Journal of Robert Hamilton

Friday 5 February 1796

AT three o’clock in the afternoon, I went in the mail coach for Carlisle, other three people went along with me, none of whom I knew but from the conversation that went on afterwards I found, one of them had been the Quarter Master in the Scotch Grays and had been on the continent part of the war, the other was the Master of a small Vessel and had been shipwrecked three times those two giving an account of their adventures kept up the conversation till we got to Moffatt where we stopt[sic] 25 minutes to supper and left the Quarter Master, I slept most of the way between Moffatt & Carlisle where we arrived about eight o’clock, the coach for Manchester not setting off till next morning at three o’clock. I was obliged to stop at Carlisle all….

Saturday 6th

In the forenoon, I went and saw the cathedral which is a very handsome one, and has in it a beautiful window of painted glass at what time it was built I can’t say but it has been at two different times, a (tear in page) pretty building. The town is walled all round and was a place of considerable strength but the walls now are not kept in repair there is also a castle which however I was not in but it makes a very good appearance as you enter the town these are the only things to be seen of any consequence. I went to bed at six in order that I might get up at three on

Sunday 7th
Left Carlisle at three o’clock in the morning, the coach was full we breakfasted at Shap and there I went on the top of the coach in order to see the country which till we got to Kendal is as barren as anything I ever saw, Kendal is a very neat town, from thence we went by Burton & Lancaster before entering the town we crossed over a very handsome bridge over the Lune a rapid running river which made it very difficult to get a foundation, the person who contracted to built not having an idea(…..) take so great trouble today in (…..)gave his estimate in for several hundred pounds less than it cost him however the Trustees to compensate for his loss handsomely made him a present of some hundred pounds over & above his loss, as the bridge is finished in a handsome masterly manner. The Town of Lancaster is built of very beautiful stone & the houses large. There is an old castle here but having only half an hour to stop it was not possible to see anything about the town except what we passed through I continued on the outside of the coach until I got to Garstang and then night and rain coming on I went within and continued there till I arrived at Manchester at twelve o’clock at night, the coach stopt[sic] at the Bridgewater Arms where Mr Reynolds’s servant waited for me to conduct me to Mr R. where I staid all night.

Monday 8th
After Breakfast I went with Mr Bell to the free school founded by H. Chatham where a number of boys are taken in at the age of seven and get their education (tear in page) till they are fourteen, are then put to an apprenticeship, in the school (or college as it is generally called) there is a very capital library open all lawful days for the use of the Gentlemen in Manchester a hundred pond is given annually for purchasing books. I am also told they have a very good collection of paintings these however I did not see, I then went down to Mr Winters wine vault which are very curious indeed the manner of filling up the bottled is well worth seeing and astonishing quantity of which they have always on hand. Mr Winter then took me to the infirmary which is a very capital one large and well aired and can bed a great many patients. The town of Manchester is very large, short & narrow streets for the most part but is I imagine the first manufacturing town in the Kingdom (tear in page) fustians & such like goods are manufactured in great abundance and there are about 100 Master Dyers within half a mile of Manchester, great part of these being in the town, and carry on that branch of manufacturers to a great extent. I dined with Mr Bell at his lodgings, & went back to Mr Reynolds’s where I staid[sic] till nine I then went ( in the Birmingham & Manchester Post Coach) off for Newcastle, where I arrived at six o’clock on

Tuesday 9th
Where I found Mr Harrison’s servant waiting for me with a horse to carry me to Fenton two miles and a half from Newcastle, where I am to serve an apprenticeship to Mr Harrison for three years to be a potter I stayed here all this day & on Wednesday slept in N’castle at Mr Hyats(?)

Mr Castle Thursday 11
At six in the morning I went (in the coach that goes to Birmingham) to Heathfield to see Mr and Mrs Watt before I settled at Fenton. We breakfasted at Stafford and I got to Heathfield before dinner and found Mrs Watt had been complaining but was getting better. Dr Withering’s sister and daughter was staying there but went away on the Monday following

Friday 12th

After breakfast I went with Mr Watt to Soho Manufactory first created by Matthew Boltoun [sic] and is now I suppose among the largest manufactory of the kind in England , I was shown all the button part where they make both steel and plated button &c some of the former are polished very fine and sell as high as fifteen shilling a button the last operation which these go through…[blot on page]… hands, they manufacture a great many plated goods of different sorts. The Steam Engine invented by Mr Watt for which Messrs Boltoun & Watt have a patent are now made great use of in various ways, for which they get more orders than they can accomplish numerous other articles are made at Soho, there is also a mint which belongs to Mr Boltoun where he makes some of the handsomest medals both in copper & tin than ever I saw I have heard that he will have the coinage of this kingdom however no person is admitted into the mint. Mr Boltoun’s dwelling house is close to the manufactory. The house is not very good but he has laid out his grounds very pleasantly but at a great expense.
I frequently went into Birmingham it is a very extensive town but very irregularly built and narrow streets there is a great deal of manufactories carried on (tear in page) hard ware line such as buttons, buckles [G] tea traes[sic] & indeed there is no other kind of manufacture of any consequence but these are carried on to a great extent, there is the finest windows in the shops I ever saw very large full of showy articles, The workmen there are a very savage set of people as are in England of a riotous disposition. I stayed at Heathfield till Friday 19th and that night I came at nine o’clock in the coach to N’ Castle got to Fenton on Saturday to breakfast.

Fenton 29th February
In the afternoon I went to Hanley a village about 2 miles from this where a great number of journeymen potters had assembled in order to burn this effigy of Mr Tomlinson a lawyer and secretary to the pottery at whom they had a great resentment in …….


Gap between page 8 and page 13.


Sunday 15th may 1796
Having received a letter from Gregory Watt saying That he & William Withering were to be from Glasgow this day & desiring me to meet him at the sign of the Bull’s.Head near [grantham?trentham?] to go with them & spend a few days at Birmingham.
I accordingly rose at 5 and bring properly equipped set out to meet them but unluckily where I arrived at the Bulls head (tear in page) the coach had left……minutes before I arrived but being sure they were in it I trusted to the strength of my limbs and set off on foot, I breakfasted at Aston a little village two miles beyond Stoke and dinned(sic) at an inn 3 miles on this side of Walsall. at Stoke is Darlaston Hall the seat of John Jervis Esquire which seems from the road to be a pleasant situation. At Aston is Aston Hall John Wheild Esq. About 3 miles beyond Stafford the road goes through Cannock Heath for about 2 miles where white posts are placed on the side of the road to be a guide for travellers at night. Here I saw 2 or 3 thousand rabbits indeed a great part of the Heath is undermined with their habitations. It happened to be a very agreeable day and I arrived at Heathfield about six o’clock but was a little disappointed at not finding Gregory, however he arrived in a chaise just as we were at supper. The road I took from Fenton to Heathfield was as follows
From Fenton to Stoke 9
Stafford 7
Carrock 9
Walsale 7
Heathfield 7
In all 39 miles

Heathfield Monday 16th May
After Breakfast I walked with Gregory round by Aston which is very near Heathfield. The house is very large & has a grand appearance but seems pretty old it stands in a very large and handsome park which extends some miles & is enclosed all round with a brick wall, before the house are some very large trees these however are not planted gracefully but stand in two rows like soldiers which however is excused by their antiquity. We then went into Birmingham where we staid [sic] but a very few minutes & returned (tear in page…)to dinner. After tea we went to Edgbaston to see William Withering it is a mile and a half from Birmingham on our road there we passed what is called Parrots Hollow, which is a octagon…[?]. Tower about 100 feet high it was built by a man of the name of Parrot who gave order to the builders to build it till the could see Dudley Hill this is the story that I was told which if true shows the man to have been a little cracked.

We only stopped about a quarter of an hour at Edgbaston and returned to Heathfield

Tuesday 17th may
We assisted in painting Mr Watts library and some other little jobs of little consequence

18th May 1796
(tear in page…)G W & I walked to Birmingham but stayed a very short time we also walked in after tea. The forenoon we spent in looking at prints taken of buildings in about Rome &c.

Thursday 19th may 1796
At ten G& I went off on foot to the Leasowes about nine miles from Heathfield: It is the place where the famous Shenstone wrote several of his poems. After his death it was purchased by Major Haliday, & afterwards by Mr Hart[lip?] its present possessor the walks about it are very well laid out & is as pretty a place as the situation will admit of - through the walks are here and there urns & 2 statues made of lead one a piping fawn the other a venus which is placed in the middle of a little brook also [….]

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In the walks are several (tear in page…) some pieces of Shenstone’s poems on them.Last year there was a hermit’s cell made in the highest walk it is the [fold in page]….-est thing of the kind I ever saw, the outside is made of slagg and little pebbles, the floor in the inside of pebbles & horses’ teeth and the ceiling of the cones of fir trees, the windows are of different coloured glass which looks very pretty indeed. But some covetous persons have taken two small windows away altogether and several panes from the large one. The statue of Venus is also very much destroyed with people throwing stones and clay at her: the gates being allowed to stand open for any person who choses to come in. We dined at the New Inn near Hales Owen and went to tea to Edgbaston but returned to Heathfield soon after.

Heathfield Friday 20th May

After breakfast Gregory and I went into Birmingham on our road to Edgbaston. It happened to be the fair week and a great number of shows of all sorts and sizes were gathered together in the streets we only went into one which was a very good collection of wild beasts consisting of an elephant, lion and lioness, tigers, &c. we then dined at Edgbaston with Mr and Mrs Watt and Ann, after dinner we went out in the boat & rowed about the pool till tea it is a very pleasant place and a very nice pool of water. After tea we shot some crows with W.W ‘s air gun and returned to Heathfield by nine.

Saturday 21st May
Before breakfast Gregory and I walked to Dudley Castle 8 miles from Heathfield we got breakfast at the Swan two miles from Dudley. Dudley Castle stands upon a little hill above the town and was I believe built by the Earl of Dudley in the reign of Queen Elisabeth, it has been a very large Castle when built but is now totally in ruins, some part of it was inhabited not a great many years ago but is now wholly deserted, the walls are of a great thickness and the remains of the state room is yet perceptible though very little of it remains: the windows are mostly square having 3 [stories] going from top to bottom which are crossed by another at right angles near the top. The hill which the castle stands upon is mostly of lime & near it are some very large lime quarries, one of which pays a rent of £6000 sterling per annum to Lord Dudley, in these quarries are some very curious [petrifications] …. Up a few, none of them [….] are very uncommon.

There is one species which are known by the name of lice which are very rare, I however could not lay my hands on any of them…..We returned to Heathfield before dinner & on our road passed the Earl of Dartmouth but saw nothing about it but the park wall after tea we went to Dr Witherings but staid a very few minutes.

Sunday 22 May 1796

I left Heathfield at seven & I walked to Fenton by the same road I went it was a very wet forenoon which made it but a disagreeable walk however I got to Fenton by half past seven at night, next day I was not the worse of my ducking but my feet a little sore

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Fenton Sunday 12…..
After breakfast about 9 o’clock I took.. Mr Harrison to the Habby Mill where the New Hall china work 67 get theirs colours and ground, the mill seems to be on a very good construction, the large wheel which sets the whole in motion is 12 feet broad and is divided into 2 at least it seems so on the top not divided so as one part may go and the other stand still but divided so as the water may either be allowed to run on all the breadth of the wheel or only the half of it which is done by having two sluices one for each half of the wheel so that both or only one of them may be opened at once which depends on the quantity of water, this wheel sets one in the inside on motion both being fixed to the same axis , this moves an upright wheel on which is fixed a leather belt which goes round…

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Sunday 7th August 1796
(…) prepared everything for going to Heathfield this day being the wakes here but yesterday I received a letter from Gregory letting me in consequence of our grandfather’s illness which he set out that day with his mother for Glasw. My jaunt was therefore put a stop to but I this morning about seven o’clock set off on foot for Buxton which is 24 miles distant. The road from thence to leek in general is pretty agreeable but from thence to Buxton is for almost all the way goes over a common with few houses & hardly any trees
I got to Buxton about two o’clock and stopt at the George Inn at the back of the Crescent &which is a very good house. Buxton has long been celebrated for its warm baths found of such advantage in several disorders and during the summer is very much resorted to by people of fashion. A very handsome building in the form of [mark on page]… been built for the accommodation of [mark] by his grace the Duke of Devonshire it is computed that this together with the other public any[sic] private lodging will accommodate about seven hundred persons, the country around Buxton is very barren.
After tea I paid a visit to Poole Hole which is situated very near Buxton the entrance at first is low and contracted so that for about 20 yards you are obliged to stoop - it however then opens into a wide and lofty cavern the sides of which are continually dropping the stones which are very large seem in general to be {?….}. with stalagmites which a fanciful imagination may suppose has the resemblance to various objects. About half way in, you arrive at what is called the Flitch of Bacon which is a very [tear in page] suspended from the roof [?] again a little contracted but afterward opens once more on all sides and continues so till you arrive at what is called the Queen of Scots Pillar, which name is given to a large column of stalactites as it was said to have been visited by that unfortunate queen, the road after that is rather difficult all the way to the end which is about 100 yards. This cavern is 669 yards in length and is visited by a great many people. I also went to one of the bath and then returned to the Inn to supper and had a very comfortable bed.

Buxton Monday 8th August
Before breakfast I walked about the town for the purpose of seeing the different petrifaction shops which are about six in number and have for sale fossils of several kinds & Derbyshire spar cut & polished into various ornaments.


P28
After breakfast I left Buxton & proceeded to Castletown 12 miles off, this was a little village standing in a valley I went there on purpose to see that great natural curiosity, Peaks Hole, or more commonly called the Devils Arse, on arriving I met with four gentlemen who had come there for the same purpose and who called me to go along with them which I accordingly did, the entrance into this cavern is lofty and magnificent as that of Poles hole is narrow and contracted being about 8 yards high and 40 wide, the arch is regularly formed and (?) in a direct line about 300 feet and then a door is placed to prevent people going further without a guide, on arriving at this door and looking back towards the [tear in page] is truly grand. We were here furnished with candles and on approaching about 20 yards further all future advancement seems put a stop to, being at that place a very narrow passage and full of water, wide enough only to let through a small boat in which you lie flat down, after getting through the river which may most properly be termed Styx the cavern grows wide and lofty after proceeding a little further the cave takes a sudden turn to the right and then you come to another river which the guide carries you over on his back, from the middle of the cavern. We follow up a stream of water crossing it several times which I supposed to run about four miles under ground before

P30
It enters this cavern [tear in page]…… seven hundred and fifty yards, all further progress is stopped the rock coming very low and this water getting about 7 yards deep. The guide however goes through the water for about 6 & 7 yards being about that distance only a foot and a half and there holds his candle to show you what distance he can go, whether another cavern still remains undiscovered at the back of that is a problem which remain to be solved ; at the end of the 750 yards you are two hundred yards perpendicularly up from the surface of the earth as measured by Sir Jos. Banks & Dr Sollander. One of the guides made an explosion of gun powder at the end of the cavern which had a very grand effect, echoing [tear in page] the other as if the whole was coming down upon you, another cavern for some years has been discovered which goes off to the right after getting about 200 yards into this main body, after heavy rains the stream of water which runs down from the [?] of the cavern and loses itself in the earth when it gets about the middle, is so much swelled as to make it impossible to get far into this cavern and indeed sometimes the cavern is almost wholly filled with water.

We took about an hour to go into this most remarkable cavern. Under the rock at the entrance there are two or three small huts where people live and are employed there in making [?-bread] the entrance to this cavern stands under

---

P32
A rale[sic] which is 83 yards [tear in page].which is the remain of an old …. After leaving this celebrated natural curiosity I continued my journey over a very barren hilly country to Sheffield whithout observing a single situation worth counting. I got to Sheffield about 8 o’clock and looking about the town for some time which in some places is pretty regular and well built I went to bed in a public house which from external appearance seemed very good, but during all my life I never spent a longer night, I was put into a room with two beds, the dirtiest hole in Sheffield I believe, and was told another person was to sleep in the other bed which I protested against most vehemently. for some remonstrances I was conducted into another room nearly of the same description, the door had neither latch nor lock, I however fortified it as well as I could with my knife and placing fortification of chairs so if any person came in they would answer the purpose of an alarm bell, I afterwards got into bed such as it was w[h]ere I had not remained long before a furious attack of black [ fleas? bedbugs?] began which however on account of their number I found rather difficult to roust, in the midst of one of the skirmishes an assault came to the door but finding it fortified and the garrison within expressing symptoms of rage the invaders withdrew, the

P34
Next grievance [tear in page] was [mark] Of the watchman and groans of people from the other rooms in this diabolic place I remained till day light when I got up dressed and unfortifying the door on my side I found it as well fortified in the other with an iron [bar] but by the assistance of a rascal [knife(?)] after a short time I got out and proceeded down stairs where getting hold of a bell I pulled most powerfully till the landlord came with whom I settled and then proceeded out wishing never to enter the house again. I took the road to Chesterfield where I breakfasted and continued to Derby by a pleasant enough road going through a (? erasures)

P35
Derby is a very pretty town and several large manufactories are carried on in it Silk, cotton, copper works, &c. Next morning 10th August I gained admission into a porcelain manufactory in Derby where very good ware is made and enamelled richer than any I ever saw. Mostly items taken from nature with landscapes and plants. after leaving this I proceeded to Fenton by Uttoxeter a very pleasant road and arrived once more within the rale(?) of the pottery about nine o’clock being pretty much fatigued (?)

P36 Having walked every[tear in page] way I picked up nothing very particular in the fossil line, some I found at Buxton but thought them rather expensive and at the same time not very rare.

The course I took was as follows
From Fenton to Leek 11 miles
Sunday Buxton 12
Monday Castleton 12
Monday Sheffield 13
Tuesday Chesterfield 11
Tuesday Derby 23
Wednesday Fenton 33
In all: 115 miles

P37 …December 1796
At 6 o’clock in the morning I went to Newcastle intending to take a place in the mail coach for London, but unfortunately being too late was obliged to go in a heavy coach, the most disagreeable I was ever in. It left Newcastle at nine, and after passing through Litchfield, Birmingham, Warwick, Banbury, Ailsbury and Walford we arrived at London at 9 o’clock on Saturday night, I came out of the coach in Holborn and called a coach which conducted me to No. 13 London St. Fenchurch street, via Mrs Matthews house where I found Mr and Mrs WATT, Gregory and Mr Boulton, I slept with Gregory during my stay in town at Mr Tuppens(?), Thames Street, an acquaintance of Mr J. Watts

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Sunday 31st…
After Breakfast Gregory and I proceeded to St Pauls which is a most admirable piece of architecture in the [?] of the dome are some pictures which however we could hardly discern on account of the thickness of the day. Two statues have been lately erected. The one to the memory of Howard the Philanthropist the other for Dr Johnston (?), both executed in a masterly manner by Bacon. We then proceeded to Westminster Abbey where we might have spent many agreeable hours in the admiration of the vast number of statues with which it is filled, we however were obliged to take but a cursory glance through them and set off to London street, after dinner we (tear in page) tea at Mr Milnes of the New River Head and returned home in a coach along with Mr and Mrs Watt at nine o’clock.

Monday 2nd January 1797
We went this forenoon to the Panorama which I was very much pleased with the subject was Lord Bridports engagement with the French Fleet and was indeed very beautiful. After traversing innumerable streets till three o’clock we returned to dinner, and in the evening went to Covent Garden Theater the play was King Henry the fourth , and afterwards a pantomime called Harlequin and Oberon which was very well performed.

Tuesday 3rd January 1797
We went to Sir Ashton Lever’s Museum (which is opposite the ruins of the Albion Mill on the south side of Westminster bridge) where I was very well entertained for three hours, which was only sufficient time to take a slight look over the immense quantity of national production which is there gathered together. We then went to the Poet’s gallery and saw some

P40
And saw some very good paintings by Opie, Loutherbourg, (?)amioks, Harrington &c, &c and in the evening went to Drury Lane Theater, the play was the Conscious lovers, in which Mr Kemble performed the part of young Basil, and Miss Farrer, Indiana, but unfortunately
P41
(tear in page) had got very bad colds.particularly Miss Farrer
After the play was performed the Pantomime of Robinson Crusoe.

Wednesday 4th January
After Breakfast I called on Geo. Fowlerton but was sorry at not having it in my power to spend that evening with him being previously engaged, I also called on Mr McDowal and Mr R Hamilton the latter I did not find at home but left my card Gregory and I then went to the historic Shakespeares Gallery and drank tea with Mr and Mr W at a Mr Westons.
Thurasday 5th January.
This morning walked around the town and afterwards through various streets and squares &c, &c.

P42
Friday 6 January
AT two o’clock Mr and Mrs Watt, Mr Hamilton, Gregory and I left London, I, along with Mr and Mrs Watt in a post chaise and Gregory with Mr Boulton we went by Hounslow and arrived at Slough about six o’clock. We immediately went to Dr. Herschell the celebrated astronomer, where we spent a few hours very agreeably, amidst a concert & ball of young ladies and gentlemen we returned to the inn to supper and had very good beds- next morning

Saturday 7th January
Gregory and I walked to Windsor and returned again to Slough before breakfast and after breakfast went along with the rest of the company in the carriage to Windsor again I walked round the castle along with.(tear in page).
P43
indeed a very grand (…) building we went into St George Chapel which is very neatly furnished & has several painted windows designed by West and executed by Forrest. We all dined at Mr D Luc’s and left Windsor about five o’clock, we that night got to Benson, after changing horses at Henley upon Thames where we got pretty tolerable accommodation, next morning.

Sunday 8th January
We breakfasted at Oxford and then proceeded by Woodstock , at which place is Blenheim, a most beautiful seat belonging to the Duke of Marlborough, then through Chappelhome (a horrible cold place), Skipton, Stratford upon Avon, Hockley, & arrived at Heathfield about ten o’clock.
P44
But found the servants gone to bed. We however soon roused them

Monday 9th January
Gregory and I walked over to Soho in the forenoon and after dinner went to Edgbaston where we [stopt?] tea and returned to Heathfield.

Tuesday 10th January

Gregory and I walked into Birmingham and afterwards to the Soho Foundry and at nine o’clock I came in the coach to New Castle and around next morning at Fenton about seven we came by W. hamton so I had an opportunity of seeing the coals which are constantly burning in that neighbourhood which has a great appearance at night.

Fenton 4th January 97
I set out about six o’clock in the morning and walked to Liverpool (which is 54 miles from this) where I arrived about nine. […] I stayed there [….] Wednesday and on Thursday went in the packet to Chester where I dined and then proceeded to Northop 11 ½ miles from Chester but being rather knocked up instead of going to Holywell as I had first intended I stopped all night at Northop at the sign of the Red Lion kept by two old ladies who (one of them particularly) had the misfortune to get notoriously drunk before she went to bed, that however the other coolly told me was the case seven nights in the week next morning I went to Holywell 6 and ½ miles further into Wales where I saw the celebrated cock of Dr Winfred which throws up one hundred tons.


P46
Of water every [minute] I dined here.and then [……] to the two old ladies at Northop where I stopped all night and next morning walked to Chester wher I dined and proceeded to Nantwich Here I slept and next day on Sunday 11 june returned to Fenton having had a pleasant excursion on foot of eight days.

On Saturday the 29th July 1797 at six o’clock at night I went in the mail coach to Liverpool or rather I went on it for the inside being full I was found to ride on the outside but soon after leaving Newcastle I bargained with the guard for his chair where I sat all the way but never remember being out [….] a storm of lightning and thunder […] before. The former was the most vivid I ever saw and was about one continued blaze for three hours as during that time I am confident there was a flash every two minutes the tremendous sound of the thunder was however in some degree lost with the rumbling of the carriage what was very fortunate for me there was not a drop of rain. At four next morning we arrived in Liverpool where I only remained two hours and then proceeded in the [?] stage coach to Carlisle where we arrived next day at one, here I remained till three and then set off in the mail coach for Glasgow where I arrived next morning

P48
At nine after having been on the road two days and three nights, the second night however I slept at Kendal. In the forenoon of the same day that I arrived in Glasgow I went with my mother, Jock and Margaret in a chaise to Mr Smith at Strathblane where we dined and returned to Glasgow in the evening.

Friday 4th August 98
I went on horseback to see my friend at Airdrie where I stopped that night but set out for Glasgow again next morning before breakfast and in forenoon went on the same horse to Weems Bay accompanied by my father, mother, Margt. and Mrs Perton in a chaise. At Weems bay I remained till

P49
Monday the 14th…. And that morning went to Glasgow in a chaise along with my father and Mr John Girdon, The same day I set out from Glasgow in the mail coach by Carlisle and Manchester to Newcastle where I arrived on Thursday morning at six o’clock, having slept the second night at Lancaster.

Fenton Thursday 9th …1798
At three o’clock in the morning (having slept at Newcastle) I went in one of the Manchester coaches to Heathfield, when I stayed till Thursday the 18th and that night set out for Newcastle by the same conveyance that I went in and got to Fenton next morning to Breakfast. Gregory was in Cornwall and Miss De Luc was staying with Mrs Watt

P50
I this day went on horseback to a large copper mine of the Duke of Devonshire at Ecton on the border of Staffordshire about 25 miles from this through Cheadle and after seeing this mine returned the same night to Fenton.

Fenton Sunday 1st July 1798
I went in the coach to Heathfield where I remained till the 10th and that night returned to Fenton during my stay Gregory and I went on foot to Hagley, Dudley &c and twice to the theatre to see Mr Kemble in Octavian and the Stranger.

Came to Liverpool in a chaise with Mr Wolfe the 30th December being Sunday stoppd[sic] in Liverpool. Monday & Tuesday left it on Wednesday morning at six o’clock, stopt at Kendal that night and proceeded on Thursday by break of day to Carlisle where I arrived at two in the forenoon in time for the Glasgow Mail which I travelled all night and got to Glasgow on Friday to breakfast after a most uncomfortable journey owing to the coldness of the weather. Remained in Glasgow till Monday the 21st January and in that day went into Edinburgh with my father where I stayed all Tuesday and saw W.Wittering.

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Left Edinburgh on Wednesday morning the 23rd January 1799 and got to Carlisle at twelve o’clock at night proceeded next morning to Liverpool and arrived there at 8 am Friday morning. Left it the same night and went to Stoke where I remained till Friday the 8th April and then returned on horseback to Liverpool.
Went again to Stoke on Easter Sunday in a chaise with Mr and Mrs Wolfe and MrsWinfrey {Chipney?}and remained a fortnight then returned to

P53 Liverpool in the mail.

Friday 3 May 1799
My father, mother and Jess came to Liverpool from Glasgow, remained here all Saturday and set out on Sunday morning for Manchester, I accompanied them on horseback to Warrington and returned again to Liverpool . Next night viz Monday the 5th I went in one of the coaches to Stoke to wait for my father who arrived there from Manchester on Wednesday morning then remained at Stoke that day & Thursday set out for Heathfield on Friday I went with them

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On Mr Wolfe [illegible] During their stay at Healthfield. Gregory and I went on Horseback to Worcester where we saw the china work, from that to Malvern where we stopped all night and left it next day at three o’clock and went back to Worcester from that to Bridgenorth (through Kidderminster) where we arrived about eleven o’clock at night - set out next morning before breakfast to Coalbrookdale& on our road went to Mr Turner’s china work at Carly. We remained at [?]….greatest part of this forenoon Then returned to Heathfield through Chiffnal and Wolverhampton.

I left Heathfield on Saturday the 18th and got that night to Stoke where I remained Sunday & Monday and came down to Liverpool on Tuesday in one of the coaches

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Monday 12th August 1799
Was married in the morning before breakfast and got the same night to Manchester on our road to Glasgow. Mr and Mrs Wolfe and Miss Chatterly accompanied and staid with us the following day at Manchester next morning we left them and proceeded on our journey by way of the Lakes in Cumberland and got to Glencorbach the following Sunday night having gone from Manchester to [?]

[?] Wednesday night
Lancaster
Bioton [?]
Kendal
Ambleside

Thursday
Keswick
Penrith
Carlisle 18

Friday
Longtown 10
Lockerby 20
Moffat 16
Ebenfed 14 [?]

Saturday forced to stay …at this dirty hole for want of horses
Doungfarmill 14 [?]
Hamilton 18
Glasgow 11
Glenarbach 10
We remained at Glenarbach till the 25th Sept during which

P58
Time we made a jaunt to the Highlands our party consisting of my father and mother, Jess, Margaret, Jack, Archy and Mr Wright from the North Country (two chaises and four horsemen) from Glenarbach we went through Dumbarton to Leefs[?]… from that to a nearby Inn at Tarbert where we were under the necessity of remaining the first night owing to the House at Arrocher being full. From Tarbert we crossed the head of Loch Long and I went through Glen Coe & [?] where we breakfasted and proceeded down Loch Fine to Inverary where we slept the second night and the one after returned to Arrocher. Which we left the following morning and returned to Glenarbach along the banks of Loch Long and Garve a beautiful ride to Ardencapel where we dined and got home in the evening. We set out from Glenarbach on our return to Stoke on Wednesday the 25th September and staid that

P60
Night in Glasgow [….] Left the day following and went as follows to
Hamilton 11
Larnark 15 26 Thursday saw the falls of the Clyde and the cotton mills
Carnmouth 7
Causewayend 11
Edinburgh 13 31 Friday Saturday
Haddington 16
Dunbar 11
[?]… .15
Berwick 12 54 Sunday
Belford 15
Alnwick 14
Morpeth 19 48 Monday
Newcastle 14
Durham 15
Burcheyford 9 38 Tuesday
Darlington 9
North Allerton.16
Thirsk 9 34
107

Bolton 34 197
Easingwold 10
York 13 57 Wednesday
Tadcaster 9
Leeds 15
Wakefield 9
Bank top [?]…..10
Sheffield 14 57 Thursday
Middleton 12
Buxton 12 24 Friday
Leeds 12
Stoke 12 24 Saturday
In all 359 Miles