**Tuesday 28 April 1885** Went over to Brookhouse at noon with my wife. We were met by Mr J.W. Fair,53 the agent, in the af[ternoo]n & he went round the place with us to write down what needed repairing. Hilton, the withdrawing tenant, has let things get into a very bad way—outside grounds specially.

#### **Wednesday 29 April 1885** [no entry]

**Thursday 30 April 1885** [no entry]

51 Roger Charnley (b. 1819) of Cottam Hall.

52 Daniel Ashcroft (1833–1901), auctioneer, horse dealer, landlord of the Black-a-Moor's Head, Lancaster Rd, despite being a lifelong teetotaller, Conservative councillor (*PH,* 20 November 1901, p. 8), he lost his seat in the same election as did Hewitson in 1898 (see 1 November 1898).

53 See 23 March.

# May

**Fri 1 May 1885** [no entry]

**Saturday 2 May 1885** Bought & took possession of & paid for horse "Charlie" this forenoon. Price £53. Got harness &c from Walmsley's54 ex[ecut]ors (Crooked Lane) for about 12 guineas. Drove over to Brookhouse in af[ternoo]n.

**Sunday 3 May 1885** In af[ternoo]n drove over to Goosnargh—my wife, sons E[thelbert] & H[orace] & daughter L[etitia] with me.

**Monday 4 May 1885** At shop mainly all day.

**Tuesday 5 May 1885** In af[ternoo]n I & my son H[orace] & daughters M[abel] & R[osaline] to Brookhouse. Looked about, gave some orders, had 3 glasses of ale at White Bull, had a chat with a few old people & returned to Preston.

**Wednesday 6 May 1885** At 10.15 in morning went to Brookhouse, met Mr Fair there, & he went round af[ternoo]n to order what sh[oul]d be done or decide thereon. At noon had dinner with Mr Fair & the Brock tenantry he, as agent has to do with at the "Green Man" public house. To Preston by 2.10pm train.

**Thursday 7 May 1885** Working hard all day.

**Friday 8 May 1885** Same from 9.20 in morning till 12.30 on Sat morning.

**Saturday 9 May 1885** At 1.30 this morning heavy hail shower. Stones bounced upon fender of dining room—had fallen down chimney. Weather very cold—everybody complaining.

**Sunday 10 May 1885** Helping to get ready for removal to Brookhouse.

**Monday 11 May 1885** Up at 6. Men of my own & from Hardings at work getting out furniture. Slept at Brookhouse for first time to night.

54 J. Walmsley had a carriage works in Crooked Lane.

**Tuesday 12 May 1885** D[itt]o as to furniture. Gave up key of house 6 Fishergate-hilll, Preston to Mr Jas. Hodgkinson55 who succeeds me as tenant.

**Wednesday 13 May 1885** My men—Joe56 & Sam57 & son H[orace]—at work to day arranging furniture at Brookhouse. All upset owing, of course, to removing &—this made matters worse—to whitewashers, painters &c being at work. C[oul]d get nothing really straight & right.

**Thursday 14 May 1885** To day entered upon tenancy of two rooms connected with Central Working Mens Club, Fishergate (nearly opposite my shop) for use in our eating & (on Friday nights) sleeping. Rent 3/- per week clear.

**Friday 15 May 1885** At work (coming in by horse & trap with my sons E[thelbert] & H[orace]) from 8.50 in morning till 2 o'c[loc]k on Sat morning. Slept in room of C[entral] W[orking] M[en's] C[lub].

**Saturday 16 May 1885** Up at 9.20. Working till 10.30pm, & then drove home with son E[thelbert]. Reached Brookhouse ab[ou]t 11.30.

**Sunday 17 May 1885** Rectifying my books & putting up pictures in Library Room nearly all day.

**Monday 18 May 1885** To Preston at 8.15 in morning with sons E[thelbert] & H. Stayed at shop till ab[ou]t 8.15 at night; then to Brookhouse.

**Tuesday 19 May 1885** To Preston with son E[thelbert] at 8.10. In af[ternoo]n went down to Brookhouse & worked very hard, levelling & rectifying road in front, for some hours.

**Wednesday 20 May 1885** At work at Preston all day.

**Thursday 21 May 1885** Same

**Friday 22 May 1885** Same till 12.

55 Probably James Hodgkinson (1824–1897), yarn agent, moving round the corner from Spring Bank.

56 Probably Joe Wilson, Hewitson's brother-in-law and printing foreman.

57 Unidentified.

**Saturday 23 May 1885** At work from 10.15 in morning till 10.35 at night. Then drove to Brookhouse with son E[thelbert].

**Sunday 24 May 1885** At home all day & in the evening straightening up some of the front or side ground.

**Whit Monday 25 May 1885** To Preston—some of children with me in trap & then by train with my wife. Saw the processions & sights in the Orchard &c. Dora (servant) & younger children home by 6.15pm train. I & wife called at W France's\* & had some a little whiskey & water. Home in trap at 9.15.

**Tuesday 26 May 1885** Went to Garstang & Catterall station this forenoon, with son L[lewellyn], along canal bank, to enquire ab[ou]t some floor cloth from Lancaster. Not there so returned. Delving in front ground in af[ternoo]n. Sons E[thelbert] & H[orace] drove to Goosnargh—club day58 there. Home about 8pm.

**Wednesday 27 May 1885** Working at P[resto]n all day.

**Thursday 28 May 1885** Same

**Friday 29 May 1885** Same

**Saturday 30 May 1885** Same. Home late—reached at about 11.30pm.

**Sunday 31 May 1885** At home. In evening had a beautiful walk up Bilsborough lane & round by the Gipsy Lane &c with my wife & daughters M[abel], R[osaline] & L[etitia] & servant Dora.

## June

**Monday 1 June 1885** At work at Preston all day.

**Tuesday 2 June 1885** D[itt]o

**Wednesday 3 June 1885** In af[ternoo]n drove over to Brook-house, with an upholsterer, & at night returned with him & took back sons E[thelbert] & H[orace] who looked very sour because time was late. Weather very warm to-day.

**Thursday 4 June 1885** Ordinary work all day. This is a curious, struggling, come & go, sunshine & shade, easy & vehement life. I think the next will not surpass it for variety.

**Friday 5 June 1885** Working from ab[ou]t 9 in morning till 12.35 on Sat morning. Hard day, as usual, this Friday.

**Saturday 6 June 1885** Up at 9.30 in morning. Working and reading all day. Home at 10.35. Joys of rural life! Landed at 11.20.

**Sunday 7 June 1885** In bed till ab[ou]t 10. During day, wh[ich] was rainy & miserable, doing some furniture readjustment.

**Monday 8 June 1885** All day at work. Doing well with newspaper & in jobbing office59 just now. Stationery (shop business) very slow—slow as dullness itself.

**Tuesday 9 June 1885** D[itt]o as to work. Gladstone's Ministry defeated by a majority of 12 on Budget proposals as to increase of duty on beer & spirits. Much astonishment.

**Wednesday 10 June 1885** Same as to work. Meeting to night in Guild Hall as to raising subscriptions for decorations when Prince of Wales comes—16th & 17th next month—to Preston.60 It was decided to solicit subscriptions. The expense sh[oul]d have been defrayed out of the

59 Job printing of one-off jobs such as letterheads, circulars or programmes.

60 HRH Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, was coming to open the Royal Agricultural Society's show on Moor Park, and lay the foundation stone of the new dock named after him.

**Thursday 11 June 1885** Grinding away on the usual lines, as to work.

#### **Friday 12 June 1885** Same

**Saturday 13 June 1885** At work, more or less, all day till 10.45pm. Then home to Brookhouse. To bed at midnight.

**Sunday 14 June 1885** Up at 9.30. Went with son H[orace] to Barton ch[urc]h, but there was no service—cleaning the church. Looked around the graveyard—especially at the tombstones of John Hawkins\* & sons family dead & broken up—& at that to the Vicar's (Rev J.D. Harrison's) wife.61 Latter very nice; but Harrison62 is going to get wed again. Damn such affection & such yearning for fresh wifery. Bed &c.

**Monday 15 June 1885** At work—soliciting advertisements for my guide, the 3rd edition of which I am going to issue for Royal Agricultural Show week.63 Got £10 worth. Gave £3-3 sub[scriptio]n for decorations.

**Tuesday 16 June 1885** At shop all day. Dull business there. Town dull— "all silent & all damned" so to speak.

**Wednesday 17 June 1885** As usual—work, which, I find, is the Grand elixir & Catholicon.64

#### **Thursday 18 June 1885** Same.

**Friday 19 June 1885** From 9 in morning to 12.50 at night working. Then read some of my "Westward Ho!" Pride—rubbish that; but I am human.65

**Saturday 20 June 1885** To day Rev J Taylor,66 vicar of Bamber Bridge, called. A decent fellow, who was fond of a glass & who has been, by

61 Matilda Harrison née Gillett (1847–1884).

62 See 5 July 1874.

63 A penny guide to Preston that Hewitson had first produced for the 1882 Preston Guild.

64 Panacea, remedy, for all difficulties.

65 In April Hewitson had republished in book form his account of an 1883 trip to America, first published weekly in the *Preston Chronicle* in 1884.

66 See 22 December 1873.

way of mending up at Alexandra67 &c as ward chaplain. Told him that old H Power, vicar of Farington, had been playing what was practically "Hell & Tommy"68 —defying his congregation &c—creating [?], though messily [?] so.69

**Sunday 21 June 1885** Wild & wet sort of day. At night Mr Balshaw,70 schoolmaster of Bilsborough school & his wife71 called, by request.

**Monday 22 June 1885** [no entry]

**Tuesday 23 June 1885** [no entry]

**Wednesday 24 June 1885** Working. Labor omnia vincit.72

**Thursday 25 June 1885** Same

**Friday 26 June 1885** Ditto

**Saturday 27 June 1885** Same. Home, landed about 11.30.

**Sunday 28 June 1885** Up late; working about. Reading Astley's Life of Palmerston. Walk out with my wife & daughters M[abel], R[osaline] & L[etitia].

**Monday 29 June 1885** Sent Dora (Preesall girl) away to day. A blockhead, amorous, loutish & slovenly, but useful in coarse work. Engaged in her place a widow named Jane73 who came in af[ternoo]n to Brookhouse wages 4/- per week.

**Tuesday 30 June 1885** To Barrow-in-Furness at 11.11 in morning with my son E[thelbert]. Memorial statue of late Lord Frederick Cavendish74

67 Unidentified.

68 To upset things.

69 See 12 April.

70 Amos Balshaw (1842–1901).

71 Mary Balshaw née Meteyard (b. 1840).

72 Work conquers all.

73 Unidentified.

74 Lord Frederick Charles Cavendish (1836–1882), Liberal politician, whose family was involved in the development of Barrow. He had been stabbed to death in Phoenix Park, Dublin in 1882, shortly after becoming Chief Secretary for Ireland, by

unveiled there by Earl Spencer75 —a sandy-bearded, homely looking, sun-burnt faced gentleman, apparently 55 y[ea]rs of age. Telegraphed 1 ¼ col[umns] to Irish Times, by order.76 Aft[erwar]ds to Lancaster where we stayed 2 hours. Looked through old churchyard & saw a bit of old Roman wall below the Vicarage. Got home at 9.25 at night.

the Irish National Invincibles, a more radical breakaway from the Irish Republican Brotherhood.

75 John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer (1835–1910), Liberal politician.

76 Hewitson had been commissioned, rather than writing 'on spec'.

## July

**Wednesday 1 July 1885** Working all day at shop.

**Thursday 2 July 1885** Ditto

**Friday 3 July 1885** And the like—began work at 9.5 in morning; finished at 2.5 in morning.

**Saturday 4 July 1885** At work from 10.15 in morning till 10.45 at night. Then home to Brookhouse.

**Sunday 5 July 1885** Up at 8.20 in morning & then rode off with & in Mr WJ Parkinson's\* (Myerscough House) trap; his son Malcolm77 & his Liverpool salesman with us. We went to top end of Goosnargh then left horse & trap at a farm house & walked to top of Parlick Pyke. Beautiful view. On getting to bottom went to Woodgates where Canon Parkinson78 was born—a plain good house, with a stone in front dated 1768, by inscription & then by inscription saying (Latin) that nothing profane sh[oul]d enter there. Afterwards to Myerscough House & had tea there; my wife having walked down during af[ternoo]n.

**Monday 6 July 1885** To-day blew up, before starting, the new old servant Jane. Idle & independent. Engaged James Ward, 79 a lad, from Preston, to come & look after house, garden &c for 4/- per week.

**Tuesday 7 July 1885** At noon to-day boy James Ward came to Brookhouse as servant boy—wages 4/- per week. I at work all day.

**Wednesday 8 July 1885** Working all day. Nothing particular.

**Thursday 9 July 1885** Same. Gave 10/6 for street (Fishergate) illumination. Had previously given £3-3-0 for streets' decorations (Prince of Wales visit approaching).

**Friday 10 July 1885** Working all day from 9 in morning till 1.30 on Sat morning.

77 Malcolm Parkinson (b. 1865).

78 Canon Richard Parkinson (1797–1858).

79 Unidentified.

**Saturday 11 July 1885** Working. Town getting distinctly dotted with strangers—many apparently for Royal Agricultural Show. Reached home at 12.10am.

**Sunday 12 July 1885** In af[ternoo]n—after tea—I & my wife & daughters M[abel], R[osaline] & L[etitia] had a walk to Myerscough Lodge—about 1 ¾ miles from Brookhouse. Thos Tyldesley, grandson of Tyldesley the Royalist lived at this Lodge.80 We found it used as a farm house, dirty & dilapidated. One of the servant men told me that the fine old carved & panelled chimney piece in north west room, ground floor, had been taken away to London. This, I believe, is Duchy81 property.

**Monday 13 July 1885** Had a look at Moor Park, Preston. The Royal Agricultural Society of England is having its annual show here this week—from tomorrow (for public) till next Monday.

**Tuesday 14 July 1885** To Royal Agricultural Show. Getting particulars of implements with my son & Mr Love, my reporter, to send off to Daily News & Leeds Mercury.

**Wednesday 15 July 1885** Doing the Show. Town getting throng.

**Thursday 16 July 1885** Prince of Wales came to-day. A big, finely cheering, officially blustering, cheering, reception. The Prince went to new Public Hall & then to show. He seemed bulky, kindly & hard work. In t[he] evening he went to Lathom House,82 near Ormskirk.

**Friday 17 July 1885** P[rince] of Wales laid corner stone of our Dock to-day. A big, formal, finely cut affair. Copland photographed the party [Figure 6].83

80 Hewitson and Joseph Gillow had edited and published the diaries of Thomas Tyldesley.

81 Duchy of Lancaster, property held in trust for the monarch as Duke of Lancaster.

82 Home of Edward Bootle-Wilbraham, first Earl of Lathom (1837–1898), Conservative politician and Lord Chamberlain of the Household.

83 Hewitson bought a framed print of this picture in 1906 (see 16 October 1906).

Fig. 7**.** The Prince of Wales (right, standing, in top hat) at the ceremony to lay the foundation stone of the Albert Edward Dock, Preston, 17 July 1885. Hewitson (front centre, turning to face the camera) is sitting at the press bench with other reporters. Photograph by Copland, Preston; used with permission of Lancashire County Council Red Rose Collections, https:// redrosecollections.lancashire.gov.uk), CC BY.

**Saturday 18 July 1885** I at work all day till 10.45. Then to Brookhouse.

**Sunday 19 July 1885** In af[ternoo]n rode over with my son E[thelbert] & one of brother-in-law's (Hall\* of Sheffield) sons—two being here to Royal Ag[ricultural] Show ground at Preston, in af[ternoo]n Bishop of Manchester84 preached in a tent on the ground, to a number of the herdsmen, &c &c. Sermon—a plain, good one—advocated kindness to dumb animals, importance of attending divine service on Sunday &c. I telegraphed a few words of it to the Daily News, London & t[he] Leeds Mercury. Home (Brookhouse) aft[erwar]ds. Reading Life of Lord Palmerston in evening.

84 James Fraser.\*

**Monday 20 July 1885** Jane or Jennet, the servant, left this morning.85 We c[oul]d not do with her.  One day she told me that "those who do the least work get best on", & that she had worked enough!!

**Tuesday 21 July 1885** Working all day.

**Wednesday 22 July 1885** Same.

**Thursday 23 July 1885** Ditto.

**Friday 24 July 1885** Landed at Preston at 9 in morning. Working all day ("Labor omnia vincit" & "Laborare est orare"86) till 12.30 on Sat morning.

**Saturday 25 July 1885** Didn't sleep well in morning. Weather hot; flies biting nose; up at 9.15. Working all day. Started for home at 10.45 pm. Moonshine, hot mist. Landed at 11.45.

**Sunday 26 July 1885** Rose about 10 o'c[loc]k; set lad an example in cleaning house. Making myself useful aft[erwar]ds. In evening, reading

**Monday 27 July 1885** At work pretty early. Servant (Ellen Lowee[?])87 came this evening with us from Preston. These domestic servants are a complete nuisance & I don't think we shall ever get one to really suit us.

**Tuesday 28 July 1885** At work more or less all day. Fine weather—grand for the hay harvest.

**Wednesday 29 July 1885** To-day W[ilia]m Parkinson\* the operatic tenor singer called. He has disposed of the residue of his interest in the Theatre Royal, & in a few weeks is going on a health tour to Australia. He will, I suppose, mingle business (singing) with health-seeking. He promised to send me some descriptive letters for the Chronicle.

**Thursday 30 July 1885** Work all day. Home sooner. Weed clearing for a while.

85 See 29 June.

86 To work is to pray.

87 Possibly Ellen Lowe (b. 1865), a weaver.

**Friday 31 July 1885** Throng\* all day with newspaper work. At night Ernest King,\* with whom I got acquainted while he had Blackburn Times about 20 years ago, & who has for some years been in America, & is now proprietor of the Middletown Sentinel gave me a call.

#### August

**Saturday 1 August 1885** E King\* called on me again this morning & I showed him round. Finished work ab[ou]t 10.35. Reached home ab[ou]t 12. Nice night.

**Sunday 2 August 1885** Up at a rather late hour. In af[ternoo]n read a further portion of Ashley's Life of Lord Palmerston. In evening had a walk with my wife.

**Monday 3 August 1885** Reached Preston with sons E[thelbert] & H[orace] ab[ou]t 9.30. Holiday, many principal shops closed. Amongst my letters one from a Walker88 stating that Ernest King\* w[oul]d not be able to see me on Wed as arranged; that he & a few friends were to day going to have an out into the country; & that he & they w[oul]d be pleased to see me. I went by train to Blackburn; met the party at the station there; proceeded by train to Ingleton, via Hellifield (fare there & back from Blackburn 2/3). I was brought up at Ingleton, with my grandfather ("old Tommy Moor") & it was like balm & beauty & ancient happiness to me. We looked about—went up to the Storrs; had dinner at Ingleborough Hotel—good "spread"—speeches after dinner. Mr Abram,89 author of History of Blackburn & editor of Blackburn Times, proposed my health—said he had known me, by repute, for 18 years. He is a plain, sandy complexioned, strongly built, kindly, homely man. I like him. He can tell a good story. Both of us went ahead at story telling. Saw my cousin Thomas Moor & promised to go over again this month

88 Possibly John Walker (1845–1892), employed by King on the *Blackburn Times* in 1865, rising to sub-editor and business manager under new owners the Toulmins. By 1885 he was editor of the Toulmins' *Warrington Examiner*, shortly to take over the paper as proprietor: George Hull, *The Poets and Poetry of Blackburn* (Blackburn: G & J Toulmin, 1902).

89 William Alexander Abram (1835–1894), son of a nonconformist minister, was a contemporary of WT Stead at school in Silcoates near Wakefield. He moved from printing to journalism, editing the short-lived *Blackburn News* in 1860. He ran the newly opened Blackburn public library 1860–1867 and co-edited the complete works of the Cavalier poet Robert Herrick. The Toulmins made him editor of the *Blackburn Times* when they bought the paper from King in 1867: Andrew Hobbs, 'The Poet, the Newspaper Editor, and Working-Class Local Literary Culture in Victorian Blackburn', *Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire & Cheshire*, 168 (2019), 93–116.

to Ingleton which is becoming quite a resort for excursionists.90 Landed at Preston about 10.40pm.

**Tuesday 4 August 1885** I, my wife & son E[thelbert] to Stonyhurst College—the "Academy day".91

**Wednesday 5 August 1885** Not well, but working.

**Thursday 6 August 1885** Ditto.

**Friday 7 August 1885** Same somewhat. Better in health.

**Saturday 8 August 1885** Working all day.

**Sunday 9 August 1885** At home all day; in af[ternoo]n reading Life of Lord Palmerston—an excellent, cute, sound-minded man. In the evening to

[Two blank pages are glued together here, diary entries continuing unbroken onto following page]

Mr Jackson's92 Catterall House, ab[ou]t 1 ½ mile north of our house. Nice, substantial place, built by one Fielding who once worked Catterall Mill, & was able to make the house very proper, for I am told he failed to pay 20/- in the pound.93 Mr Jackson—a cattle dealer—a shrewd, plain, homely, sandy-haired, light-pink face. His wife94 a good-looking, smart sort of person. Two of his sisters (from Wray Green95) over. Nice, quiet persons—old maids, but not snarlers or shriekers.96 Spent a pleasant evening. My wife with me. We got back home at about 10.45.

90 The mountain scenery and caves around this Yorkshire village where Hewitson grew up became more popular after articles in the local press, leading to the formation of a company earlier in 1885 to make the waterfalls accessible to the public.

91 Prize-giving.

92 George Jackson (b. 1850).

93 I.e. failed to pay his debts in full. Catterall Works were auctioned in 1849 (*Manchester Courier,* 14 July 1849, p. 12), no other information available.

94 Unidentified.

95 The modern spelling is Wrea Green.

96 Not feminists; Hewitson was referring to the 'shrieking sisterhood', a phrase coined by Eliza Lynn Linton in an anonymous 1870 *Saturday Review* attack on feminists.

**Monday 10 August 1885** To Preston. Not so very well. At work more or less all day. Weather mildish.

**Tuesday 11 August 1885** Working at shop & partly engaged in composing a paper on the Hoghton family and Hoghton Tower for the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society.

**Wednesday 12 August 1885** Same. Finished my paper about 9pm. Home by train.

**Thursday 13 August 1885** My birthday. I am 49 to-day. Thank God for all His kindness & furtherance & help.

**Friday 14 August 1885** Working all day. Finished at ab[ou]t 1.50 on Sat morning.

**Saturday 15 August 1885** At work in forenoon. In af[ternoo]n to Hoghton Tower (W Livesey,\* an old friend & Mr J Mackie97 [sic] editor of the Preston Herald with me as friends; Mc [McKay] took two of his children. At Hoghton Tower there were about 50 of the Lanc[ashire] & Chesh[ire] Ant[i]q[uarian] party. I read my paper in the great dining hall.98 We aft[erwar]ds looked about. Then to Boar's Head & had tea—2/- each. Then a discussion in a field opposite, my son E[thelbert] reporting. At night on getting to Brookhouse, found that my father from Lancaster, & sister Alice99 & her only child Bertie (from Brooklyn) had come. We sat up talking &c till a very, very late hour.

97 James McKay (1847–1894), born in Thurso, grew up in Burnley and in 1869 launched the *Burnley Standard* which ran for 17 issues. In the 1870s he worked in Worcestershire, then was editor of the *Blackpool Gazette.* In 1879 he was editor of the *Burnley Advertiser* until it merged with the *Burnley Express* in 1880, when he moved to the *Preston Herald* until about 1892. Assistant editor of the *Western Mail*, Cardiff, editor of *Aberdeen Journal* and *Evening Express* in 1894 but died the same year. Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (obit, *PG,* 4 Aug 1894).

98 Hewitson was reading a research paper on the ancient fortified manor house of Hoghton Tower, between Preston and Blackburn, as part of the programme of the recently established Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society: 'Proceedings: Saturday August 15th, 1885: Hoghton Tower', *Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society*, 3 (1886), 247–49. Ethelbert's report on his father's big day made one and a half columns in Hewitson's paper, with other reports, very similar, appearing in newspapers around Lancashire.

99 Alice Finch, née Hewitson (1852–1931). Married Rev Dr John Finch (1849–1921), emigrated to USA.

**Sunday 16 August 1885** Up latish. W France,\* his wife & their son F100 came this morning, & spent a pleasant day with us. They (Frances) returned, as they came, by train in the evening.

**Monday 17 August 1885** To-day Frank Janaway101 came to day, to Brookhouse to look after garden & grounds & make himself generally useful. My sons E[thelbert] & H[orace], with brother-in-law Jno Finch,102 out shooting in Bilsborough this af[ternoo]n. My wife & sister A[lice]\* at Preston in af[ternoo]n, having on the way called at Fernyhalgh to see one of Harrison's daughters103 married. Home with me at 7.

**Tuesday 18 August 1885** My father,\* sister A[lice]\* & her husband\* & son returned to Lancaster. Frank left, & Ellen the servant.

**Wednesday 19 August 1885** At work all day.

**Thursday 20 August 1885** Servant Ellen returned to serve her notice. I told her if she did not her wages would be forfeited.

**Friday 21 August 1885** Old John came to day (from Workhouse) to garden & make himself generally useful. No wages.

**Saturday 22 August 1885** Sister A[lice]\* & her husband\* & son returned to Brookhouse this af[ternoo]n. Home at 11.45.

**Sunday 23 August 1885** Reading & cleaning house in forenoon. In af[ternoo]n I, my wife, & sister A[lice]\* had a drive out round by Inglewhite, Whitechapel, Brock head, down Claughton & so home to Brookhouse. Atmosphere clear—scenery beautiful, Fyldeward.104

**Monday 24 August 1885** To Preston with son E[thelbert], pretty early. I home (Brookhouse) to play at noon—he returned at 6.15. Had a drive round by Garstang & St Michael's.

100 Frederick William France (1860–1915).

101 Unidentified.

102 Rev Dr John Finch (1849–1921) of Hoboken, New Jersey.

103 Adela Bertha Harrison (1866–1946), youngest daughter of James Leyland Harrison of Ladye Well, Fernyhalgh, Hewitson's paper carried a detailed account, possibly written by Margaret Hewitson (*PC,* 22 August 1885, p. 5).

104 Towards the Fylde.

**Tuesday 25 August 1885** To Preston with son H[orace] & after opening letters & attending to other things I returned to Brookhouse. During af[ternoo]n went out into some fields at back with brother-in-law Finch\* & sons E[thelbert,] L[lewellyn]—they shooting throstles,105 a thing I do not approve of. In evening had some quoiting. I did badly at that played some ridiculously bad quoits.

**Wednesday 26 August 1885** To Preston in morning with sons E[thelbert] & H[orace]. Worked. Returned at noon & spent main of af[ternoo]n with brother in law F[inch]\*—he with gun, wh[ich] I bought (new) to-day for £4 from Richards, gunmaker, Preston. Strong, plain, good double barrelled breach loader. In evening quoiting in garden. I played pretty well. Opened a new barrel of whiskey—strong.

**Thursday 27 August 1885** At work at Preston all day. Sister A[lice]\* & her husband & son returned to Lancaster, in evening. They were sorry to leave, & our youngest children were equally sorry to part with them.

**Friday 28 August 1885** Working all day at Preston, from 9 in morning till 1.30 on Sat morning.

**Saturday 29 August 1885** Out of bed at 9.20. Breakfast & then to work. John Huntington,106 from Cleveland, in Ohio (USA) at Preston this evening. I did not see him. Started for Brookhouse at 10.40pm & landed all right.

**Sunday 30 August 1885** My wife & sons E[thelbert] & H[orace] drove over to Lancaster this morning to my parents' house in Bowerham-lane & to hear brother-in-law Finch\* preach in the Independent Centenary chapel. I at home rearranging pictures some hours then reading, then taking my children M[abel], R[osaline], L[lewellyn] & Let[itia] on walk. At night sons E[thelbert] & H[orace] returned & gave a favourable account of Finch's preaching.

105 Thrushes.

106 John Huntington (1832-1893) had been a union leader during the Preston Lock-Out (1853–1854). Blacklisted and unable to find work, he emigrated to Cleveland, Ohio, where he made his fortune and became a partner in the Standard Oil Company (*PH,* 13 October 1883, p. 2; *LEP,* 12 January 1893, p3).

**Monday 31 August 1885** I to Lancaster by 8.20 train. Then with my wife, my sister & her husband107 to Ingleton, by train—having to wait at Clapham junction108 1¼ hour. On reaching Ingleton, were met by my cousin Thomas Moor. Went to see the scenery in Swilla Bottom. Very romantic & beautiful. At night met with some Preston people (Councillor Hale,109 &c) at Wheatsheaf & had some whiskey. Slept—I & wife—at cousin's.

107 Alice\* and John Finch.\*

108 Clapham in Yorkshire.

109 See 15 December 1884.

### September

**Tuesday 1 September 1885** I, my wife & six of the Preston lot to Dent by Ribble Head. Fine. Went to & examined source of the Ribble—a small spring running from a rocky hole, on south-west side of Gearstones. Then to Dent where we inspected the church & saw grave of my grandfather & grandmother (Thomas & Dorothy Moor\*) & had dinner at the Sun Inn, once my grandfather's property. When a little lad I often went with him to Dent. His grave is at east end of the church. Saw a monolith drinking fountain to memory of Prof. A Sedgwick the geologist.110 Back by Barbon. At night, at Ingleton, had a "good time" with cousin T[homas] M[oor], Tom Boyd111 (an old companion) & one Hewitson (stepson of my uncle Bob Hewitson.112

**Wednesday 2 September 1885** Home with my wife.

**Thursday 3 September 1885** Working hard.

**Friday 4 September 1885** D[itt]o

**Saturday 5 September 1885** At work from 10.15 to 10.50 at night. Paid £400 on a/c [account] of £800 for Cannon st[ree]t office premises (No. 21) (p[ai]d to executors of Joseph Livesey\*). The original Mechanic's Institute.

**Sunday September 1885** Went to Wesleyan Chapel in Bilsborough Lane, with daughters R[osaline] & L[etitia] but found there was no service—school & service in af[ternoo]n only. I went to this place because I thought the children w[oul]d be kept out of mischief—better than rambling about at home. Chapel a whitewashed, octagonal-looking dumpty place, plain as a barn nearly inside. Reading in af[ternoo]n. In evening had a walk with my wife & daughters M[abel], R[osaline] & L[etitia] up Brock.

**Monday 7 September 1885** At work all day, at Preston.

110 Adam Sedgwick (1785–1873), one of the founders of modern geology.

111 Thomas Boyd (1835–1905), tailor, wrestler and Conservative.

112 Robert Hewitson (born Robert Balderstone Ellershaw in 1829), whose mother Elizabeth Ellershaw (b. 1811) married Robert Hewitson (b. 1807), older brother of the diarist's father. Thanks to Margaret Dickinson for this information.

**Tuesday 8 September 1885** To Preston in forenoon. At noon drove over to Brookhouse with my son E[thelbert]. After dinner set off with my wife, son E[thelbert] & old man John to a lane full of ferns under & at north-western end of Beacon Fell. We wanted to get some for our grounds but rain came on & after staying for half an hour at Green Man Inn, Inglewhite, where I had a glass of ale, we returned home to Brookhouse—weather gradually getting worse—without a single fern.

**Wednesday 9 September 1885** At home at Preston.

**Thursday 10 September 1885** Same. Bro[ther] in law Finch\* left Lancaster (for Glasgow via State Line "City "State of Nevada") this morning for New York.

**Friday 11 September 1885** Same. At work from 9 in morning till 1.30 on Sat. morning.

**Saturday 12 September 1885** At work by 10.15 in morning. Easy. In evening much excitement & Fishergate opposite my shop (No 18½) nearly blocked with young & mature & middle aged men (idiots w[oul]d be a better definition) waiting for return of race, at Edinburgh, run this af[ternoo]n between one Cummings of Preston113 & George114 —latter an amateur. George lost. He had previously beaten Cummings.115

**Sunday 13 September 1885** In af[ternoo]n reading. Had a walk.

**Monday 14 September 1885** At work all day. Times dull.

**Tuesday 15 September 1885** Same

**Wednesday 16 September 1885** Same

**Thursday 17 September 1885** At work all day

113 William J. Cummings (1858–1919) was from Paisley, and had been training near Preston.

114 Walter George (1858–1943).

115 Hewitson had no interest in sport and his *Chronicle* carried little sporting news one possible reason for its decline at a time when organised sport, and its coverage, was becoming hugely popular. The crowds were standing outside the offices of the *Preston Herald* (120 Fishergate) and the *Preston Guardian* (127 Fishergate), who were probably announcing updates sent by telegraph.

**Friday 18 September 1885** Same—beginning at 9 & finishing at ab[ou]t 12.30 on Sat. morning.

**Saturday 19 September 1885** Attending to shop & newspaper work all day. Home at ab[ou]t midnight.

**Sunday 20 September 1885** Finished Ashley's Life of Lord Palmerston & began 2nd vol of Froude's Carlyle—Life in London. 116

**Monday 21 September 1885** At shop all day—nothing particular— Times very dull.

**Tuesday 22 September 1885** Went Went with son E[thelbert] by our own horse & trap to Great Eccleston Agricultural Show. We started from Brookhouse, & went through Churchtown & St Michael's. A beautiful day. Good show. Damnably bad dinner at Black Bull. Perhaps this was owing to the small sum paid by the Society. A miserable top end—chairman's end. Nobody. 117 Home at 6.30 pm

**Wednesday 23 September 1885** Nothing particular.

**Thursday 24 September 1885** At shop all day. Sub-editing & doing all sorts of things—good, bad & indifferent, but trying to do the good ones.

**Friday 25 September 1885** The servant Ellen Lowe[?]118 left us this forenoon after a month's notice.  C[oul]d do no good with her. I at work till 12.30 on Sat. morning.

**Saturday 26 September 1885** Work all day. At night street crowded— Fishergate, opposite my shop. National foot race—Cummings, a Prestonian won.119

**Sunday 27 September 1885** "Doing about" till late in af[ternoo]n; then reading 2nd vol (last) of Froude's Carlyle.

116 See 21 December 1884.

117 Presumably no guests of quality.

118 See 27 July, 18 and 20 August.

119 See 12 September.

**Monday 28 September 1885** Easily at work. In evening attended a committee meeting of Preston Sanitary Association at Central Working Men's Club; I in chair; business of a formal character. Home by 9.30 pm train. Old Ellen came to night from pm as servant.

**Tuesday 29 September 1885** At work all day at work [sic]

**Wed 30 September 1885** Same. Decided to let old Ellen go back—no use—old, ill, whining.

# October

**Thursday 1 October 1885** At work all day. Mary Johnson120 (widow, late of Darwen, & originally of Garstang) came to my house at noon to-day. Wages 5/- per week, & keep &c.

**Friday 2 October 1885** To Preston at usual time. Working all day. Finished sooner than usual—11.30 at night. Went to staying rooms (Central Working Men's Club, Fishergate), read a while, had some whiskey & a pipe of tobacco & then to bed.

**Saturday 3 October 1885** To-day (in af[ternoo]n) "Old Dan"—head gardener at Preston Union Workhouse121 came to garden & make himself generally useful. Wages 2/6 per w[ee]k & keep. I home by train at 9.58 at night.

#### **Sunday 4 October 1885** [No entry]

**Monday 5 October 1885** At 7.54 left Brock with my wife for London. (Excursion from Preston—fare there & back 15/- each). Reached London about 5.30 pm. Had for travelling company a butcher of Preston named Lawrenson,122 his wife, &c—jolly people, fond of good eating, & generous. Took lodgings at a place in Shoe Lane—one Plowman's,123 tailor &c. Clean bed, but hardly slept a wink owing to noise made by engine of an adjoining printing establishment—a thumping irregular sounding, semi-grinding, half-devil sort of noise.

**Tuesday 6 October 1885** Got lodgings at 143 Fleet Street.124 With my wife buying Xmas cards nearly all day. At night we went to the Inventions Exhibition, South Kensington.125 Exhibition a huge, wide-spreading lot of machinery &c—mainly like a great collection of mechanical shops. Nicest sight in open grounds on one side—illuminations, fountain playing—coloured & electric lights.

120 Unidentified.

121 Unidentified.

122 John Lawrenson of Friargate.

123 George (b. 1831) and Eliza Plowman (b. 1829), 76 Shoe Lane, off Fleet Street.

124 Holman's coffee house, where they stayed in May 1875 and September 1884.

125 The Inventions Exhibition was a world's fair, covering 22 acres and attracting three and three-quarter million visitors in its six-month run.

**Wednesday 7 October 1885** Buying Xmas goods nearly all day.126 At night to the Aquarium in Westminster.127 A common, sensational moneyextracting affair. A shameful number of harlots & young men (several under influence of drink) were visible & became more numerous as the night wore on.

**Thursday 8 October 1885** At noon saw the preliminaries—or part of the Earl of Shaftesbury's128 funeral, in Westminster Abbey. Great number of people—apparently good, bad & indifferent in & outside the building. Coffin covered with wreaths. Funeral aft[erwar]ds took place some miles out of London. Left Euston station at 4.10 pm, home at Brock at 10.10 pm.

**Friday 9 October 1885** At work all day till 12.45 at night.

**Saturday 10 October 1885** Working all day. During forenoon Rev Mr Sharman\* (Unitarian) brought into shop & introduced Mr George Jacob Holyoake,129 the well known secularist—a sharp, cool, small-eyed, pinkskinned, thoughtful man about 70 yrs old, wearing felt hat & thick, black top coat. He had been lecturing at Preston on Wed night. We had a short, pleasant chat. I & wife home ab[ou]t 10pm.

**Sunday 11 October 1885** At home. Reading in af[ternoo]n & took daughters R[osaline] & M[abel] out for a walk.

**Monday 12 October 1885** Work all day. Times dull—general business depressed.

**Tuesday 13 October 1885** D[itt]o

**Wednesday 14 October 1885** D[itt]o. Politics chiefly talked about. General election near. No chance at Preston for the Liberals—number

126 For Margaret Hewitson's stationery and fancy goods shop.

127 The site of the huge Royal Aquarium and Winter Garden is now occupied by Methodist Central Hall.

128 Anthony Ashley Cooper, seventh Earl of Shaftesbury (1801–1885), politician, philanthropist and social reformer, best known for his reforms of child labour.

129 George Jacob Holyoake (1817–1906), campaigner for the co-operative movement, a socialist and atheist ('freethinker'). He was jailed for blasphemy, and edited the secularist journal *The Reasoner* (1846–1861).

of voters too small—organisation bad—leaders of the party not liked fussy, inflated nobodies.

**Thursday 15 October 1885** D[itt]o as to work.

**Friday 16 October 1885** Same. Finished about 12.30 on Sat morning.

**Saturday 17 October 1885** At work more or less from 10 in morning till 9.40 at night. Home, with my wife, by train.

**Sunday 18 October 1885** Up at 9.45 in morning. Breakfast, looked about, dinner; read part of Carlyle's Life (last vol of Froudes). In evening I, my wife & son H[orace] rode over in our trap—by Broughton & up Durton Lane to T.A. Peters',\* the Hermitage, Grimsargh. Boys' academy. Harvest festival in chapel of the place—adjoining—a neat, unsubstantial structure. Peters preached—a sermon not his own, in my opinion. Several visitors from Preston. Had a smoke & some whisky. Home at 10pm.

**Monday 19 October 1885** Work more or less all day. Nothing particular.

**Tuesday 20 October 1885** D[itt]o as to work. In af[ternoo]n I & my wife went to Prescotts Gardens (nursery) Cottam to purchase some shrubs &c for Brookhouse—landlady to pay for them.

**Wednesday 21 October 1885** Working all day. At night went to first annual meeting of Preston Sanitary Assoc[iatio]n, held in news room of Central Working Men's Club, Fishergate. Small but earnest lot present. Home by train (my wife waiting for me at shop) by 9.30 train. On getting home wrote out Geo[rge] Galloway's\* election address, he seeking re-election as one of the representatives in our Town Council, of Fishwick Ward. How the world is deceived.130

**Thursday 22 October 1885** Working hard all day. About noon to day Dr Fraser, bishop of Manchester, died suddenly. He was a hard-working, excellent bishop.

**Friday 23 October 1885** At work, from 9 in morning till 12.30 in morning. The usual toil, thought, writing & moil of a newspaper editor's life.

130 Presumably voters would think that the candidate had written their own election address.

**Saturday 24 October 1885** Tolerably easy day. Colonel Stanley\* spoke in Exchange in af[ternoo]n. He is a mild, gentlemanly Tory & seeks elec[tio]n for the Blackpool division of this county.

**Sunday 25 October 1885** My wife & son Horace to Preston, to get off to London a news parcel131 I last night forgot. Home at noon. I reading Froude's Life of Carlyle in af[ternoo]n & evening.

**Monday 26 October 1885** Easy work all day. "Boy" Booth132 —a lad learning to be a reporter—returned to my service, after a fortnight's withdrawal, by consent to-day. Weather getting wintery—rain, leaves coming off. Views of places—houses, waterpits &c more visible through this.

**Tuesday 27 October 1885** At work, as usual, on such day. Times in respect to general business dull & hard.

**Wednesday 28 October 1885** At work all day. Nothing very new. Road to & from Brookhouse getting very hard, through being dotted here & there & covered in this part & that with big patches of broken stones but then the road will by & bye be better for them.

**Thursday 29 October 1885** To Preston by train at 7.50 in morning. Had to hurry—ran part of way. Wish railway trains were always as punctual. On reaching Preston had a short talk with W.J. Parkinson,\* Myerscough House—& then with A. Simpson133 of Elmhurst, near Garstang. Son E[thelbert] reporting this evening at Wray for Lancaster Observer. He will be reporting for ditto at Glasson Dock at night, McCoan's134 speech.135

**Friday 30 October 1885** At work from 9.10 in morning till 12.30 at night.

**Saturday 31 October 1885** Easy work. Home by 9.30 train.

131 Presumably reports of Stanley's speech for London newspapers.

132 Unidentified.

133 Albert Simpson (1838–1924), Conservative councillor and magistrate, Preston mill owner, inveterate writer of letters to the local press (*LDP,* 21 January 1924, p. 4).

134 James Carlile McCoan (1829–1904), independent MP, formerly a member of the Irish Home Rule League, standing as a Liberal candidate for Lancaster.

135 See 5 November for additional 29 October entry.

# November

**Sunday 1 November 1885** Up at 9 in morning. Bothering about for several hours. In af[ternoo]n reading a little. In evening I & my wife walked to WJ Parkinson's,\* Myerscough House, had tea, a miscellaneous talk, some tobacco & whiskey. Home (by our trap which son H[orace] brought) at ab[ou]t 10.15pm.

[Two pages for 2–8 November blank, crossed through, but diary continues on following page, uninterrupted, Hewitson ignoring printed dates]

**Monday 2 November 1885** Municipal elections. Dull in Preston. Opposition in only one ward (Fishwick).

**Tuesday 3 November 1885** Working all day.

**Wednesday 4 November 1885** Dull times generally—The elec[tio]n not creating much excitement at Preston. My daughter Lettie sick. Sent down Mr Edwin Moore136 surgeon, of Preston, to her, in evening, by train. On his return I met him, got some medicine & down home with it by train. Presenta[tio]n to Mayor Forshaw137 &c.

**Thursday 5 November 1885** Daughter Lettie somewhat better this morning. Dr Moore went down to her again & found her improved. P.S. This refers to last Thursday Oct 29—Mr Sharman called with Mr Fitzgerald138 who had b[ee]n lecturing in Unitarian chapel night before. He has b[ee]n M[an]c[heste]r correspondent for the London Standard. A mild, fair looking, clear-eyed man.

**Friday 6 November 1885** Working from 9.20 in morning till 2.30 Sat morning.

**Saturday 7 November 1885** Working all day. Home by 9.34pm train.

**Sunday 8 November 1885** At home all day. In evening reading Froude's Life of Carlyle. Fine but extracts very mournful & depressing.

136 See 11 June 1884.

137 Forshaw was ending his year as mayor.

138 See 14 January.

**Monday 9 November 1885** At work more or less working. Weather dull very.

**Tuesday 10 November 1885** Ditto. At noon went down home—nursed my daughter L[etitia] &c. In evening went to Rawcliffe's,139 Myerscough Lodge & ordered six loads of potatoes—3 of "champions" & 3 of "Magnums".140 Price 5/6 per load delivered at home.

**Wednesday 11 November 1885** Working all day. Weather very dull. Activity in the selfish bigoted humbugging political world.

**Thursday 12 November 1885** Same.

**Friday 13 November 1885** Ab[ou]t same. Ann141 the servant came at noon to-day to B[rook]house.

**Saturday 14 November 1885** This forenoon Mr John Hallam,\* wool, hide &c dealer of Toronto turned up. I showed him around somewhat. At night he went with me to Brookhouse & stayed all night.

**Sunday 15 November 1885** In forenoon had a walk towards Inglewhite. Weather fine; sky clear; sun light. In af[ternoo]n had a walk with Mr Hallam\*—a determined, ill-looking, well-read, careful, sober, roughmannered man.

**Monday 16 November 1885** To Preston with my wife & Hallam.\* He on to Chorley & L[iver]pool.

**Tuesday 17 November 1885** Hard frost; very cold driving to Preston. But all safe—horse sharpened142 —cost ab[ou]t 1/9. At work.

**Wednesday 18 November 1885** D[itt]o as to work. Weather cold.

**Thursday 19 November 1885** At work all day & stayed at shop till nearly 9 waiting for my son E[thelbert] who was reporting a big Liberal demonstration in Public Hall. Russell143 —a Temperance hotel keeper

139 Richard Rawcliffe (1845–1917), farmer.

140 Varieties of potato.

141 See 3 August 1887. Possibly Ann Lancaster (b.1871 in Pwllheli).

142 Sharp ridges were welded to horse shoes to help them grip on ice.

143 Thomas Wallace Russell (1841–1920), owner of a Dublin temperance hotel, was elected Liberal Unionist MP for South Tyrone in 1886 and served in Lord Salisbury's government.

& "lobby" man144 —the Liberal candidate. Don't care for him—an adventurer in my opinion.

**Friday 20 November 1885** Work hard all day from about 9.15 in morning. At night a Conservative demonstration in the Public Hall. Conservative candidates, Tomlinson145 & Hanbury,146 who will, I think, be elected by large majority.

**Saturday 21 November 1885** Fairly easy day. Bad business day. Politics & football the main attractions. Home by 9.34 train. Beautiful, cold moonlight.

**Sunday 22 November 1885** In af[ternoo]n with daughter Lettie—she playing on hand organ. Aft[erwar]ds I finished Froude's 2nd vol of Carlyle's Life. Honest book.

[2 pages for 23–29 Nov blank, crossed through, but diary continues on following page, uninterrupted, with printed dates crossed out]

**Monday 23 November 1885** Considerable excitement in Preston— Nomination Day—Mr Tomlinson & Mr Hanbury (Conservatives) & Mr Russell (Liberal—"carpet bag"147 gentleman) nominated.

**Tuesday 24 November 1885** Election Day. Comparatively quiet. None of t[he] old fly-racket of conveyances—cabs &c148 —Poll kept open till 8pm. Result declared at 10.30. The two Conservatives elected by a very large majority. I stayed up—talking & drinking—until I couldn't tell what hour. Stayed at Preston all night.

**Wednesday 25 November 1885** Up at 8.30. Great rejoicing on part of Conservatives. I was congratulated on being a sort of prophet, for I said over & over ag[ai]n, that Russell c[oul]d not win. Not well—"merry nights make sorrowful mornings." Had a Turkish bath in af[ternoo]n. Home to Brookhouse at night.

144 He lobbied politicians as parliamentary agent of the Irish temperance movement.

145 William Edward Murray Tomlinson (1838–1912), lawyer, part owner of a Wigan coalmine, Conservative MP for Preston 1882–1906.

146 Robert William Hanbury (1845–1903), owned coalmines in Staffordshire.

147 A carpet bagger was an electoral candidate with no connection to the constituency (in twenty-first-century parlance, a candidate who is parachuted in).

148 Free transport for voters who had promised their vote to a particular candidate.

**Thursday 26 November 1885** At work, fairly hard all day. The elections going against the Liberals.

**Friday 27 November 1885** Working all day. Elections still going against the Liberals, who expected a fine majority. Gladstone (for Midlothian) & Lord Hartington (for Rossendale division) however returned by big majorities.149

**Saturday 28 November 1885** Working moderately all day. Home at 9.50pm.

**Sunday 29 November 1885** Up about 10. Bothering & working. In af[ternoo]n & evening reading Darwin's "Expression of the Emotions".150 Curious. Dry. Honest.

**Monday 30 November 1885** Work all day. Election excitement—crowds in main street—Blockheads, fanatical geese mainly who care more, apparently, for mere party victory than truth & permanent principles. Joe Clayton151 died to-day.

149 The General Election ran from 24 November to 18 December. The Liberals failed to win a majority, with 319 seats (of a total 670) against the Conservatives' 247, while the Irish parliamentary party held the balance of power with 86 seats. So the Conservatives under Lord Salisbury formed a short-lived minority government, dependent on the Irish MPs.

150 Charles Darwin, *The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals* (London: John Murray, 1872), an application of the theory of evolution to human emotions and intellect.

151 See 8 February 1875.

## December

**Tuesday 1 December 1885** Working all day. As to election crowds, ditto, chiefly.

**Wednesday 2 December 1885** Working as usual.

**Thursday 3 December 1885** Same. My son Bertie not so well—complains of his heart. Sent him to old Dr Monk,152 who said he had no disease, but was suffering from some deranged action of the heart. Medicine &c.

**Friday 4 December 1885** Working hard all day from ab[ou]t 9.15 in morning to 12.30 night.

**Saturday 5 December 1885** Old Mr Whittle,153 mayor, Chorley last year, called, amongst others for a copy of Chronicle. We had a short talk about the elec[tio]n for Chorley division (he is a Conservative) & he said "We sent Wright154 (Liberal candidate from Birmingham) damn'd sharp back home at night by train."

**Sunday 6 December 1885** In af[ternoo]n reading Darwin's Expression of the Emotions, hearing Letty play organette, &c.

**Monday 7 December 1885** Cold. Working. Election excitement subsiding. Home at night by train with my wife who always comes by train. Chair at San[itary] Ass[ociatio]n.

**Tuesday 8 December 1885** Sharp frost. Went to Preston by train. Girl came to shop.155

**Wednesday 9 December 1885** Very cold. Election excitement down.

152 Dr Thomas Monk (1807–1888), former mayor, county and borough magistrate, deputy-lieutenant of Lancashire, had been medical officer for many friendly societies. In 1858 he was convicted of forging a patient's will and served ten years in prison, returning to Preston in 1868 to continue his practice (*PC,* 20 February 1858, p. 4).

153 Thomas Whittle (1818–1890), owner of a Chorley coalmine and many other businesses.

154 Harold Wright gained less than half the votes of the winning Conservative candidate.

155 Presumably a new shop assistant.

**Thursday 10 December 1885** Cold. Got to Preston about 9.10. Work as usual.

**Friday 11 December 1885** Dull business; weather cold.

**Saturday 12 December 1885** To work at 10.10 morning. Business quiet. Richard Lancaster,156 beer agent, apprehended to-day on charge of embezzlement. I & my wife home by 9.35 pm train.

**Sunday 13 December 1885** Got up at 10.15 morning. Working somewhat. In af[ternoo]n Letty playing for me. In evening I reading Darwin's "Expression of t[he] Emotions." Bed 11.

**Monday 14 December 1885** Working moderately all day. Election excitement gone quite down. Grumbling about hardness of the times, business competition &c. Everybody wants to be in business, if they have any capital & are not independent, & everybody seems to be getting into the business of everybody else.

**Tuesday 15 December 1885** Meeting to-day of CW Hawkins'\* creditors he being representative of firm of Messrs John Hawkins\* & Sons, cotton manufacturers &c, Preston. Trade depression, heavy expenditure & stupidity the cause of it. Ten years ago one looked upon this firm as being well nigh as strong as the rock of Gibraltar.

**Wednesday 16 December 1885** Working all day.

**Thursday 17 December 1885** Same. Weather very open & mild. Got a pair of new driving gloves to day for 5/-. Strong hairy-backed wool lined in anticipation of cold. It is the biggest physical punishment I have had driving in the cold to Preston—for the time I am on the road (when the weather is very cold) I had rather be in House of Correction than driving.

**Friday 18 December 1885** All day at work. Finished at 1.30 on Sat morning. Edward Rodgett157 of Darwen Bank died to-day.

156 Agent for an Edinburgh brewery, he had stolen £540 from his employers. See 6 January 1873.

157 See 20 November 1884.

**Saturday 19 December 1885** At work more or less all day till 10.30 at night. I & my wife (she busy selling Xmas cards) stayed all night in Preston.

**Sunday 20 December 1885** At 8.25 I & my wife to Brookhouse by train. In af[ternoo]n & evening reading, mainly Darwin's "Expression of Emotion". Letty played.

**Monday 21 December 1885** Working to-day. Xmas card trade in which my wife takes the leading part, beginning to be busier. Weather very open.

**Tuesday 22 December 1885** Same.

**Wednesday 23 December 1885** Same; but not as to weather—keen frost. Got horse "sharpened"—cost 1/9.158

**Thursday 24** Got my usual Friday's work finished by 11.40 at night. Staid all night at room across street, as I did night before. Heard bells of Parish Church (St John's) ring in sweetly Xmas Day.

**Friday 25 December 1885** Down home, with my wife, by 8.15 morning train. A dull, somewhat muggy morning. Had for our dinner one of our geese—a very fat tender bird—some plum pudding & dessert. Children playing in af[ternoo]n & evening—also at cards—I & my wife & old Dan with them. My sons E[thelbert] & H[orace] to Preston in trap to help in finishing work for & at printing office.

**Saturday 26 December 1885** A very dull day—as to both business & weather. A mixed up half-holiday, hugger-muggering159 sort of day. Staid with my wife all night at room over the way—could not leave business in time to catch last train for Brock.

**Sunday 27 December 1885** Home, with wife, by 8.15 morning train. Found on landing my wife's brother John Wilson\* & his wife & one of children from Lancaster had come. Don't like him or her—greedy, grasping &c. They went away in af[ternoo]n. This forenoon Joe Crombleholme,\* a well known Prestonian, died at his home, in Park

158 See 17 November 1885.

159 Confused, disorderly.

road, Preston, very suddenly, in his 59th y[ea]r. A well read man, with fine natural capacity.

**Monday 28 December 1885** To work with my wife & sons E[thelbert] & H[orace]. My wife throngish with New Year card selling.

**Tuesday 29 December 1885** Same—weather damp.

**Wednesday 30 December 1885** I by train to Broughton intending to go to Woodplumpton Lodge for some money from a windy, presuming, big man—Rev J. Hall160 —who married Mrs Ray, a widow. He a widower with five or six children, she a widow with six or seven. Beautiful combination, containing elements of much Bedlamism. Found they had removed to L[iver]pool which made me mad, & determined to be down on J.H. & his wife with law. Walked on to Preston, trying to ferret out J.H.'s L[iver]pool address &c. Afterwards went to Preston Cemetery to Mr J. Crombleholme's\* grave. He was buried this forenoon. Saw down into grave, where was his coffin, bearing a plate & brass crucifix. He was a Roman Catholic; but not a bigoted one. Threw a handful of mould down upon the coffin; then after a momentary prayer, went on & had a look at grave of my wife's father & mother,\* & then at the grave of my four little children—the former at eastern end of Nonconformist mortuary chapel, the latter in the northern side. Afterwards back to Preston & to my work—main part of work being compilation of a small pamphlet denunciatory of Salvation Army. For Mrs Bowling161 (widow of Roger Bowling162) of Bentham House, Bentham above Lancaster, of which pamphlet I printed, for her, 300 copies. I wrote this pamphlet, primarily, as a matter of business, for Mrs B to do as she liked with it. But it contained some of my own opinions. She has lost a daughter amongst the Salvationists—daughter has gone over or been drawn over to them, & I am informed that one of the Salvationists is going to marry

160 Rev. James Hall, former Primitive Methodist minister, temperance lecturer and author (*Birkenhead News*, 22 January 1887, p. 6).

161 Possibly Elizabeth Bowling (b. 1841), farmer's wife, formerly of Preston and Scotforth, who later emigrated to King Island off Tasmania (*PH,* 19 November 1892, p. 3).

162 Roger Thomas Bowling (1825–1883).

her. Seeing that the mother of this daughter (one of several children) has money, this may not be a bad enterprise, in the "worldly" sense.163

**Thursday 31 December 1885** Working hard all day—my wife also till 11 o clock at night. We stayed all night at the rooms we hire across the street. We had some talk & some whiskey by ourselves; & when 12 o cl[oc]k struck I kissed her & wished her many happy new years. A while afterwards we went to bed.

I thank God for all His mercy, blessings, & kindness to me & mine during 1885.

163 The Salvation Army, an evangelical break-away from the Methodist church which used military ranks and uniforms, was not seen as respectable.

[T J & J Smith's Small Scribbling Diary with Almanack. No. 6, 1887]1

[Inside front cover, possibly breakages/damage caused by a servant:]

Joe— half price hand painted globe – 5/- April 4— Broke ladder 5— Destroyed 2/- worth flower seeds 9 lamp glasses May 19— Gave boy 1/- Spoiled piece oil cloth—floor—by letting off gun without instructions.

[In Hewitson's hand:] A. Hewitson's Diary. Brook house, Bilsborrow, Nr Garstang.

[In another hand:]

Now the property of his grandson Robert Hewitson Blackmore, 14 Florizel Street, Burwood, Vic

[Anthony and Margaret Hewitson and six of their children lived in a rented rural mansion, Brook House, at Bilsborrow, a hamlet seven miles north of Preston. Anthony, aged 50, owned and edited the *Preston Chronicle* while Margaret ran an associated shop selling stationery, fancy goods, books, newspapers and magazines*.* Their two sons, Ethelbert, 22, and Horace, 20, assisted their father as reporters. Hewitson rented out a house at 48 Fishergate Hill and some town-centre commercial

1 Lancashire Archives DP/512/1/11.Some interleaved blotting pages have items with prices written on them, but are difficult to read.

property, including the Mitre Inn, Fishergate, and a warehouse in Cannon St. Eldest daughter Florence now lived with her husband in Carlisle. No diary survives for 1886, when the Liberal party had split over Gladstone's Irish Home Rule policy. Hewitson had parted ways with his former hero and now favoured the breakaway Liberal Unionists and the Conservatives. His newspaper rival, George Toulmin, and his sons George and James Toulmin, had launched a Gladstonian Liberal evening newspaper, the *Lancashire Evening Post,* in November 1886, strengthening their hold on the competitive local newspaper market. There are no circulation figures for Hewitson's *Preston Chronicle,* but its sales were probably falling, far below the 20,000 weekly circulation of the Toulmins' *Preston Guardian.*2 As in other industries, 'small masters' such as Hewitson were being squeezed by the concentration of capital and large-scale production.3 ]

[on Memoranda page:]

Diary of Anthony Hewitson, Brook house, Bilsborrow for 1887

[Before first entry:]

God our Father keep me and mine safely under Thy wing, and guide and guard us all this year and always

2 *PG,* 9 February 1887, p. 6.

3 Geoffrey Crossick, 'The Emergence of the Lower Middle Class in Britain: A Discussion', in *The Lower Middle Class in Britain 1870–1914*, ed. Geoffrey Crossick (Croom Helm, 1977), p. 15.

## January

**Saturday 1 January 1887** Working moderately all day. B[rother] in L[aw] Jas Wilson\* returned home to Aberdeen this forenoon. My wife & I at work till about 10.45 at night; then across to the rooms,4 and in fair course to bed.

**Sunday 2 January 1887** Rose early; both of us to Brock per 8.15 morning train. In afternoon I finished reading Dr Fothergill's work on Will Power5 and began one by Prof. Young on The Sun.6

**Monday 3 January 1887** To Preston by train at 10.35, to pay some money & sign my name in respect to my shop property, 21 Cannon St being mortgaged for £400 to Star Bowkett So[ciet]y. My son Horace having got an "appropriation" and I taking it from him for that amount. Money lent without interest for a number of years, else I should not have borrowed it.7

**Tuesday 4 January 1887** To Preston—easyish work. Home in fair time.

**Wednesday 5 January 1887** To Preston with son Horace per train. Working very hard all day till about 9.10 at night. Then home, with Horace, by train. Cold, snow, frost.

**Thursday 6 January 1887** To P[resto]n by train; working hard, all day. Nothing very special. Cold, business slack. Letter, I think, from daughter Letty—2nd since she went to Carlisle.8 Home at night by train. Last day this of the three set apart for Preston Great Horse Fair.

**Friday 7 January 1887** Hard work from about 9.30 (shortly before which we landed at Preston in the conveyance) till about 12.45 on Sat[urday]

4 The Hewitsons rented rooms on Fishergate to stay in when working late.

5 J. Milner Fothergill, *The Will Power: Its Range in Action* (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1885), https://wellcomecollection.org/works/a9n4wuy4.

6 Probably Charles Augustus Young, *The Sun and the Phenomena of Its Atmosphere* (New Haven, Conn.: C. C. Chatfield, 1872), http://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.320440 24174229.

7 Possibly Horace had been lent £400 interest-free by the Starr-Bowkett Society (a mutual society which made interest-free loans to members), which Hewitson used to pay down a mortgage on his Fishergate shop (21 Cannon St was a warehouse and other rooms, used by Hewitson for printing, not a shop).

8 Presumably Letitia, aged seven, was staying with her big sister Florence.

morning. Read a little of Geo[rge] Dawson's lecture on Wordsworth.9 Good, clear, healthy, very thoughtful.

**Saturday 8 January 1887** Could not get one of my boots on—short Wellingtons—which I had made for me about a week ago. Had to wait until boy borrowed me an elastic sided boot from W France,\* shoemaker, who stretched the boot, which some hours afterw[ards] I got & was satisfied with. Home with my wife per 9.35 pm train.

**Sunday 9 January 1887** Laid in bed till nearly 11 in forenoon. In aft[ernoo]n I and my wife drove over to W J Parkinson's,\* Myerscough Park & had dinner—turkey, water hen, beef, pudding &c. Afterwards had a long talk, a smoke & some tea & weak uisgebaugh10 —I watered it heavily. Home.

**Monday 10 January 1887** At home all day, writing first part of a lecture entitled "A Thousand Miles in & about Scotland" which I have to give before the Longridge Debating Society on the evening of Feb 3.

**Tuesday 11 January 1887** All day at home, going through one of the ledgers—to pick out old a/cs [accounts] and see that nothing was omitted. My son Horace near me, making out a/cs.

**Wednesday 12 January 1887** To Preston. Working, sub-editing,\* writing &c, till about 9.15 at night. Then home with my wife per 9.35 train. Weather cold & very wintery.

**Thursday 13 January 1887** To Preston by train 8.30 morning. Subediting\* chiefly all day. Home at night by train & did a little work aft[erward]s.

**Friday 14 January 1887** By carriage with sons E[thelbert] & H[orace] to Preston. Cold—very heavy fog. In aft[ernoo]n worst fog I ever saw in Preston—about 4.30. Cleared up later on. Working—writing & proofreading—till about 12.40 on Sat[urday] morning. Then across to rooms, where I had a smoke & some whiskey. Read in Geo. Dawson's

9 In George Dawson, *Biographical Lectures*, ed. by George St Clair (London: Kegan Paul, Trench & Co, 1886).

10 Irish word for whiskey, literally 'water of life'.

Biographical Lectures, & read in Chronicle—to correct it—and then to bed.

**Saturday 15 January 1887** To shop about 10.25. Easy working all day. Daughter Florence brought back daughter Letitia this aft[ernoo]n—to Preston first, thence to Brook house. My wife with them at 6.5; I per 9.35 train. Much footballing blocking (crowd—news)11 at Preston.

**Sunday 16 January 1887** In aft[ernoo]n reading Professor Young's work on "The Sun"—very able. Weather cold. Did not go out.

**Monday 17 January 1887** Son L[lewellyn]12 resumed school & it did not start till tomorrow. At home all day, continuing my writing of lecture on Scotland. Awfully cold day—east wind. Never felt so cold a day for at least 25 years. My three daughters (M[abel], R[osaline] & L[etitia]) told me they were very cold—starved at school. Too far from fire. But the master (Balshaw)13 crowded up to it & monopolised it. A very considerate master.

**Tuesday 18 January 1887** To Preston to work. Son L[lewellyn] to grammar school & before they begin a half holiday proclaimed—or proclaimed at noon. After noon holiday today because five new pupils have come! Nice for masters.

**Wednesday 19 January 1887** Working hard—sub editing and writing all day till 9 at night. Then home per train with my wife. Sons H[orace] & L[lewellyn] by conveyance. Son E[thelbert] & daughter F[lorence] to Conservative Soiree in Public Hall & so staid at Preston all night. I suppose young people & fools must have vent holes—safety valve openings—by dances. Dancing is a queer thing—or rather the love of it.

**Thursday 20 January 1887** At work all day sub-editing—nothing particular. Home per conveyance at night.

**Friday 21 January 1887** A hard throng day. "At it" from 9.5 in morning till about 3 on Sat[urday] morning.

11 See 17 January 1885.

12 Aged 13.

13 See 21 June 1885.

**Saturday 22 January 1887** Laid in bed till 9.45; working till 9. Home with my wife & daughter F[lorence] at 9.35 pm.

**Sunday 23 January 1887** Stayed in bed till 11. In aft[ernoo]n had a walk up Bilsborrow Lane & down by Matshead Mill. In the mill dam saw some ducks—tame—and a swan which came close to me—wanting me to give it something. In the evening reading Professor Young's book on The Sun.

**Monday 24 January 1887** Remained at home all day. Finished writing greater part of my lecture on Scotland. My daughter Florence left for her home (in Carlisle) this aft[ernoo]n.

**Tuesday 25 January 1887** To Preston by train with sons E[thelbert] & L[lewellyn]. Finished my lecture writing. At night—10 o'c[lock]—found Sandham's son,14 Banks the butcher,15 & a points man16 from Broughton at my home. They had come about auditing some friendly soc[iety]'s a/cs [accounts]. Son Horace went through them with Banks. Aft[erwar]ds they played cards all except pointsman & left about 11.30.

**Wednesday 26 January 1887** Working hard all day at Preston. Nothing very special.

**Thursday 27 January 1887** At work hard all day—hard—barring times when persons came in to gossip. It is astonishing what time can be used up in gossipping [sic] & what a lot of people there are who have the time. But one may get wisdom from gossip—knowledge of past and present, for though I think I know much, I have very much to learn & I am willing to take a lesson from any honest person.

**Friday 28 January 1887** Grinding away at work all day from about 9 in morning till 2 o'c[lock] on Sat[urday] morning.

**Saturday 29 January 1887** To work about 10.30 in morning. In shop all aft[ernoo]n and night. My wife & son E[thelbert] to annual dinner and ball of Preston printers, at Mess Rooms, Starkie St[reet]. An association

14 Probably John James Sandham (1860–1933), son of Robert Sandham (see 23 July 1874).

15 Thomas Banks (1852–1925).

16 Operator of railway points or junctions.

man from Manchester named Slatter17 (a JP as well) & one of the local officials the first to get drunk. My wife would not dance with Slatter. Mrs Mackay18 (wife of editor of Herald\*) with my wife—my wife left about 12, with son E[thelbert], & we all slept across in the rooms.

**Sunday 30 January 1887** Up at 7.45; at 8.20 to Brock. In aft[ernoo]n I my wife & daughter L[etitia] rode over to Churchtown, where we attended service at church. No sermon—some boys catechised,19 apparently for confirmation, instead. Fine day. Home—tea. Finished Prof Young's work on The Sun and began Lady Holland's life of her father—Rev Sydney Smith,20 a healthy, humorous, learned, excellent man I like, very much, SS.

**Monday 31 January 1887** To Preston per 8.31 train in morning, with son L[lewellyn], leaving sons E[thelbert] & H[orace] at home, peddling about. I working moderately. The older I live the more am I convinced that employment of some kind—mental or physical—is a necessity for health of mind, soul and body. Inaction is the precursor of illness & if not checked means decay & death. My wife went to Manchester to buy things for shop today.

17 Henry R. Slatter (c. 1830–1902), general secretary of the Typographical Association, the printers' union, and Manchester's first magistrate from the labour movement.

18 Elizabeth McKay (b. 1853).

19 Question-and-answer profession of doctrine and belief.

20 Lady Saba Holland, *A Memoir of the Rev. Sydney Smith, by His Daughter, Lady Holland* (London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1855), celebrating the life of the author, wit and clergyman Sydney Smith (1771–1845), founder of the second *Edinburgh Review*.

### February

**Tuesday 1 February 1887** Working at Preston all day—not hard. Well, while I want to work & to go on working in some way, I don't want to work over hard. Home at night.

**Wednesday 2 February 1887** Fully and somewhat hardly at work specially in aft[ernoo]n and evening. Writing from about 4 o'c[lock] to 9. Then home with my wife.

**Thursday 3 February 1887** To Preston by train with sons E[thelbert] & L[lewellyn]; son H[orace] staying behind to attend Garstang sessions21 &c. In the evening I went up to Longridge & read a paper entitled "A Thousand Miles in and about Scotland"—the record of a trip I & my wife had in August 1882. The paper was read before the Longridge Debating Society, or rather under the auspices of that Society. A very bad attendance—weather rough & two other meetings same night in the village. My paper contained much interesting matter—I think so; but I feel sure my reading of it was defective—I mean the style. I'm no reader. But at close a note of thanks was proposed & recorded to me, in very eulogistic terms & it was passed unanimously, & if it had not, by such an audience, I should have wondered much & been highly disgusted as much with myself as those present. Afterwards went in a cab to Mr Wareing's,22 east of the little, ugly, old church, & stayed all night with them. He is a quarry master and a nice, sensible, genial, elderly man. I had two or three glasses of whiskey; he had some w[hiskey] also.

**Friday 4 February 1887** Up soon after 7 o'c[lock]; good breakfast; to Preston per 8.10 train. Did not feel well, but worked hard all day till about 12.30 on Sat[urday] morning.

**Saturday 5 February 1887** Rose about 10 o'c[lock]. To work about 10.30. Working fairly easy, all day. Home, with my wife, per 9.35 train—after treating Mr Miles,23 the station master to a glass of whiskey & having one myself.

21 Magistrates' 'petty sessions', court hearings.

22 Henry Waring (d. 1892), owner of quarries in Longridge, Mellor and Brinscall, involved in the co-operative movement, a Roman Catholic and a Liberal (*PC,* 24 September 1892, p. 5).

23 James Miles (c. 1830–1894), Preston station master.

**Sunday 6 February 1887** Up shortly before 11. Af[terwards] knocking about the house. In aft[ernoon] I & my wife had a walk as far as a farm house opposite Brockholes Arms, then back. In evening read some of life of Sydney Smith, by his daughter.

**Monday 7 February 1887** Jobbing about at home. Throng altering a door in forenoon; in aft[ernoon] mending garden fence; at night reading Lady Holland's Memoir of her father (Rev Sydney Smith). Then went to the railway station to meet my wife.

**Tuesday 8 February 1887** In forenoon boy Joseph24 (I accompanying him) drove our older cow to put it in a sale at a place nearly opposite the Brockholes Arms, Claughton. On getting there I had some gossip with the person on whose premises the sale was going to take place—an old man named Gornall,25 formerly joiner in Preston—tall, bulky, pale, mild-looking. Then had some roast beef & potatoes, along with four or five others, in the house; then looked about. Sale commenced about 1.30 in aft[ernoo]n. Miscellaneous household goods &c; also cattle, sheep & hay. I bought a very big carpet bag for 1/-; a marble-racing concern for the children for 2/6; a ladder for 11/-. Did not sell my cow. Gave £15.15. for it at a sale by auction, about a year ago; had today only £12.10 (after much whipping) offered so ordered it to be driven home again. They say "cattle are very down at present". Evidently they are.

**Wednesday 9 February 1887** To Preston by train. Saw Mr Albert Simpson,26 of Elmhurst, nr Garstang & had a talk with him about some strictures of mine upon Alderman Ben Walmsley27 of Preston, for calling him (A.S.) "an ass". B W has sent me a lawyer's letter stating that proceedings are going to be taken against me for censuring and commenting upon him. I at work all day—mostly.

24 Probably Joseph Akers (b. c.1871) from Bleasdale reformatory; in 1882 he had been sentenced to five years in a reformatory. He was in trouble again in September 1887, for theft at Bolton-le-Sands (*Calendar of Prisoners tried at the general quarter sessions of the peace, Lancaster, 2 January 1888*, entries for 23 May and 9 June).

25 John Gornall (b. 1807), farmer and secretary of the Lancaster Farmers' Auction Mart Co Ltd, lived at Beech House.

26 See 29 October 1885.

27 See 5 January 1884.

**Thursday 10 February 1887** At work, hardish, all day & home by trap at night.

**Friday 11 February 1887** To Preston per trap, landing shortly before 9 in morning. Consolation—encouragement—just when I had started writing "Stray Notes" this aft[ernoon], in room across, in came my wife saying she had been told t[hat] B Walmsley meant to go on, had retained Jack Addison, QC & that a writ w[oul]d be served upon me in the morning. Finished work about 12.30 on Sat[urday] morning.

**Saturday 12 February 1887** Up about 9. Working. Was told in aft[ernoo]n that B Walmsley had decided not to go on with his case against me. I & my wife stayed all night at Preston.

**Sunday 13 February 1887** To Brock, both my wife & self, per 8.15 morning train. Aft[erward]s I bothering about. In aft[ernoon] had a short walk, towards Myerscough Hall with my wife & daughters, M[abel], R[osaline] & L[etitia]. In evening reading Memoirs of Rev Sydney Smith. Excellent—sense, wit, humour & goodness.

**Monday 14 February 1887** Stayed at home today cleaning up grounds raking about &c—trying to make myself rurally comfortable. Fresh air—must have done me some good. At night read Sydney Smith's Life by Lady Holland.

**Tuesday 15 February 1887** To Preston. In aft[ernoo]n called on Mr John Cooper\* at his office in Winckley St. Though infirm & in his 80th year he seemed to be in good spirits and still fond of a good story. His son George28 —a barrister—came in. George is a rough, ready, "blueish",29 easy-going customer. J C lent me life of—Rev Gilpin30 and one on Kisses (verses) by Joannes Secundus.31

28 George Cooper (c. 1851–1891).

29 Meaning unknown.

30 Probably George Carleton and William. Freake, *The Life of Mr. Bernard Gilpin, Some Times Parson of Houghton in the Bishopricke of Durham: A Man for His Singular Piety and Integritie Famous, and Renowned Over All the Norrherne* [sic] *Parts of This Kingdome of England* (London: William Jones, 1629).

31 Joannes Nicolai Secundus, *Kisses: A Poetical Translation of the Basia of Joannes Secundus Nicholaius* (London), verses by the Dutch poet, first published 1541.

**Wednesday 16 February 1887** Working all day. Nothing very particular. Chit chat32 writing &c

**Thursday 17 February 1887** Sub-editing mainly.

**Friday 18 February 1887** D[itt]o an article on Note Writing for the paper (Chronicle). Finished work about 12.30. Aft[erwards] read some of Geo Dawson's lecture on Wordsworth.

**Saturday 19 February 1887** To work about 10.15. At it more or less till 9.15. Then with my wife to Brock, per 9.35 pm train.

**Sunday 20 February 1887** Stayed in bed till about 11.40 in morning. Then bothering about. In aft[ernoo]n d[itt]o. In evening sleeping & reading Sydney Smith's letters. A cold, miserable day—drizzly &c—outside. To bed about 11 o'c[lock].

**Monday 21 February 1887** To Preston per conveyance with sons E[thelbert], H[orace] & L[lewellyn]. Working moderately all day.

**Tuesday 22 February 1887** At work all day. In the evening I & my wife went to the Theatre Royal to see Barry Sullivan33 play. The piece was the "Gamester".34 Full house; company good; Barry, who is now about 70 years old, I believe, looked well—good figure, good voice, excellent attitudes, acting and emphasis—a real actor. But I did not like the play—too sad & melancholy & dismal, & ended painfully. Not such a tragedy as I sh[oul]d care to see any more. I & my wife stayed all night in Preston—at the rooms across the way—the rooms in Central W[orking] Men's Club. We had a few oysters for supper.

**Wednesday 23 February 1887** Up soon after 8. To work about 9. At work till 9.20 at night. Writing chit chat in aft[ernoo]n. Home with my wife per 9.35 train.

**Thursday 24 February 1887** Working hard all day—sub-editing &c. At night home—late—in conveyance with my son Bertie.

32 A weekly gossip column, 'Local Chit Chat', signed 'Merlin'.

33 See 28 October 1884.

34 A comedy of manners by James Shirley, first performed 1633.

**Friday 25 February 1887** Sub-editing, writing notes &c. Called on Will France\* in aft[ernoo]n. He has been buying about 300 vol[ume]s of books, from Vicar of Croston, for the Preston Union Workhouse. Gave, I believe, about £2.10.0 for them. Old theology, religious treatises &c—& according to the written list he showed me, such a mess, medley and farrago of arrant rubbish as I never before saw. I finished work about 2.30 on Sat[urday] morning.

**Saturday 26 February 1887** To work about 10.30 this forenoon. Sisterin-law Jane Threlfall,35 on coming from Blackleach, Woodplumpton, to Preston market this morning met with an accident—horse began kicking, broke both shafts of conveyance and played havoc with the front part—a devil of a horse. She was bruised & shook. At night I superintended a drawing, in connection with recent Fulwood Church bazaar for a piano in Public Hall, at request of Alderman Forshaw.\* Captain Winstanley,36 son of late W Winstanley37 of West Cliff & Chaigeley Manor was the winner. I & my wife home per 9.35 pm train.

**Sunday 27 February 1887** In aft[ernoon] drove over, with my wife & daughter L[etitia], to Woodplumpton—they to Blackleach (my wife's sister's38) I to W[illia]m Turner's39 in Bartle. Had tea at W T's; he is a decent, rough-headed, shrewd little fellow, with a little farm. My wife &c called on me on their return, & we drove home, as we came, through Broughton.

**Monday 28 February 1887** I, & my sons E[thelbert] & H[orace], stayed at home today. Removed the poultry shed from the yard near the house to the little meadow over the canal hedge. We have about 60 hens & 2½ cocks; also 5 ducks & drakes.

35 Jane Threlfall née Wilson (1848–1890).

36 Probably John Arthur Winstanley (1856–1937).

37 William E. Winstanley (c. 1810–1873). His son sold Chaigeley Manor in 1882.

38 Jane Threlfall.\*

39 William Turner (b. 1833).

# March

**Tuesday 1 March 1887** To Preston with sons E[thelbert] & L[lewellyn]. Horace staying at home. In the evening I and W France\* went to Wombwell's Menagerie near the Orchard. A big collection, but not so very excellent. Some fine lions & tigers, several camels or dromedaries, two very handsome zebras, nearly all the rest mediocre. Home by train about 9.35.

**Wednesday 2 March 1887** Working hard all day—till 9.20 at night. Nothing very particular in town. Very considerable complaining about dullness of business.

**Thursday 3 March 1887** To Preston by conveyance. Met Mr John Cooper,\* who is in his 80th year. He said "Hulton's gone"—meaning that ex County Court judge W A Hulton40 of Penwortham was dead. He died this morning in his 85th year. A tall, grave, old-womanly, wilful highly respectable man. J.C. though feeble, looked very well for his years. Home by train at night; son E[thelbert] having gone round by conveyance, to the annual dinner of the Kirkham Hunt, at the De Tabley Arms in Bartle.

**Friday 4 March 1887** To Preston by con[veyance] with all my three sons. At work—writing &c &c—till about 2.20 on Sat morning.

**Saturday 5 March 1887** Rose just before 10 o'c[lock], breakfasted, to shop; working off and on, all day. Preston North End footballers beaten to day by West Bromwichers at Nottingham. A big, idle, godless, hands-in-breeches-pockets, smirking, spitting crowd in Fishergate waited a considerable time for the result. This sort of crowd frequently congregates, for a like purpose, in this street. Could like to see a hose pipe opened or turned full on them. I & my wife home per 9.35 pm train. Ex-Judge Hulton buried today at Penwortham church.

#### **Sunday 6 March 1887** [blank]

**Monday 7 March 1887** To Preston working &c

40 William Adam Hulton (1802–1887), county court judge, antiquary and amateur printer, a Conservative.

#### **Tuesday 8 March 1887** Same

**Wednesday 9 March 1887** Same till 9.20; then home per 9.35 train.

**Thursday 10 March 1887** Ditto as to working, but not so late

**Friday 11 March 1887** Same till about 2 o'c[lock], or later, on Sat morning.

**Saturday 12 March 1887** To work at 10.30 and "off & on" till 9.20pm, then home.

**Sunday 13 March 1887** Fussing about, after getting up late. In aft[ernoon] I & my wife went to feed the hens. At night had a long & pleasant read in the Memoirs of Sydney Smith—conscienscious [sic], industrious, witty, healthy, intellectual Sydney, one of the best, loveliest, kindest, and most humorous of writers & divines.

**Monday 14 March 1887** At Preston, working more or less all day. Home at night in the con Very much annoyed at night—hadn't got key of shop, to close with—son Horace had it; to wait till 10.50 before I c[oul]d see my foreman, who had another key; then had to send for errand boy's key (mine with son H) so as to get into our rooms across, having to sleep there by myself, for last train out to Brock was timed to leave Preston at 9.35pm. No fire; whiskey did not warm me; don't think I got rightly warm in bed till about 5.30 next morning.

**Tuesday 15 March 1887** Foreman's wife brought me some hot tea & two eggs & a muffin. Very kind & considerate. Off to Ingleton by 8.10 morning train per L.N.W. Railway. Had a first class free pass. Saw my wife on platform at Brock station waiting for 8.30 train by which to go to Preston. Explained to her (through carriage window) cause of my stay in Preston. Reached Ingleton, via Low Gill Junction, shortly after 11. Hills lined & ridged & seamed with snow. East wind. Got some information for 2nd edition of my Ingleton Guide.41 Tried for a couple of advertising farmers;42 didn't succeed; got dinner and tea at Broadwood Cottage (Mr J Hewitson's43). Had a chat with Tom Boyd.44 Got sundry glasses of gin.

41 *Guide and Visitors' Handbook to Ingleton and District, in the West Riding of Yorkshire.*

42 I.e. tried to sell advertising space to two farmers.

43 John Hewitson (b. 1830), contractor.

44 See 1 September 1885.

Left per 6.15pm train; arrived at Brock about 9; home; had some warm milk; went out 9.45 to station and met my wife.

**Wednesday 16 March 1887** To Preston, by train, with sons E[thelbert] & H[orace] & L[lewellyn] by train. I & son E[thelbert] home by train 9.35 at night. On getting home, learned that sons H[orace] & L[lewellyn] (who had set off home per trap) had met with an accident, on high road, near Barton vicarage—a butcher named Dixon, with another man named Mayor from Preston, both drunk, furiously drove his trap while on wrong side, into them—sons thrown out, somewhat shaken, our trap very badly smashed, & horse broke loose, & ran away though aft[erwards] recovered—stopped—about half a mile north. Leg cut and knee hurt. Shall endeavour to make the reckless brutes (Dixon and Mayor, who, I learn, paid no heed to shoutings to go slower & get on their right side) pay for all the damage &c.45

**Thursday 17 March 1887** 18. All of us (I, son Self and sons E[thelbert] & L[lewellyn] to Preston per 8.30 train. I working all day & getting information about the two Preston brutes. Home, per train, at 6.5pm getting out at Broughton & gathering up information on the way.

**Friday 18 March 1887** To Preston, making inquiries &c ditto; put Preston brutes in my lawyer's hands. Sub-editing, editing &c till about 2 on Sat morning.

**Saturday 19 March 1887** Up & to work about 10.30. Pursuing my investigations as to the two Preston brutes. Have them "fast as a thief in a mill". Had an interview with J Foster46 (cotton) about base, bigoted action of some Preston Liberals.47 Home, with my wife per 9.35pm train.

**Sunday 20 March 1887** In aft[ernoon] had a walk into the field with my wife & daughters M[abel] R[osaline] & L[etitia] to feed poultry—about 60. They ran towards us. Weather rather cold. In evening reading letters of Sydney Smith, following his life by Lady Holland.

45 Thomas Dixon and Richard Mayor, Preston butchers, otherwise unidentified. Horace stopped the two from getting away by steering their horse into a nearby farm.

46 Joseph Foster (1841–1899), mill owner.

47 This may refer to the support of some Liberal councillors for an attempt to stop lucrative council advertising appearing in Hewitson's *Chronicle* (see 31 March).

**Monday 21 March 1887** To Preston per 8.30 morning train. Sub-editing &c. Home at night.

**Tuesday 22 March 1887** To Ingleton per 8.25 morning train from Brock, via Low Gill. Foot warmer under my feet in carriage. Occupied main part of my time going on revising my Guide to Ingleton (2nd edition). On arriving called at my cousin T Moore's48 —he not in. Went to Ingleboro[ugh] Hotel, had some soda water & gin. Then to the Wheat Sheaf Inn where I had a bottle of ginger ale. Aft[rewards] round by Backgate. Called on aunt Prudence.49 Next had a look at old house (Bows House—Pan Well House) where I lived with my grandfather.\* Then round by the Bank. Had dinner with cousin TM. In aft[ernoon] he went with me about an advertisement or two for my Guide. Back to Brock per train leaving Ingleton at 6.10. Arrived about 9.

**Wednesday 23 March 1887** To Preston—working at shop in forenoon. In aft[ernoon] writing & continued doing so till about 9. Then, per 9.35 train to Brock.

**Thursday 24 March 1887** Sub-editing, shop working, proof-reading. Home per 9.35pm train.

**Friday 25 March 1887** Per 8.30 morning train to Preston. Working from about 9 in morning till 2.10 on Sat morning.

**Saturday 26 March 1887** To work about 10.30 in morning. Ordered Napier's History of Peninsular Campaign—6 vols, new, for 16/-.50 Home with my wife per 9.35pm train.51

**Sunday 27 March 1887** In aft[ernoon] had a short walk out—to field with my wife & daughters M[abel], R[osaline] & L[etitia], to feed the poultry. Later on read & finished Sydney Smith's letters—566 in all.

48 Thomas Moore (1821–1895).

49 Prudence Harrison (née Hewitson, b. 1826).

50 William Francis Patrick Napier, *History of the War in the Peninsula and in the South of France, from the Year 1807 to the Year 1814* (6 Vols) (London: John Murray/Napier, 1828–1840).

51 This day the two men who crashed into Hewitson's horse and trap appeared before the county magistrates, who fined Thomas Dixon ten shillings plus costs for furious driving, 2/6 for drunkenness, and Richard Mayor was ordered to pay costs for drunkenness (*PC,* April 2, 1887, p. 2).

Excellent—sensible, humorous, healthy, manly. Aft[rewards] read about 40 pages of Life of Frank Buckland, by his brother-in-law Bompas.52

**Monday 28 March 1887** Went per 8.30 morning train with my sons to Preston. Attending, moderately, to business. In aft[ernoon] ordered frames for Ingleton Album views.53 At night I my wife & foreman JW54 throng putting pictures in the frames. Home per 9.35 train.

**Tuesday 29 March 1887** To Ingleton, from Brock per 8.25 morning train, via Low Gill, with album views &c. Morning rather cold, but a nice look of early Spring crept into it as the morning wore on. Got to Ingleton about 11.15—charged me 3d for riding over the bridge from Thornton side to the Midland station on the other side, less than or certainly not more than a quarter of a mile.55 Abominable carriage, I was in a 1st class one. In aft[ernoon] went with cousin T Moore56 to Marton's Arms (old Church Stile) in Thornton. Landlord's son took me in a conveyance up past Thornton Hall; thence—after looking about in different parts—to base of Hunt's Cross.57 Cousin Thos remained in the road while I & landlord's son climbed to the top. Fine, wide-reaching view. On returning visited ruins of Thornton Old Hall and went to a small eminence in a field about 300 yards west from which, it is said, some soldiers of Cromwell blew down the old Hall. Stayed at Ingleton, with cousin TM, all night.

**Wednesday 30 March 1887** Off to Preston, by 8.45 morning train from Ingleton, by Low Gill. Reached Preston about 11.15. Worked hard all day till about 9.20; then home, to Brock, by train.

**Thursday 31 March 1887** Hard working at Preston all day. In the evening wrote a chapter for my Ingleton Guide about Thornton, &c. Alderman B

52 George Cox Bompas, *Life of Frank Buckland* (London: Smith, Elder, & Co., 1885). Buckland (1826–1880) was a surgeon and natural historian.

53 Unidentified. Hewitson may have planned to sell the pictures, or give them as inducements to advertise in his guide.

54 Probably Joseph Wilson junior.\*

55 Two rival and uncooperative railway companies each had a station at opposite sides of Ingleton viaduct.

56 See 22 March.

57 Limestone outcrop overlooking Ingleton.

Walmsley's58 base, mean, malicious move to get the Chronicle deprived of Corporation advertisements defeated today, at a meeting of the Town Council, by a majority of 18 to 4.59 Home to Brookhouse per 9.35pm train.

58 See 9 February 1887 and 5 January 1884.

59 Councillors Hale and Bee supported the *Chronicle*, while Henry Davies of the *Herald* and J Toulmin of the *Guardian* were happy for the *Chronicle* to be excluded, according to the Chronicle report. The *Herald*'s much briefer report noted that the decision was overturned by 17 votes to seven, after 'a long and at times acrimonious discussion' (*PH* 2 April 1887, p. 2).

# April

**Friday 1 April 1887** To Preston per 8.30 morning train with sons E[thelbert] & H[orace]. Sub-editing, editing, &c from about 9 till 2.10 on Sat. morning.

**Saturday 2 April 1887** Moderate working. In the aft[ernoo]n & evening engaged in Ingleton guide work. Home with my wife per 9.35 pm train.

**Sunday 3 April 1887** In aft[ernoo]n reading Frank Buckland's Life. Af[terwar]ds went with my wife to feed the poultry in the field over the canal. In the evening as usual & reading Life of Buckland—a good, honest, able very interesting fellow.

**Monday 4 April 1887** To Preston with sons; son H[orace] at home working in & about. Nothing very particular in town. Home per 9.35 pm train.

**Tuesday 5 April 1887** Throng setting potatoes in garden at Brookhouse from about 9.30 in morning till 4 in aft[ernoon]n, when owing to rain, accompanied by some thunder, I had to drop it. Son L[lewellyn] & servant lad Joe were helping—latter going with horse to Preston, to come back with hired carriage; sons E[thelbert] & H[orace] returning with him.

**Wednesday 6 April 1887** Sub-editing & writing chit chat &c at Preston. Returned from Preston at 7.20, per carriage. After landing at home & after warming myself, resumed writing chit-chat till about 10.20.

**Thursday 7 April 1887** Hard at work at Preston—sub-editing &c all day till about 6 o'c[lock]. At 7.30 returned in conveyance with son E[thelbert] to Brookhouse.

**Good Friday 8 April 1887** Per carriage to Preston—sons E[thelbert] & H[orace] with me. Working very hard all day till about 12 at night. Subsequently revised copy of Chronicle, & finished about 1.15.

**Saturday 9 April 1887** Rose at 9.45. To work at about 10.30. Moderately easy work all day. Had a gossip with the Mayor of Preston (Alderman Bibby60), Adam Leigh,61 of Lea, & W Allsup\* of Preston & Warton. Brought copy of Professor Norton's Goethe & Carlyle letters.62 Home with my wife per 9.35pm train.

**Easter Sunday 10 April 1887** Up about 10. In aft[ernoo]n I & my wife and daughters to field—fed poultry and later on made them extra safe; a weasel, we think, being about. Reading Life of F Buckland.

**Easter Monday 11 April 1887** My wife & son E[thelbert] to Preston, I bothering about till noon. Early in aft[ernoo]n drove over to Preston with my daughters M[abel], R[osaline] & L[etitia] and new servant girl. On arriving went to Avenham Park. Many thousands of children there egg-rolling &c. Wonderful, exhilarating sight; but it got monotonous. A band of music in centre w[oul]d improve matters. I & my wife had tea at Mr McKay's\* (editor Preston Herald) in Regent-st[ree]t. Aft[erwards] a glass of whiskey. I & my daughters &c drove home, starting about 8.20pm. Nice, though rather cold, night. On getting home, went to meet my wife who returned from Preston per train due at 9.50.

**Tuesday 12 April 1887** At Preston all day sub-editing &c.

**Wednesday 13 April 1887** Same & writing chit-chat. Home per trap at about 7.30. Did some work aft[erward]s at home. Son Horace to Lancaster. Sent him to forward a summary to the Times of Mr Caine's63 (MP) expected speech. But there was no Caine so he was not able to send it. Home to Brook (H[ouse]) about 9.

**Thursday 14 April 1887** Working at Preston all day. Our damaged conveyance finished today & I & son E[thelbert] returned by it home. Found, on arriving that the younger cow had given birth to a large, fine wye64 calf.

60 Walter Bibby (1822–1902), a tanner, of Church St.

61 See 30 March 1872.

62 Thomas Carlyle and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, *Correspondence Between Goethe and Carlyle*, ed. by Charles Eliot Norton (London: Macmillan, 1887).

63 The *Times*, possibly erroneously, had announced that William Sproston Caine (1842–1903), Liberal Unionist MP for Barrow, would address party supporters in Lancaster (*Lancaster Gazette,* 9 April 1887, p. 5).

64 Female.

**Friday 15 April 1887** At Preston working all day from about 9.15 in morning till nearly 2 on sat morning.

**Saturday 16 April 1887** Got up about 9.45. Easy day. Home, with my wife per 9.35 train. To bed about 11.30.

**Sunday 17 April 1887** Rose about 10.15. Bothering about. Ginnette's65 circus & menagerie passed on the road north. An extensive, but seedy looking affair. In aft[ernoo]n I, my wife & daughters M[abel] R[osaline] & L[etitia] (son E[thelbert] also turned up) went to field & fed the poultry. One of the hens has got 8 chickens—just out. It was wonderful how they picked about & how the mother looked after them. Instinct— God-given. Fixed up a hut for the hen & chickens. In evening read about 60 pages of Life of Frank Buckland.

**Monday 18 April 1887** At work, easy, at Preston all day. Nothing particular locally. Great sensation caused by the London Times newspaper publishing today facsimile of a letter alleged to have been written in 1882, soon after the Phoenix Park (Dublin)66 murders, partially excusing or approving of same. Parnell & his friends deny its accuracy—say it's a forgery &c.67

**Tuesday 19 April 1887** Working all day at Preston. In the evening we removed our furniture from rooms over Central Working Men's Club, Fishergate to a little house (like a little shop) in Cannon-street, owned by young McVitie.68 Nearer my works. Rent 4/- per week, with rates and taxes, equal to perhaps 1/6 per week.  Did not go to bed till about 11.30 & was awake & got hardly any sleep after 4.30 in morning owing to noises of cats, people walking & clattering up & down the street &c.

**Wednesday 20 April 1887** Working—sub-editing, writing &c—all day till about 8.20 at night then home with sons in trap. One of the daughters

65 Ginnett's, a circus dating back to the early nineteenth century.

66 See 30 June 1885.

67 In February 1889 the letter was exposed as a forgery and Charles Parnell (1846– 1891), leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, was vindicated.

68 J.J. McVitie, tailor. Probably the house rented by Margaret Hewitson's parents in 1874 (see 30 November 1874).

of Mr E Wilson69 of Broughton House married today to a clergyman—a Bengal curate,70 native of Norfolk I think. Good match I expect believe.

**Thursday 21 April 1887** At work all day sub-editing &c—till about 7.20 at night.

**Friday 22 April 1887** Working from about 9.15 in morning till about 2.30.

**Saturday 23 April 1887** Rose at about 9.40. to work at 10.20. Easy work all day. Bought cheap copy of Byron's letters.

**Sunday 24 April 1887** Up at 10.15. Pottering about in forenoon. In aft[ernoo]n drove, with my wife & my daughters R[osaline] & L[etitia] round by St Michael's, past Myerscough Lodge. Country beginning to freshen up though apparently "backward." Cold west wind blew. Church & vicarage grounds &c at St Michael's looked snug, & neat & nice & very tranquil. Called, on getting to Churchtown, at the church,71 and got particulars of a new reredos72 "opened" today. Had a cup of tea at the vicarage (Rev Wilson Pedder's73). Sat in the room a large number of females—apparently 8 or 10 all seated, at a table drinking tea. Thought they were visitors; but probably vicar's daughters. He has, I believe, 8 unmarried ones at home. Was told reredos had cost £100, that they thought it was paid for, or that money enough had been raised for it, and had found they were about £60 short! Pleasant discovery. On getting home & after tea finished Life of Frank Buckland and began the "Memoirs of an Ex-Minister"—the Earl of Malmesbury74 —very interesting.

69 Ada Maria Wilson (b. 1859), who lived to 102 at least (*Coventry Evening Telegraph,* 29 April 1961, p. 27).

70 Rev Alfred Neville-Rolfe (1857–1896).

71 St Helen's.

72 Ornamental screen covering the wall behind the altar, a sign of high-church Anglo-Catholic taste.

73 Rev. Wilson Pedder (1818–1891), the fifth member of his family to be vicar of Churchtown, 'a well-built, go-ahead gentleman … a good scholar, and thoroughly devoted to the place he has charge of' (*OCCC*).

74 James Howard Harris, Earl of Malmesbury, *Memoirs of an Ex-Minister; an Autobiography* (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1884). Malmesbury was a Tory MP and peer, Foreign Secretary under the Earl of Derby, then Lord Privy Seal.

**Monday 25 April 1887** At work, as usual, at Preston, all day—easy. Home at night. Weather cold.

**Tuesday 26 April 1887** Same

**Wednesday 27 April 1887** Sub-editing, writing C.C..75 Home at about 7.

**Thursday 28 April 1887** Same mainly. On going home per conveyance observed sky very lurid on east side & very clear on west. Fine sunset when on high road between Broughton station & Whitehouse bridge c[oul]d see Blackcombe & smoke from Barrow below.76 Fleetwood grain elevator very clear. After getting home had a walk to the field, across canal. A little grass growing but all very dry and bare and bleak. Birds whistling. Had also a walk to the railway bridge above Bilsborrow school. Darkness setting in. A weirdly fine sort of night.

**Friday 29 April 1887** Hard at work, from arriving at 9 in morning, till about 2 on Sat[urday] morning.

**Saturday 30 April 1887** Easy day. At shop & about till about 9.25 then home, with my wife, per 9.35 train, which as usual was late.

75 'Local Chit Chat'.

76 On the Furness peninsula, some 30 miles away as the crow flies.

#### May

**Sunday 1 May 1887** A nice morning, but somewhat cold. In aft[ernoo]n I, my wife, son L[lewellyn] & daughters R[osaline] & L[etitia] drove to Churchtown—to service at church. A slender congregation, sermon by Vicar's son,77 who seemed to be thinking rather indifferently about it. Prior to service a christening. Font decorated with daffodils & a red flower. After service a funeral. If there had been a wedding the full gamut of church work would have been gone through. On leaving church met Mr R Pedder,78 formerly an alderman &c at Preston, now of Finsthwaite, patron of the living here, and brother of the present Vicar. He talked cheerfully, & on leaving bade the children & my wife goodbye. He is about 79. At night read about 70 or so pages of Malmesbury's autobiography.

**Monday 2 May 1887** Easy working all day at Preston. Nothing very particular. Home by conveyance with sons E[thelbert] & L[lewellyn].

**Tuesday 3 May 1887** Sub-editing and working about. Home at night. White-washing.

**Wednesday 4 May 1887** Working at Preston. In afternoon Archdeacon Hornby79 of St Michael's called at my shop. He ordered one of my books to be sent to him on "Country Churches and Chapels". Had a short, free, pleasant talk with him. He praised the architecture—style and appearance—of Churchtown (Garstang) church, and did not seem to object at all to the somewhat "high" service there. But the country people in the district he said—& so I said—could not understand the peculiarities of it. He said that in his own district there were some Roman Catholics but no R.C. place of worship & that he visited them & talked to them & they did not object. One reason, I sh[oul]d think, why there are no R.C services or place of worship in St Michaels district will be because the Archdeacon is the chief landlord. I believe he owns

77 Rev. John Wilson Pedder (c. 1853–1933), curate to his father.

78 Richard Pedder (c. 1808–1891) of Finsthwaite Hall, Ulverston, former Preston solicitor and mayor.

79 Rev. William Hornby (1810–1899), first Archdeacon of Lancaster, a 'tall, moderately slender, very gentlemanly-looking person …likes good horses, and good carriages, and tenants who pay their rent well' (*OCCC*).

the whole or the greater portion of the township. But he talked very pleasantly and liberally. He is looking older, but very cheerful & hale for his years. T Edelston's80 oldest son81 married today to Miss Wade82 —a dressmaker.

**Thursday 5 May 1887** Sub-editing, editing, &c—a hard day. Home at night.

**Friday 6 May 1887** Working hard all day from about 9.10 in morning till 2 o'c[loc]k on Saturday morning.

**Saturday 7 May 1887** To work about 10.20. Easyish day. Nothing very particular. Home per 9.35 train with my wife.

**Sunday 8 May 1887** Rose about 9 o clock. In forenoon bothering & working about. In aft[ernoo]n I, my wife, & daughters M[abel], R[osaline] & L[etitia] drove to Churchtown to church. Beautiful day—drive nice. Service at church defective sermon, by Vicar's son,83 worth about a halfpenny—ordinary, heavily orthodox, expressions dull, nothing new or inspiring, or luminous in it. Can't tell what good such sermons can do to a heavy, country-headed congregation. After service we drove round by St Michaels. All very rustic, secluded, sweet. Air very pure & sky clear & sun shining warmly. In evening had a read (Malmesbury's Autobiography) a walk with my wife, and then another read in M's Auto. A quiet evening—threatening rain—Birds singing—many sorts of birds—several with young ones in the nest.

**Monday 9 May 1887** To Preston, sub-editing—agriculture &c. Home by train at night. Nothing special. Finished reading "Eothen"84 —a very interesting, beautifully written account of a journey to the East— Palestine &c—by one Kingslake, a barrister. The copy I have read is the 5th edition, published in, I think, 1847. H.C. Walton,\* auctioneer, Fishergate, gave me it.

80 See 16 October 1872.

81 Peter Henry Edelston (c. 1859–1910), a solicitor like his father.

82 Emily Wade (1869–1956).

83 See 1 May.

84 Alexander William Kinglake, *Eothen; or Traces of Travel Brought Home from the East* (London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts, 1862).

**Tuesday 10 May 1887** Sub-editing, reading, &c.

**Wednesday 11 May 1887** Sub-editing, shop work, writing chit-chat finished CC at home at night.

**Thursday 12 May 1887** Sub-editing, editing, &c. Home at night.

**Friday 13 May 1887** This forenoon Lawrence Holden,85 solicitor & coroner, of Lancaster called on me, at the shop, & spoke to me about editing and printing a d. Crown quarto86 shaped monthly (8 pages) paper in the interests of the Conservative party of the Lancaster division—to be given. I told him I would think the matter over. The Conservative party, if it be brought out, will have to pay the whole piper. An antidote to a monthly brought out by Mr Williamson MP,87 who is flagrantly liberal with his money for the sake of his Liberal seat for Lancaster. He twice called upon me, years ago, for political instruction, &c.

**Saturday 14 May 1887** Easy working all day. Read several pages of Prof Jebb's "Greek Literature".88 Home at night.

**Sunday 15 May 1887** This forenoon I, my wife, & our daughter L[etitia] & son H[orace] to Churchtown church. In aft[ernoo]n I and my son L[lewellyn] walked to within 300 yards of Lord Bective's89 shooting hut in Barnacre. Nice district. Visited the Duke of Hamilton's old Spa Well about half a mile south-west of the shooting hut. Then walked home. About 11 miles of walking this aft[ernoo]n. At night read a little of Malmesbury's Autobiography. John Sandham90 called and had a talk with me.

**Monday 16 May 1887** To Preston by train this morning. Sub-editing. Finished Professor Jebb's "Greek Literature". Very compact, admirable work. Home at night per 9.35 train.

85 Lawrence Holden (c. 1826–1910), county coroner, registrar of Lancaster county court, Conservative.

86 Double crown quarto: 20 x 30 inches.

87 James Williamson jnr had become Lancaster MP in 1886 (see 27 January 1874).

88 Richard Claverhouse Jebb, *Greek Literature* (London: Macmillan, 1877).

89 Thomas Taylour, Earl of Bective (1844–1893).

90 See 25 January.

**Tuesday 17 May 1887** Sub-editing all day more or less. Nothing very special.

**Wednesday 18 May 1887** Sub-editing in morning. Wrote my CC in aft[ernoo]n and evening. A young man named Sowrey91 murdered his sweetheart,92 at a Temperance hotel,93 on Fishergate Hill this aft[ernoo]n—shot her. I saw the ambulance carriage go for her body & return to the Mortuary with it. Home per conveyance in evening.

**Thursday 19 May 1887** To Preston per 8.30 morning train. Did some work. Returned to Brookhouse per 1pm train. Band of music & some members of local friendly society,94 of which I am an honorary member met me. Af[terward]s put on fresh coat &c—band &c in front of my house—band playing. My wife gave them some refreshment. Afterwards we walked in processional order to the White Bull where I presided, short dinner, over which I presided. Toasts, songs, &c, aft[erward]s I went home (leaving men in the room) about 5; real performance being then over. Did some work at home & had a short walk aft[erward]s.

**Friday 20 May 1887** To Preston at 8 o'c[lock]. Weather very windy—gale blowing all morning side. Hard at work at Preston all day till about 2 on Sat morning.

**Saturday 21 May 1887** Easy sort of day. Home with my wife per 9.35 pm train.

**Sunday 22 May 1887** Rose about 10.35. Bothered about. In aft[ernoo]n my wife, son L[lewellyn] & daughters L[etitia] & M[abel] to Churchtown church in the conveyance. A little in aft[ernoo]n and for two or more hours in evening read Malmesbury's Memoirs. Also read Frederick Harrison's article on Froude's Life of Carlisle [sic]95 which is very severe.

91 Alfred Sowrey (1862–1887), pawnbroker's assistant.

92 Annie Kelly (1868–1887), laundry maid at the Bull Hotel.

93 Clarendon Temperance Hotel.

94 The Loyal 'Royal Bowbearers' Lodge of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity, a mutual aid organisation.

95 Possibly Frederic Harrison, 'Froude's Life of Carlyle', *The North American Review*, 140 (1885), 9–21.

**Monday 23 May 1887** At Preston, working easy all day. Boy Acker's96left today and boy David,97 from same establishment,98 came in his place. First idle and crafty. Don't know what the second will be like.

**Tuesday 24 May 1887** To Lancaster this forenoon. Saw L Holden,99 at his office respecting new monthly proposed new monthly paper. Had a talk with him & Mr Whelan100 [sic], his nephew & partner. Submitted some particulars. Satisfactory. Little lunch; dinner later; a walk up and round by Castle into Churchyard, then to Preston. Working there till about 7 o'c[loc]k; then home by conveyance.

**Wednesday 25 May 1887** Working at Preston all day. Boy, Ackers [Joe] left today and another boy (David) came in his place. A got very lazy, hope D will do better.

**Thursday 26 May 1887** To Preston, working all day—sub-editing &c.

**Friday 27 May 1887** Working all day. Nothing very particular.

**Saturday 28 May 1887** Easyish working. Home at night.

**Sunday 29 May 1887** Easy forenoon. To Churchtown, with my wife & daughters R[osaline] & L[etitia] in aft[ernoo]n. In evening reading Malmesbury's Memoirs.

**Whit Monday 30 May 1887** I, my wife, children to Garstang this forenoon. Just after getting into the town, over the bridge met the processions—scholars, Oddfellows, & Catholic Brethren. Large display; very neat, clean & bright looking, & with the bands of music very pretty & effective. In afternoon At 1.45pm I to Oddfellows dinner at King's Arms. Good, substantial repast. Crowded company. After an afternoon rest for about an hour I returned to King's Arms. Meeting, speeches, songs &c. I proposed the toast of "Corporation of Garstang"—referred to old charters mystery of the Corporation, to old charters, to one of

96 See 8 February.

97 Unidentified.

98 A reformatory, probably Bleasdale (see 9 June).

99 See 13 May.

100 William Whelon (1852–1891) of Dalton Square, solicitor, deputy coroner, Conservative registration agent.

the Town Clerks (Muncaster) being hanged for siding with the rebels in 1715, to the fairs &c. Dr Chapman101 —a genial, homely, goodlooking gentleman—responded to the toast. The Rev. Mr Stones,102 of St Thomas's, Garstang—a clean-skinned, pleasant man—in the chair. Port wine good. Home, with my wife, & three of the children in evening. About 8.20 L Clarke,103 stationer, of Preston, called to see us. He had a glass of whiskey; so had I.

**Tuesday 31 May 1887** This morning I, my wife & my daughters M[abel], R[osaline] & L[etitia] by train to Manchester to see the Exhibition there.104 A large, fine exhibition. Great display of textile fabrics, vast show of machinery, very large and very excellent collection of pictures. Got home soon after 10 o'c[loc]k at night.

101 Dr William Chapman (1826–1908), medical officer of health for Garstang poor law union, magistrate, Conservative.

102 Rev G. Boys Stones (c. 1847–1923).

103 Unidentified.

104 The Royal Jubilee Exhibition at Old Trafford, to celebrate Victoria's 50 years on the throne.

### June

**Wednesday 1 June 1887** Sub-editing and writing all day mainly. Weather very cold—nearly or quite as cold as March weather. Wind in the east, where it has been more or less for many weeks.

**Thursday 2 June 1887** Writing, sub-editing &c all day.

**Friday 3 June 1887** Ditto. (Rain). Working from about 9 in morning till 2.30 on Sat morning.

**Saturday 4 June 1887** Up at about 10. Easy-ish day. Change—to sunshine & warmth with weather. Home per 9.35pm train.

**Sunday 5 June 1887** Rose at 10.50 in morning. In aft[ernoo]n I, my wife, and daughters R[osaline] & L[etitia] to Churchtown church. Trees & fields beginning to look very beautiful. Sermon a poorish one as usual. In evening mending up a place for some young ducks. Afterwards had a walk with my wife & daughters R[osaline] & L[etitia] into Bilsborrow Lane. Full moon. Beautiful evening. Could see Black Combe, Coniston Old Man, &c in the north west looking clear, purple, and rugged, against the roseate sunset sky. Birds whistling; meadows with a white mist hanging on them—"For a warm day." Read some of Malmesbury's Memoirs.

**Monday 6 June 1887** Preston. At about 11 in forenoon WJ Garnett Esq105 of Quernmore Park near Lancaster & Mr Lawrence Holden,106 of Lancaster called on me. We went to the Old Legs of Man Inn, Fishergate & had a business-like, earnest, practical talk-over as to the projected monthly publication of a (sensible) Conservative organ. All passed off right. I do not mean to sacrifice either my sense or honesty in this job. I mean to promote the cause of common sense, honesty, rightness & political progress as well as the interests of my own purse and my family's welfare by this enterprise.

**Tuesday 7 June 1887** Working chiefly.

105 William Garnett (1851–1929), landowner, magistrate (not W.J. Garnett).

106 See 13 May.

**Wednesday 8 June 1887** Working at Preston—sub-editing, writing Chit Chat, &c all day. Returned home per 9.35pm train. Found lad David107 at station. Mrs H (my wife) had been giving him a dressing down for negligence. Ordered him to come back till morning. He is a sulky dirty, idle impertinent or cheeky lad, & we cannot do with any longer [sic].

**Thursday 9 June 1887** To Preston this morning. Working all day. Boy David was sent away this morning. Tom Blezard,108 a boy belonging a neighbouring family, will, per our arrangement, milk for us & see to the house till we get a suitable male servant. We will not, certainly, have any more Reformatory boys. They may be suitable in some cases—it would please me to learn that they were in all—as servants or trade hands, out of the Reformatory; but my experience of them at home, has been unsatisfactory. This last lad we have had, was, for one thing, very much opposed to soap & water. One of the weeks he was with us, he did not, as I aft[erwar]ds learnt, wash his hands and face at all.

**Friday 10 June 1887** Customary work from about 9 in morning till 2.30 on Sat morning.

**Saturday 11 June 1887** To shop about 10.30 in morning. Nothing very particular. Home, with my wife, at per 9.35pm train.

**Sunday 12 June 1887** In aft[ernoo]n I & my wife to brother -in-law's (J Threlfall,109 Blackleach, Woodplumpton. We walked more than half of the way. Their youngest child, Hugh, about 2 years old, very badly scalded, on, I think, previous Tuesday. The child looked very bad. Returned at night, per Threlfall's trap, through the Eaves Quarter of Woodplumpton—a very quaint, highly-rural, pleasant district. Fields, hedgerows, trees, cottages all looked very nice & refreshing & pastorally snug. A model bucolic quarter. T[hrelfall] took us about four-fifths of the way, remainder of which we walked, getting home about 10.45.

**Monday 13 June 1887** Having decided to give Charlie, our horse, a rest & a change, by turning him to grass, for a week or two I went with son L[lewellyn] to Preston this morning per 8.30 train. Sub-editing &c all

107 Servant (see 23 May).

108 Thomas Blezard (1872–1950), son of Richard Blezard, a millwright.

109 John Threlfall (1831–1913).

day. Home, I per 9.35pm train, sons E[thelbert] & H[orace] gardening at home to-day.

**Tuesday 14 June 1887** Ditto to Preston with sons E[thelbert] & L[lewellyn]. Son H[orace] & daughters M[abel], R[osaline] & L[etitia] with servant Ann110 to Catforth School treat111 &c. Threlfall's child died to-day. I am told that it was a very sharp, fine child.

**Wednesday 15 June 1887** Working at Preston all day. Home at night per 9.35 train.

**Thursday 16 June 1887** Working all day at Preston. At 7.35, or so, to Turkish Bath, Grimshaw St[ree]t—feeling dirty & rheumatic. Stayed for about 2 hours. Then to meet son L[lewellyn] whom I sent to Theatre Royal.112 Met him, in street—Fishergate—leaving. To our shanty in Cannon-st[ree]t, where we slept all night together.

**Friday 17 June 1887** On the plan of "Labor omnia vincit" hard at it all day. Great scarcity of subjects for "Stray Notes"' but determined to test & to keep in working order my intellect "went at it" as usual; &—thank God for all His goodness—produced the usual quantity, also quality in my opinion, of matter. To bed at about 2.30.

**Saturday 18 June 1887** Up at about 10. Working, moving about, reading, &c all day till night when I, & my wife, left P[resto]n for home, per 9.35 train.

**Sunday 19 June 1887** Rose about 10.30. Did not go to church in aft[ernoo]n—so hot the weather. In evening read Malmesbury's Memoirs. Contain some good stories, incidents, scandal, &c. A smart, clear-headed, able Tory.

**Monday 20 June 1887** To Preston per 8.30 morning train. Sub-editing, &c. At 4.25pm home by train; then to Churchtown—whither my wife, daughters and son E[thelbert] had gone—to the Jubilee proceedings; sons H[orace] & L[lewellyn] to Garstang ditto. Proceedings at Churchtown

110 See 13 November 1885.

111 Annual village field day.

112 Llewellyn was 13 when his review of Miss Birch's Company performing the play *Harvest* appeared in his father's paper.

very fair for a small place—juvenile games, races, a dinner in school, speeches, songs. Much drunken music, as a thorn to the rose, in one public house. Home about 9.30.

**Tuesday 21 June 1887** At 10.20 this morning I & my wife to Lancaster, per train, to see the Jubilee proceedings there—this being the "real Jubilee day." Train crammed & had to ride in a guard's van. At Lancaster saw a good procession of trades; an open air entertainment in Giant Axe Field—niggerism,113 acrobatism, fine balloons &c. At night a torch light procession. Very good, on the whole. After seeing last named walked up to top of Williamson Park to see the beacon lights on the mountains. Saw 13—on Black Combe, Coniston Old Man, Langdale Pikes, Arnside Warton Crag, Farleton Knot &c. Lancaster well illuminated—especially the Town Hall, Gas Office & the Castle Gateway. Left per train for home about one o'c[loc]k on Wednesday morning. On way saw fires on Harris end, above Scorton and on Parlick Pike, above Chipping. Also a smouldering fire on Sullam, above Garstang. Reached home about 2.20 in morning.

**Wednesday 22 June 1887** To Preston per 8.30 morning train. Working sub-editing &c till night. Then home, per 9.35 train.

**Thursday 23 June 1887** Customary work at Preston all day. All the week people have been grumbling loudly about miserable Jubilee proceedings at Preston—"not like other places," "nothing," &c, &c. Home at night per 9.35 train.

**Friday 24 June 1887** Working all day at Preston. A balloon ascent & a big procession of Church of England and Sunday scholars to-day. Jubilee demonstration in P[resto]n. Finished work about 1.50 in morning.

**Saturday 25 June 1887** To work about 10.20 in forenoon. Very magnificent and large procession of R Catholic Guilds in Preston this forenoon. In afternoon there sh[oul]d have been a procession of the local friendly societies; but only about 100 persons joined it. A fiasco, causing an increase in the general local growl about Preston's poor Jubilee demonstration. Home, with my wife, per 9.35 train—late.

113 Presumably blackface minstrels. The term was widely understood as offensive.

**Sunday 26 June 1887** Rose at about 10.15. Looking about, putting things to rights, disinfecting drains &c. with solution of permanganate of potash. Reading Malmesbury's Memoirs, sleeping &c from 4.50 to 6.10pm. In evening had a walk to the field, with my wife & daughters. Found all right. Afterwards had another read in M[almesbury]'s Memoirs.

**Monday 27 June 1887** This forenoon, after doing some business at my shop, went with my wife & son E[thelbert] to Mr TA Peters's,\* the Hermitage, Grimsargh (called by T.A.P. "St John's College"). Had lunch. Mayor of Preston (Alderman Bibby114) and two or three Preston Town Councillors &c also several wives present. Good "spread." Saw some games in an adjoining field in af[ternoo]n. Back to Preston per 5.35 train. My wife home by 6.5 train; I and son E[thelbert] by 9.35 train.

**Tuesday 28 June 1887** To Preston per trap. Nothing very particular. Read some of Rev Arnold's "Three Cornered Essays."115

**Wednesday 29 June 1887** At Preston, working all day. Man Robert116 to Brookhouse. Big, awkward-looking, red-faced. Says himself, which is no recommendation, that he is "good-tempered." Home at night & on getting there worked—writing CC117 —for about two hours.

**Thursday 30 June 1887** Sub-editing, &c, at Preston all day. Weather very dry. This has been the driest year—winter & spring & summer so far—I ever remember. People are crying out for rain. It was stated at Preston Town Council meeting to-day, by Alderman Hibbert,\* Ch[airma]n of the Water Com[mitt]ee that there are only 33 days' supply of water in the Preston reservoirs.

114 See 9 April.

115 Frederick Arnold, *Three-Cornered Essays. By a Middle-Aged Englishman* (London: James Hogg, 1882), mildly humorous essays on everyday topics.

116 Unidentified.

117 'Local Chit Chat' gossip column.

# July

**Friday 1 July 1887** Sub-editing & editing all day till late. Finished work at about 2 o'c[loc]k on Sat morning.

**Saturday 2 July 1887** To work at about 10.30 in morning. Easy day. This evening Alderman Robert Benson118 of Preston died very suddenly. He was out, apparently, in good health, in the aft[ernoo]n. I saw him. A quiet, conscientious, courteous man. Good-looking. A Quaker. In his 81st year. Did not look above 65 or 70. Only one other (Alderman E Birley\*) now in our T[own] Council of the lot in it at the Guild of 1862. Most of them dead; remainder gone to live elsewhere.

**Sunday 3 July 1887** Rose about 8.30, intending to go to Churchtown Church; but horse bits &c so dirty and head pieces so out of order in one part c[oul]d not do so. Went in aft[ernoo]n with my wife & son E[thelbert]. Hot. Poor sermon. My wife just asleep at its close, & much disappointed when roused. I nearly asleep. In evening read some of Earl Malmesbury's Memoirs.

**Monday 4 July 1887** Easy working day at Preston. Nothing very particular. Weather continues very dry.

**Tuesday 5 July 1887** In aft[ernoo]n writing Literary Notes.119 The man Robert120 sent away—in reality—this forenoon, from Brookhouse. A talkative, palavering, idle, sleepy fellow—not worth his meat.

**Wednesday 6 July 1887** Working hard all day. Ald[erma]n Benson interred today. A large & demonstrative funeral. Excellent muster of members of the Corporation &c.

118 Robert Benson (1807–1887), former grocer, magistrate, was involved in Preston Blind Institute with Hewitson, who described him in 1870 as 'calmly rigid and sedately Puritanical' (*PTC*).