Thomas Turner

Mary Heath a-washing for us half the day and dined with us… At home all day and very busy. In the evening wrote my London letters.

After breakfast my wife and I went over to Framfield on a horse of Thomas Fuller’s. My wife and self at church at Framfield in the morning where we had a sermon preached by the Rev Mr Thomas Wharton, vicar of Framfield, from part of Hebrews 4:7: “Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” We dined with my brother and sister on a leg of mutton boiled and a pond currant pudding (our servant at home dining on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with a butter pudding cake}. Neither my wife nor self at church in the afternoon.

We drank tea with my brother and sister and came away about 5:20 and got as far as Mr Bannister’s at High Cross when I could get my horse no farther double, but was obliged to hire Mr Bannister’s horse and son to bring my wife home. We got home about 7:40, but well drenched with the rain. I gave Mr Bannister’s son 18d. James Marchant went home with Mr Fuller’s horse and came back and smoked a pipe with me.

…In the forenoon our late servant went home and we made her a present of a handkerchief, value 13½d, for her trouble of coming over. We dined on the remains of Sunday’s dinner with the addition of a pearl barley pudding. Mr John Hammond and his wife and son and Sarah Inkpin drank tea at our house. At home all day. Thomas Davy at our house in the evening. Thank God very busy all day. In the evening read part of the London and Universal Magazines for March. A remarkable shower of hail today between 12 and 1 o’clock, which I imagine continued 40 minutes. The hail was very large and came so fast that it lodged on the ground as it were like snow.

I breakfasted at Framfield and also dined there… with my brother and sister, my brothers John and Richard, my aunt Moon and cousin Thomas Ovendean… I came home about 4:10. A very wet day. In the evening read part of some old magazines. Joseph Fuller Jr smoked a pipe with me in the evening.

…In the morning took up a livery coat for Mr Coates’s servant and a fustian frock for Mr Porter’s son and servant. About 10:20 I walked over to Framfield and dined at my brother’s… in company with my brother and sister, brothers Dicky and John and William, my uncle Hill and cousin Molly, my aunt Moon, uncle Will Ovendean and his wife and my cousin Thomas Ovendean. About 8:30 we buried my mother. Ah, melancholy scene (she was in the 62^nd year of her age); we are now left as it were without any head, quite mother and fatherless, and it seems just as if we were now a-going to turn out in a wild world without any friends. Oh, may the God of all mercy pour His holy spirit into our hearts that he may grow in grace and unite together with brotherly love and kindness and always think of our high calling through our blessed Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ. I stayed at Framfield all night.

…At home all day and very busy marking up goods. In the evening our late servant Mary Martin came in, we having sent for her by Thomas Davy, to assist my wife tomorrow in my absence. Thomas Davy and she supped with us. In the evening read part of Steele’s Christian Hero.

After breakfast went down to Halland with a pattern of cloth for his livery… After dinner walked over to Framfield where I drank tea. Came home about 7:10. In the evening Thomas Davy at our house.

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.

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 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.