Thomas Turner

In the morning our servant came home, by whom my mother sent us a present of a rabbit, on which we dined, boiled, with the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the afternoon went down to Mr Coates’s and received of him 6.3.0 in full to the 8th January. Stayed there until near 7 o’clock, there being Mr Calverley and Molly French. I brought some newspapers from Mr Coates to Mr Porter’s, where I sat till near 8 o’clock. When I came home, I found Mr George Beard and my brother Moses at my house, who stayed till near 12… .John Watford at our house in the evening a-beating of apples; he supped at our house.

…This day paid Mr Heaver, the miller at Isfield, 12/- for 2 bushels oatmeal received today. Also paid Fieldcox, patten-maker at Battle, 2.6.6 for goods received today… In the afternoon our maid went over to Framfield and stayed all night. In the evening John Watford beat out some apples for us and supped at our house. In the evening read part of Gorden’s Geography. We had very remarkable weather last night; viz., about 9:30 very clear, and seemingly froze; about 11 a great shower of rain and hail, and about 12 a large clap of thunder and several flashes of lightning; and in the latter part of the night it froze hard and snowed.

About 10:30 we set out from Hartfield. In our road home I called at Mr Courthope’s at Uckfield to get a summons of him for Thomas Lewer and Elizabeth Day (who have intruded themselves into our parish) to bring them before him, or some other justice, to be examined and properly removed to their respective parishes. We came home about 3:45… Paid for the summons on the parish account 0.1.0. Gave my father Slater’s maid and boy 6d each — 0.1.0.

The reflection on this journey are no ways disagreeable to me, having been no ways the least concerned in liquor. In the evening in reading the Lewes Journal I found the following remarkable character, which I admire not for the diction, but for the justness of it and for imitation: “On Sunday the 9th Jan: died Suddenly, the Rev. Mr. Lyddell, Rector of Ardingly, Sussex, aged 59; a Gentleman, who for his extensive Knowledge, unlimited Charity, genteel behaviour, and other amiable Qualities, was an ornament to his profession; and yet so little Publickly taken notice of, that he never enjoyed any Church Preferment, except a small Family living of one Hundred Pounds a Year. He was possess’d of a good paternal estate, above one Thousand Pounds a Year; and tho’ he lived in the most retired, Private manner, the Yearly income of it was disposed of, in assisting his friends in distress, and in Charity to the Poor. He dy’d a Batchelor. The name is extinct. His estate devolves to Richard Clarke Esq. of Blake Hall in Essex”…

In the morning about 5:30 Thomas Davy and I set out for Hartfield, it being a fine frosty morning. We arrived at Hartfield about 10:30. The reason of my going to Hartfield was on account of our hearing of Sam and Ann Slater’s being very ill, the former of which I think to be in a very dangerous way, but the latter is only ill with a cold. I should have mentioned we lost our road in the forest for near an hour or more. We dined at my father Slater’s in company with Mr Watis (officer of excise) on a sparerib roasted, a knuckle of pork, and part of a neck of mutton boiled, potatoes and apple-sauce… We spent the afternoon and evening at my father Slater’s, who I think received us in a very civil and handsome manner and entertained us in a very free and generous manner. I really think [he] was sincerely glad to see me, but I wish I could say the same of my mother Slater, who seems, I think, to look upon me with an envious and scornful eye. Oftentimes in her talk [she] seems to level a sharp satirical sentence or two at me, but there, let it pass, and God bless her. We lay at my father’s all night. Mrs French and her daughter Molly, with Mrs Fuller and her husband, drank tea with my wife in my absence.

We dined on a clod piece roasted in Marchant’s oven. This day balanced accounts with John Watford Jr and received of him 3.2.0 in full. In the afternoon my brother Moses came over, but did not stay. I received of him 1.1.2 for pattens etc. he had today. Gave John Dan 12d on the parish account. This day I took out of the draw [drawer], being the sum I have taken this week, £12–oh, but a small sum!

…My wife very ill. This day paid Richard Jenner 20/-, which with the 3.10.3 paid him the 28 December is in full for the butter I had put up by him for Mr Isaac Hook of Lewes, and of which I have not received one farthing. In the evening read 4 of Tillotson’s sermons. Also looking over in the day Martin’s Magazine for November, I find the following particulars of the place of my birth; viz., Groombridge, about 3 miles from Tunbridge Wells, in the Parish of Speldhurst, anciently the seat of the noble family of Cobham, had a market on Thursdays and a chapel of ease, too, belonging to Speldhurst, and since descended to the Clintons and Waller, that renowned soldier. He, in the reign of Henry V took Charles, Duke of Orleans, general of the French army, prisoner at the battle of Agincourt and held him in honorable custody at Groombridge, which a manuscript in the herald’ office mentions to be 25 years. In the time of this this his recess he newly erected the house at Groombridge on the old foundation and was a benefactor to the repair of Speldhurst Church.

…My wife very ill. Charles and Robert Diggens called on us and drank tea with us and stayed and smoked a pipe or 2 with us. They went away in the evening about 8 o’clock. This day paid Mr Hall, patten-maker in the Cliffe, as under:

27 prs cloth clogs  4½d	0.10.1½
9 prs hair do.      5d	0.3.9
3 doz cloth pattens	1.8.6
	2.2.4½

which is in full except 2 prs of pattens which he sent more than is charged above.

At home all day. My wife very ill… Read part of Salmon’s Gazetteer. A very cold day. Posted some accounts and wrote out John Watford’s bill.

We dined on a sparerib baked in the oven. My wife very ill. In the evening balanced accounts with Mr Francis Elless and received of him 1.19.11 in full. He, together with James Marchant, stayed and played at whist with us; my wife and I lost 6d each; viz., 6 games at 1d each game; In the evening balanced accounts with Francis Smith by his brother Josias Smith and sent him by Josias 2.12.0… After balancing I gave Josias Smith in cash £10, which he is to pay to Mr John Crouch for me.