Curious Thing There was an Old Lady in the west of England which Darned stockings with the same needle for twenty successive years so used was the Said needle to its work that fre- quently on the Ladys Leaving the room the said needle would keep on Darning without her after this old Lady Died this needle was found by her relatives after a Length- ened time several of them tried to thread it but could not they could not think whatever obstructed the threads after awhile by a microscopic observation observed a tear in the eye of it A true Deth [sic] [ end of page ] 1839 was such a very bad wheat Sowing a great deal of it was not Sowed until march 1840 it was such a hindersome time all along until March and we had a good many frosty nights and put the ground in tune and made it work sweetly well and every body fetched up their work as was behind so the weather took up about the middle of February 1840 and remaind [sic] dry for a nine or ten weeks it was a capital lent sowing I suppose as fine as ever was remembered 1840 It was on the 10th or 11th of March as I and such a one absconded from each others company [ end of page ] 1840 March 23rd I went to Hereford assizes and stopped 2 Days and 2 Nights and had a very good Lark 1840 August and septr [sic] was a beautiful Harvest as was ever remembered by Any Body if you can remember the wheat at one time was expected to come to nothing but as beautiful crop of wheat as ever was remembered was that Harvest and as fine a time to get it together thank God for it 1840 tis not a deal of Cider in this parish But some of the surrounding parishes are very plentiful off it is pretty well of Barlons and other sorts of B_____ [ end of page ] 1840 Michaelmas wheat sowing was a beautiful one to dry if anything 1840 Nov I took one lamb to Hed__ with Richard Weaver 1840 No Hops Picked not in this Parish scarcely half a hundred weight in the Parish in that season We have had a very severe winter this time for about eight weeks began about a fortnight before Christmas and lasted till the middle of february 1841 we have had a very fine march as hot and Pleasant all the beginning of the month And had a very fine lent sowing [ end of page ] 1841 May 22nd oh how beautiful the fruit trees looks and very Promising for a plentyful crop 1843 William was married to Caroline on the Wednesday in the Bosbury wake week some time in June 1845 was plenty of Cider and Perry made but turned out very bad the wheat was pretty well but a poor C___ and very few of good for nothing hops 1846 is a very good year of hops the best I ever remembered and brought a [ end of page ] tolerable good price about £4/10 on an average and the finest hop picking as ever I recollect very good harvest the wheat turns out very well beans and peas very scanty the cider and perry is very badly off it about a hogshead or two at a farm house the potatoes are a deal worse than in 1845 they was plenty of them that year but this year there be scarcely any of them and very bad indeed 1846 Nov 30th the frost set in And continued till 18th Decr we consider it very early & severe [ end of page ] 1847 This have been a very dry february month but very severe frost 1 night especially three or four Degrees Lower thermometer was than has been for 27 yrs it has been very Cold all along and very Long winter the fruit trees are very backward indeed 1847 the Potatoes are looking very well in July pretty well of fruit but some on is very small it has been very hot indeed the Beans was promising for a good crop but something have covered them with flys I doubt they will come to nothing [ end of page ] Oh the Bean Crop come off very scanty indeed the wheat was capital and likewise the Barley the potatoes where [sic] very good Turn out what few was planted I never recollected a Dryer summer than 1847 the Hops was a mere nothing not worth a picking the Apples and pears turned out pretty fairish and the Cider turns out well 1848 was a Fairish crop of Hops but very low price about £2/14 to £3/0/0 Pretty well of Perry but not much Cider about our country price to Ledbury about 4d per gallon The Wheat Crop was pretty well but had ____ cast but a very Hindersome Harvest a good Deal of it was got in very [ end of page ] very Bad it will be a good Deal of Danby Bread The Potatoe [sic] crop is worse than have been for the last two yrs before there be scarcely any as be good for any thing the Beans and peas was a Capital crop of straw but very little Corn there come a blight on them about a month before the time for Cutting them this Michaelmas is very awkward for the wheat sowing the ground is in a very Bad state so very wet all along but I cant tell not yet what sort of a crop we might have 1849 The wheat is looking very July well at present and all other [ end of page ] sorts of grain The Hops are blighted very much indeed the crop of apples are very well but no perry scarcely it has been very good weather for the early hay making 1849 was a pretty fairish crop of Hops and a very good crop of Cider but no perry scarcely The Hops Brought a tolerable good price and a capital crop of wheat and Lent Corn of all descriptions 1850 the weather is very wintery to begin with snow and Frost [ end of page ] 1850 has been a very Dry summer indeed all along from about April till nearly Christmas it was a very fair crop of Hops and brought about £4/10 on an average not much fruit but a very good crop of wheat but not much Lent corn 1851 Was a plentiful year of Cider and Perry and Hops and Brot [sic] a Tolerable good Price and the wheat and all sorts of grain was Pretty well this was the great exhi- bition year 1852 the Potatoes are failing very fast the wheat is looking remarkably well on the 16th was such thunder and lightning followed by a storm of Hail or more like a pieces of ice there was pieces that would [ end of page ] I am sp___ in a goose but not in a rat I'm in a mouse but not in a cat I'm in a leopard but not in a fly I'm on your house but not in your eye Tell me this thing which I know his [sic] in you But not in your head, though it is in your shoe Enigma I'm seen on the deck of ships Bound for Quebec I always form part of a wonder I join with the slave and I'm seen in the wave I'm heard in the peal of the thunder I am in all disputes though I ____ contradict I am found in the regions below Ever present with those who commit an offence With justice I hand in hand go I'm seen in the darkness but not in the light To the afflicted I give my relief I'm found in such colours as green, blue and white And am ready to fetter the thief I follow all soldiers who wish to be brave I nest in the heavens above With the miser I die and descend to the grave Yet attend on mercy and love [ end of page ] Mr Glue married to Miss Holiday Most happy of men in taking a wife Hast a Holiday won for the rest of thy life Be constant and faithful Tender and true Love her Dearly and well and stick to her like Glue Why should an Old Workman on the roads be one of the best of men; Because he has long been in the habit of mending his ways A secret a witty fellow happening to step into a alehouse one day called for a glass of the refreshing Beverage after drinking it he said to the Landlady, with the air of one of some great secret, to commun- icate Mrs D I can tell you how to sell a great deal more ale than you do How is that? She asked Don't sell so much Froth was the reply [ end of page ] 1852 Continued such a frightful storm of ice which done a great deal of damage to the glass around Bosbury it happened to be on our general Election day at Ledbury and the next week was our archery shooting day at Bosbury House and a beautiful show it was we have had a very wet summer indeed it looks very awkward for wheat sowing there was the Highest flood that ever was remembered on the 4th of Sepr which done a great deal of damage to the crops sand wheat ricks and swirled Bridges up and almost drowned our parson and his wife and Mr Morriss building was swam away and his Cart and pigs and a [ end of page ] great many sheep was Drowned but not but one life lost as we heard any thing about we have had it very wet all the Time since Till now November 11th we have had a Nother very High Flood and rained for 2 Days and it remained wet for a long time There was scarcely any wheat sowing done at Michaelmas time but now for 1853 The wheat was put in about March and april most of it and the now in Sepr there is not much Cut but it is capital crops of it and pretty well of fruit and Hops Hops turned out Pretty well and Brought on an average 12£ per cut* *This quite clearly says '12£ per cut' but in a later entry (1855) WB says that £4/10 was the most he ever remembered getting. Perhaps this is meant to be '1-2£' then, because I am sure that he would remember getting £12 a cut if he is impressed at getting £4/10 [ end of page ] Wheat comes off very bad for ___ And the flour is now at 13 shillings per Bushel and everything is very Dear in proportion the Bacon is 9d per lb and the Cheese is as much Mutton and beef is 7d per lb and now 1854 We have had a tolerable good wheat sowing but the weather is very cold now Janry we have very sharp frosts and deep snow and the times is very bad now for me and our little family lost my mare on the 4th of Decr 1853 1854 Things are very Dear indeed every thing flour 14s per Bushel and Mutton 8d per lb and Coal is [ end of page ] 25s per Ton and every thing in proportion Bad Times with us and a many more we have had a beautiful wheat sowing Feby and March was very Dry there is a great Talk about war and warring away they be now began about August we have had a Bountiful Harvest indeed and Capital Harvest the Fruit turns out very well and Brings 6 or 7 shillings a pot and flour keeps to 12 shilg and Cider Brings a very good price and every thing Else Every things keep up un account of the War I suppose we have had a nice beautiful summer and up Till Christmas it was very [ end of page ] mild indeed and scarcely any wet for more than Half a yr - Capital Crops of Wheat and Beans and all sorts of grain and sells capital Beans 1D per Bag and Wheat £1 8s and so in proportion with every thing that is all the good as wars does to us poor folks - 1855 Janry 20th about frost and snow set in and we have had it very sharp indeed The Canals and Severn and all was frozen over as brought the coal to an enormous price and it is very dull with us at present we had a Capital wheat sowing in 1854 1855 Things keeps on so very Dear But we have had a middling Hay making a great deal of it [ end of page ] spoiled But the Harvest was a Capital good one and a Bountiful one Too there is pretty well of Perry But not much apples, an abundant crop of Hops and brings about £4/10s per cut the most I ever remembered grow in one year about Half a Ton of an acre every Thing keeps So very Dear on account of the war I suppose The war is over and at an end I suppose but Things come down very quietly we had a Capital wheat sowing in 1855 1856 Is a Bountiful year of Corn wheat and Beans and all sorts of Grain But not many Hops nor but very little fruit growing almost a Failure in all parts of the County [ end of page ] Swallow and Sparrow A swallow had within the last few weeks built itself a nest under the eaves of[sic] at the back of the County Gaol imagining no doubt that its proximity to a court of law would secure her from injustice or intrusion but such was not to be the case. A Lazy hen sparrow during the swallows temporary absence finding a ready made nest quietly took possession and made herself quietly at home. The swallow on returning essayed to enter at the narrow aperture but found the intruders Beak placed there to debar her from so doing Finding that the tenant in possession showed no desire to evacuate the tenant in right flew to summon a meeting of friends and neighbours who quickly responded to the call and the air was quickly thronged with winged jurymen Lynch law was to be the mode of procedure [ end of page ] and each swallow armed himself with a morsel of Clay and proceeded to plaster the hapless intruder in the nest This was speedily accomplished and the sparrow was left to die with suffocation and want of food. The nest was subsequently opened by the swallows and the unwelcome carcase [sic] thrust out but the head of the bird by some means became plastered to the nest and the Body still hangs there as a warning to avoid similar sins. The original owner of the property was reinstated in her tenement and by her cheerful twitter seems to exult over her fallen adversary. Published By WBettington On The 20 Day of July 1856 [ end of page ] 1856 I Harvested for Mr Turner of The Lower House and Capital wheat he had we had one very wet week and some wheat was growed but not half a Bad Harvest The fruit was almost a Failure I have no Drink this Christmas the first I ever was without The Flour is come Down as low as 9 shillings but every thing else is very Dear 1857 Oh what a short Time of Drink Every Thing Except the Flour is very Dear the Flour is 8 shillings The Meat 7 p [sic] or 8d per pound* May The Fruit trees are Looking very Promising for a crop of fruit and the weather is very propitious at present *the 'p' in '7 p' looks like he might have meant to write 'per pound' straight after the '7' but changed his mind to add the rest. Usually any monetary abreviation is superscripted after (or, in the early entries, above) the figure. The 'p' is normal sized and would not have been used as a short form of 'pence' anyway. [ end of page ] 1857 June The Last week was tremendous Hot but very seasonable weather and a most splendid crop of Hops and wheat and Beans and fruit the Barlons are come again, once more the Potatoes are very bad indeed worse if can be than have been for years past I Harvested for Mr Treherne of Grt Catley I cut by myself 7acres of wheat and 5½ acres of Beans we have been without Drink for a long Time However I consider it so Meat and Cheese and Butter is very Dear Butter 1s-5d per lb beef 7d mutton 7d and every thing in proportion Except it is Flour at 8/6 [ end of page ] 1857 Was a bountiful year of every thing good Crops of all sorts of grain and a very good Harvest and a Bountiful crop of Fruit it was so large it did rise to a great quantity the Barlons come out Pretty Fairish the wars in India are going on very distressing I believe at this Present time Now it is come to January 1858 and we have had it very fine indeed for wheat sowing and the winter have been so mild up till now such a one that I have never remembered the Hops Brought something like 3 guineas per cut on an average this time Mild Winter 1858 June it was very Hot for two Or three Days there is fairish of fruit again [sic] but it is very small [ end of page ] 1858 August The Harvest is a very good one and Nearly half done Mr Bishop of Pegs Farm began to cut wheat on the 20th of July we consider it very soon indeed for this County there will be a fairish crop of Hops and every thing in proportion The 9th 10th + 11th of August was three of the Hottest days I can remember This was the Mildest winter I ever Remember there was no frost except two or three nights very sharp in November, and no snow at all until one day in april that was 1859 [added later between the lines ] a Regular snowy day And we have a few sharp frosts now in april a Bountiful summer and very fair crop of apples but no perry scarcely and a very fair crop of Hops and [ end of page ] Brought a tolerable good price which was about £3/10 and other crops very good the Potatoes were not quite so bad and in November we had some very sharp frosts and remains on a long winter It was a long winter too and now for 1860 we have had a very wet summer indeed and only about one Fornight [sic] of warm weather about Haymaking The Hay was got tolerable well but a very Poor crop of Hops but they did Bring some money my father in law sold his at 20£ per cut and some reached as high as 22£s The wheat come off very well considering the constant wet weather and has for a Bad Harvest it was not although it was very hindersome a capital crop of Beans, Peas middling Barley and Potatoes worse still [ end of page ] than they was of late years, there is a great crops of apples + pears this time but I doubt they will not rise to much a good deal is very small I Finished Harvesting on the 15th of October and began on the 28th August I never knowd [sic] it so late there is a good deal of wheat to cut now all the Beans are out in the fields meat and cheese and Butter and all sorts of eatables is very dear Flour 10s Butter 1s/4d Cheese 9d Honest cheese too Beef or mutton 8d per lb it still remains wet Novr The frost Began and was sharp for a short time and then about Christmas it was very severe and Lasted about a month together with snow on the ground Christmas day [ end of page ] was a very Cold Day as Cold as ever was remembered it was a Long winter the wheat turned out a Light Crop 1861 Beans + peas very good and a Capital Harvest as ever Could be and the weather have been very seasonable ever since The Hops Come out very well indeed and Brought a good price about 8£ per cut on an average and very fine for The Hop picking but Flour is dear 9s/6d per bushel and meat 8d per lb and every thing is dear in proportion except the Coal the railroad was opened this summer and makes that some cheaper not much Fruit and that as is [sic] was chiefly apples, no pears scarcely but it makes Capital Cider I only made about a Hogshead and now Cold winter is approaching [ end of page ] we had about a week of sharp frost in November and that was nearly all as we experienced this winter but we have had a great Deal of wet weather and only one day of snow 1862 It have been a very cool summer but a good hay making time and a good harvest and I think very productive one, capital crops of Beans not much fruit chiefly pears Potatoes middling Flour 8s per Bushel meat dear 7½ to 8d Bacon and Cheese about 6d per lb and now it is Christmas we have had a weeks frost in Nov but Christmas day was as fine as ever I remember so warm and all the week the people are busy a wheat sowing on the morrow after Christmas [ end of page ] but the chief part of it was put in, in good Time and his [sic] looking very well 1863 The Crops are Looking remarkable well we had it very Hot on the 10th 11th + 12th of July and a Capital hay making it is rather scanty of fruit pretty fairish of pears and likely to be a good many of Hops a good crop of Hops and brought about £6 on an average a good deal of perry made the winter began in Novr Flour about 6s per Bushel 1864 The winter continues on very severe we have had about a month of it so it was a very long winter now we have had a very good Hay making but recollect this is the dryest summer that we have [ end of page ] had for a very long time about a fortnight of very Hot weather in July we had no rain from about the middle of march until Octobr Excepting a few slight showers I consider it the Dryest summer ever I recollected But it was a plentiful year of Everything the Biggest crop of Apples I ever recollect and a good Harvest middling crop of Beans but a good year of Barley and plenty of Hops average price £6/10 and an abundance of acorns Potatoes good but very small in most place the Dry summer Caused that 1864 + 65 up till Christmas it was very Cold, but it was a long [ end of page ] Continuation of Snow and Frost up till Febry there was an abundance of snow in Janry snow in some places 20 feet Deep where it was drifted wee [sic] had more snow in this 1865 year than we have had for a number of years and put it all Together and it have been a long cold winter it has been very Cold during the March month and frosty nearly every night It has been very hot in Sepr and Dry ever since hoppicking commenced about the 16th it is very hot and abundance of Hops to pick now and the hot weather [ end of page ] has caused them to go very Brown very little fruit this season I have not enough to wet the mill the Potatoes very Bad indeed again 1866 we had scarcely any frost not through Janry Febry or march but it was very cold in april and may Frosty most every night in may it took the potatoes off two or three times but Beans and Peas are looking very well and the wheat abd our country looks prosperous the Fruit Trees look splendid but the Hops are looking middling Flour is 8d per Bushell meat and Cheese is enormous dear on account of the Cattle Plague which has been raging for nearly twelve months June the last week was very hot and good part of July, it was a very good hay Harvest flour 9s per Bushel and beef + mutton very Dear 9d +10d per lb Butter 1s/4d Potatoes good yet, Harvest c___* *Looks like he is cramming in 'commenced' [ end of page ] Lines written in Hereford Gaol So this is "Limbo"? When I came My wife and Daughter fainted But like a friend of mine, 'tis not One half so black as painted I've roast and Boiled, and nothing spoiled And what could man have better? I only wish I'd such a Dish When I'm not here a Debtor I Never wonder while in here How I shall dine to morrow [sic] But when at home I want a feed I have to beg or Borrow I envy not the harder lot Of those who toil and labour And all to say they pay their way And never cheat their neighbour Then hail ye Courts of Law; and hail Ye Judges who preside there Before I pay an honest debt I'll fifty times be tried there Rare then for one it is to be Supported here for Debt, sirs If that's the way you'd make pay You'll be mistaken yet sirs [ end of page ] The Bride I know of no sight more charming and touching than that of a young and tender bride in her robes of virgin white, led up trembling to the altar. When I thus behold a lovely girl in that tenderness of her years foresake the house of her Father and the home of her childhood - and with the implicit confidence and the self abandonment which belong to women, giving up all the world for the man of her choice; when I hear her in the good old Language of the ritual, yielding her- self to him for better or worse for richer for poorer in sickness and health to love honour and obey, till death us do part it brings to mind the beautiful and affecting devotion of Ruth " [sic] Wither thou goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy people shall be my people and thy God my God" Irving [ end of page ] Janry was very sharp frosts indeed for a Fortnight or so and February was very fine and the grass Looked quite Fresh and green but the Old saying proves true that is that March wipes its ass with Februarys Grass and now for march come in like a Lion and remained as fierce for Nearly all the month was frost and snow snow in places Drifted 2yds deep but on a regular 15 inches and kept snowing for a week alltogether and it was a very high flood on the 23rd of march and keeps on raining till the latter end not much lent sowing done *but it was very favourable after and on for summer quarter it was all that could be desired and everything present ed a good appearance good Harvest but on the 3rd of Sepr was a very great flood not so high as it was on the 4th of Sepr 1852 *Later addition starts here in fainter ink [ end of page ] 1867 Novr The Flour is very dear it is about 12s per bushel Mutton is rather Lower, it is about 7d per pound we have had a capital wheat sowing and so Dry and mild as ever I remember a good lot of Perry made this year and pretty Fairish of Cider and I think it will be very good And a very fair crop of Hops which _________* Our Bosbury farmers very much average price 10£ per cut 1868 Janry not much frost and Febry Dry and march pretty Fairish our Country is Looking prosperous on the 29th of may we had very heavy thunder and rain. Things is very Dear Flour 12s/ per bushel and Mutton + Beef 7½ to 8d per lb and Every thing in proportion we will continue in another book End of diary section of book *very faint - could be 'heartened' |