Thomas Turner

I dined on the remainders of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of a light pudding and some sausages fried. Molly Fuller drank tea with me. At home all day and pretty busy. A small quantity of snow fell in the night.

A great deal of snow fell in the forenoon. I dined on half a calf’s head boiled, a piece of pork and turnips… In the evening read part of Huxham’s Essay on Fevers.

Sent to Mr Robert Olive by the post 5/- to pay my fine to excuse my serving steward to the club [Mayfield Friendly Society]… In the night and the forenoon we had a great deal of snow and I believe before night it was full 5 inches deep in most places, it being a very still day but extreme cold…

Rec’d of Arthur Knight in cash 2.12.6 in part of interest due on a mortgage to Mr Will Piper deceased, which money I have received on account of my trust to the children, and for which I am debtor to the estate for…

Myself and servants at church in the morning… I dined on half a calf’s head boiled, a piece of pork and turnips… Myself and both servants at church in the afternoon… At home all the day; read part of Drelincourt on death and in the evening one of Tillotson’s sermons.

How are the thoughts of the best of wives come as it were afresh again to my memory; the idea of her spotless virtue is present with me. May, oh may the thoughts of it inspire me with fortitude and resolution to imitate her virtue, and may the thoughts of her calm my tumultuous mind and make my life a uniform series of Christian virtues. When I reflect I must soon become a partner with her in the grave, for the longest life is but short when compared with eternity. Oh, how should we all endeavor to be prepared for that awful minute.

…Paid Ben Shelley… 36.2.11 in full… My late servant dined with me on a light pudding and some fried sausages. She also stayed and drank tea with me, and then went away… At home all day and very little to do. My late servant Mr George Beard called on me today, but did not stay.

…In the forenoon I, at the request of Thomas Fuller’s executors and Mr Porter, in company with Joseph Fuller, went to the house of the deceased, where I examined his writings and looked over his papers, and also read such of them to his relations as was necessary. Joseph Fuller and I came back to his house, where we dined…

My brother came over in the afternoon to take up a suit of clothes and stayed and drank tea with me. In the evening went down to Mr Porter’s, where I stayed and supped on some bread and cheese and brawn. Came home about 10:40. My late servant stayed all night. Very little to do all day…

My servant dined with me… After dinner I went to the funeral of Thomas Fuller, where I read his will to his friends and relations. He was buried about 5:30, and aged 58 years.

This day I, my late and present servant witnessed the will of Jarvis Bexhill of the parish of Chiddingly which I had made for him. Very little to do all day. Nay, I may almost say hardly anything at all to do, so dull and melancholy is trade, and I believe it to be the same throughout the county.

My old servant stayed with me all day and dined with me on a plain suet pudding, a hog’s clad-piece boiled and turnips. Today being Ash Wednesday, I was at church in the morning. In the afternoon drank tea at Joseph Fuller’s. A very sharp frost in the morning. Sure I never knew so dull a time for trade in my life. My old servant stayed all night.

…In the morning I rode to Lewes to meet Mr Stephen Fletcher, servant to Mr Sam Ridings, in order to buy some Manchester goods. I breakfasted with him at the White Horse in company with my brother. I called and did some business with Mr Madgwick and came home about 12:15. In the forenoon my late servant Mary Martin came to see me and dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of a roasted chick, and stayed and drank tea with me and also stayed all night… A very frosty day. Betsy Bridgman also drank tea with me. Dull, extreme dull is trade.

In the forenoon my brother came over, but did not stay. I dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner, with the addition of some chine bones boiled, a plain and plain suet puddings and turnips. At home all day; really very little to do… [91 words omitted].