Thomas Turner

…We dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of some boiled mutton. At home all day. My wife very ill.

We dined on a beef pudding, turnips, parsnips, greens and potatoes… In the forenoon we had a great deal of snow fall, but as there was no frost it melted as it came down. At home all day. My wife very ill.

…My brother came over in the forenoon and dined with me on a piece of beef, a piece of pork, a suet pudding, boiled turnips, potatoes and greens. At home all day; a very cold day. My wife very ill. Mr Long made my wife a present of a woodcock and blackbird. He stayed and supped with us. In the evening read part of the London Magazine.

No service at our church in the morning, Mr Porter preaching at Laughton. We dined on a piece of beef boiled, a piece of pork, a raisin suet pudding, turnips and potatoes. Myself, servant and late servant at church in the afternoon… Mr Long drank tea with me… Borrowed of Thomas Durrant 2/-. My wife very ill.

…At home all day. My wife very ill. In the evening wrote my London letters. Sent Mr Paul Hornsby enclosed in a letter by Shelley, delivered to himself, one bill on Mr Will Margesson, dated tomorrow, 30 days’ date, No. 461, value 8.19.6, which bill when paid is in full on my account to Mr Hornsby to the 18th November. Paid John Gosling Jr 3/9 for 6 hedging cuffs received by him today.

After breakfast John Watford carried my mother Slater part of her way home… Paid Mr Heaver’s, the miller at Isfield, his son 19½d in full; viz.,

To 2 bushels bran	0.1.0
Do. 1 gallon grats	0.0.7½

At home all day. My wife, poor creature, extremely ill.

We dined on a piece of beef and some pork boiled and a woodcock roasted, turnips and potatoes. At home all day. My wife, poor creature, extremely ill.

…Paid Thomas Burfield in goods 8/9 in full for 15 beehives received by him today. At home all day. My wife, poor creature, most prodigious ill, but surely she bears her pain, which is excessive, with uncommon patience and resignation to the divine will, praying for grace with the greatest fervor and devotion, that she may bear her illness with patience.

In the forenoon my brother came over, and I lent him my horse. We dined on a piece of beef boiled and turnips. At home all day. My wife, poor creature, extremely ill. Oh, what a melancholy time I have; my spirits are quite sunk beneath a load of grief, and my heart overwhelmed with a sea of trouble, but let me not grieve at the divine will, but the more earnestly let me pray for grace to direct my steps and to put my trust in the Most High, who is a rock of defense to all such as call upon him faithfully and will hear their prayer in the needful time of trouble.

In the morning my brother came over and brought home my horse. He breakfasted with me and stayed and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Paid Benjamin Shelley in cash 9/- in full for the same sum he paid Mr Charles Browne this week in full on my account… Rec’d of Thomas Diplock in cash 30.12.4 for which sum I am to send a bill of the same value to Mr Matthew Blake in Hickman’s Folly near Dock Head in Southwark, which is his landlord and which bill with the following receipts I received of Master Diplock makes the sum of £37 and is in full for one year’s rent due from Master Diplock to Mr Blake at Lady Day last. The receipts received were as under:

To a receipt for a year’s land tax due Lady Day, 1760	5.8.0
To a receipt for 1 year’s quit rent due St Michael, 1760	0.12.8
To a bill of Mr John Farley’s	0.7.0
To the bill I am to send	30.12.4

…At home all day. My wife, poor creature, very ill.