Thomas Turner

…After dinner Mr Porter and myself walked up to the dwelling house of the late Mr Will Piper where we settled the accounts of our trust, and I paid in the balance of cash in my hands, being 2.12.6. Upon balancing our accounts with respect to the trust deposed in us as devisees to Mr Will Piper, there remained a balance of cash in hand of 2/1, which I received and now am debtor for to the trust. We stayed and drank tea with Mrs Piper and came home about 5:30.

After I came home I walked down to Mr Coates’s, with whom I stayed and spent the evening. Came home about 9:30. In the evening we had a severe storm of snow; that is, a sudden fall of snow, which was a pretty large quantity, and also a frost in the evening.

After breakfast I rode to Lewes where I did some business with Mr Madgwick and came home about 12:50. Spent only 3d for the turnpike and a by-gate… At home all the afternoon. In the evening my brother came over and stayed with me till near 10 o’clock. Rec’d of Joseph Fuller Jr 1 bill, value £20, drawn by Mrs Mary Ranger, payable to me or order two months after date, dated the 29th instant and drawn on Mr Gale Swinbolt at the East India House, of which bill I have paid Joseph Fuller £17… 4/- Mrs Ranger is to allow for discounting the bill; so there remains 2.16.0, which sum Joseph Fuller has paid to Mrs Ranger, and which sum I now stand debtor for to Joseph Fuller for. A very unpleasant day, we having many very severe storms of hail.

In the morning walked down to Halland with some goods where I received of Mr Coates 14/- in full of all demands due from the widow Smith of Laughton, deceased. I also received 24/- for the widow Browne on the same account and 2/6 for Josias Smith of Waldron on the same account. Charles Diggens coming to take up Mr Coates’s livery, he stayed and dined with me… In the afternoon posted Mrs Browne’s day book, who stayed and drank tea with me… Thank God pretty busy all day and at home all day except going down to Halland.

After breakfast Joseph Fuller and I walked up to the dwelling house of the late Thomas Fuller where we took an inventory, or rather a list, of his effects; the stock-in-trade, utensils, furniture in the house, husbandry tackle, stock etc., debts excepted, amounted to 152.19.7. And I dare say we valued it at £50 under the real worth, was it to-be sold. We dined there on a piece of beef boiled, a butter pudding cake and greens, my servants at home dining on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. As I came home I stopped and smoked a pipe with Joseph Fuller…

…I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some calf’s liver and rashers of pork fried. Paid Mr Porter in cash 50.15.0, it being in full for the same sum due to this parish for principal and interest due on a bond from Mr Will Piper deceased; that is, Mr Piper and Joseph Burgess were jointly bound for £100. Mr Burgess has already paid his part of the bond, and now I have paid the other part as one of the devisees of Mr Piper and have accordingly taken up the said bond. It was for a legacy left to the poor of this parish by Mr Sam Atkins deceased.

At home all day and thank God pretty busy. In the evening read part of The Royal Magazine for March and drew up a petition for this parish to present to Mr Michell.

Myself and both servants at church in the morning… We had a brief read for rebuilding the church of Charlton in the Parish of Market Bosworth in the County of Leicester, the expense of which amounted to the sum of £1102 and upwards, to which collection I gave 1d. I dined on a calf’s heart pudding and some turnip greens. Myself and both servants at church in the afternoon… we bad a thanksgiving prayer read today for the success attending his Majesty’s arms in the reduction of that important island Martinique, which has lately surrendered unto his Majesty’s general etc. employed in the expedition against that island.

After dinner Sam Jenner and Thomas Davy drank tea with me, and after tea we took a walk. Came back home about 7:20; he sat with me a while in the evening and I read him one of Sterne’s sermons. Samuel Jenner lodged at my house all night. A very warm pleasant day according to the season of the year.

…I dined on some calf’s liver, lights and mint boiled, a piece of pork, and some watercresses. Mrs Piper drank tea with me. At home all day and thank God pretty busy all the day… Joseph Fuller Jr smoked a pipe with me. My brother called on me in the evening, but did not stay, in his road from Hailsham Fair.

…In the forenoon walked up to the house of John Elless where was a sale of household goods. I received of him by goods and cash 5/- in full on his account to this day. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a piece of pork boiled and a raisin suet puddings.

In the afternoon walked up to Mr Vine’s with some goods, where I stayed and drank tea. Rec’d of Edward Foord in cash 1.18.9 in full on account of the trust relating to Mr Will Piper deceased… Received of the late Sarah Mott 4/- by the payment of her mother. Pretty busy all day. A most remarkable fine day. In the evening read part of The Universal Magazine for March wherein I see some things very curious and really worth reading.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day. In the afternoon posted my day book. In the evening Joseph Fuller and Thomas Durrant smoked a pipe with me.

…I dined on some beef bones boiled and a plain suet pudding and some greens. Very busy all day. In the evening went down to Whyly where I drank tea. Came home about 7:20 in company with Mr Porter.

Rec’d of the widow of Francis Rich by the order of Mr John Crowhurst and by the payment of James Bull 11/- in full. In the evening Sam Jenner sat with me some time. Oh, the pleasure of a busy trading day!