MONDAY 31st DECEMBER 1888

Out all day, collecting brewery accounts and forwarding balance sheet.

Evening - Office, letter writing.

Mr Allman brought sewing machine to Walton Villa for Mona (sister).

SATURDAY 29th DECEMBER 1888

Banked cash - 3 pounds.

Out collecting accounts for brewery and in park seeing men's work, fence etc.

Evening - Office.

FRIDAY 28th DECEMBER 1888

Home - Office etc.

Gay Boys market.

Morning - Out for brewery and also in park looking after the brothers Titterton who are doing gutters and fences.

We had a tremendous wash of water last night. Regular flood on?

THURSDAY 27th DECEMBER 1888

To Carris? house, Greenhill for Tithes for B. Young. Took Tom Beardmore but did not distrain as they disrupted the payment. They paid to Rushton allow me 2 shillings for expenses.

At Cull's office, looking over Bill exp? Pointon's distress and received cheque from Cull for my Bill regarding same - 6 pounds 9 shillings and 6 pence.

Banked cheques:
Cull - 6 pounds 9 shillings and 6 pence
R.H. James rent - 8 pounds 10 shillings
Total - 14 pounds 19 shillings and 6 pence

Book left at Bank till next Tuesday to be balanced.

Very wet night.

Evening - To Tongues Teanford and we all went to the Ball at Tean Schools - I enjoyed myself but could not manage the waltz. Left Ball about 4 o'clock morning and reached home about 5, tired.

Danced several times with a Miss Johnson from Huntley. Nice dark girl.

WEDNESDAY 26th DECEMBER 1888 (BANK HOLIDAY)

Morning - To see Cull regarding Pointon's distress at Ipstones. He said they would probably come to settle today. Preparing bill expenses same etc.

They came and settled this afternoon with Cull.

Writing Henry Cope, Farmer, Ipstones Park as my man in possession, to withdraw and enclose my cheque for 1 pound for his services.

Small fire took place in R.H. James shop window, gas caught articles. Damage to property about 2 pounds. Wrote Wiggin for instructions regarding insurance.

TUESDAY 25th DECEMBER 1888 (CHRISTMAS DAY)

Home all day.

R.H. James jrs? rent due - 8 pounds 10 shillings.

MONDAY 24th DECEMBER 1888

Morning - Out for brewery and to Rindle for rents.

To Cross Keys supper and was vice chairman afterwards Mr Clifton, Chair. I carved round of Beef. Sang Battle of Trafalgar.

SATURDAY 22nd DECEMBER 1888

Morning - To see Mrs Waltho, Turner's Pasture, regarding her sale but found she had given same to Ash.

12 to one (pm?) at Saving Bank, Treasurer pro Tem.

2 o'clock - valuation of Furniture, late James Nixon, Town End.

Mrs Swetnam of Kingsley Holt here for tea - she seems disposed to retire from the Yankee patent, if I could manage to repay her 25 pounds anyhow, I should only be too glad to have it all in my own hands.

Evening - Engrossing above valuation and entering.

DECEMBER 21st DECEMBER 1888

Making inventory of fixtures in Alfred's house, Charles Street, and preparing agreement for tenancy of same by Mr Daniel O'Sullivan, excise officer.

Evening - Attending at Walton Villa and getting same signed. Playing whist with Sullivan and Hewitt - the man who has come while Sullivan is away for his xmas holidays.

Mrs George Charlesworth here from Gorsty Cote, stayed for tea with us.

THURSDAY 20th DECEMBER 1888

To Tean for brewery. Only collected 3 shillings.

Office after.

Evening - 8 to 11 to Royal Oak clubroon dance party and enjoyed myself very much. Up for nearly every dance.

WEDNESDAY 19th DECEMBER 1888

With Frank Tipper and trap and matey to Ipstones park distraining on the premises occupied by Samuel Pointon for rent 168 pounds 18 shillings and 5 pence due to Miss Slack. Started at 11, returned at 3pm.

Office entering up above distress and seeing Cull regarding ironstone on said premises and after writing Thompson and Cope to stop sending same off the premises at once.

Evening - Writing letters, see Book.

TUESDAY 18th DECEMBER 1888

With Frank Tipper and trap to Mrs Charlesworths, Gorsty Cote and valued 3 stacks hay to be ? to by S. Whitehurst. Regarding sale she to make an inventory herself and forward after on to Turnditch and saw Mrs Birch regarding her sale as administrat? of late Mrs Ann BIrch. See notes at end of her valuation in pocket book. Home for dinner.

Mr Summer called from Bells this afternoon and accused me of several things. He said Mrs Bridden, Queens Arms said she would do no trade with us because I was a mean devil and that if he Summer was ? upon her instead of me she would give him or? the greater part of her trade.

However, the upshot was that ? gave up the brewer for Xmas.

Evening - went and saw Mrs Bridden regarding S? charge and found all quite untrue.

To Cull's Office at 4:30 and met Mr and M? and got authority to distrain at Samuel ?, Ipstones Park.

MONDAY 17th DECEMBER 1888

Looking over Park etc found that F. Titterton was not at work.

Office. Engrossing valuation Moore to Marshall.

Mrs Hammond called from Mrs Charlesworth, Gorsty Cote, to say I had better go over tomorrow to make inventory for sale.

SUNDAY 16th DECEMBER 1888

Walk with Mr Sullwain, ?, to Park Hall and Birches Collieries ..... the rest is missing

SATURDAY 15th DECEMBER 1888

In town for brewery, making up and forwarding cash sheet.

Making interview and valuation of fixtures etc at Mr Moore's, Chemist, Cheadle.

FRIDAY 14th DECEMBER 1888

Market.

Office, letter writing and also engrossing valuation, late Mrs Birches effects as made yesterday and forwarded same by post to B. Young, Alton.

THURSDAY 13th DECEMBER 1888

Office in afternoon.

Morning - To Turnditch Farm, Alton to met B. Young and made valuation late Mrs Birche's effects for Probate. Started at 8:45am, Frank Tipper's trap and got home again about 1:30pm.

WEDNESDAY 12th DECEMBER 1888

Morning - To Park to see Titterton's cutting and laying fence.

Afternoon - Office.

Evening - Office designing sample 3 ? card for the safety pins.

TUESDAY 11th DECEMBER 1888

Morning - To Birches with Carr inspecting damaged culvert.

Afternoon - Home office etc letters.

Evening - To Poultry show supper at the Royal Oak Hotel, 2 shillings, and responded to "Town and Trade of Cheadle".

MONDAY 10th DECEMBER 1888

Morning - out for brewery.

Afternoon - To Ash's sale for W. Bower's at Harewood Hall. Cattle.
Good prices realised. 12 pounds to 25 pounds.
Tongue said 7? not 6 pence sold for.

Evening - To Tongue's dance.

SATURDAY 8th DECEMBER 1888

To Alton with F. Tipper's trap to see Gent regarding Bill expenses for Alton job previous to sending Cooper and Chawner.

Evening - Engrossing late Colonel Buller's valuation etc.

FRIDAY 7th DECEMBER 1888

Office and market.

In park looking after Titterton at Gutters?; inspecting Tom Plant's fields at Birches etc.

Evening - Piecing music for organette.

THURSDAY 6th DECEMBER 1888

Morning - To Tean for brewery.

Afternoon - Office.

Evening - To Penny? Readings in the infants schoolroom.

WEDNESDAY 5th DECEMBER 1888

To Dilhorn Hall to make valuation late Colonel Ernest Bullers effects for probate.
Mr Ricklands, Butler, was very good and gave Bert and I a good feed along with them in the housemaid's room.
We went by 11:15 coach to Boundary and returned to Cheadle across the fields.

Evening - Printing with Cyclostyle and forwarding report of yesterday's sale of land at Alton to all papers in that line - 8 of them in all.

TUESDAY 4th DECEMBER 1888

To Alton with Cull and F. Tipper's trap. Sale of Turnditch Farm and 3 other lots land, at the Shrewsbury Arms Hotel.

Fair sale, sold 3 lots out of 4? Cooper and Chawners. Solicitors.

Turnditch Farm - Thanks to Hazel Mills for the photo

Shrewsbury Hotel (pre 1890) - Thanks to Hazel Mills for the photo

MONDAY 3rd DECEMBER 1888

Out for brewery in Cheadle.

Office interview with J. Gent, Alton, regarding valuation of reserves for sale.

General office work and letters etc.

SATURDAY 1st DECEMBER 1888

Office.

Afternoon - Hanley. "Potershars? Wife". 1 pence.