WEDNESDAY 4th JANUARY 1888

Morning - Office writing preps list of views for Jacob Lowndes to copy. He has 11 things to copy for the lecture in all. I took them down this morning.

Afternoon - I walked to Kingsley and saw inside Temperance Hall with Mr Blurton. Mr Blurton is to distribute the circulars for me. Mrs (name missing) of the Old Oak Inn will lend us a piano.

Froghall to Oakamoor by 4.25 train saw the schoolmaster and he promises to write me when the schoolroom will be disengaged.

Jacob Lowndes now says we shall want a 9" screen and oil lamp for these small rooms - I am afraid there will be too many petty expenses in this lecture. I have already spent now £4.

Got home very tired about 6pm and found Charlesworth waiting for me from Gorsty Cote. He is putting his sale in my hands and is off to N.Z. He has seen Mr S. Allen Esq and that has done it.

Notes:
1) At this time, John was travelling to towns near Cheadle, trying to organise talks about New Zealand.
2) With no railway station in Cheadle, John would have to walk to nearby towns that had railway stations. The only other alternative would be to rent a horse and trap, which would be expensive. It's quite amazing how far John would walk in a day.
3) According to my excellent Edwardian and Great War Cheadle book, William Shepherd Allen spent quite some time on the north island of New Zealand and this is probably why he recommended to Charlesworth to go to live in New Zealand.
4) According to this website (http://www.victorianweb.org/economics/wages4.html), 4 pounds in 1888 would have bought about 274 pints of beer.
5) Cheadle to Kingsley distance
6) Here's what it says about Jacob Lowndes in the Edwardian and Great War Cheadle book:
"Jacob Lowndes. 1840- 20 July 1915, 19 High Street, photographer.
A plumber and glazier living in the Georgian terrace, Market Square, he was a keen artist and photographer. In 1871 he moved to 19 High Street, becoming Cheadle's first professional photographer, and from there he conducted the family business. He was specially noted for his postcard views of the area. In 1912 he drew from memory a sketch of Paradise Street, Cheadle as it was in the 1870's. He has since become recognised internationally for his postcards which are collected world-wide. Jacob Lowndes took a very active part in town functions such as painting scenery for plays and concerts performed at the Town Hall and he was organist at the parish church and choirmaster for 38 years. He was Parish Councillor from 1905 to 1907. Married with six children, he retired to and died at the home of his daughter in Stone."