Thomas Turner

In the morning sent Messrs Richards and Comber in cash by John Streeter £4… We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the afternoon sent our servant to Framfield. Paid Joseph Fuller by his son Richard 15d for a calf’s head received by him today… Charles Diggens drank tea at our house.

Myself and servant at church in the morning… We had a brief read for a parish church in the City of Bristol, to which I gave 1½d. We dined on part of a calf’s head boiled, a piece of bacon, turnip greens and potatoes. After dinner Thomas Davy and I walked over to Framfield, and Richard Fuller on their horse carried my wife. We found my mother very ill. We stayed and drank tea at Framfield and came home about 7:10. Thomas Davy at our house in the evening, to whom I read one of Tillotson’s sermons.

…We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Dame Dallaway and Frances Cole drank tea at our house. In the evening Thomas Davy at our house, and I also wrote my London letters. At home all day.

…We dined on the remains of Sunday’s dinner. Rec’d of Sarah Axel in cash 12/- in full… Robert Diggens and Joseph Fuller drank tea at our house. My wife very ill all day. Rec’d of the widow Trill by the payment of James Trill 12d in full.

At home all day. We dined on a suet pudding, parsnips and potatoes. In the afternoon Sarah, Bett and Kate Trill drank tea at our house. In the evening Mr Thornton, our new officer of excise, and Thomas Davy sat with us a while.

Thomas Davy at work for me all the forenoon a-helping me unpack my earthenware… Balanced accounts with Richard Page and received of him in cash 1.11.9 in full. He stayed and spent the evening with us. Thank God very busy today. At home all day.

In the forenoon sent our servant to Framfield… James Awcock bought some shirts of me and sat a while with us in the evening. Very busy all day.

In the forenoon my father Slater came and dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. My father went away about 3:50… At home all day and indifferently busy. In the evening read part of Addison’s Evidences of the Christian Religion.

About 6:20 my brotber Moses sent a man to acquaint me with the melancholy news of my mother’s death, which happened this morning about 2:30. A melancholy theme to say anything upon. Now, what can we do under such misfortunes but to submit to the will of Almighty God, and from such instances of the mortality of our nature learn to supplicate the Father of mercies to give us grace that we may meet death at any time (when he shall think proper to call) without fear, by being prepared by a virtuous and pious life, through the mercies and merits of our blessed Savior.

I walked over with the messenger and breakfasted with my brother and sister and also dined there in company with my brother Dicky. In the afternoon Thomas Durrant brought my wife over on Mr Thornton’s horse. We stayed at Framfield and drank tea and came home about 7:30. Today in my absence my brother William came to see me and dined with my wife on a sheep’s head and bell boiled, a piece of bacon, potatoes and parsnips. Thomas Durrant and James Merchant sat a while with us in the evening. A fine spring day as can be for the season of the year. In the evening read part of Steele’s Christian Hero.

In the morning my brother came over and breakfasted with us… In the evening went down to Jones’s, there being a public vestry. We also made a poor book after the rate of 3/6 to the pound. There were at the vestry Mr Jeremiah French, Mr William Piper, Thomas and Joseph Fuller, John Cayley, Richard Page, Ed Foord, Joseph Durrant, Joseph Burgess, Mr John Hammond and myself. I came home about 9:10. Our servant sat up with Thomas Ling. Very busy all day. Paid John Cayley in cash 2/- for 2 seats in the church of Mrs Browne’s, it for one year due in February.