Friday 1st I rode to Wing in the morning and all round their farm. I went fishing in Mr Burgess‘ pond and caught ten Perch, I took four large ones to Mr Hay’s.
Saturday 2nd The men mowed Colts Close meadow. Willie and Mary went back to school, I drove them to Manton Station. I rode to Martinsthorpe in the evening.
Sunday 3rd Went to Ridlington Church twice, I received the Sacrament. Mr Wortley and I walked to Colts Close in the evening.
Monday 4th Went round the farm in the morning and went fishing to Mr Burgess‘ pond, caught two. Mr Wortley and I went to Martinsthorpe in the afternoon to take Julia and Rosamond down to our field there.
Tuesday 5th All hands were at work in Colts Close meadow, and it was all carried and stacked in the field by night in tolerably good order, only having had one shower on it.
The Sedes in Colts Close are looking very bad, they are all going to anbury, or in commoner words finger-and-toe, which is caused by their roots being bitten by some grub, which makes them swell in knobs which resemble fingers or toes, and they never come to any size or do much good afterwards.
Wednesday 6th Rode to Allexton in the morning and went fishing in the evening, I caught xx one.
Thursday 7th It was very showery all morning; but it cleared up in the afternoon. I rode to the Parks, the men are clearing up the Stack-yards both at the New Yard and at the Top-Yard.
Lord Gainsborough (Mr Wortley’s landlord) in honour of his daughter’s marriage with Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton has invited all his tenantry to dine with him this afternoon at 3 oclock in a large tent erected near the old Hall Exton, Mr Wortley went and had to preside at one of the tables and to return thanks for the tenantry.
Friday 8th Mr Wortley and I went down to Martinsthorpe in the morning to draw the culled ewes from the others and Mr Nudham of Manton met us there, we drew 60 and Mr N. bought them for 41s per head. I rode to Allexton in the afternoon and then on to Horninghold to Mr Hare’s to enquire when our four beast were to be at Rockingham Station in the morning, as they were for Monday’s market.
Saturday 9th I went by the first train to Leicester. I saw Mr Islip and Richard Islip in the horse Faire and went with them into the Corn Market. I dined at Lizzies, Tom and Wm Williams also dined there, they went on to Syston and staid all night, John drove me to Peatling in the trap, Uncle John and Fanny also went back with us.
Sunday 10th We all went to Peatling Church in the morning, Mr Coulson the Rector officiated, he lives at Sxxxx, but is obliged to do the duty at Peatling once in two years. The Revd Dr Goodacre is his curate. Tom and Wm Williams came over from Syston after Church in the morning and stayed all night.
Monday 11th Tom and Wm Williams went away, Tom to Hinckley & the latter to the Bedfordshire Asylum, where he is at.
Uncle John, John and I drove to Kimcote marl-pitts to fish in the afternoon; but we only caught two small perch.
Tuesday 12th Uncle John, John & I let the water off out of the brook and tried to catch some trout for dinner; but we only caught one so we put it in again. Mr Coulson, Dr Goodacre and Mrs Goodacre came for dinner and Mr Coulson stayed all night.
Wednesday 13th Uncle John and I went to the Kimcote marl-pits to fish, we caught four perch, & I caught three of them. Fanny came to meet us and we returned home by Walton, we saw Mr Lucus and he made us go into his house and have some wine, he also showed his grapes which are very fine, much finer than Johns because he thinned them. We also saw Mr Thomas Gimson.
Thursday 14th Mr Coulson went away. We all including Mr Burdett and Mr Blucke went fishing to Misterton Pond just before Col Arthurs house; but we had very bad sport. We all went home with Mr Daniels of Misterton and had tea there.
Friday 15th My birth-day. I am 19 years old today. It was very misty and showery all day. John dipped all his sheep & lambs with McDougalls preparation. Tom rode over from Hinchley in the afternoon and staid all night.
Saturday 16th John drove Uncle John and I to Leicester, and Tom rode on horse back. Tom gave me a set of gold studs and John gave me a set of wrist studs, for birthday presents. I returned with John to Peatling to stay Sunday; but Uncle remained in Leicester.
Sunday 17th I walked round the farm with John in the morning, and we went to Peatling Church in the afternoon.
Monday 18th Joseph drove me to Countesthorpe Station in the morning and I went by train to Leicester, where I stayed a short time. I went on to Syston and staid at Janie’s for dinner, I arrived at Manton Station about 4.30, Mr Wortley met me with the trap and drove me to Ridlington in time for tea. They had not begun harvest during my absence except the Pease on the top side of Baker’s Hill. They had also ploughed up the Sede Turnips in Colt Close as they had all gone to finger and toe, and had sown Cole-seed.
Tuesday 19th I walked round the home farm with Mr Wortley, and then helped to bring the two red cows, two red heifers and the two roaned heifers out of Park Close and put them in Glebe.
Wednesday 20th I walked all round the farm, Mr Wortley went to Uppingham market . Mr John Wortley of Bennington came.
Thursday 21st We all walked round the farm, they were ploughing and picking and burning in Barn Close.
Friday 22nd We all walked round the farm. Mr John Wortley went shooting in the evening and I went fishing to Mr Burgess pond, but caught nothing.
Saturday 23rd I brought my horse up out of Feeding Close and rode him over to Uppingham to get him shod with new shoes all round. In the evening I went to the plantation to get 2 bags of moss.
Sunday 24th Went to Ridlington Church twice, in the evening we all walked to the Parks.
Monday 25th We began harvest today. The Shepherd, Tom Manton, John Manton & John Dunmore began to mow the Stone-pit Close Wheat. Harry Meyes, William Baines, Edward Baines and Tomblin began to mow the Round-hill, Wheat. They are all working by the piece, and have 10s per acre for mowing and tieing . And they have no bar. Eight Irish men are reaping the Peas in Baker’s Hill for 5s per acre. I rode to Allexton in the morning.
Tuesday 26th The weather is very fine and we are getting on with cutting. Mr Cutting of Leamington and his son came for dinner, and he arranged to send his son here to learn farming. I went fishing in the evening; but caught nothing.
Wednesday 27th Mr J Wortley left by the first train. I rode to Wing and rode all round the farm with Nathaniel. Mr Hare of Horninghold came home with Mr Wortley from Uppingham and staid for tea. We walked round the home-farm after tea and heard a great deal of Agricultural talk, we also walked in amongst the wheat in Stone-pit Close and found a much better crop on the half nearest Mr Burgess‘ where sheep were penned on in February to eat off the wheat and to consolidate the land, as the wire worm were making sad work with it, than on the other half, Mr H. thinks there will be a quarter difference in the yield of the two. 5qrs in the end where the sheep were 4qrs per acre on the other ends. Mr Hare said it was a good plan to run the Clod-crusher over the land sown with wheat before putting sheep on.
Thursday 28th It was a beautiful day, I rode to Allexton in the morning. We let the reaping of the First Dale Wheat to four Irishmen for 10s per acre. We also let the reaping of Shelliker’s Close to five Irishmen for 13s per acre, it is a very heavy crop and they are a good deal layed.
Friday 29th It was a beautiful day. Harvest work is progressing rapidly. I rode to Martinsthorpe in the morning, the keeping is very short. Mr Partridge, Haggar’s Agent came home from Stamford Market with Mr Wortley and staid all night.
Saturday 30th Mr Wortley and I rode down to the Parks together. Barfield and John Case were ploughing in the First Dale. It had been sown with Common Turnips, but owing to the land being so rough they did not grow.
Sunday 31st Went to Ridlington Church twice. We had a slight thunderstorm in the evening, but not much rain fell. Mr Wortley walked to Colts Close in the evening. The crops in the Parks are better than have been for several years past.