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Last year I posted extracts from the diary of Annie Parker Greenwood of the Mason’s Arms for Christmas 1876. This year the extracts are from Christmas 1875 when she was 20 years old. Her father had died in 1871 and she ran the Mason’s Arms with her mother Elizabeth.
Photograph of the Mason’s Arms, Eastby in snow – courtesy of Peter Gallagher
Thursday 23rd December
I went to the Children’s Concert at the National School, I enjoyed it very much. Spoke to Mrs Hardman, Miss F Horton, and Mrs Chippindale & walked on home.
(Catherine wife of the vicar Charles Leonard Hardman, Fanny Horton the daughter of Colonel Horton of Embsay Kirk, and Jane wife of William Turpin Chippindale of the Elm Tree)
Friday 24th December
Wet wild day. It is Christmas Eve. Birch brought me some splendid Holly (Thomas Birch, Gamekeeper of Broad Park House, Barden). A full house of regulars at night.
Saturday 25th December, Christmas Day
Splendid fine clear day. We had a Goose for dinner & I thoroughly appreciated its good qualities. At noon a party came from Skipton “Glee singing”. James & John Harragan were singing famously. I went to their house at night and had a bit of fun & Christmas Cheer & then James brought me down home (the Harragan family lived at Bridge End Cottages, Eastby).
Sunday 26th December
Two Gentleman had Breakfast this morning. Mrs Louisa Phillip, my mother’s cousin from Embsay Gill, came to tea and stayed the evening.
Mary Ann Mason called, we chaffed her famously about her Wedding (Mary Ann Mason was a 48 year old spinster of Eastby who married James Hyde a 57 year old Eastby widower at Embsay Church the next day).
Monday 27th December
Fine day. Jim Hyde married to Mary Ann Mason this morning. Me & Mamma went up to watch the happy party into the Cab. First came Tom Demaine (best man), the intended bride & then Jim Hyde & Miss Ward (Mary Ward was housekeeper at Cragg House, Halton East and later married Tom Demaine). Bill Harragan & a lot more fastened a rope across the road to stop them getting to Church and they held it for ever so long, but Miss Ward put her head out of the window and at last they succeeded in getting away and got the knot tied at Embsay Church.
We had a roving day, very jolly, but a little bit of fighting.
Tuesday 28th December
This morning they assembled together the same lot that were here yesterday. Little “Madge” slept with me last night (7 year old Margaret Chapman from Dale Head Farm, next door). I went up to Newall’s later with some Braid to trim a pinafore but did not stop a minute.
Wednesday 29th December
After we had closed James Harragan & me went up as far as Clarke’s (Alfred Clarke, a widower of Eastby) to hear the “Embsay Band”. They came & played “Auld Lang Syne” for us in front of our house which we appreciated.
Friday 31st December
Richard Stockdale & Dave Harragan playing a Violin & Concertina & Mason Phillip singing. Mr Samuel Newall (Farmer of Bower House) says “Put it down that I wish thee a Happy New Year”.
James Harragan was the last to go home, he stayed in the house with Mamma & me after we had turned out until it was nearly half past eleven.
Good night dear old Diary, “farewell to the old Year”. I wonder what changes another year will bring. Here I am twenty years old & still “walking in maiden meditation fancy free”, and no prospect of being anything else.
“O Christmas! gentle Christmas!
May each dark trace depart
Of hate, and strife, and envy,
From every home & heart.”
Saturday 1st January 1876
James Harragan brought in the New Year. I hope it will be a lucky one. Mr Amos Pollard called to wish us a happy & prosperous one. We had a famous lively night with Constantine Peacock singing, Tom Boardman reciting, Mason Phillip singing. Jim Eddington, Dave Harragan & Sarah Hyde were all singing & playing. Then we had a bit of Dancing which of course I thoroughly enjoyed. We had both the Bar & Tap room filled in the Evening.
Sunday 2nd January 1876
Richard (her brother) & me went to Church this morning, Miss F Horton sat with us & Mr Leach in front (Thomas Leach, Manager of Whitfield Syke Mill). We both stayed and took the Sacrament, it is truly a most comforting Service.
I missed Mr Mattock under the Mistletoe, so of course won a pair of Gloves.
(John Mattock, Grocer of Embsay, a married man aged 50, who then wrote the following words in Annie’s diary)
At the same time Miss Greenwood agreed that she would kiss me and did so heartily on condition she would buy me also a pair of the Best Gloves.
Tuesday 4th January
At night I called for Bella Newall & her & me, Richard, Sarah, Ada & Albany Newall went to see Miss Fanny Horton’s Christmas Tree at the National School, it was filled with nice presents for her Scholars. There was a Tea & the Band played a selection of Music for Dancing.
Annie kept detailed diaries for the years 1875 to 1882. She married George Dinsdale, a sub-contractor on Barden Moor Upper Reservoir and they emigrated to Nebraska in 1882.
David Turner, Embsay with Eastby Historical Research Group
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