Author: Thomas Turner

…Rec’d of Thomas Roase by the payment of his wife 4/- in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael lest. Thomas Durrant dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Gave the following box money:

T. Fuller’s boy	0.0.6
Isaac Turner	0.0.3
Joseph Durrant’s boy	0.0.6

In the evening wrote my London letters. Joseph Fuller and Thomas Durrant smoked a pipe with me in the evening. At home all day.

In the forenoon carried in Mr Coates’s bill. Collected…of Mr Richard Bristed 5.2.0…of Edward Hope 1.8.0…of Edward Scribbens…0.12.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last. Sam Jenner and I played a few games of cribbage in the evening; I lost 3 ½ d. It being a very wet evening, Sam Jenner supped with me and stayed all night.

In the forenoon my brother Will came to see me and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of a few rashers of pork boiled. At home all day. Mr Francis Elless spent the afternoon with me and supped with me. We played a few games at cribbage in the evening; I lost 6d. My brother stayed all night. Very little to do all day; a truly melancholy time for trade. Somewhat indisposed today with a sore throat occasioned as I presume by the lodging of a raisin stone in my throat the 21st instant.

In the forenoon my brother and I walked out in order to get in some land taxes, but I could not succeed. We then walked to Dr Stone’s in order to ask his opinion on my throat; we came home about 2:20. My brother dined with me on a piece of pork, a piece of beef, and a raisin suet pudding and turnips boiled.

Rec’d of Thomas Reeve as I came home 2.16.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last. In the evening went down and balanced accounts with Mr Porter, and received of him in cash 57.10.11 in full to this day; viz.,

Mr Porter Dr.
To sundry goods from Dec. 27, 1760, to Dec. 31, 1761, both days inclusive	63.3.3
Per Contra Cr.
Rec’d by 4 cord wood	2.12.0
Do. by 4 hundred faggots	2.12.0
Rec’d by soap tubs and mustard seed	0.1.4
Do. in cash today	57.10.11
Rec’d 4 bushel Oats	0.7.0
	63.3.3

I then received of Mr Porter 1.8.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last. Also 5/- for some things not charged in the foregoing account. Stayed at Mr Porter’s till about 11:40. My brother stayed all night with me. One of my servants out all night a-dancing. Rec’d of John Vine Jr (by his son) 10/- in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last.

My brother stayed and breakfasted with me and then went away… In the afternoon Mr Shoesmith and Richard Fuller came to see me and stayed an hour or 2 with me and Richard Fuller, being in liquor, stayed all night.

In the evening Joseph Fuller Jr, myself and Thomas Durrant went down to Jones’s, where we spent 8 ½ d each and came home about 9:10. Rec’d of Mr John Vine by the payment of his son Charles 4.8.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last…

…I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some mutton chops broiled. Paid Ben Shelley in cash 3.13.6 in full for the same sum he paid Mr Sam Post in full on my account the 30th ult. Gave John Shelley 12d to his Christmas box, as it is called. At home all day, but not a great deal to do. Joseph Fuller Jr smoked a pipe with me in the evening.

…Myself and both servants at church in the morning. We had a brief read for the rebuilding of the parish church of Wack in the county of Salop, to which collection I gave 1½d. I dined on a piece of pork boiled, a plain and plain batter puddings, and turnips. Myself and both servants at church in the afternoon…

Thomas Durrant drank tea with me, to whom in the evening I read two of Tillotson’s sermons, and in the day read part of Drelincourt on The Christian’s Defence against the Fears of Death.

…Molly French and Mrs Browne, together with Mr Long, drank tea with me, and in the evening we, together with Thomas Durrant and Samuel French, played at brag; I won 12d, and they all supped with me on some bread and cheese, and went away about 11:20.

Rec’d of Edward Alcorn 8/4 in full. Rec’d of the Widow Browne £1… of Widow Page by the payment of her son John 2.16.0…of John Cayley 1.6.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last. Rec’d of his Grace the Duke of Newcastle by the payment of Mr Will Michell (to Thomas Davy from whom I received it) in cash 7.19.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last, for Halland House and woods.

Rec’d of Mrs Atkins 26/- in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last. Rec’d of Francis Turner by the payment of his son Isaac 12/- in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last. Rec’d of John Jones by the payment of his wife 4/6 in part of half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last. In the forenoon went down to Halland and balanced accounts with Mr Coates [including] half a year’s land tax… 1.6.0… I dined on a leg of mutton boiled, a piece of pork and turnips. Rec’d of Richard Hope 1.12.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last. In the evening went down to Mr Porter’s, where I stayed and supped and came home about 10:20. Rec’d of John Nutley 20/- in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last…

Rec’d of John Jones by the payment of his wife 18d, which with the 4/6 received yesterday makes together 6/-… of Joseph Fuller in cash 1.12.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last. Balanced accounts with Thomas Davy as under:

Thomas Davy Dr.
To sundries in the ledger	0.7.8
To 92 tiles	0.1.6
To expenses etc.	0.5.0
To 1 pk gin and brandy	0.11.6
To half a year’s land tax due at St Michael last	0.4.0
In Cash today	20.9.4
	21.19.0
Per contra Cr.
Rec’d by cash borrowed of him the 9th day of March last upon my note of hand, which I now took up…	10.0.0
To interest for the same	0. 8.0
To balance due to me	11.11.0
	21.19.0

for which sum of 11.11.0 Thomas Davy gave me his note of hand payable to me or order on demand, dated today. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of a piece of pork boiled. Sam Jenner drank tea with me. In the evening walked down to Whyly where I balanced accounts with Mr French and paid him 12/4 ½ in full of all demands (on both sides) to this day; viz.,

Mr Jeremiah French Dr.
To sundries from the 22nd day of March 1760 to the 3rd day of December 1761, both days inclusive	13.10.8¾
To ½ year’s land tax due at St Michael last	16. 0.0
In cash today	0.12.4¾
To money upon a note of hand dated 23  Dec. 1760	6.0.0
	36.3.1½
Per contra Cr.
To a bill for oats, wood, horse keeping etc.	3.16.3
To wool in the year 1760	7.5.1½
To do. in the year 1761	5.17.3
To 2 parcels of money paid by Mr George Tomlin (for hops sold) to Mr Will Margesson in 1761	14.16.6
To Piper’s poor tax by a poor rate made the 26th December 1761	3.18.0
	36.3.1½

Came home about 9:50, sober. I supped with Mr French. A more melancholy time for trade I think I never knew.