The Diaries of Josiah Chater – 1856

Excerpts from Josiah Chater's Diary - 1856

Josiah Chater’s diary: extract, 11-16 August 1856

Monday August 11th

The Parliamentary train(1) took me to Walden(2) this morning & I found Jay(3) very busy preparing to go to Derby Flower Show – all his flowers were cut & he went off to London by the 1.55 Train from thence he goes on to Derby by Mail(4) – The flowers seem to me to be very fine indeed but having seen no one’s else I am unable to judge whether these are the best – Father seems to be very croaky but the men & Jay are full of spirits

Tuesday August 12

I have been very busy impregnating Hollyhocks(6) all day nor do I dislike the Employment out of doors all day rather on the contrary – I wrote for Agnes(7) to come [over?] tomorrow

Wednesday August 13 – Very warm

I went down to the train(8) to meet Agnes & Aunt – they brough Ethel(10) with them – Aunt returned this evening but Agnes stopped all night – We had a very nice day & Jay returned in evening laden with honors – he took the two first prizes for the flowers he took which paid his expenses of going & he was highly delighted with his success – I have been posting(11) all day

Thursday August 14th

We have had some lovely showers which are doing the Hollyhocks a world of Good – I have been writing greater part of today – I am getting the books(12) into nice condition

Friday August 15

[Father?](13) is off this morning with a lot of ‘Hocks to Shrublands’ (14) Sir Henry Middleton(15) [“] to show them & solicit his & Lady M’s(16) patronage – by tea time this evening I had thoroughly posted up all the books & got out an account of the returns of which fact I am very pleased – it has been my end & aim for 12 long months past & now I have got the books into a straightforward condition so that the trouble of continuing them in the same condition will be very small, compared to what it has been – Father & Mother(17) are gone to Chrishall(18) to see Nancy(19) who was confined last week with a little girl – Mr Clutton(20) came in & we had a long talk about Father & Jay & [land?] & other things – Mr Stokes(21) also came in and we had a long chat on the same topics more especially about the place & Garden saying it was a pity it could not be secured in some way or other to him {“Father”} as he was now getting into years & the place required sundry improvements which it would be folly to to make without firmer hold by way of lease or some other arrangement – he. Mr Stokes thought it could be done & he will try & see before Michaelmas what can be done

Saturday August 16

Returned to Cambridge this morning …

Notes:

1 A cheap, regular service

2 Saffron Walden, Essex, Josiah’s home town

3 Jabez Jay Chater (1835-1873), Josiah’s younger brother, nurseryman and seedsman of Saffron Walden and Cambridge

4 Presumably an early train the next day

5 William Chater (1802-1885), nurseryman, garderner and seedsman of Saffron Walden

6 William Chater’s speciality

7 Agnes Chater (born Barrett, 1833-1919), Josiah’s wife

8 At Audley End station, two miles from Saffron Walden

9 Unknown – Josiah had numerous aunts and great-aunts

10 Ethel Ashton Chater (1854-1895), Josiah & Agnes’s eldest child

11 i.e. posting account entries

12 i.e. William Chater’s accounts

13 Presumably William Chater or a travelling representative

14 Shrubland Park, Barham, Suffolk; the parkland was styled by Humphry Repton (1752-1818)

15 Sir William Fowle Middleton, 2nd Baronet (1748-1860)

16 Lady Anne Middleton (born Cust, 1796-1867), Sir William’s wife

17 Mary Ann Chater (born Cock, c.1810-1882), William’s second wife

18 A village about eight miles from Saffron Walden

19 Unknown – possibly a relative via William Chater’s brother-in-law, Samuel Joshua Francis (c.1789-1872), who was born near Chrishall

20 The Revd Ralph Clutton (c.1804-1886), Vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Saffron Walden, 1844-1870

21 Edward Stokes (1806-60): maltster; Saffron Walden Borough Councillor, 1850-1860; William Chater’s next-door neighbour at The Grove, Common End