10. A Boroughbridge Boyhood in the 1850s: "Very ill not likely to get better"

Death was never far away. 

Monday January 26th 1857
… Rode Joes Mare to Humberton to enquire of Lydia Smith who was very ill not likely to get better …

Saturday March 12th 1859
…   Mrs Clark of Ellinthorp Hall was confined   child dead  Mother was there

Tuesday March 22nd 1859
To office.   At Night went to a spread to Mrs Powells   Two Miss Smiths of Burton   Charlesworth  Miss R Stott   Steele  Capes & I were there     we played cards    got home about ½ past eleven
Annie Sedgwick died today

In September 1858, John’s parents and Uncle and Aunt Hirst had gone away with friends and family to Redcar for a holiday.  Mary Hirst and her sister Jane were with them, but the others had remained behind:

Tuesday September 28th 1858
To office.   At Noon went down to the Cricket field.   At Night went to Joes & from there to the train to meet the Hirsts & Miss Thompson coming from Duncombe Park.   Leonard Sedgwick was telegraphed for to Aunt Hirst who was ill at Redcar

Wednesday September 29th 1858
To office.   At Noon at the Cricket Field.   About 3 o’clock Rd Hirst came with a note which Mr Roger Buttery had brought from Redcar to say Dora  Sophy & Rd [Hirst] were to go by the 6 train to Redcar as Mrs Hirst was very ill   They went by the train but received a message at Pilmoor [station] to say they were to return as poor Aunt was dead.   Leond came home from Redcar & Mary Hirst also came with him.   She died about 3 o’clock of paralysis apoplexy

Thursday September 30th 1858
To office.   Had breakfast at Uncles  At noon Father & Mother came from Redcar also Uncle Hirst & Mrs Chas Stubbs and the corpse came by Ripon  At night Had tea at Joes

Mrs Charles Stubbs was the Hirsts’ eldest child Jane, now thirty four years old.  She had married one of the London cousins, Charles Stewart Stubbs, when she was twenty.  Four years later she was widowed when Charles died in a riding accident.  Her third child, Alice, was born three months later. 

Saturday October 2nd 1858
To office.   At Noon at Uncles directing funeral cards …

Monday October 4th 1858
To office.   At 12 o’clock we committed the remains of poor Aunt to the grave.   She was borne shoulder height by 6 men & a pall was borne by 8 ladies.   There was a large funeral.   Holdsworth & Owen performed the ceremony   At Night read law