Author: Thomas Turner

…Rec’d of Thomas Davy 7/- in part of his and Master Hook’s club arrears, which I am to send by the post to Mayfield, tonight being quarter night, and I accordingly gave the post in cash 11/3, which is for mine, Master Hook’s and Thomas Davy’s quarterly arrears. At home all day; posted part of my day book. My wife very ill…

…Rec’d of Ben Shelley in cash 3.2.3, which with the money he paid in London for me this week makes together the sum of £10, which he received for me of Mr Evans on account of Joseph Fuller, agreeable to the note I received of him the 26th instant, and which I delivered to Shelley the same day… Paid Bett Mepham 4/3 in full for attending my wife. Rec’d of Mr Thornton 8/- for advertising his horse. Dame Durrant drank tea with my wife, who is extremely ill. At home all day and pretty busy.

…Paid a servant of Mr John Gosling’s in cash 5/2 for some goods received by him today. At home all day and thank God my wife something better. In the evening read Gibson on Lukewarmness in religion and a sermon of his entitled “Trust in God, the best remedy against fears of all kinds,” both of which I look upon as extreme good things.

…In the forenoon Dr Stone came to pay my wife a visit and let my blood. Our servant only at church in the morning. We dined on a skirt pudding, a piece of pork, carrots and potatoes. My brother William dined with us, he come to see me in the forenoon and stayed with us till near 4 o’clock. No service at our church in the afternoon, Mr Porter preaching at Laughton.

Molly Fuller drank tea with my wife, who is, I hope, something better. Thomas Davy sat with us in the evening, to whom I read 3 of Tillotson’s sermons. Today we had the melancholy news of the death of his most august Majesty George the 2nd, King and Parent of this our most happy isle. His death happened yesterday morning about 7 o’clock by a fit of an apoplexy; had his Majesty lived to the 10th of November he would have been 77 years of age. He has sat upon the British throne 33 years the 21st of last June.

We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of a skirt and plain suet pudding and potatoes. In the afternoon my brother came over and I gave him a bill on Mr Will Margesson, payable to him… value 21.2.0, which leaves the sum of 1.9.6 due to my brother on the account of money I have received from him… At home all day. My wife very ill. In the evening wrote my London letters.

…We dined on a piece of bacon boiled and carrots. At home all day and but very little to do. My wife really very ill and I doubt very dangerous.

Dame Durrant dined with us on a leg of mutton boiled and turnips. Rec’d of Mrs Atkins 14/10 in full. At home all day and my wife extremely ill.

In the forenoon my brother came over to assist me; he stayed and dined… Molly Fuller, Molly French, Thomas Fuller’s wife and Charles Vine’s wife drank tea with my wife. In the evening my father Slater came to see my wife… My brother stayed with me till near 8 o’clock. John Durrant brought my wife a present of a hare in the evening. My father stayed with us all night.

In the morning my father Slater went away. My brother came over again to assist me… In the afternoon my wife’s mother and brother came to see her and stayed all night. My brother stayed with me until near 8 o’clock. At home all day and my wife really extremely ill.

Paid 3d for 3 herring and 2 whiting bought today.

…Paid Mr John Gosling 20/6 for 2 reams of writing paper which he bought for me at Maidstone Fair. In the forenoon my brother Slater went home, leaving my mother behind… At home all day and thank God my wife something easier.