, which makes this the 18th wet day we have had successively. In the afternoon my brother came over and brought me from my mother in cash 4.4.0 in part for nails which I have sent for on account of my mother. At home all day. In the evening wrote my London letters.

…After dinner I rode over to Framfield. I called upon my mother, but did not stay. I then went and looked upon Mr Peckham’s wool, where I stayed and drank tea on account of the rain there was in the time I was examining his wool. I offered Mr Peckham 21/- per tod for his wool, which is more by 12d per tod than it is really worth, but he would not take it till he had heard more of the prices, being as I presume afraid he should sell it for 6d per tod less then it was worth. I think Mr Peckham to all outward appearances seems to be a very worldly man. Came home about 5:30. In the afternoon John Watford a-cutting my grapevine. After I came home, Mr Francis Elless played at cricket against Thomas Durrant and myself for one pound of gingerbread; he beat us 7 runs at one innings. This is the 19th day on which it has rained successively. In the day read part of The Peerage of England.

This day about 1:30 we had a very remarkable shower of rain, for I conject for about 6 or 7 minutes I saw it rain extreme hard at about 40 rods distance, though at the same time we had none, and the boys that were at play before the door would often cry out that they played both in fine and wet weather. But at last the shower came over, and a very heavy one it was. We heard one clap of thunder, which I think was a pretty way off, by the interval of time which passed between the flash of lightning and the clap of thunder, but it was very loud… Mrs Coates and Mrs Atkins drank tea at our house in the afternoon. In the evening Mr Elless and I walked down to Mr Sam Gibbs’s when I bought his wool at 7½d per lb. We came home about 9:10, and sober. This is the 20th day on which it has rained successively. In the day read part of The Peerage of England–and in the forenoon; at work in my garden part of it.

After breakfast Mrs Virgoe and I set out for Lewes where we arrived about 11:10. We looked over her house to give orders for repairs. We gave Mr Rice orders to do such repairs as were absolutely necessary and no more. I dined at the White Horse on a piece of beef boiled, a plain and apple pudding, white cabbage and French beans… I drank tea at Mr Bennett’s in company with my brother Moses and their family. I called on Mr Madgwick, Mr Thomas Scrase and Mr Verral. We came home about 8:10. Paid Mr Sam Newell

in full	0.1.0
For pair shoes	0.4.0
	0.5.0

Spent today as under on Mrs Virgoe’s account (as I went on her business):

To my dinner	0.0.6
½ pint wine	0.0.6
3 pints beer	0.0.9
To the shoeing the horse	0.0.6
Horse and ostler	0.0.3
Turnpike etc.	0.0.2½
	0.2.8½

This is the 2lst day on which we have had rain successively.

In the forenoon Mr George Tomlin’s son, a hop-factor in Southwark, called on me. We walked down to Mr French’s, where we stayed about half an hour; he informs me hops in Kent are like to be very indifferent… At home all day. About noon we had a very hard shower of rain, which makes this the 22nd day on which we have had rain successively… In the afternoon read part of Gay’s Fables. Thank God pretty busy all day, but a melancholy time for money, it being almost impossible to get in any debts, and where I owe anything, people press hard for their money. Oh, my easy temper! My wife extremely lame with her leg again.

In the forenoon Mr and Mrs French here a-taking up 2 coats for Mr French. Mrs French breakfasted with us. Between 11 and 12 o’clock we had a very heavy shower of rain and several loud claps of thunder, though seemingly very distant, we not having above one flash of lightning which was perceived by us here. Mr Gibbs made me a present of a shoulder of venison. I gave his son 12d. Thomas Cornwell made me a present of two carp; I gave him 6d. This day has been a very busy one, having done I believe 8 pounds’ worth of business,… At home all day. This is the 23rd day on which we have had rain successively. Mrs Rice called on us in the afternoon, but did not stay my longer than buying her goods, which was a good parcel. In the day read part of Gay’s Fables and in the evening part of Sherlock on judgment.

[The following excerpts from vol. 40 of the diary are taken from the Sussex Archaeological Collections, XI, 199-200.]

Oh what a misfortune it is upon me my wife’s being lame again, but let me not repine, since it is the Divine will. This is the twenty-ninth day on which we have had rain successively.

[The following excerpts from vol. 40 of the diary are taken from the Sussex Archaeological Collections, XI, 199-200.]

I completed the reading of Gay’s Fables, which I think contains a very good lesson of morality; and I think the language very healthy, being very natural.

[The following excerpts from vol. 40 of the diary are taken from the Sussex Archaeological Collections, XI, 199-200.]

In the evening the Duke of Newcastle came to Halland, as did Lord Gage, Sir Francis Poole, Mr Shelley, Colonel Pelham, Mr Pelham and several more, and stayed all night. What seems very surprising to me in the Duke of Newcastle is that he countenances so many Frenchmen, there being ten of his servants, cooks etc. which [were] down here of that nation.

[The following excerpts from vol. 40 of the diary are taken from the Sussex Archaeological Collections, XI, 199-200.]

Mr Blake’s rider called on me and he and I rode together to Lewes, when I think I [saw] the finest horse-race that ever I [saw] run on that down or any other. There [were] four horses started for the purse, £50. There was a numerous, but I think not a [b??iant], company. I came home in company with Mr Francis Elless, about ten; but, to my shame do I say it, very much in liquor.