Thomas Turner

Molly French dined with me on a chick boiled, a piece of bacon, turnips, greens and a butter pudding cake. She stayed and spent the afternoon with me, and her brother, coming to accompany her home, drank tea with me.

In the evening wrote my London letters. My brother came over in the evening in order to stand in my shop tomorrow during my absence, I having promised Mr Coates to assist him in the morning in distributing a gift left by some of the Pelham family for ever and annually given upon St Thomas’s Day; that is, 4d each to every man and woman, and 2d to every child, come from where they will, and a piece of bread and draught of ale to each.

Mr Tipper being ordered to remove in the evening, I went to Master Durrant’s, where I smoked a pipe with him in company with my brother, Sam Jenner and Master Durrant’s family, and after taking my leave of Mr Tipper, I walked down to Halland where I supped and stayed all night. My brother lodged at my house as did Thomas Durrant.

About 3:20 I arose and began to pay the people and finished about 10:20, having paid away £11, and I presume there had been 9 hundred people. I stayed and breakfasted with Mr Coates, received my groat and came home about 11:40. My brother went home immediately. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Paid Joseph Fuller Jr 2/- for 2 bullock’s tongues bough’ of him today. Relieved the following persons with one penny each and a draught of ale:

1.	Will Eldridge	16.	John Dan
2.	Thomas Ling	17.	Elizabeth Day
3.	Widow Cain	18.	Thomas Dalloway
4.	Francis Turner	19.	Widow Cornwell
5.	Will Slarks	20.	Susan Swift
6.	Master Hesman	21.	Richard Prall
7.	Richard Brazier	22.	Dame Burrage
8.	Widow Trill	23.	Will Sinden
9.	Ann Wood	24.	John Durrant
10.	Edward Babcock	25.	Thomas Heath
11.	Thomas Roase	26.	James Emery
12.	John Roase	27.	Richard Vinal
13.	Richard Heath	28.	Roger Vallow
14.	Thomas Tester	29.	Robert Baker
15.	Sam Jenner	30.	Widow Fitness

Very busy all the afternoon. In the evening busy a-writing, and alone the whole evening.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. At home all day and pretty busy. In the evening Mr Wood and I played a few games of cribbage, and I won 4d of him. This day died Robert Baker in this parish after a few days illness, aged 88 years. He had been parish clerk — years and upwards.

Paid Joseph Fuller 6d for part of a loin of mutton bought of him today for Dame Burrage. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Rec’d of Edward Hope in cash 1.8.0 for ½ year’s land tax due St Michael last.

Paid Joseph Fuller Jr in cash £14, which with the £46 paid him the 15th instant makes together the sum of £60, and is in full for the note of hand I gave him the 15th ult. Accordingly I took up my note of hand.

I dined on part of a sparerib boiled and turnips. Paid Mr George Verral at Lewes by his son George 3.8.10 in full. Master Jenner, coming in the evening, stayed all night.

This being Christmas Day, I was at church in the morning; the text in the latter part 26th verse 9th chapter Hebrews: “…but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” I stayed the communion; gave 6d.

The widow and James Marchant, Elizabeth Mepham and 2 girls: dined with me on part of a buttock of beef boiled, a raisin suet pudding and turnips and potatoes. James Marchant, Elizabeth Mepham and one of the girls drank tea with me. At home all day. Read part of Young’s Estimate of Human Life.
 

Myself and servant at church in the morning; the text in Isaiah 9:6; “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Sam Jenner dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. After dinner we, together with Thomas Durrant, walked over to Framfield where we drank tea with my brother and stayed and smoked a pipe or two with him and came home about 6:50. After I came home I went into Joseph Durrant’s, where I smoked a pipe or two and came home about 8:10 very sober, having drunk nothing the whole day stronger than water cider.

Sam Jenner, coming to assist me in drawing off some cider, dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Sent Mr Robert Plumer…£23. Rec’d of Joseph Fuller 1.12.0 in full for the first half year’s land tax due at St Michael last…

In the evening went down to John Jones’s, there being a vestry to choose surveyors for the ensuing year. I stayed and drew up the last year’s surveyors’ accounts and then came home. The surveyors chosen for the ensuing year were Thomas Carman and James Fuller; and the electioners John Vine and Edward Hope.

My brother William came to see me and stayed all night. In the evening Thomas Durrant and Sam Jenner, who had been at work for me all the day, and Joseph Fuller Jr smoked a pipe or two with me. In the evening wrote my London letters. At home all day, except as before. Gave the following box money:

To the Postboy	0.0.6
Butcher’s boy	0.0.3
Isaac Turner	0.0.3
Robert Hook	0.0.3
	0.1.3

 

…My brother Will dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the evening went down to Mr Porter’s, where I balanced accounts with him and received of him in cash 61.8.6 in full on my account to this day. I also received of him 4.8.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due St Michael last. I stayed and supped there and came home about 11:30, sober. My brother stayed all night.

My brother stayed and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner and then went home. In the afternoon busy a-writing… In the evening Mr Wood and I played a few games of cribbage; I neither won or lost. Sam Jenner, being to go out for me a journey tomorrow, he coming in the evening for his instructions, stayed all night.