June 1862

Sunday 1st  Went to Ridlington Church twice.  Mr Nicholson and I walked to Ayston and round by Wardley Toll Bar in the evening.

Monday 2nd  Mr Wortley drove Mr Burgess to Mr Franklin’s Northamptonshire to spend the day and stay all night.  Mr Nicholson and I mowed the Cricket ground.  The shepherd and Tom Manton began to clip the sheep.  Mr Nicholson and I rode to Allexton in the afternoon.

Tuesday 3rd  I clipped three sheep,  it was very hot work.  Mr Wortley came home from Mr Franklin’s

Wednesday 4th  Mr Nicholson and I went down to Martinsthorpe in the afternoon to draw out the she hogs from the ewes and lambs, and brought them up home to be clipped.   Mr Islip came in the evening to play at Cricket, and staid for supper.

Thursday 5th  Mr Nicholson and I rode down to the Parks in the morning.  Mr Wortley and Mr Burgess drove to Cottesmore to spend the day.  It came on rain about ten oclock; but it cleared up in the afternoon.  Mr Nicholson and I rode to Allexton in the afternoon to our land and from thence we went on to Mr Islip’s of Allexton Hall, we drank tea there and played at quoits after tea, we got home about twelve oclock.

Friday 6th  It was very windy all day and it rained a good deal.  Mr Nicholson went to say good bye to Mr Hay, as he is leaving tomorrow. The shepherd & Tom Manton finished clipping the sheeps.  The grass was so wet that we could not play at Cricket in the evening, so we played at bagatelle.

Saturday 7th  Mr Nicholson left for good, we were all very sorry to part with, he went by the first train, I drove him to the station and brought back with me a hamper of plants that Lawson has made us a present of.  I rode round by the Parks in the afternoon.  Lizzie was bulled by Norval and the The Wing Heifer was bulled by Red Rover.  We put the plants in the garden in the evening.

Sunday 8th  Went to Ridlington Church twice and in the evening walked round by the parks; but missed Mr Nicholson’s company very much.

Monday 9th  It was a beautiful day.  I walked round the home farm in the morning.  The bees swarmed in a nut tree in James Clarke’s orchard, it is a very large swarm.  Mr Berry & Nathaniel came for dinner and tea on their return from Mr Berry’s land at Keythorpe.  I rode down to Martinsthorpe in the afternoon and we played at Cricket in the evening.

Tuesday 10th  Mr Wortley and I walked all round the farm.  They are hoeing the Mangolds in First Close.  They are ploughing, harrowing and rolling in Colt Close.  I rode down to Martinsthorpe in the afternoon.

Wednesday 11th  I rode to Belton & Allexton in the morning, we had some very heavy showers, when I got home I found Mr Burdett there.  He had come to pack up his things what he had left and send them off by the carrier.  He stayed for dinner and tea, and he and I rode over to Swintley Lodge in the afternoonto look at his horse that is joisted out there.  Mr Viccars of Leicester came to look at the wool and staid for tea.

Thursday 12th  I heard from Mr Nicholson.   It was very showery all morning.

Friday 13th  It was rather showery.  I rode to Allexton in the afternoon.

Saturday 14th  I rode my horse over to Leicester and put up at the bell hotel.  I saw Tom at the Corn Exchange, dined at Lizzies, Polly also dined there and I saw John  when he came to fetch her away.  From Leicester I rode to Syston to spend the Sunday there.  Alfred drove Mrs Hudson, Lizzie and Eddie over for tea.  Edwin took my likeness in the evening.

Sunday 15th  We went to Syston Church in the morning and heard Mr Gregg.  We saw Ellen Wortley after church was over.   We went to Queniborough Church in the evening and heard Mr Goodacre, he gave us a most excellent sermon, I like him very much.

Monday 16th  I returned to Ridlington after dinner by Barkby, Beeby, Hungarton, Tilton, Loddington, and Mr Burgess‘, home, altogether a distance of about twenty miles.

Tuesday 17th  They drilled Turnips in Colts Close, three horses in the drill and four  cwtters, 2 lbs of seed per acre, no farm-yard or artificial manure has been put on the land.  Mr Gill of Barrowden came to see the wool and bought it for 43s per tod.  I rode to Allexton in the afternoon.  We had another swarm of bees from the old hive.

Wednesday 18th I rode to Allexton in the morning; there are 119 sheep in the large field and 24 beasts in the meadows.  Willie came home from school by a train that did not stop an Manton so he got out at Oakham and walked home.  May and Ellen arrived at Manton by a later train, I went to meet them with the trap.

Thursday 19th  Willie and I rode to Wing in the morning , Nathaniel rode round the farm with us.  Mr Guildford  of North Luffenham and Captain Brown of Uppingham came for dinner and staid the evening.

Friday 20th  Walked round the farm in the morning; they were scuffling, harrowing and rolling in First Close.  Willie and I rode to Allexton  in the afternoon.

Saturday 21st  They were horse-raking the weeds together, picking and burning in First Close.

Sunday 22nd  Went to Church twice.  We all walked to Colts Close in the evening.

Monday 23rd  Went to London by the first train, I had to change at Leicester and did not arrive at Kings Cross Station before half past two, I took a cab to Mr Parkes‘ office and left my bag and great coat there, and went to the Royal Academy National Gallery and Westminster Abbey, I called in Parliament Street and Henry and I dined together and afterwards went home to his lodgings at No 14 Queens Road, St John’s Wood, NW.  Henry shares his sitting room with Mr Griffin, a young man Henry travelled with in the Lakes the year before last.

Tuesday 24th I walked with Henry as far as the Regent Circus, he went to his office and I took an omnibus to the Exhibition, where I stayed all day.  I met Mr Nicholson there , his Manchester brother, his cousin Thomas Taylor, his uncle, aunt & cousin from London with whom they were staying .  I dined with them at the exhibition and went with them all the time.  I left the building about 6 oclock and took a buss to the Haymarket Theatre where I had arranged to meet Henry.   We went to the theatre and saw the play of Our American Cousin acted,  it was very amusing.  We got to St Johns Wood about 12 oclock.

Wednesday 25th  I went to Kings Cross Station to meet John and Fanny, but they did not arrive so I went to the Exhibition and stayed all day.  I met henry at the Regent’s Circus and we went to the Williams’ and stayed for tea.  John and Fanny drove to Harborough, but were too late for the excursion train, so they could not get to London before the middle of the day,  they went to the Exhibition in the afternoon and the Haymarket Theatre in the evening. They returned to the Williams’ about 12 oclock.  Fanny is staying at the Williams’,  but John was staying at the Parkland Hotel at Leicester Square.

Thursday 26th  Henry went with me to Westminster bridge and I went by boat from thence to Battersea Park to see the Royal Agricultural Society’s Show,  I met John there and walked with him all day.  It was a very large show.  We returned by boat to Hungerford Bridge and went to the Alhamborough in the evening.

Friday 27th  I walked with Henry as far as the Williams and then said good bye to him.  Fanny and I walked to the Zoological Gardens and took a cab from thence to the Baker St Bazar.  I had some lunch Harley Street and then took a cab to Kings Cross Station to go by the excursion train to Leicester, which started at 2.30.  I arrived in Leicester at 6 and slept at Lizzies, Mr and Mrs Hudson had tea there.

Saturday 28th  Went to see Aunt Anne, and went into the market and saw Tom and Mr Mitton.  Came on to Ridlington in the afternoon

Sunday 29th  Went to Ridlington Church twice.  We all went to Colts Close in the evening.

Monday 30th  Willie and I rode to Allexdon in the morning, and took 50 ewes and lambs with us.  We also rode to Martinsthorpe and took Lizzie, her calf and Plume with us.