Monday 1st It was a beautiful day. The men that mowed the wheat in Round Hill began to mow the Second Dale Oats at 10s per acre. The five Irishmen that were reaping the Oates in Shellacres Close left them as they too green and began reaping the Second Dale Oates at the opposite end to which our men are mowing, for 13s per acre. They carried the Magnum-bonum Peas on the top side of Bakers Hill and put them into the barn at the Top Yard.
This is the first day of the Partridge Shooting. Mr Wortley went out in the evening, shot two, but only got one of them.
Tuesday 2nd First day of the Sparkenhoe Farmers Show which is this year held at Leicester, on the Race Course, Mr Wortley went this morning to act as judge of Implements, Steam Cultivation, Draining, Hedge Cutting etc. I rode to Allexton in the morning . We had a shower in the afternoon.
Wednesday 3rd Second day of the Sparkenhoe Show. I should have ridden over, but it rained all day. I went to Manton Station in the afternoon to meet Mr Wortley, but he did not come till the last train. Frank went to meet him.
Thursday 4th Third day of the Sparkenhoe Show. I rode to Leicester in the morning, had lunch at Lizzie’s, first went to see the steam ploughing and the reaping machines work, I afterwards went to see the stock show and also the implements fruit flowers &C. I met with Uncle John in the show and walked all round with him.
From Leicester I went on to Peatling. Criss was staying there.
Friday 5th John, Criss, Mr Burdett and I drove to Desford near Ashby to see a cricket match between 11 of all England against 22 out of Leicestershire. Tom and Henry were there, they had driven over from Hinckley Miss Harrison, her brother Robert and Charles were there and they asked me to go back with them to Bagworth; but I did not go as I had my horse at Peatling.
Saturday 6th John, Criss and I walked round the farm in the morning. John has all his Wheat and Oates cut, but he has not carried anything yet. In the afternoon Fanny, Criss and I walked nearly to Arnesby to meet Tom and Henry who were coming over to spend the Sunday but they came by Great Peatling so we missed them.
Sunday 7th We went to Peatling Church in the morning and went a walk in the afternoon.
Monday 8th Tom and I changed horses, Tom drove my horse to Hinckley and took Chriss and Henry with him. John and I rode round the farm and to see some Shropshire Sheep.
Tuesday 9th I returned on Tom’s little mare to Ridlington and staid for dinner and tea at Marys’ at Langton. I arrived at Ridlington about 7.15 pm.
Wednesday 10th Walked round the farm with Mr Wortley. They had carried about 10 acres of wheat out of Stone-Pit Close during my absence and they are thrashing it today for seed. Frank drove to Seaton Station to meet Mr Cutting. Mr C. and I had a walk round the farm in the evening, and I found out that Jimmie Woodcock was aprenticed to his father, who is a Chemist at Leemington.
Thursday 11th We walked all round the farm. Mr Haryre’s son came to fetch the 62 Sheerhogs that were in the Middle Close, which his father had bought of Mr Wortley for £2.4s.0d per head. We are carrying wheat in Round-hill and stacking it at the New-Yard. Seven Irishmen are reaping the Second Dale Oates.
Frank Needham of Manton came to look at some Beasts and bought the 8 beasts in the First Glebe for £15.10s per head and he also bought the 4 Noth Wales Runts for £13.0 per head.
Wright of Loddingtom came and bought one of the Shropshire Down Tup Lambs for £2 and took it home with him in a cart. Mr Cutting and I rode to Wing in the afternoon, they are much forwarder with their harvest than we are here. They have carried almost all their corn. About tea time there was a rumour spread about the village that John Needham was taken with a fit in one of his fields and had died on the spot, when I heard of it I could not believe it, as I had seen him that morning and conversed with him for about a quarter of an hour, and he seemed more lively than ever; but the report proved too true, he was seized with a fit of apoplexy in a ploughed field on the Brook Road near to Tom Suter’s and he died immediately. They were carrying corn in the field at the time and his sons were in the field with him, his corpse was put into a waggon and taken. He has left a wife and nine children, and I am afraid they are scantily provided for, Gilbert the eldest son is about 22 years of age and the youngest is about 5.
Friday 12th The shepherd and I rode to Allexton to take 5 fat beasts to be sent to London by Mr Haryr for Monday’s market. They were all Irish two out of Chapel Close and three out of Feeding Close. We went on to our land at Allexton, all the sheep are very lame so the Shepherd had to pare their feet and dress them with ointment. We brought 14 Irish beasts home and put them into Feeding Close. We left 6 Stirks at Allexton.
Saturday 13th I rode down to Martinsthorpe and Mr Cutting walked and we met Barfield there and helped him to catch Bounce and Prince. In the afternoon we rode to Manton to fetch away a bullock that Mr Wortley had bought of Mr Leicester.
Sunday 14th Went to Ridlington Church twice. It rained without easing all day. Poor John Needham was buried at two oclock in the afternoon, a great many people attended the funeral, the family seemed very much affected, Gilbert looked very ill, poor fellow I think he feels his father’s loss very much. Mr Hay preached two very good sermons respecting his death.
Monday 15th All the men began cutting the beans in Colts Close our men were cutting them by the day and the Irishmen were cutting them for 10s per acre. Clarke’s heifer calved yesterday morning, a roan cow calf by Norral . Mr Wortley and I rode to Captain Edward’s farm at Robin â tiptoes.
Tuesday 16th My Cutting and I went a long ride by Leigh Lodge Launde Abbey and home by Loddington, East Norton, Allexton and home by Mr Borgiss Lodge. It was a beautiful day for the harvest for we had so much wind and sun. They carried part of Stone-pit Close
Wednesday 17th Mr Wortley went by the first train from Seaton Station to Birmingham to act as judge of Steam Cultivation and implements at the Agricultural Show which is annually held there.
They carried the Oates in the Shelacres Close and finished about 7.15pm. It was very hot in the middle of the day. Mr Cutting and I rode down to Martinsthorpe in the afternoon.
Thursday 18th Tom is going to be married today to Annie Williams at her Uncles, Mr Hall the Rector of Risley in Derbyshire. May it be a happy union. Fanny, John and Henry are to be present. They finished carrying the wheat in Stone-pit Close and then they went to the Parks to carry the Pease and finished there in Baker’s hill about 6.30 pm. The Pease are drilled on a plan of Mr Wortley’s own, two rows 11 inches between the two and then 30 inches and another two rows 11 inches apart. When the Pease are about two inches above ground they are hand hoed in the short space, and about 6 inches each side of the rows in the 30 inch space. They are then horse hoed in the 30 inch space with Bond and Robinson’s horse-hoe the price of which is £2. Frequent stirring of the 30 inch space with the horse hoe is beneficial to the crop in cutting up the weeds, and in loosening the soil about the roots and admitting the air. At harvest time the Pease cover all the ground and are reaped by Irishmen for 5s per acre. Mr Cutting and I walked to the Parks in the evening, the Irishmen have about 6 acres more of beans to cut. The beans are drilled 20 inches apart and have been horse hoed and hand-hoed once.
Mr Wortley came home by the last train to Seaton from the Birmingham Agricultural Show. Frank went to meet him with the trap.
Friday 19th I received Tom’s wedding cards. They finished carrying the Pease in Colts Close and carried a good part of the First Dale Wheat. It was very misty early in the morning; but it cleared off about ten oclock. Mr Wortley went to Stamford market.
I rode over to Beaumont House in the afternoon through Wardley Wood.
Saturday 20th Mr Wortley told us something very much in favor of Reaping machines, especially Samuelson’s. Mr Lythall, an old pupil of his has a farm near Banbury and on this farm of his he had a very heavy crop of Barley and Clover amongst it, he could not get men to mow and tie it for less than 12s per acre. So Samuelson agreed to reap it for him with his reaping machine for 2s per acre, and he gave his men 3s 6d per acre for tying it up, making in all 5s 6d per acre and being 6s 6d per acre cheaper than his own men would do it for. This clearly show what an advantage they will be to farmers; but on the other hand it shows what a great many men it will throw out of employment and farmers will have to pay a heavier poor rate.
The men finished carrying the Wheat in the First Dale and then they went to carry the Oates in the Second Dale. The Irishmen have finished cutting the beans in Colts Close and are now tying them up. Mr Cutting and I had a long ride in the afternoon by Brook and Braunstone, Withcote Hall, Haboted and home by Robin a tiptoes and through Launde Wood and by Mr Burgess‘ Lodges, a distance of about 17 miles.
Mr Wortley went to Mr Siviszler’s Barn Show and drove Bassit Rowell in the trap.
Sunday 21st Went to Ridlington Church twice, there was a collection after the morning and afternoon services for the distressed opperatives in Lancashire, the total sum collected was £4.16.0 .
Mr Cutting and I went to Ayston in the evening and walked round General Fludyer’s garden.
Monday 22nd Mr Wortley drove Mr Cutting and me to Uppingham fair. It is a newly organised fair and so as to establish it well, the inhabitants of Uppingham give away £30 in £5 silver cups, 2 cups for lambs, 1 for the best tup, 1 for the best mare and foal, 1 for the best mare and 1 for the best foal.
Mr Cutting and I returned for dinner but Mr Wortley staid and then went on to Manton Station to meet Mrs Wm Wortley of London and her two daughters. Mr Cutting and I rode down to the Parks in the afternoon the men finished carrying the Oates in Barn Close and have carried a good part of the Second dale. The five Irishmen have finished tying and setting up the beans in Colts Close.
Tuesday 23rd The men finished carrying the Oates in the Second Dale. We brought all the lambs out of Park Close and put them into Pines Close to pick over the Wheat Stubbles. We measured up the Irishmens work in the Second Dale and the Beans in Colts Close. They had 15s per acre for reaping the Oates as it is such a heavy crop and 10s per acre for cutting the beans . Mr Wortley , Mr Cutting and I went down to Martinsthorpe after tea to fetch some beast up. We brought up Julia, she is to be shorn as extra stock at the Melton Show. We also brought up Cherry, Marquiss’ heifer, Dairy Maid and the two calves that are sucking at her and three home-bred steers.
Wednesday 24th We took the three steers that we brought from Martinsthorpe and three of the Irish beasts out of Feeding Close and put them into an edisp that Mr Wortley had bought of Passfield and they will have a little hay night and morning. I drove to the Manton Station with my little mare to meet John and Henry by the 4.20 train from Leicester; but they did not come. Frank went to meet the last train and only John came.
Thursday 25th First day of the Leicestershire and Waltham Agricultural Show. Mr Wortley and Mr Cutting went by the first train. The Shepherd and Ted Bains also went and took with them Norval, Red Rover, Julia, Adelaide and Miss Ophelia.
It was very wet in the morning so John and I could not get far, went to see the church and the Top Yard and the home farm. In the afternoon we rode down to the Parks.
Mr Wortley and Mr Cutting returned by the last train, Mr Wortley was judge of Implements.
Friday 26th Second day of the Melton Show. John had a look at the mill and then he and I drove to Manton Station to go to the Melton Show. Just before we got to the turn up to Wing to wheel came off the trap, so John and I had to walk on the xxx and Frank went to Preston to get a key to put the wheel on again. It was a very good show but Mr Wortley did not get a prize. We saw almost all of our Melton friends on the show grounds which was in Eyerton Park just before Lord Wilton’s House. I left Melton by the train that started from Melton at 3.38 and John returned to Peatling by a later train. Mr Wm Wortley from London came to stay.
Saturday 27th Mr Barnes came by the first train to spend the day and have a days shooting, he and Mr Wortley had guns and Mr Wm Wortley, Mr Cutting and I went as markers. We went on Mr Patemans and Mr Wm Needhams farm and killed 5½ brace of partridges . It rained very fast all day. They brought two Irish steers from Martinsthorpe and put them into the First Glebe. Mr Barnes returned home in the evening.
Sunday 28th Went to Ridlington Church twice. It was very showery all day so we could not have our walk in the evening.
Monday 29th Mr and Mrs William Wortley and their two little girls returned home to London by the middle of the day train. Tom, John and Robert Manton were ploughing in the Second Dale where the Oates were mowed. The other men were thatching the stack. Jocelyn Oakley and one of his companions at the Oakham school came over to look at the Church. Mr Wortley went to a tax meeting at Oakham. It began to rain about 4 oclock in the afternoon.
Tuesday 30th Mr Wortley went to Tixover to shoot with Mr Wm Ingram and the Browns of Uppingham. Mr Cutting and I rode to Allexton in the morning, the sheep are not so lame as they were when I last went there. They are ploughing in the Second Dale. The Irishmen finished cutting the Talevora Wheat in Pease Hill. The three beasts in Chapel Close are tied up at night now in the bullock-xxx and have cake and chaff . Wm Pickering came in the evening.