Thomas Turner

In the morning my late servant Mary Martin came over to assist my servant today in my absence and breakfasted with me. About 11:30 I set out for Newhaven, where was to be a sale of foreign brandy at the customs house there. I dined at the White Hart at Newhaven (my friend Tipper not being at home) in company with 5 gentlemen (or at least other men) on a shoulder of mutton roasted, a plain hard pudding, a currant butter pudding cake, cabbage and lobster.

The sale came on about 3:50, when there were put up for sale to the highest bidder 78 half-ankers of brandy, 3 in a lot, which is 26 lots, each lot containing 13½ gallons of foreign brandy. Each lot was sold as under:

1. Myself	at 6/3 gallon
2. Thomas Tipper	6/1
3. John Goring	6/1
4. Mr Bathcombe	6/1
5. John Smith	6/-
6. Mr John Pentecost	6/-
7. Thomas Tipper	5/10
8. Mr Brooker	5/11
9. Mr Burrows	5/11
10. Mr Brooker	5/11
11. Mr Bean	5/11
12. Mr Olive	5/11
13. Mr Pentecost	5/10
14. Mr Thomas Tipper	5/11
15. Mr Edward Blackman	5/10
16. Mr Olive	5/11
17. Mr Sam Olive	5/11
18. Mr Blackman	5/10
19. Mr Goldsmith	5/10
20. Mr Brooker	5/10
21. Mr Goldsmith	5/10
22. Myself	5/10
23. Mr Burrows	5/10
24. Mr Olive	5/10
25. Mr Goldsmith	5/9
26. Myself	5/9

After the sale was over I paid as follows:

Lot No. 1, 13½ gallons at	6/3	4.4.4½
Do. 22	5/10	3.18.9
Do. 26	5/9	3.17.7½
		12.0.9

I then rosined down my casks and spent about half an hour with my friend Tipper, who came to bring me going on my road almost as far as Lewes. I came home about 9:20 very safe and sober Spent today as under:

My Dinner	0.0.6
Drink	0.0.6
Turnpike & Ferry	0.0.3
Horse	0.0.6

Mary Martin and my servant at home today dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of a piece of pork and some cabbage and turnips. They in my absence paid either a son or a servant of Mr Edward Heaver, miller at Isfield, 0.17.10 in full for the following received by them today:

2 bushels flour	0.11.4
1 bushel oatmeal	0.6.6

They also paid Mr Ben Shelley in cash 3.9.8 in full for the same sum he paid in London for me this week… My late servant went home in the evening. Rec’d a receipt today by Mr Shelley from Mr Crouch and Mr Margesson that the bills I sent them by Mr Shelley the 12th instant came safe to hand and were placed to the credit of my account.

Rec’d of Mary Mott by the payment of her mother 1.14.6 in full. Mr Snelling stayed with me till about 4:25 and then went away, having dined with me on some bread and cheese and butter. At home all day and very busy. In the afternoon read part of the Medulla Medicinae, which I esteem a very good thing of its kind.

In the evening Joseph Fuller Jr and Sam Jenner sat with me some time. Today I signed and sealed a bond wherein Joseph Fuller and myself were joint obligers in a bond of £200, the condition, the good behavior of Mr Long, now employed as an officer of excise. The bond was witnessed by Thomas Pepper, supervisor, and George Bannister, excise officer.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. In the afternoon Mr Porter and I walked up to the house of Mrs Piper to settle some accounts relating to our trust as executors to Mr Will Piper. We balanced accounts and there remains in my hands (as accountant and treasurer to the trust, as well as executor) the sum of 16.7.6½ I paid Mrs Piper 4/6 for 1 bushel malt delivered for the use of Mr John Vine. We stayed and drank tea with Mrs Piper and came home about 7:20.

During my absence my brother Moses and Mr Snelling came to see me; they both spent the evening with me, and Mr Snelling stayed all night with me. But very little to do in the shop today. Trade is most certainly very dull.

Sent Mr John Crouch… £10. Also sent Mr William Margesson…the banknote value £10 I received of Mr Thomas Ranger the 16th ult… In the morning my late servant Mary Martin came to see me, and she, together with Thomas Durrant, breakfasted with me. Sam Jenner came to cord up some wood for me, as did my brother William in the forenoon to see me, and all dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of a calf’s heart pudding and the liver, lights and mint boiled, a piece of pork and some spinach.

My brother went away very soon after dinner; my late servant stayed and drank tea with me and then went home about 7:30. Balanced accounts with Mr Thomas Carman today as follows: First paid him in cash 35.7.4 in full for the two bills I received of him the 20th day of December last, and for which I then gave him my note of hand (to pay the same when the said bills were paid) and which I have now taken again of Mr Carman and burnt it. I then paid him in cash 13/4 in full for wool had last year of him. Mr Carman then paid me in cash 3.16.0 in full for a book debt, as also 1.6.0 in full for half a year’s land tax due at Lady Day last, and 13/- in full for 1 year’s window tax due at Lady Day last. At home all day and thank God very busy.

Thomas Durrant breakfasted with me. Rec’d of a servant of Thomas Osborne’s in cash 2.6.0 for the two hogs he bought at Mr Vine’s sale the 8th instant. Paid John Elless, servant to Mr Vine, 2.2.6 in full for his wages due on Mr Vine’s account. Paid John Fielder in cash £4 in part of his wages due from Mr Vine.

I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a green salad. At home all day; in the afternoon wrote my London letters. Very little to do in the shop. In the evening read part of the 6th volume of Collins’s Peerage.

Mr Henry Dodson breakfasted with me and then set out for Lewes. Myself at church in the morning… I stayed the communion; gave 6d. I dined on a shoulder of lamb roasted, and green salad. Myself and servant at church in the afternoon…

Sam Jenner and Thomas Durrant drank tea with me and after tea we, together with Joseph Fuller Jr, walked over to Chiddingly to see a house which was a-repairing there. We walked into Mr Robert Turner’s, where we stayed and smoked two serious pipes, and then came home about 9:40. As pleasant an evening as I ever walked in my life.

Mr Long stayed and breakfasted with me and then went away. In the forenoon Mr Porter and myself went about the parish to collect the brief read on Sunday last, and we collected upon it 14/-.

I dined on a cold veal pie and green salad… In the evening Mr Dodson came back from Rye and took part of my bed. At home all day and not very busy. In the evening T. Durrant, Sam Jenner and Joseph Fuller Jr sat with me some time.

In the morning went up to Mr Vine’s, where I attended a sale of part of his effects; I wrote and took the cash. I dined there on a piece of pork, plain pudding and some greens. I came away about 3:30… (My servant at home today in my absence dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner.) Sam Jenner drank tea with me. My old acquaintance Mr John Long (now an expectant in the excise) called on me in the evening and took part of my bed.

The goods sold of Mr Vine’s today And money received were as follows:

l cart mare to William Goldsmith, not paid	6.6.0
George Siggs at Waldron: 1 turn-wrist plow, paid.	1.0.0
Samuel Stace at Berwick: the grass in two fields till Michaelmas paid	2.2.0
Mr Ansell Day: 1 cow, and 1 calf, 1 twelve-monthing bull and heifer (paid)	10.15.0
John Piper: 1 collar (paid)	0.0.6
Robert Cornwell at Framfield: 1 skive, 1 piece of a wanty [both are leather harness  items] (paid)	0.0.6
Thomas Osborne at the Dicker: 2 hogs, not paid	2.6.0
John Lee at Ringmer: 1 court [probably cart] and hind horse harness (paid)	2.12.0
Mr Thomas Parker at Hellingly: 1 hind-harness (paid)	0.13.6
Samuel Stace at Berwick: 1 horse, 2 harnesses, 1 round plow (paid )	7.0.0
Do. 1 hog (paid)	1.0.0
	33.15.6
Not paid	8.12.0
Total of cash rec’d today	25.3.6

Mr Robert Turner at Chiddingly was salesman, but he is not paid for his work.

Rec’d of Edward Starnes 16/- in full. My servant very busy in my absence.

I dined on part of shoulder of veal boiled. In the day posted my day book. At home all day and but very little business. In the evening Thomas Durrant sat with me some time.

…I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a hot veal pie and green salad. Rec’d of the widow Page by the payment of her son Richard in cash 2.19.0 in full for half a year’s land tax (56/-) due at Lady Day last and 3/- in full for 1 year’s window tax, due at Lady Day last. At home all day and very little business in the shop. Busy part of the day in writing.