Author: Thomas Turner

Sunday, April 3 1757

My whole family at church in the morning. …We dined on a bullock’s heart pudding, a piece of pork and potatoes. No churching in the afternoon, Mr Porter setting out on his journey for London in the afternoon. In reading of one of Tillotson’s sermons I find the following passage which God give me grace to engrave on my heart and to make it the constant rule of my actions: “Let us be strick and constant in our piety and Devotion towards God; chaste and temperate in reference to ourselves; Just and Honest, Kind and Charitable, humble and meek, Patient and peaceable towards all Men; Submissive and obedient to our Superiors, natural, civil, and Spiritual.”

This day paid the widow Pilfold0.6.0
Do. John Streeter for house rent and for Widow Pilfold0.3.0
0.9.0

In the evening Thomas Davy sat with us a while, to whom, and in the day, I read 5 of Tillotson’s sermons.

Monday, April 4 1757

In the morning arose and went over to Framfield. Came home again to breakfast. Then went up to Mr Vine’s with some goods for the audit and from thence to Sinden’s. As I came home, called at Mr Reeve’s, Mr Piper’s and Mr John Vine Jr’s for poor tax but found none of them home. After I came home, went up to Mr Vine’s again with more goods… I went down to Halland and received of Mr Coates in cash 2.9.0 for poor tax. I came home and went up to Mr Piper’s and received of him 4.11.0 for poor tax and paid him 14/1½ on the parish account; viz., 5/- for removing John Durrant, and 8/1½ for 39 lbs of cheese for Dame Burrage. I stayed and supped at Mr Piper’s and smoked a pipe and came home about 9:20.

As I came home, I found Thomas Cornwell and John Durrant had come home from their journey and brought bad news; namely, that they had let the man make his escape, but that they had left Mr French and Joseph Fuller to proceed on their journey with the woman, Dame Vinal a-washing for us today…

Tuesday, April 5 1757

Tuesday, Apr, 5: In the morning went down to John Watford’s and received of him l.4.6 for poor tax. Dame Vinal a-washing for us again today… Mary Carpenter drank tea with us. About 6 o’clock Mr Elless and I walked down to Mr Thomas Osborne’s for poor tax, but could get none this day. Sent Messrs Margesson and Collison, in a parcel of old magazines, by Mr Thomas Smith, in cash as under:

936/- pieces16.40
227 do2.14.0
8guineas8.8.0
2hald-do1.1.0
28.7.0

…Very busy all day…

Wednesday, April 6 1757

…My brother came over in the forenoon to assure to come and serve a funeral for my mother on Saturday next… About 3:25 I went up to Mr Vine’s to the audit and received of Mr John Vine for the audit bill 2.17.6, and for a bill of nails 0.6.6. Gave his daughter 12d. Came home about 8:20 pretty sober. I this day received of Mrs Porter £4 and a land tax receipt for 20/- to pay Mr Porter’s rent at the audit to St Michael last, which I did and took a receipt accordingly.

Thursday, April 7 1757

In the morning went down to Master Bridgman’s and received of Mr Thomas Swain 7.1.9 in full for poor tax. In the afternoon went down to Mrs Porter’s and carried her the receipt I took yesterday and received of her in cash 5.10.3 in full for poor tax… Received of Mr John Vine 7.10.5 In full for poor tax… Balanced accounts with Edmund Elphick as under:

Elphick Dr.
To a book debt3.2.10
To poor tax0.17.6
4.0.4
Per contra Cr.
To mending and making for Lucy Braizer0.1.4
To faggots and chucks for Trill0.6.6
Horse hire0.16.0
To keeping Lucy Brazier 51 weeks3.16.6

But Elphick’s bill being cast but 4.0.4 I paid him no money; so there remains due to him 20/-. In the evening my brother came over to work for James Marchant tomorrow; so that he lay at our house…

Friday, April 8 1757

…My brother breakfasted, dined and supped with us… Paid Edmund Elphick by goods 19/1 and by cash 11d in full for the 20/- omitted yesterday.

Paid Ed Wood by a book debt0.14.0
By goods today0.6.5½
By cash today0.16.0
1.16.5½,

which is in full for weaving 125 yards of cloth at 31/2d per yard for the parish. Finished posting my day book and also posted the parish account. Mary Geal at Halland drank tea with us… Rec’d of Mr John Vine Jr 17/6 in full for poor tax.

Saturday, April 9 1757

In the morning my brother and myself walked over to Framfield where we arrived about 7.15, whence, after staying some time, and tying up some hatbands, and telling and taking an account of the gloves and breakfasting about 10:10, we set off in order to serve the funeral of Mr John Cornwell, at which house we arrived about 11 o’clock. We had served the funeral about 3:40 when we set out for Buxted Church and buried him. Mr John Cornwell was 77 years of age and a hearty man almost to the last, only afflicted with the stone. We gave away at the funeral 106 pairs of gloves and 8 hatbands. We came back to my mother’s about 6:20, where we dined on some beefsteaks. After staying some little time, my brother came home along with me. We went round by Mr Colgate’s and left 3 pairs of gloves, and called at Whyly but did not stay long. We came home about 9:50. My brother stayed all night… Mrs Vine and Bet Vine drank tea with my wife. In my absence my wife received of Thomas Osborne for poor tax 17/6…

Sunday, April 10 1757

Easter day: In the morning my brother arose and went to Mr Smith’s at Heronsdale [a small manor in Waldron] with a pair of gloves, and came back and breakfasted with us and then went home. No churching this forenoon on account of Mr Porter’s being not at home. We dined on a piece of bacon, potatoes, turnip greens and a plain batter pudding. My whole family at church in the afternoon the Reverend Mr Hamlin of Waldron preaching here; the text Colossians 3:1: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” After churchtime I went down to Mr French’s to balance the parish accounts, which I did as under:

Mr French Dr.
To poor tax for 1757 for Whyly21.0.0
Do. the woodlands to do.6.13.0
Do. Mr Virgoe’s2.5.6
29.13.6
 
Per contra Cr.
To 43 bushels wheat and 2 bushels 2 gallons oats delivered by him to Will Sinden for the use of the poor between the 13th September and the 9th April and amounting by Sinden’s account to the sum of


13.7.2¾
12 bushels oats and Tester1.10.0
To Wood6.19.329.18.6
To his churchwarden’s bill4.18.1025.15.3¼
26.15.3¾3.3.2¼

which sum of 3.3.2¼ that was due me I made received on a Bill of Mr Francis concerning the charges of carrying home Will Tull. I also paid him 15d for ½ bushel oats on my own account. I stayed there till near nine o’clock. In my absence my brother and George Richardson came to our house for the remains of Mr Madgwick’s gloves. My brother came down to Whyly to me, but did not stay, but they both stayed and drank tea with my wife. Thomas Davy sat with us in the evening. Rec’d of Mr John Mugridge 4.0.6 in part of poor tax. This day Richard Elless and Elizabeth Geal were publicly asked.

Easter Monday, April 11 1757

In the morning at home. Paid Mr Stone’s parish bill, 3.8.2… My brother Will came over to see me and dined with my family on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some rashers of pork, myself being at Jones’s, having dined before. I received there of Mr Joseph Burgess in cash 1.10.0 and by 2.2.0 for Durrant’s rent and 12/- for roots, which together makes 4.4.0, and is in full for poor tax. Paid Master Rothfields’s bill for flax 2.8.0 Rec’d of Joseph Fuller the balance of his poor tax, as also of Richard Page, Jo Durrant for himself and Mr Lucas, John Potter, Ed Hope, John Cayley, Peter Adams and Thomas Fuller. I made up my accounts with the parish and there remain due to me 25.14.10½. The officers chosen for the year 1757 were myself churchwarden, Joseph Fuller electioner, Will Piper overseer, Ed Hope electioner, but as it was proved William Piper had served it very lately, it was agreed Ed Hope should serve it. We broke up about 10:20. My brother lodged at our house all night…

Tuesday, April 12 1757

My brother and Mr Streton breakfasted with us and went away immediately. I paid John Cayley on the parish account 22.10.0 in full for 1½ years’ rent due for Sinden’s mill to Mrs Browne at St Michael last. Sent by Mr Thomas Smith, in a book, to Messrs Margesson and Collison in cash £46…

We dined on a piece of pork, turnip greens and potatoes. This day balanced accounts with Robert Hook and there remains due to me 0.6.1½. Also balanced accounts with Master Piper and received of him 6/6 in full to this day. Paid John Durrant 0.5.9¾ in full. Rec’d of Richard Marchant 7/- in full for poor tax and paid him then 19/- in full. Paid Mr Joseph Burgess the 10/- borrowed of him the 25th March last, and he also agreed to be put in the poor book as electioner for overseer. At home all day. Thomas Davy sat with us in the evening.