Dowlish Wake Heritage

Day

Weather

Summary

Place & People of Interest

1

Fine

Friday New Years celebrations

Sent two loads of White wheat to Donyatt Mills consisting of 200 B [?] s, have the men very busy getting the rest ready for the same destination. Susan & Self rode down to Farnhams and met Mr & Mrs Hellier there we did not return until late. Mr Huddy & self, saw the old year out at Mr Cossins.

Mr Huddy

Mr Cossins

The Farnhams

Donyatt Mill

2

Fine

Saturday

Sent down to Donyatt Mills two loads of 80 B [?] s of wheat each, consisting mainly of Nursery. Received of Farnham £10 on account. Recd a letter from Farmer Griffen declining my dairy because it would not allow him to keep a horse .Wrote to Bond of Chard saying I want a dairyman to take my cows.

Mr Griffin

Mr Bond

3

4

Fine

Monday Chard Great Market

Attended Chard Great Market. Paid Mr Salter half years rent due Michaelmas, last amount I paid him £140. He says he will have the lease drawn up and soon as possible he can. I paid him through Mr Farmers, his head clerk £1 for the insurance of my property and farm against fire.

Mr Salter

  Mr  Farmer

5

Fine

Tuesday From Greenham Farm

A person by name of Henry White of Greenham near Broadwindsor, came here and took my dairy of 20 cows  “big”, 16 Cows and 4 two- year- old heifers. The  Cows at £11 each and the heifers at £9 each, to have an agreement drawn up by a Lawyer, and he to pay one half of the expenses of it.

Henry White

6

Fine

Wednesday

Old Hamis Day, we always spend this at Burton which we did today, we drove down and took dear little Anstice with us, we had a large dinner party and dined off the finest, and turkey I have seen for a very long time, we slept the night as it was late. 

Epiphany Eve – Gregorian [new]  and Julian [old] calendar changed in 1752 – 11 days lost – this must refer to the Old Christmas Day/ Old Candlemas. 

The Twelfth Night – 6th January as the Twelfth Night of Christmas

Dear little Antice Cuff is Robert Edward Anstice 4 years old.

 12th night – Epiphany Eve

Anstice

 Burton Penysil Cuff

7

Fine

Thursday

We spent this day at Burton and dined there again. Offered father £12 each for 2 in calf cows and he to take away my 2 Heifers in £17.  He would not do it he wanted another £1, and  I would not give it so we could not deal. We returned and left dear little Anstice there with Father.

8

Fine

Friday

Sent Thomas Bailey and paid Insurance premium £1-0-3 due Xmas on household goods at my residence Oxenford to Mrs Heit Stevens agent at Ilminster. Tom Symes of Martock sent my policy for insurance of  Horses [against death] £8 5s 5d. on Wednesday last when I was away to Burton Pysent.

Thomas Bailey

Hext/Heit 

Tom Symes

9

Fine

Saturday

Wrote to Pulmans paper at Crewkerne last Saturday to insert next impression on Tuesday a notice of my Dairy to be let consisting of 20 cows and that a middle age man and his wife with good references and character would be required and that none need apply without such. 

Pulmans 

10

11

Fine

Mon Plough Monday

We had a few friends here to eat a nice turkey dinner, Mother was kind enough to give us. Henry Paul came over also and took instructions from me to prepare an agreement for a lease of my dairy of 20 cows to Henry White of Greenham near Broadwindsor. Gave him orders to proceed against the Lower Seavington People for damage for neglect of road.

Henry Paul

Henry White

12

Fine

Tuesday

Very busy hauling dung on pasture and arable land.  Had an invitation to spend the evening at the Hulls. But, instead could not go as some person came in and hindered me and I would not go, we were very much in disgrace through our not going, I have heard.

Hull

13

Fine

Wednesday  In May John Symes is Guardian of the union for Cudworth

Busy gathering the taxes and poor rates for West Dowlish Parish. We are invited at the Rev Mr Foreshaw,  Stocklinch Magdalen. Which we accepted this evening, we drove down and spent very pleasant evening, met mostly his head parishioners of Cricket and Cudworth.

Rev Foreshaw 

Stocklinch Magdalen 

14

Fine 

Thursday

Went and gathered some more of the taxes and poor rate. With W? Male rode down to Beer Mills after Mr Byrants taxes, which I was never before and found it a very nice place. I wrote to ask Henry White my new dairyman to come down tomorrow to hear the draft of an agreement for lease read.

W ? Henry White

Male

Beer Mills

Bryants

15

Fine

Friday. Dairyman

Henry White came down and heard the draft of the agreement read and did not disagree to any one thing but contented to all therein stated; he bought off me three leaded stands for £4 the cream tin milk cooler and the yoke and milk tins for £1. Curd mill for 10/- and the cheese press for £3 with weights in addition of 5/- as I give for it.

Henry White

16

Very Fine

Saturday

We spent last evening at Mr Cossins and met Mr & Mrs Bragg and the latter’s sister, who we found very nice and pleasant people he has been appointed schoolmaster to the Commercial free school of Ilminster he says he can teach five hundred easier than one hundred.

Ilminster Endowed Commercial Free school of Ilminster. This was maybe Ilminster Grammar School. He lived at Court Barton House, Ilminster, 1873. Samuel Bragg moves to Salisbury Grammar school as Headmaster, March 1881.

Mr Samuel Bragg

The Cossins 

The Braggs

17

18

Fine

Monday

Went and gathered in the rest of the taxes, unpaid with the poor rate, also on land in West & East Dowlish Parish. Of the latter only the taxes. Rode into Ilminster and paid the first Noiety of Taxes due to Government.  Paid also the Union C? of £5 into the Ilminster Bank to the credit of the Chard Union. Pd H Paul the Kingstone Tithes. 

H Paul

19

Fine

Tuesday  Dr Giles Richard Bert, on medical register of 1861 Ilminster. Dr Richard William Spicer of Chard.

Poor Mrs Huddy suddenly taken dangerously ill last night, just before I called there. I rode to Ilminster to hasten on the old doctor Bart, he was obliged to call in Doctor Spicer from Chard. They were there all night and most of next day. Susan rode over today to stay with her.

Mrs Huddy

Dr Bert

Dr Spicer

20

Fine 

Wednesday

Mrs Huddy a little better, Susan stayed up with her last night and returned home after dinner.  She is still very dangerous they sent for Mrs Gainlin today and keep house as they have no one there to do so.  Put the men levelling the Bank in Higher Woods to grass it down.

Mrs Gainlin?

21

Frosty

Thursday  Maybe Thomas Howard of Broadway, master farmer born D Wake

Severe Frost- it stayed on ground - several lambs throw their lambs dead. Sold Thomas Howard 2 2 year old heifers, 1 stag? And an old barren cow for £29. I gave him 2s 6d for luck. He took them away and drove them to Yeovil Market. He paid for them!

Thomas Howard

22

Frosty 

Friday. Samuel Turner most likely carpenter of Knowle st Giles, 

A harder frost today. Mrs Huddy is out of danger, Mr Huddy supped with us. Samuel Turner came over and laid down the …?. in the pigsty for the pigs to lie on, I gave him a short pollard for some oak boards to finish then with.

Mr Huddy

Samuel Turner

23

Very Frosty

Saturday

Had two more dead lambs. Rode to Burton to ask father to spare all he can to put the ewes with-out lambs? Went out to shoot some rabbits, found three and shot them. Sent out for half a gallon of very best Brandy of London.

24

Sun

25

Fine

Monday

Had Lowmond and Mr Perry down in Wood levelling the old bank. Unfinished a year on 2 by Baker and Bond. Dear Susan and self went over to Mrs Cossens with Mrs Huddy – spent a very pleasant evening – stayed till after ten. The princess Royal was married today to Prince of Russia. May god bless them.

Lowmond

Perry

Baker 

Bond

Huddy

Mrs Cossens

26

Fine

Tuesday Cooper 

Began hauling the earth from Woods the old bank, to fill up the Drains in Eleven acres mead. Mr  White came over with his brother Bert, met my solicitor. W H Paul and to sign the agreement, lease of my cows and paid his quarterly rent. Paid Crabb the cooper his bill.

Henry White

Bert White

Crabb

W H Paul

27

Fine

Wednesday

Busy filling up drains in Eleven acres with earth. Mr John Earmes of Moolham dined with us today, off a nice goose. W J Vincent called today and I paid him for bill for ales. £9 10s.  John Eames drank tea,

John Earmes

W J Vincent 

28

Fine

Thursday

Hogs in Higher Werods feeding off the turnips, finished ploughing too and worked in Wheat. Hogs on turnips in Seven Acres.

John Holly doing up dairy.

John Holly 

29

Changeable 

Friday

Bonfire! Henry White slept here last night to be ready in readiness this early morning. With my carter and 2 Horses and waggon, to fetch his goods from his brothers at Axminster. 

Wm Hellier called and drank tea.

Henry White

Wm Helliar 

30

Fine

Saturday

Mrs Cuff received for a post office order, paid Wm Hagleys bill. 19s & 9d. John Holly finished for a little time the alterations in Dairy house.

Wm Hagley

John Holly

31

None