Thomas Turner

Myself and nephew at church in the morning, my wife staying at home on account of her taking physic… We had a brief read for fire; the sufferers were John Hilton and ten others of the township of Nokk in the County of Salop, whose losses together amounted to the sum of £1439 and upwards. I collected on the said brief 21½d, and 1d I was to put in for Mr Burgess and 2d for Mr Elless together with 2½d I gave myself makes collected in the whole on the said brief 2/3. After churchtime I went into Mr Porter’s, when we both signed the brief. I received of Mr Porter 12d in order to carry some gingerbread etc. with me tomorrow to distribute among the boys when we walk the bounds of this parish against Chiddingly.

We dined on some boiled veal and the broth of it. After dinner I called Thomas and Joseph Fuller, also Thomas Fuller Sr, and we all walked together to Waldron Church (there being no service at our church this afternoon by reason Mr Porter preached at Laughton). …We, being too soon, went into the public house and spent 1½d each. Came home in company with Joseph Durrant and Thomas Fuller Sr. We called at John Cayley’s and drank 1 bottle beer. Came home about 5:10. In the day read part of the New Whole Duty of Man, and in the evening Thomas Davy at our house, to whom I read part of Sherlock on judgment.

Paid Mr Sam Beckett for money paid… in London… Mar. 29 to Frances George for dying a coat, 0.3.6… Borrowed of Mrs Virgoe, widow, by my wife in cash £10, but have given her no note for the same. We dined on the remains of Friday and yesterday’s dinners. At home all day and busy. Gave James Bull 2/2, he having a petition for to ask the charity of his friends and neighbors, he being lately fined £5 for only letting a person have part of 2 oz tea which he had just bought… Read part of The London Magazine for March. A very fine day, but a very sharp wind. Rec’d a letter from Mr John Crouch whereby he informed me he has made the balance of my account 53.14.0 to the last instant.

…My father and Nanny Slater stayed and breakfasted with us and then set out on their journey for Lewes… In the day Master Hook, myself and Joseph Fuller walked with John Browne over the late farm of Mr Hutson to buy the wood and faggots. Joseph Fuller and myself offered to give 8/- per cord and hundred of faggots for all the wood that was cut on the said farm (that is, where it stands). In the afternoon my brother Moses came over and stayed and drank tea with us.

In the morning sent by the post (that is, John Streeter) to Mr George Richardson in cash £10; viz.,

12	36/- pieces	21.12.0
1	27/- piece	1.7.0
16	guineas	16.16.0
5	Shillings	0.5.0

in order for him to set for me of Mr Sam Durrant one bill of the same value and to endorse it with my name and also to enclose it in a letter to Messrs Margesson and Collison. This letter I sent to Mr Richardson, along with the cash, open and unsealed.

Mary Heath a-brewing for us all day. We dined on a piece of beef boiled, an apple and a plain batter pudding and turnip greens. Rec’d back by the post a note from Mr George Richardson that he would take care of my money. Just as we were a-going to drink tea, my father and Fanny Slater came in, who drank tea with us, in company with Dame and Sarah Mott.

In the first part of the evening, down at Mr Porter’s. My father Slater spent the evening at our house. Paid Mary Heath 9d for brewing. Very busy all day. Some very Sharp storms of snow and hail. N.B.: The reason of my going down to Mr Porter’s was that Mr Porter sent for me to inform me that he had just received a letter from a gentleman at Brede, whom he wrote to some time since for a certificate for John Browne, wherein he was informed that the parish would not grant him a certificate till they had first seen him, on account that he was at Brede but the 25th ult., when he spoke nothing of it to any of the officers of the said parish.

Rec’d of Ben Mott 2.0.6 in full. At home all day and very busy. We dined on a light pudding and turnip greens. In the evening Mary Heath came to our house in order to brew for us tomorrow. She supped with us and lodged at our house. In the evening read part of Collins’s Peerage of England. A very cold sharp day, and a very hard frost last night. Oh, what can be a greater pleasure than to be employed in an honest calling all day, and in the evening to unbend and relax one’s thoughts by endeavoring to improve the mental and more noble part of man!

In the morning wrote my London letters and sent Messrs Kendall and Rushton (enclosed in a letter by Messrs Beckett and Shelley) 1 bill… value 23.6.0, in full to the 2lst ult. Also sent Messrs Crowder & Co…1 bill…value 8.12.11, in full from the 6th April to the 7th December, both days inclusive. Also sent Mr John Crouch 1 bill… value £10. Paid Mr Sam Beckett 4/6 in full for 9 yds linen received some time since. Paid Will Sinden 0.8.2 in full to a bill of flour from 27 October to 7 March, both days inclusive, 2.1.4…

We dined on the remains of Friday and Saturday’s dinners. In the evening walked down to Robert Warren’s at Laughton to ask him for a debt, but did not get it, and Mr Elless rode along with me on my colt. In the evening Mr Elless and Joseph Fuller sat with us a while. Very busy all day. A great quantity of snow fell this day, but it did not lie long on the ground.

After breakfast Mr Joseph Burgess came and desired I would accompany him to Maresfield (the sitting being there today), which I accordingly agreed to. About 11:10 we set out on foot. We just called at my mother’s, but did not stay, in order to get my brother to come over to assist my wife in my absence, which he accordingly did. We dined at the Chequer in Maresfield (at the 2nd sitting) in company with my father Slater and near or quite 30 more, on the remains of a buttock of beef boiled, a quarter of lamb roasted, a loin of veal and calf’s head…

Mr Burgess verified his book and got his summons, and we came away about 4:10 (he paying my expenses). We came home in company with Mr Pentecost and William Durrant of Chiddingly. We called at my mother’s, where I stayed and drank tea in company with Mr George Beard. We came home about 6:10 and my brother went away immediately.

In the evening went down to Jones’s, where there was a public meeting. We came home about 11:05, and very sober. Our company was Mr Coates, Thomas and Joseph Fuller, Mr French, Mr Joseph Burgess, John Watford, John Vine, Robert Hook, Will Piper, Thomas Carman, Richard Page, myself and Joseph Durrant. Our parish affairs in my opinion seem to move on in a better manner than formerly, there being now unanimity in almost all the vestries we have, when heretofore it was all noise and discord.

Rec’d today of my mother…15.12.6 in full…for 6 dozen hard soap, 1.6.0…to Messrs Crowley & Co. for a parcel of nails, 7.1.11… Rec’d of Mr Joseph Burgess in cash 22.4.4 in full; viz.,

Mr Burgess Dr.
To my bill on the parish account	11.2.9
To. do. as being churchwarden	7.10.10½
To my bill for money lent and paid for him to this day	4.12.0½
	23.5.8
Per Contra Cr.
To my poor tax for the year 1757	1.1.4
	22.4.4

After I had received the above, I paid Mr Burgess 2/- for money which he had expended and I had charged in my bill of goods on the parish.

In the morning myself, wife and nephew at church where we had a sermon preached by the Rev Mr Shenton, curate of Laughton (Mr Porter being to preach there, and also to administer the sacrament), from Mark 16:6: “And he saith unto them Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.”

The Widow Smith of Laughton dined with us on the remains of yesterday’s dinners. After dinner my brother Moses came over and went to church in the afternoon with us where we had a sermon preached by our own clergyman, the Rev Mr Thomas Porter, from the 1st verse of the 84th Psalm: “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!” My brother came back and drank tea with us and stayed till about 6:40. In the evening Master Hook and myself went and searched John Jones’s and Prall’s in order to see if there were any disorderly fellows, that we might have then into the sitting tomorrow in order to send them to sea etc. We found none that we thought proper to send. We spent 1½d at Jones’s and came home about 9:20.

At home all day. Thomas Cornwell a-gardening for me the greatest part of the day. He dined with us… In the afternoon Master Hook a-gardening for me. Mr Gadsden stayed and breakfasted with me. Very busy all day. Paid Thomas Cornwell 12d for gardening for me.

Paid Mr Thomas Harman in cash 1.12.6 in full for 21 gross pipes received by him today… He dined on a fillet of veal roasted in Marchant’s oven with a batter pudding under it. In the evening Mr James Gadsden, Messrs Hargrave and Standing’s rider, called on me, and I paid him… We spent the evening at Jones’s and came home sober about 12:15. Mr Gadsden supped and lodged at our house all night. Rec’d of Thomas Prall 4/6 in full for his last year’s poor tax; viz.,

Thomas Prall Dr.
To poor tax for the year 1756	1.8.0
Per Contra Cr.
Rec’d by washing the surplice 2 years	1.0.0
Do. by the horse, 2 journeys	0.3.6
Do. in cash	0.4.6
	1.8.0.

…A very fine warm day.