The Journal of Elisha Whitehouse (1779-1828) |
This is a transcript from the journal of Elisha WHITEHOUSE very kindly supplied by Rosemary Palmer
Elisha was a Maltster and Overseer of the Highways in Sedgley, his journal gives an revealing snapshot of life in 1819 and 1825.
Jan 2 nd
Fetched my daughter Ann's piano from Bilston. Ann can now play well.
Jan 4 th
Dined at Dr. Shaw's and returned with him in the coach along the turnpike road.
Jan 10 th
Esther, Hannah, Ann and I dined at Father's. Roast pig for dinner.
Jan 16 th
Went with Jones to Dudley collecting tithes for the roads.
Jan 19 th
Edward Nicklin went to Dudley to receive the interest from the turnpike roads. Very cold but sunny.
Jan 23 rd
Tom Maullin sent a horse here for me to see if it was suitable for work. Wind still N.E.
Feb. 18 th
Beauty calved this morning – all black calf. Paid Isaac Hill £3.6.0d for the Sunday School at Coseley.
March 1 st
This morning I bought Isaac Short's building for £153.0.0
March 13 th
Went to Dudley this morning, rode Victor the new pony. I gave Tom Maullin 35 pounds to pay for Ann's piano.
March 26 th
Find day, warm sun. I sowed my oats today in the top meadow.
April 12 th
Beauty was bulled today. Received £3.2.0d from Israel Lewis to pay for 31 weeks rent up to Lady Day for Mr. Maullin .
April 23 rd
Took Ann back to boarding school at Stourbridge
May 10 th
Beautiful find day. Wind in S.W. Sowed the clover seed. Mrs. Hull sent us a fish and a new dress for Ann.
May 16 th
Paid James Whitehouse for the Coseley Trustees £10.3.0d for bricks. Walked to Birmingham and came back to Bilston to dinner. The oak, elm and sycamore are all in full blossom and almost every other tree.
May 27 th
Jewel foaled today, a little beauty.
May 29 th
A hard frost. Went out all morning collecting Highway money.
June 1 st
Edward Nicklin has been papering the parlour today. This is my birthday – aged 40 years. Thank God for his mercies towards me.
June 7 th
James Maullin had a cancer taken off the end of his penis this morning. Wind in the south.
June 13 th
Had tea at Aunt Maullin's . James recovered.
June 21 st
Paid £7.9.4d for cutting the inscription on the tomb for old Mr. Maullin , and paid £10.2.6 for repairing the tomb. Paid 2/8d for a pig for father.
July 29 th
Hannah, Ann and I went to market – bought a loin of lamb for dinner and a new bonnet for Ann.
July 7 th
Very hot, cloudless sky. Began to mow the long meadow.
July 9 th
Finished the mowing today. The excise man came and took stock of the whole estate throughout the day.
July 15 th
Beautiful day. Wind in the west. Finished carrying my hay.
July 21 st
Bought George Jackson's house and garden from Adshead by private contract for £175.0.0.
July 26 th
Fine day. Went to Father's for his mowing again.
July 28 th
Attended the Tract Society Meeting at Dudley . Mr. Broome of Birmingham preached. 49 of us dined at the Mitre Hotel, Dudley . I received from Lord Dudley £20.12.0d for 3 years damages of my land (coal mines).
August 3 rd
Hannah and I went to market and bought a couple of ducks for dinner.
August 4 th
Began to reap today. Very hot. Spent the day setting the tithes.
August 10 th
Very hot. Spent the day setting the tithes.
August 13 th
Mowed my oats today. Wind in the S. E.
August 17 th
Fine day. Wind S. Carried my oats and some wheat.
August 18 th
Very hot. Finished my harvesting. We drove to Penn, Himley and the Straits and back again – very good.
August 25 th
Monsieur Paul has gone to Essington Wood. Father and Mother dined here – goose.
August 27 th
Fine day. William went mowing oats at Fathers.
August 30 th
An enjoyable day at Penn Races.
August 31 st
Monsieur went to Stourbridge to Ann's school to take cakes and things for her birthday. She is 13 years today.
Sept. 7 th
Fine day. To Father's to dinner – roast hare, very fine.
Sept 8 th
Went to market. Bought ½ peck of mushrooms 1/-
Sept. 10 th
Mr. East came to take Father's likeness
Sept. 19 th
Went to Worcester Fair with Mr. White .
September 24 th
Fetched the hops from Dudley and bought some fresh herrings.
Oct. 5 th
Fine day . Ed Nicklin and his men came to mend the gates and things.
Oct. 7 th
Cold and wet. Went to Himley to the Meeting of the Justices. Fereday and I are appointed Overseers of the Highways.
Oct. 14 th
Fine morning – I walked to Birmingham and came back by the Retaliation Stage Coach to dinner to find Father, Basford and Uncle James there.
October 20 th
Snowing heavily. Went to the Court – few cases.
October 25 th
Hard frost, wind. Began to sow my wheat today.
Oct. 30 th
Cold raw morning. Took two loads of barley up to yonder malthouse. Hannah and I and Uncle James Bashford dined at Fathers – goose.
Nov. 13 th
Mr. Hall sent me a cod and a barrel of oysters.
November 15 th
Monsieur Heim left my service and I paid him all I owed him. Ed Northwood came to live as servant with me at 6/- week.
November 29 th
Mr. Shaw came to draw Hannah a tooth.
Dec. 3 rd
Went to Tipton to receive the tithes. Dined at Father's – duck for dinner.
Dec. 17 th
Paid Mr. Maurice £26.12.2d for Ann's schooling at Stourbridge.
Dec. 21 st
Cold and foggy. Went to Dudley for the Dedication of the new church.
December 25 th
Fine and frosty. Hannah, Ann and I went to Father's – goose for dinner.
December 29 th
Fine day. Went collecting tithes this afternoon. Sold and delivered to Nicklin at Tipton 57 bushels of wheat at 10/- (£28.10.0d) Paid Miss Horton £51.13.3d for Mary Maullin's schooling.
January 15 th
Lloyd came and cleaned all the clocks today.
January 21 st
Mrs. Phoebe Osborne of Barr dies – aunt of my mother.
February 1 st
Dined at Mr. Sillman's – a tasty salmon for dinner.
February 27 th
Drizzly today. Father and Esther dined here and Aunt Maullin came earlier.
February 28 th
Dr. Waterhouse . I suppose he has come to see Ann.
February 13 th
Dined at Father's with Bashford and Waterhouse .
March 25 th
Mr. John Henry and wife and Thomas King dined here with Father. Stephen Hipkins and Emmanuel Fereday were chosen overseers, Joshua Cartwright and J. White churchwardens.
March 28 th
Aunt Maullin , Ann, Hannah went to Caddick's to dinner.
March 31 st
As cold today as in the middle of winter.
April 10 th
My first cousin, Monsieur Paul Heim died this morning. Miss Waterhouse here with Ann all morning.
April 14 th
Hannah, Esther, Ann and I to Dr. Waterhouse's . Stayed till 10 o'clock . Saw the first swallow today.
April 15 th
Monsieur's funeral. Mr. James Whitehouse , Sam Heim and Parson Greenway and William Whitehouse were the bearers. He was buried at Coseley by the side of his mother – aged 47 years. He was an émigré of the Revolution.
April 20 th
William Baker of Round's Hill died today (the portrait of the lady with the white rose is Aunt Eliza Baker ).
May 2 nd
Walter came to work this morning – set the kidney beans.
May 17 th
Met the commissioners of the turnpike roads at The Boat Inn.
May 22 nd
Very hot. Prudence Caddick here today.
May 27 th
We all went with Dr. Waterhouse and Prudence Caddick to Baggeridge Wood – Lord Dudley's park and gardens. Drank tea at the Keeper's – rained nearly all the way back to Sedgeley. Supped at Waterhouse's.
June 1 st
My birthday. Age 46. Very well and I thank God for it.
June 5 th
Aunt Maullin here. Dr. Waterhouse sent us mackerel and salmon.
June 7 th
A meeting of ministers at Coseley. Mr. Hutton of Birmingham preached.
June 12 th
The heat this day has scarce been bearable.
June 13 th
Ann, Dr. Waterhouse and a party went to Hagley.
June 24 th
Fine day. Drove to Bilston. Grazebrook paid me £1,110 which belongs to R. Maullin and Hannah Smith . Began my mowing today. Paid Elwell £1 which is 15/- for the six singing girls and 5/- for their teacher which is to be entered into next year's account. Paid Groves for laths and nails for Coseley Meeting House.
July 4 th
Carried my clover
July 10 th
Carried my hay today. Mr. Grazebrook gave me £ 2/6d for the Sunday School. Paid £ 2.18.0d for a pig for my Father.
July 11 th
Went with Dr. Waterhouse to Wolverhampton Fair but it thundered and rained for 2 hours.
July 15 th
Hot and windy 78 in the shade. Carried my Father's hay today.
July 18 th
82 in the shade.
July 22 nd
A meeting of the trustees of Coseley Meeting House – concerning the ceiling which has partly fallen down. Went with Mr. Stanley collecting dues.
July 24 th
To Tipton church Charity Sermon – dined at Ed Nicklin's. Paid William 6/- for Jane for shoes.
July 25 th
Bilston new market opened today.
July 29 th
Mr. Hately here. He is going to work the coal mine. Paid Parker 2/6 and 2/6 for the men to drink for repairing Coseley Old Meeting. Paid Lawley two days work on the roads – 3/4d.
August 1 st
To Meeting. Mr. Paul preached in the vestry in consequence of the ceiling being cracked by the pits. Paid Lord Dudley for Father £ 13.10.0d.
August 6 th
Dr. Waterhouse , Ann, Prudence Caddick and Ellen Waterhouse went to Birmingham . To Father's.
August 11 th
Fine and dry. Reaping all day.
August 15 th
Hazy morning. Carried what wheat had been cut. Afternoon to Wolverhampton .
August 20
Fine hot day. Wind N. Finished the Harvest. Paid I. Thompson £ 3.10 for ale for Masons and Carpenters. Heeds and Nichols commenced laying a horse with me. Lawley thatching. Isaac Caddick called.
August 31 st
Ann's birthday – 19 years today.
Sept. 21 st
Groves washed the inside of the house. Paid James Maullin £ 500 – Mrs. R's money – mortgage on The Boat.
September 10 th
Windy. Went with Dr. Waterhouse to Wolverhampton in the afternoon to get a licence to marry my Ann.
Sept. 15 th
Hazy morning – fine day, starry night. This day my dear Ann was married at Sedgeley by the Rev. Th. Powell to Thomas Marson Waterhouse , Surgeon. They went to Enville and came back to dinner and then went back to Sedgeley. There were his father and mother, his two brothers and two sisters, my father, Esther, Mrs. Hull , Mr. Bashford and Mr. Bate who all stopped till near 12 o'clock . I gave her away and Prudence Caddick was maid.
Sept. 20 th
Fine day. Ann came here and took her instrument (piano) chest of drawers and all that with her.
September 22 nd
Went to Sedgeley to choose Surveyors of the Highway. I declined after being in 16 years. Paid the Magistrate's sitting £ 72.00.0d. Lawley – 4 days roads 6/8d Jane 5/- Jane 10/-.
Oct. 28 th
Fine day. Father, Esther, I. Caddick Prudence and myself dined at Dr. Waterhouse's. Aunt Maullin came in the afternoon. Mrs. Hull had gout.
October 29 th
Fine day. Dr. Waterhouse , Ann spent the day here. Mr. Bashford and his brother from Hinckley drank tea.
Oct. 30 th
Sowed part of the far piece with wheat. Wind E.
Nov. 2 nd
Ann, Dr. Waterhouse and the rest of the wedding party went to the Meeting and afterwards dined here. Mrs. Hull and Prudence stayed.
Nov. 5 th
Rainy morning. Went to Wolverhampton to pass my authority as surveyor of the roads. All the rest of the parish returned.
Nov. 10 th
Went to Bilston to Tarrel 's work with Waterhouse . Father's birthday – 86 years.
November 11 th
Find day. Walter Bate brought his colt for Waterhouse .
November 12 th
Fine dry day. Sowing the turf with wheat. Hannah went to Waterhouse 's – I fetched her home.
November 13 th
Dry day. Dined at Father's – goose. Finished sowing wheat. Paid Isaac Bannister £ 4.18.4d for lime for Ed Nicklin . E. Nicklin paid me this again in 4 days – what a wonder!
November 14 th
Hard frost. Ice on the water. Wind been very rude all day. My wife took my daughter Ann Waterhouse £ 100 and she says I have not done a Father's part by her after laying out upwards of £ 500 on her education. She has had £ 50 worth of goods out of the house. She left me and got married 15 days above 19 years of age.
November 15 th
Mr. Hately sent for me down at The Boat. He is going to build a house for his clerk. Wind. S.W. strong . Dan Shaw called. Paid magistrates' sitting £ 63.12.6d. Groves and his men building a cistern.
November 16 th
Hard frost. Went to Meeting. Father, Esther, Aunt Maullin to dinner. This has been the oddest day yet. Paid John all his money for thrashing.
November 17 th
Cold foggy morning. Mr. Hately came over and settled all our accounts to the day.
November 20 th
To Meeting. Ann came and stayed till 7 o'clock .
November 24 th
Paid Jos. Bate 7/6 for a handkerchief for Jane – 3 pairs shoes 18/- Pair of tapes – paid John Williams . Rained all night.
November 28 th
Dr. Waterhouse brought us two geese. Attended a meeting of Surveyors of the Highways.
December 1 st
Hard frost, cold. Father and Esther dined here – goose. Prudence Caddick and Elisha and Edward called here on their way to the Waterhouse 's.
December 8 th
Dark and foggy. Went to Mrs. Wood 's funeral. Henry King and James were two of the pall bearers. Mrs. Wood was one of my Uncle James Maullin 's daughters – aged 30.
December 11 th
(Sunday) My wife taken ill.
December 12 th
My wife put to bed at two in the morning of a daughter.
December 13 th
Rained all day. Went to Tipton and received the tithes. Dan Shaw and his father dined here.
December 25 th
Cold windy day. To Coseley Meeting. Isaac Bate came here. N. W. wind blowing very hard. There has been a general run on all the Banks throughout the Kingdom. Several in different parts have stopped payment. The Banks in this part of the country have all been run and the inhabitants have come forward in the different towns signing handbills saying they would take their bills as usual, which has prevented the run and I think if it had not been so they must all, or nearly all have stopped payment.
December 29 th
Hard frost today and cold. Ann called on her way to a dance at Mr. Caddick 's. It snowed till morning.
December 30 th
Ground all white with snow. Mrs. Hull and Prudence Caddick came here. Very cold day.
| Search the whole Sedgley site |
 |