May 1862

Thursday 1st  Walked round the home farm with Tom and Luke.  It is very nice easy working land, it is easy ploughing for a pair of light horses.  The soil is as black as soot, they pare and burn a great deal in the fen; but I think it is a very bad plan as it renders the soil more light and the wire worm works more easily in it.
We drove to Stickney in the afternoon to play at Cricket with the Carrington club, we left Mrs Nicholson at Mr Palethorpe’s and called for her on our way home.

Friday 2nd  We drove to the Corporation farm that Luke occupies, we saw Mr Palethorpe, we called at Mr Cockins on our way home and had some beer.  In the afternoon Tom and I walked to the Friskney Fen farm, it is a very good farm with a very poor house; it belongs to the executors of the Nicholsons.  Joe Cockin and Robinson came in the evening,  we played at cricket in the field before the house, and they stayed for supper.

Saturday 3rd  Tom and I walked to the Wrangler farm, which also belongs to the Nicholsons, it is not such good land as they Friskney Fen farm.  From thence we went on to call on Mr Vincent Taylors of Wrangle, he was not at home; but we saw Mrs and Miss Taylor, the latter favoured us with some music and singing.  They consider a good days ploughing in Lincolnshire to be an acre and a half, the furrow 14 inches broad and 6 inches deep.  In the afternoon Tom, Luke and I drove to Wainfleet, we called on Mr Robert Booth; but he was not at home, we saw Mrs Booth senior and Mrs Robert.  From thence we went on to Friskney to play at Cricket with the Friskney club.

Sunday 4th  Luke, Tom and I drove to Friskney Church in the morning, Mr Lukin officiated.  In the afternoon Mrs Nicholson, Tom and I drove to East Ville Church, Mr Holland officiated.  And in the evening Tom and I drove to the Friskney Wesleyan Chapel, Mr Joll officiated, the chapel was full.

Monday 5th   Tom and I went by the first train to Boston Fair and Luke drove over in the evening.  There were about 20,000 Sheepe in the fair, the best lamb-hogs made 68s per head.  Tom and I went to the station to meet his brother William from Cambridgeshire.  Staunton was at the fair,  we had a walk with him in the afternoon to the Baths.  We also went into the Church and up to the top of the tower, we saw the Wash and Norfolk also Lincoln Cathedral from it.  It is the highest Church tower in England, being 1000 yds high.  We went to the Theatre held in the Corn Exchange in the evening.  Rube the Showman was acted and afterwards a Farce.

Tuesday 6th  Tom and I slept at the Red Lion last night and had our breakfast there this morning.  We went into the beast fair; we saw Mr Fabling in the fair buying heifers.  Luke had 7 beast in the fair, 6 of them he sold to Mr William Nicholson for £18 per head and the other one he could not sell so he had to send it home again.  I went to Harwoods for dinner and he, I and Samuel Taylor  went to the Theatre in the afternoon and also in the evening.  We slept at the xxx Inn.

Wednesday 7th  We helped William to the station with his beast and then we all returned to East Ville.  While they had been away Luke had been drilling seeds with a 26 coulter drill and they drilled 26 acres in one day by changing the horses and men.  In the afternoon Tom and Luke drove to Boston again and got back to East Ville about two oclock in the morning.

Thursday 8th  William, Tom, Mrs N. and I drove to Stickney Cottage to spend the day with the Palethorpes.  Luke drove over to Stickney  in the afternoon to play at Cricket with the Carrington Club and Tom walked over to meet him there.  In the afternoon Mr Palethorpe, William and I walked round his farm, we saw them working clay to make bricks of  .

Friday 9th  In the morning it was very showery.  William and Luke drove to the Corporation Farm.  Tom and I walked to the Decary in Mr Burgess‘ farm to get some firn leaves.  In the afternoon we all drove to Skegness, it is a village on the sea coast, we walked on the sands before tea.  We had tea at Mrs Hildreds and after tea we walked to Chambers Hotel and had a game of Quoits with him.   In the evening he sang us some first-rate songs.

Saturday 10th  We packed up our things and drove to the station to rejoin to Ridlington; but we were too late for the train.  William was not very pleased as he had some wheat to sell at Wisbeach market .  So we left our luggage at East Ville Station and drove on to the Corporation farm and had some lunch at Mr Richardson’s after which Tom and I went off by the next train.  William was going to stay at East Ville  over Sunday.  I was very sorry to leave Lincolnshire  the people are so kind and hospitable and make you so at home; when we got to Ridlington Mr Willingham Fowler of the Hall Farm Exton was drinking tea at Mr Wortley’s, he came to look at the Red Rover.

Sunday 11th  Went to Ridlington Church twice.  Mr Nicholson and I walked to Ayston in the evening.

Monday 12th  In the morning Mr Nicholson and I walked to Allexton and he brought his mare home.  In the afternoon Mr N. and I rolled the Cricket Ground and he and I played at Cricket.

Tuesday 13th  Mr Islip came in the morning and stayed for lunch we played at Cricket in the evening.

Wednesday 14th  They were ploughing in First Close for Mangels.  We played at Cricket in the evening.

Thursday 15th  Mr Southam rode over to spend the day and he stayed all night.  Mr Nicholson rode to Allexton in the morning on Mr Wortley’s poney.  It rained all afternoon.

Friday 16th  It was a beautiful day, walked round the farm, three ploughs going in First Close.  Mr Wortley went to Stamford market, but he did not feel well when he got home and was afraid of having another quinsey.

Saturday 17th  It was a beautiful day, walked round the farm.  Three ploughs going in First Close ploughing up the Italian Rye-Grass.

Sunday 18th   Went to Ridlington Church twice.  Mr Nicholson and I walked to Ayston and round by Preston in the evening.

Monday 19th  Mr Wortley, Mr Nicholson and I took four calves to Martinsthorpe.  In the afternoon I rode to Uppingham on Mr Wortley‘s poney to send Mr Edwards to Mrs John Davis, who was taken with very violent spasms, from thence I rode on to Allexton and met Mr Nicholson there on his mare.  We brought        of the oldest Irish beasts and put them into the first glebe.  We also brought home all the Lamb-hogs to wash them tomorrow.  We played at cricket in the evening.

Tuesday 20th  We washed all our sheep at our wash-dyke except those at Martinsthorpe, Mr Nicholson and I helped them.  In the afternoon Mr N. rode to Mr Fablings of Burley and staid for tea and supper.  I rode to Uppingham on the poney and round by the Parks.  In the afternoon the men dibbled Mangels on ridges in First Close.  The seed was steeped in water yesterday.  We played at cricket in the evening.

Wednesday 21st  Mr Mitton came here on his way to market, and came back with Mr W__ from market and staid for tea.  It was showery all afternoon and evening so we could not play at Cricket.

Thursday 22nd  Mr Nicholson and I rode to Mr Mittons to spend the day.  Mr N. on his mare and I on the poney.  We walked all round his farm, which we were very much pleased with, he has only 70 acres of ploughed land out of about 300 acres.  We got home about 11 oclock.

Friday 23rd       Mr Wortley and Mr N. went to Stamford market and Mr Partridge, agent for Haggaer’s Cake came home with them and staid all night.  We played at Cricket in the evening.

Saturday 24th  It was a fine day.  Mr Nicholson and I went round by the Parks in the evening to see if we could get a rabbit and we shot two.

Sunday 25th  Went to Ridlington Church twice.  Mr Nicholson and I walked round by Preston and Ayston in the evening.

Monday 26th Mr Simpkin washed his sheep in the morning, we went down to see them and brought the Roaned  Heifer and Calf and Chapman’s Roan out of Park Close and put them into Leas Close.  Mr Nicholson and I mowed and rolled the Cricket Ground.  Mrs, Miss, Mr Edward and Mr Thomas Bell   Mr Wood Miss Parker & Miss Palmer all came for tea and supper.  Mr Thomas Bell played at Cricket with us.

Tuesday 27th  Mr Wortley, Mr Nicholson and I took  Chapman’s Roan & Beaumont Beauty up to the First Glebe.  John Cox and and Barefield cross ploughed in First Close where the Italian Rye-grass grew.  In the afternoon they sowed broad-cast on the mangels that are sown in First Close 6 Cwt of Mangel manure per acre.  In the afternoon I had to take my horse out of the First Glebe and bring him down to the stable as he ran the sheep there and bit one on the leg and lamed it.  Mr Nicholson went to Mr Pe(?)ties of Stoke Dry and staid the evening.

Wednesday 28th  We had some rain in the night and this morning, it will do a great deal of good in washing in the manure into the mangel land.  Mr & Mrs William Pickering , Mr & Miss Islip and Mr Peach came for tea, we played at Cricket in the evening.  Frank took my horse over to Uppingham this morning to get him shod at Warterfield’s.  New shoes all round.

Thursday 29th  Mr Nicholson and I rode down to Martinsthorpe in the morning.  Played at Cricket in the evening.

Friday 30th  Topsy calved this morning, more than a week after her time, a red bull calf.  It was very showery all afternoon.  Mr Nicholson and I rode to Allexham in the afternoon.  Mr N. stayed at Mr Islips for tea.  Mr Searson came home from Stamford market with Mr Wortley to see the herd of Shorthorn.

Saturday 31st Mr Wortley and Mr Searson drove in the trap, and Mr Nicholson and I rode to Mr Chapmans of Whitwell to see his herd of Shorthorns.  Mr W. left Mr Searson at the station on his way home.  Mr N. and I went shooting in the Parks in the evening.