Author: Thomas Turner

…John Watford, a-gardening for me all day, dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some bullock’s heart fried… At home all day and not busy. Thomas Durrant took part of my bed.

Myself and servant at church in the morning… I dined on a bullock’s heart pudding and greens. After dinner Thomas Durrant and I walked to Laughton Church where we heard a sermon preached by the Rev Mr Lowden, Curate of Laughton, from part of Revelation 21:27: “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth…” After churchtime we walked to Mr Edward Shoesmith’s, where we drank tea and stayed and spent the evening. Came home about 8:10.

In the morning my late servant Mary Martin came to see me and breakfasted with me and also dined with me on a bullock’s heart pudding and turnips. She and Mrs Carman, who bought some goods in the shop, drank tea with me. At home all day and pretty busy. In the evening wrote my London letters. In the evening my late servant went home.

A remarkable fine season for the time of year. But how great the gloom that hangs on my melancholy brow! I who used to have a mind calm and serene am now tumult and confusion. How happy a state is wedlock when compared with a single life if we have an agreeable partner, as was once my happy lot.

…In the evening, there being a public vestry held at John Jones’s on parish affairs, about 6:20 I went to it. Our company which constituted the same was Mr Thomas Carman, Joseph Durrant, Edward Foord, John Nutley and myself. There being so small a number of people, we did no business of any consequence. Came home about 8:20, and, I am sure, very sober, for I hardly drank two spoonfuls of anything.

Dame Akehurst, being to brew for me tomorrow, took part of my servant’s bed.
 

Dame Akehurst, a-brewing for me today, dined with me on a chick pudding, a piece of pork and turnips. At home all day and very little to do. Paid Dame Akehurst 9d for her day’s work.

…I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some beef bones stewed and the broth. At home all day and really very little to do. A very cold day; about sunsetting it began freezing very hard. In the afternoon and evening posted part of my day book and wrote out Mrs Atkins’s bill.

Joseph Fuller and Thomas Durrant sat with me some time in the evening. My confinement is so great that I am fearful it will impair my health, which by the goodness of the Supreme Being I have for a great while enjoyed in a perfect state.

In the forenoon finished posting my day book …At home all day and very little to do in the shop. A very cold day, there being a very severe frost. In the evening Thomas Durrant sat with me some time. I wish I could say, as Young observes; that is, we ought to think ourselves the happiest of all mankind. And I am thoroughly persuaded in reason that what state I am in is best for me.

In the night there fell a shower of snow, but not enough to cover the ground. I dined on a hot beef pie. At home all day and very busy. A most remarkable cold day. The wind very high and the frost very severe.

Myself and servant at church in the morning… I dined on a beef pudding and turnips. After dinner I, in company with Richard Fuller, walked to Little Horsted Church where we heard an excellent sermon preached by the Rev Mr Warnford, rector of that parish, from the Matthew 7:12: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”

We, being too soon for church, went into Mr Lewer’s and stayed some time, where I saw and spoke with my uncle Hill. After church we went to Framfield and called on my brother, with whom we stayed about an hour… A very severe cold day; the frost very hard, and between 5 and 7 o’clock in the evening a pretty deal of snow fell. And between 7 and 9 o’clock it rained for some considerable time excessive hard, after which it cleared up and froze again.

…At home all day and pretty busy… In the evening wrote my London letters… A very cold day; the wind pretty high, and it froze very sharp in the evening.

Thomas Durrant drank tea with me, and he and myself were witnesses to Sam Virgoe’s signing and sealing an election of his father-in-law [stepfather] Thomas Davy his guardian.