Author: Thomas Turner

In the morning early Mr Dodson walked to Lewes in order to stand the shop for him during the fair, today being Cliffe Fair. My brother came in the morning and breakfasted with me, and then I went to Cliffe Fair on some business relating to Mr Vine’s affairs.

I dined at Mr Reese’s on some fresh salmon boiled, a cold ham and cold pigeon pasty, some roasted pigeons and green salad, (my brother and servant at home dining on the remains of yesterday and Saturday’s dinners). I spent upon myself, horse and turnpike 2/4. Came home about 8:20, not quite sober.

My brother went home in the evening. After I came home wrote my London letters. Paid 3/6 today for an advertisement about Mr Vine’s affairs. Lent Robert Hook in cash two guineas…

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Rec’d of Joseph Fuller in cash 9.4.0 and by a shilling spent makes 9.5.0 and is in full for the same sum which he sold to [?] for at Cliffe Fair, the property of Mr John Vine. At home all day. Sam Jenner drank tea with me and in the evening we played a few games of cribbage. A very fine warm day. Business very dull and losses in trade never more frequent. Therefore I hardly know what we in trade are to do.

Thomas Durrant dined with me on a shoulder of veal stuffed and roasted, with some green salad. In the afternoon Mr Dodson returned from Fair. At home all day and very little to do.

In the forenoon went up to Mr Vine’s, where I sold a roller to Mr Relfe at Ripe (the property of Mr Vine) for 16/-, and for which I received the money. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Paid Joseph Fuller Jr in cash 9.13.0 in full for the note of hand I gave him some time ago, but I find I forgot to date it; but however it was for a bill of the same value I received of him on Mr Oddy the hop-factor in Southwark.

In the evening Sam Jenner and I played a few games of cribbage; I lost 12½ d. Very little to do all day.

Sam Jenner at work for me all day and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, and the addition of some rashers of pork boiled, and green salad. At home all day and very little to do.

Rec’d of Mr James Bristed by the payment of Mr Joseph Durrant in cash 1.12.0 in full for the same sum assessed on his lands in this parish by a poor rate made the 17th ult. Very busy a-marking up goods and putting my shop in order. In the evening read part of the OEconomy of Nature, by Richard Russell M.D. and I think it a very well-wrote treatise.

…I dined on some calf’s liver and rashers of pork fried. At home all day and but very little to do. In the forenoon filled up my land and window tax receipts. In the afternoon posted part of my London accounts and wrote my London letters, as I intend (if nothing more than I at present know of intervenes) going to the fair at Uckfield on Monday next.

In the evening T. Durrant and Joseph Fuller Jr sat with me some time. Set down too much today in the book; nought, nought but credit… an excessively wet afternoon.

Myself, Mr Dodson and servant at church in the morning… During the time we were at church my friend Mr George Richardson dined and my brother Richard came to see me and they with me on a calf’s heart in a pudding, a piece of beef boiled, greens and a green salad.

My brother, Mr Dodson and servant at church in the afternoon, Mr Richardson and myself staying at home. During divine service Mr Joseph Hartley came to bring me a new wig, as also to accompany back to Lewes my friend Mr George Richardson and my brother. They all, together with my friend Sam Jenner, stayed and drank tea with me and went away.

Paid Mr Joseph Hartley in cash	0.8.6½
By goods	0.16.5½
	1.5.0
in full for a new wig received today	1.1.0
and new mounting an old one	0.4.0
	1.5.0

but out of the 16/5½ for goods 5/- is for a pair of 4 thread black hose, not delivered. Sam Jenner and Thomas Durant sat with me some time in the evening, to whom I read part of Young’s True Estimate of Human Life.

…Received of [Joseph Burgess] in cash 0.15.0 in full for land and window tax due at Lady Day last.

Gave him cash for the following bank bill:

No. H192 (1764)
 
I promise to pay to Samuel Dash Esq or bearer on demand the sum of Ten Pounds.
 
London, the 30th day of March, 1764
For the Gov[erno]r and Compa[ny] of the
Bank of England
 
Entd.                                   T. Tomlinson D. Lambert

Rec’d of Mr Porter by the payment of Mrs Porter the sum of 6.17.6 in full for land and window tax due at Lady Day last.

In the forenoon walked down to Halland to meet Mr William Michell, but he was not come to Halland. I dined on a hot beef pie and green salad. After dinner walked down to Halland where I dined a second time in company with Mr and Mrs Coates, Mr Baley and Mr Michell, on a shoulder of mutton roasted, a chick roasted, a cold veal pasty, apple pie, and green salad and gravy sauce.

Rec’d of Mr William Michell in cash	0.4.0
a draft of Messrs Hoare’s	50.0.0
	50.4.0
which was in full as follows:
To my bill for goods on the Duke of Newcastle’s account in full to this day	25.9.0
To one year’s window tax for Halland House due at Lady Day last from the Duke of Newcastle	16.16.0
To half a year’s land tax due at Lady Day last for Halland House and woodland, due from the Duke of Newcastle	7.19.0
	50.4.0

…Rec’d of Mr Smith in cash 13.7.0 in full as follows:

To the poor tax assessed on Mr Thomas Swaine by a poor rate made the 17th ult. for part of Halland farm.	8.12.0
To half a year’s land tax due from Mr Thomas Swaine for do. at Lady Day last	4.1.0
To one year’s window tax due from Richard Bridgman at Lady Day last	0.14.0

Came home about 5:10. Rec’d of Mrs Atkins in cash 2.17.6 in full for half a year’s land tax and a year’s window tax due at Lady Day last. Rec’d of Robert Hook 3/- in full for 1 year’s window tax due at Lady Day last. Took from the cash I have received on Mr John Vine’s account 5.18.0 in full for half a year’s land tax and one year’s window tax due at Lady Day last.

In the evening Master Jenner, myself and Thomas Durrant walked to Mr Richard Bristed’s, where I received of him in cash 5.2.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due at Lady Day last… But very little to do in the shop the whole day. Sam Jenner sat with me some time in the evening. Supped on some asparagus made me a present of by Mr Coates’s servant.

Rec’d of Thomas Reeve by the payment of his daughter in cash 2.9.0 in part of land and window tax; rec’d of John Cayley by Joseph Burgess in cash £2 in full for half a year’s land tax and one year’s window tax due at Lady Day last.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a plain suet pudding and some pea soup. Took from the cash I have received on my trust from being one of the executors and devisees of Mr William Piper deceased 3.12.0 in full for one year’s window and half a year’s land tax due at Lady Day last. Rec’d of Edward Foord in cash 3.7.0 in full for 1 year’s window and half a year’s land tax due Lady Day last; also received of him in cash 14/-, which with the cash received of him the 23rd ult. makes the sum of 7.8.0 and is in full for the same sum assessed on him by a poor rate made the 17th ult.

In the evening walked down to Whyly where I received of Mrs French 17.14.6 in full for half a year’s land tax and one year’s window tax due at Lady Day last. Rec’d of Richard Hope in cash 1.15.0 in full for one year’s window and half a year’s land tax due at Lady Day last. Mr Dodson in my absence received of James Fuller in cash 2.2.0 in part of land and window tax; rec’d of Thomas Davy in cash 11/- in full for one year’s land and window tax due at Lady Day last; also received of him 5/- in full for 1 year’s interest due on his note of hand the 28^th day of February last to myself and the other executors and devisees of Mr William Piper deceased.

Very busy today in making the new land and window tax books, as also settling other accounts, that I was almost the whole day continually busy a-writing. Dame Akehurst coming to brew for me tomorrow took part of my servant’s bed.

Rec’d of Joseph Durrant in cash 0.17.0 in full for one year’s window tax (3/-) and half a year’s land tax (14/-) due at Lady Day last. Rec’d of John Jones in cash 0.15.0 in full for one year’s land tax (12/-) and one year’s window tax (3/-) due at Lady Day last. Rec’d of James Hutson in cash 1.17.0 in full for one year’s window tax (3/-) and half a year’s land tax (10/-) due at Lady Day last, and 24/- of poor tax assessed on him by the rate made the 17th ult… Rec’d of Mr George Bannister in cash 5/- in full for window tax due at Lady Day last. Rec’d of Edward Hope in cash 1.11.0 in full for one year’s window tax and half a year’s land tax due at Lady Day last.

After breakfast I rode to Maresfield to meet the general receiver of the land tax, where I paid his deputy Mr Thomas Gerry the following cash:

100 Guineas	105.0.0
10 half-do.	5.5.0
1 quarter-do.	0.5.3
2 shillings	0.2.0
	110.12.3

which, with the salary allowed for collecting, is in full for one year’s window tax and house duty, and half a year’s land tax, due from this parish at Lady Day last.

I called at my brother’s at Framfield as I went and as I came home. Stayed and dined on some new biscuit (my family at home dining on a beef pudding). Came home about 3:20. Spent today upon myself and horse 3d. Rec’d by the carrier today a receipt from Messrs Barlow, Wigginton and Francis for the bill sent them the 14th instant and which they have acknowledged to be in full. I also received a receipt from Mr Thomas Neatby & Son for the bill value £20 sent them the 14^th instant. Paid John Shelley for his brother Ben Shelley in cash 8.13.1 in full as under:

To money paid the 16th instant to Mr Robert  Nixon in full on my account	1.18.6
To do. the l6th to Mr Miles Stringer in full on my account	3.10.6
To money paid the 16th of May to Mr Thomas White in full on my account	2.0.6
To do. the 16th to Mr Ralph Doubleday in full on my account	1.2.6
To money paid for some garden seeds Bought for me	0.1.1

In the afternoon very busy; in the evening, read part of The London Magazine for April.