John Richard Stubbs' diary for 1863

Names & places mentioned by John Stubbs in his 1862 diary

 I post this in case it's of any use to readers, either to identify people mentioned in the diary or to look for particular names ... it's a bit scrappy, I'm afraid ...

Adelphi Theatre, London
Alice – his youngest sister [Boroughbridge]
Appleton, Sarah [Boroughbridge]
Appleton, the Misses  [Boroughbridge]
Archbishop of York
Argyle Rooms, London
Armstrong

Bains/Baines, Nellie [at Redcar]
Baldrey [Boroughbridge]
Baltic Tavern
Barracks, the
Barroby, Miss [Dishforth – relations of Stubbs]
Bath Terrace, Redcar (No. 4)
Beaumont, D  [Boroughbridge]
Beaumont, Miss, of Knaresborough 
Bell, Aunt – his mother's sister [Boroughbridge]

Transcription of John Richard Stubbs' diary for 1862

This transcription is the first result of the new transcription team.  In this case Ian Pearce did most of the work; I transcribed the Boroughbridge entries, deciphered some of John's more difficult handwriting and added more annotations.  I'm posting it now, before the team really starts work, because it's one of the most interesting diaries.  

On the one hand, it's full of significant names.  It's clear that during 1861, the year of the missing diary, John had met many of the men who would form Middlesbrough, that "Infant Hercules".  In fact he was present in 1862 when Gladstone famously used the phrase to describe the new town.

And on the other hand, there is his visit to London.  In 1860 John had enjoyed London life in the company of other students.  This time he is two years older, a professional man, and out on the town with ironmasters – young men who, like himself, had come to Middlesbrough to make their fortunes.  Prepare for the seamy side of Victorian London ...

At the time of the 1861 Census, John was lodging with bricklayer Thomas Johnston and his wife Emma at No. 31 Sussex Street, Middlesbrough.

Wednesday 1 January   
I rode Joe's mare to Heaton House for my pipe case which I had left there.  I only saw Charley.  I met Marianne and turned back with her.  Joe dined with us at the Bridge Foot.  I was about house in the afternoon.  I left by six o'clock train for Middlesbrough.  Met Jno Peacock and Griffin at Northallerton Station, we came home together.  I went with Muller to the Club and had a game at billiards.
[Charley – the son of Charles Francis George Clark of Heaton House, Ellinthorp.  Marianne was the daughter.  Muller – Charles Muller.  JRS acted for him in obtaining naturalisation]

Thursday 2 January   
At the office all day.  Had tea with Elgee then went to the Club, from there I went home with Dixon and had supper.  Stayed till about twelve then went home to bed.
[Mr J F Elgee was Manager of Backhouse's Bank.  "The Club" is assumed to mean The Cleveland Club.  In the C20 this was situated in Cleveland Street.   Raylton Dixon (1838-1901), future shipbuilding magnate, was the same age as John but from a very different background.  His Draft Bill of Costs ledger shows that John acted for Backhouse & Dixon in December 1861]

John Richard Stubbs' diary for 1862

 

Settlement on the marriage of Richard Walls and Anne Raper, 1737

This is the settlement made on 26 July 1737 for the marriage of Richard Walls, yeoman of Milby, and Anne Raper, daughter of John Raper, yeoman of Langthorpe.  It was made between Richard Walls (1) and John Raper of Langthorpe and Richard Raper, yeoman of Norton Conyers (2), and the witnesses were William Leadley and Sam Lunn.

Details of Richard Walls and Anne Raper are to be found in The Genealogical History of the family of the late Bishop Stubbs on p47.  Anne's mother's Will can be found on pp 299-300.

John Richard Stubbs goes to Middlesbrough, February 1861

John Stubbs' Manifold Letter Writer contains the carbons of letters written between 1860 and 1871.  

He began in mid-August 1860 by looking for a post, writing in reply to various advertisements and placing an advertisement himself in the Law Times:

A Gentleman recently admitted wishes to pass a year or two in an office of Good General Practice either in Town or Country.  Improvement being more an object than remuneration. 

Address  J.R.S care of Messrs Waterlow & Sons Law Stationers 24 & 25 Birchin Lane London

No satisfactory job offers were forthcoming, and by early 1861 he had taken a bold decision.  He wrote on 14 February to a friend in London:

Boroughbridge
14 Feby 1861

My dear Sharpe
    I have been so strongly recommended to try Middlesbro’ that I have taken an Office there & am going next week.  I can only leave it if I find anything better turns up.  I have got an introduction to Mr Crosby the County Court Registrar at Stockton & to Mr Brewster the principal Solicitor in Middlesbro who received me in a very friendly way & I hope to get a few more introductions to some of the leading people in the neighbourhood.  If you can do me any good I shall feel greatly obliged & now I am going to give you a great deal of trouble but if you will undertake for me you will save me a journey to Town & that is to select a library for me  I enclose a List of Books which I shall want & if you can improve upon it please do so & I need not say let me have the latest editions.  Butterworths sent me a Circular in which they say they send books Carriage free & allow 10 per lb but I fancy it ought to be 20 pr lb discount.  If you will ascertain the cost of the books I will send you the Cash & I should not like the parcel to be sent off until next Wednesday or Thursday when it can be addressed to me at Middlesbro' as I hope to be there next Thursday.  Should you ever come my way I shall be exceedingly glad to see you.  I shall only be 6 miles from the Watering Place Redcar -
I am My dear Sharpe
Yours very truly
J R Stubbs

J A Sharpe Esqre

Luckily, the carbon for this letter is quite dark - some are very hard to read.  He attached a List of Books:

Some work on preparing Abstracts
Archbolds Landlord & Tenant
Chitty on Contracts
Brooms County Court Practise
Okes Magisterial Synopsis
Sugdens Vendors & Purchasers
Stephens Lush’s Common Law Practise
Stephens Com. Law Procedure Act 23 & 24 Vic c 126
Allnutts Wills
Hughes’ Conveyancing
Rouses Practical Man
Lawyers Companion for 1861 edited by H. Moore Esqre
Jarmans Precedents for Wills
Roscoes Nisi Prius
Addison on Torts
A Work on Solrs General Costs
Kains Cash Journal        Kains Ledger Journal  ruled for carrying out Kains System    
Law Journal Reports for 1860 unbound if you can get them as I have 5 yrs previously to 1860 unbound

Unfortunately, his diary for 1861 has not survived.  So disappointing for Middlesbrough historians!

Margaret Spence's jointure, 1695

This is a counterpart of Margaret Spence's jointure upon her marriage with John Newsome, dated 26 July 1695.

It was made between John Newsome the elder, yeoman of Langthorpe near Boroughbridge, and his son John Newsome the younger (1) and Richard Robinson, yeoman, and John Raper of Langthorpe, yeoman (2), and it was made in consideration of the marriage of John Newsome the younger and Margaret Spence, spinster of Ripon.  Unfortunately, the deed is very worn at the point where it tells us whose daughter she was!

You can also see that somebody has removed the seals.