|
February, 1860
Horse two years old got too much corn. I thought it would have burst. Gave it three gills
of oil took about five quarts of blood from the neck and some from both feet. It got better.
Feb 29
Snow storm. Snow about two or three inches thick a little frost and a day
or two before a gale of wind. At Nook two stack's tops blown off and a quantity of tiles and,
at Beckfoot, a barn, stable and piggery blown nearly level with the ground. It belonged to Mrs
Elizabeth Hayton of Beckfoot.
April 22 1860
Saw the sun, moon and one star. Very droughty with hard frost in
the mornings. This has been such a winter as no man alive ever saw. For the want of fodder
Cattle and Horses were near hungered to death. The summer was very droughty. Hay and corn
very light, Turnips very scarce, Mangle very scarce. Fodder could not be got for money. Hay
from 1s to 1/4d per stone. Straw 6d to 8d per stone. Sheep nearly hungered to death. Many
hundreds on the fells have died of hunger. Some snow on Skiddaw yet, May 19th 1860.
May 4th 1860
John Saul New House died in the 93rd year of his age. He could not
remember such a dry summer and such a hard bare winter.
1860 May 20
A very heavy wind and storm, rain and snow. The fells are covered
with snow to a good thickness some two or three feet. There was snow on Rosley Hill that
morning it being Rosley first fair day. Cattle plenty and a slow dear fair for good hay.
1860 August 21
George Cass was executed at Carlisle jail for wilful murder of Ann
Sewel near Embleton.
1860 Nook Farm
Names of fields | | | £.s.d. |
| Acres |
East field | Fallow | 6 wagons lime |
6.0.0 | 24 Cart Loads | 4
|
West field | Fallow | 9 cwt guano |
5.10.0 | 30 Cart Loads | 5
|
Hards | Green crop | Potato land Winter Corn |
| 20 Cart Loads | |
Cow Gate Meadow Fallow, 20 Cartloads or 60 bushels, about 3 acres, half acre potatoes
Newlands, fallow and Turnips
Eastrig Field, Potatoes and rape
1860
This is to certify that this bank belongs unto Newtown, Nook, Cowgate and Mawbray old ancient
copy hold land. It was let by the owners of these lands fifty years ago to a man at Beckfoot
name of Saul to graze. Now it is stinted. Four stints for a half. Land for sheep to graze.
The rabbits they still belong to the Lord of the Manor and farmed by John Harrison of Newtown
and Robert Little of Bank Mill for five pounds a year. Little wanted to have the feeding on the
bank also so him and Harrison asked the Lord's Stewart. The Stewart said the Lord has no
claim but the Rabbits whatever.
John Harrison, witness.
August
At Silloth the dock looses water very fast. There is a diver going down
to stop the leak. They dare not let the water out of the dock for fear the sides fall in and
then there would be a bad job. Two boat races at Silloth and rifel practice . . . . Like all
their does it makes Silloth folk let down their brows.
Began cutting corn August 16, 1861
Names of Fields | Number Stooks |
East Law Field Wheat | 288 |
East Field Wheat | 141 |
Hards Wheat | 70 |
Hards Spring Wheat | 32 |
Hards Barley | 152 |
Park Oats | 210 |
Floshes Oats Potatoes | 200 |
Gair Close Oats | 154 |
Do Beans | 40 |
Total Stooks | 1287 |
Sep 12 Done Cutting
Sep 19 Done Housing
| Loads |
West Field - Rye Grass | 10 |
Cow Gate Pasture | 8 |
West Croft | 15 |
Moss Meadow | 16 |
Park do | 3 |
Loads | 52 |
Dec
Very hard frost three inch thick in one night.
January 1861
Charles Farrar was drowned in Moor Combey in a small boat among the
ice bergs, he lived at Solway house three years a gentleman.
February 2
Blustery but fair and clear some bales cast up on the seashore and
some wool also.
February 11
Snow lying white upon the ground with hard frost. Wind East and very
cold. Wind blowing in fair hurricane on Saturday 9 about 140 vessels sailed out of Whitehaven
harbour in one tide many lost, crew and all, some stranded some gone on shore in Ireland some
in the Isle of Man one life boat. The Whitby life boat capsised and twelve men drowned out of
thirteen. They saved the crews of four vessels and when proceeding for the crew of the fifth
they were drowned.
March 4 1861
Wind blowing from NW and very cold some flecks of snow lying upon the
ground and a little frost. Criffel white, Skidaw white also with snow. March came in like a
lion and gone out like a lamb. April and May very dry. June dry. July wet and showery.
July 28 1861
Sunday morning a heavy shower, hail stones as large as peas. 29th
very dry a fine hay day. Thomas Ostle has a Barnacle Goose. It was caught in April 1843 and
it has laid six eggs. It is 18 years old and how many more I cannot tell. It is neither older
nor younger like that I see.
August
Very wet and wild. Wednesday 14 Hail stones as large as peas.
September
Canny harvest weather, some showers.
November
Weather very stormy, heavy winds and large floods. Fields all covered
with water. Different times there was the most water upon the ground since the memory of the
oldest man in the holme. The floods they have done a great deal of damage in many places I
think it was nearest the flood in the days of Noah.
Dec 5
Showery nearly throughout. January frosty with showers. February very mild
and like Spring. March the first day very fine and ther next hard frost then snow the three
next and then the wind began to blow with .... rains and snow. Wind NW and the remainder
changeable.
|