Notes

Thomas, aged 21 in January 1832, was a carpenter living at Ivon House (1844), then Barn Orchard in High Road, Broad Chalke. This is the first page of a diary in 1832 recording his daily work from 1st January to 1st September inclusive, with the weather recorded in the margin. Use the "next" and "prev" links to see the other pages from January 1st to September 1st 1832.

There is an entry for every day and mention of the preacher on 1st and 8th which were Sundays.

*1 Mr R Sidford imprisoned for debt.

*2 On 15th Thomas went to Chalk, but his father Thomas owned Phoenix Cottage in Broad Chalke in 1799 and Sun Cottage between 1829 and 1832 so it had been assumed that his sons including Thomas also lived in Broad Chalke, except possibly John who is known to have lived in Bowerchalke most of his adult life, but it is possible that Thomas was living in Bowerchalke at that time, although father and all four sons definitely lived in Broad Chalke in 1841 during the Census. Since he generally went to Chalk on a Sunday, it may have been to go to Church and to visit relatives. Chalk may refer to Bowerchalke although Broad Chalke was more commonly called Chalk.

It's strange that the loose page, separate from the other pages, states that on January 6th he was erecting a monument in Wilton while the daily record states that he was sawing with William. It is assumed that the father and son had separate diaries and they have become muddled and that his father was erecting the monument. The handwriting is similar.

The diary pages are glued together but the loose page with the heading "Dairy" is on wider paper with a different colour. On the reverse it has religious text and on the inside it has some verse about hunting.

Image © John Burrough