David Cragg 1790-1799

This and the succeeding diaries of David Cragg have been taken from "The Craggs of Greenbank" by Georgina Fandrey (nee Cragg) who transcribes David's diaries.

You might be able to access the full book at https://digitalcollections.ucalgary.ca/archive/The-Craggs-of-Greenbank-2R3BF1FJ4NNDD.html

1790

January 12 - "A great flood in the Wyre. Abbeystead bridge blown down. On the 1st of January the men that were confined to Lancaster prison for transportation attempted to break prison. It is said that they intended killing the jailor. However they were soon secured again. There is the man who broke Edward Richardson’s shop at Caton who was tried at sessions and found guilty and is to be transported. They have since taken all transports to Plymouth and from there to Botany Bay and see if there is anything to steal there.”

May 31 "We went to the highway at Marshaw. So far they fetch us up as it is a very long way to go. We were nearly 12 hours away. The supervisors are James Bibby and Bartholomew Pye.”

October 28 - "I went to the meeting to hear a Friend from Philadehia called Stephen.
This has been the worst turf year of any I know which will do badly for people near the fells. Particularly the Hatters of Morehead and other places. There are a hundred cart loads of turf on the fells which cannot come in.”

December 11 - "I was at Lancaster today the weighers came to weigh butter. Some were short by some 18 oz.”

December 23 - "A very rough night. Lightning struck Catshaw factory"

1791
January 3rd - "Today Thomas Bamber took a large deal balk having bought it last year for the bridge above the Corn Mill."

January 8th - "This afternoon I went to Lancaster. I never was out on so rough a day in my life hardly. It blew so hard I could scarcely sit on horseback. And about 11 o’clock it began to snow."

"On Thursday the 6th of this month was the greatest tide ever remembered in the memory of man at Lancaster. It ran through the higher set of arches of the New bridge at Pilling Lane. It washed a fine new dyke down and a great many sheep were drowned. It was the highest tide since the 18th of December 1720."

January 20 - "A sale at Yate house. The sale crier was Christopher Gates."

February 10th - "There is a great famine of fire at this time all over the country but at Moorhead and Lancaster in particular. Turf they have none and coals they can get none at no price."

January 1 - "Jennet Winder, a young woman, sister of Thomas Winder of Stonehead, Lower Wyresdale, drowned herself at Michale's below Garstang."
"All the talk hereabouts is about making a navigable canal from Kendal to Preston which has been on agitation for some time now. They are getting an act of Parliament as soon as ever they can next session. It is 44 miles from Kendal to Preston. It is said that it will cost £1,000 a mile. But I think they are mistaken."

July 31 - "I was at Forton Chapel today to hear Mr Grimshaw."

August 8th - "Richard and I went to Kelsall for lime I have never been there before it is about 5 miles from Lancaster and we went through Skerton and happened to Kendal limekilns we set off high bar at 5:10 in the morning and insight of Lancaster at twenty five past we went over Lancaster Newbridge at 20 past got loaded of lime app at 8:30 we waited 15 minutes on on Gallows Hill. Was Yeat at house at 15 before 3 and on Procter Moss at 10 past 3. We were from Higher barn on 10 hours and 4 minutes a very fine journey."

August 22 - "This summer there have been 4 new houses built at Catshaw factory"

September 10 - "Saturday. A most remarkable hot day although a pretty strong wind. Terrible hot shearing."

September 11 - "Extremely hot day. Almost too hot to live."

September 12 - "Hotter than ever, if possible. A shilling a day is the pay for all shearers in the country now that are raising their wages to 1/3 and 1/4 but many farmers have resolved not to above a shilling. My father can remember since shearers had only sixpence a day and no more for many years. The tailors have raised their wages to a shilling a day. I can remember since they got only sixpence."

September 28 - "Thomas and Richard went to Smea Hill for coals. Got 12 loads at sixpence a load."

October 1 - "Lancaster Market today. Two men were hung at Lancaster today: Robert David and Charles Williamson."

October 2 - "It is exceedingly dry weather now and a great scarcity of water in many places. I was at Forton Chapel today to hear Mr. Grimshaw preach. There was a crowd congregation, part of which was obliged to stand in the alleys or sit on forms placed there."

October 10 - "Thomas and Cragg took a cow to Lancaster Fair and sold it for 6/10. It was not a very good fair. The cow they sold had had three calves, was a very bad milker and very ill-natured and startling. We called her Rumbold."

October 11 - "Tuesday. In the morning we got up at half past one intending to set off at two with the cheese but it rained very fast so we were weather-stayed till 4, and then the rain moderated but rained some all the way to Lancaster. It was a very dirty fair, raining all day till 6 at night."

October 27 - "A cold day. Richard Bibby of Longmores has a sale."

October 31 - "I went to a sale at Hareappletree today. James Francis - a good sale and new crier called Gudgeon. I was never was at Hareappletree before today. I like the place pretty well. The Gatehouse Estate in Ellel belongs to Richard Parkinson as farmer thereof. The place is reckoned at 100 acres. Starbandk is the name of the district in the township of Ellel consisting on three farms but only two tenants. It is called Starbank and Lower Starbank which belonged to F. T. Cawthorne."

1792

January 11 - "Severe hard frost last night. It had frozen near two inches thick. Milk frozen to ice in the buttery, water frozen in the pans in the kitchen and ink frozen to a hard lump in the chest."

January 15 - "Great flood in the Wyre"

March 24 - "Cockersham fair."

April 9 - "I paid the land tax and the window money today for the township of Wyresdale for half a year. I paid 44 pounds come odd."

May 6 - "Sunday. I was at Forton Chapel and my sister was thrown from her horse but providentially received no great harm. Miss Brown, riding on a galloway, and it setting in a great fury, she lost her hat and wig in the presence of her lover, William Hotkinson."

June 3 - "I was at the meeting in the forenoon and afternoon I was rambling through the country but to what purpose is a question I will not answer."

June 5 - "There was a sale today at the bottom of Lentworth moor of the goods of Richard Dickenson Junior, who is a hatter but failed of the trade."

June 22 - "The proprietors of the canal are taking a new survey and are bringing it on a higher level. They went across the Wyre at Dolphinsholme factory."

June 24 - "It began to rain as we got to the meeting and rained most severely the most of the time we were there. When we came out at the top of Hayshaw fell is was covered over white with snow or hail."

July 5 - "I was at Lancaster today. I went down to the Pothouse to see a ship launched. “The Clarendon of London."

July 9 - "The flood in the Wyre last night was seen at Dolphinsholme factory to come down in a breast four feet deep. It is said it brought down with it tubs, barrels, butter basins, dishes, stools, and other such things. The parson at Orthner saw the flood and saw several great trees come down. The flood was occasioned by a cloud bursting."

August 13 - "Thomas and Richard went to Standish for coals."

August 22 - "I was at Lancaster today at the assizes for a witness for F.J. Cawthorne. His trial about water courses with the proprietors of Dolphinsholme factory."

1793

The first entry in 1793 is a long letter written by David to Miss Mary Warbrick, Bolton, Lancashire dated June 6th, 1793.

June 21 - "Friday. I don’t think I shall give myself any more trouble about Molly Warbrick for it will be of no avail, let me do as I will.”
Long poem then follows...

June 23 - "When I got home Thomas met me at the back fold gate and said “Here is a letter for thee, David.”
The letter was from Molly Warbrick saying she had herself for a single life as she had so many responsibilities in her family with her mother gone. The letter did give him some hope and he wrote another letter.

June 24 - "Monday. I am very ill at this time in my head, the sides of my face, about my ears, terribly swelled and extremely painful. Eating disturbs my jowels so that I can scarcely abide. My ears are very ill and I am dizzy and pain in my eyes.”

July 4 - "Friday at night. I have not written much of late. I have been very ill in many places so that I was past writing for some days and it brought me into a train of thinking far different from what I had been pursuing for a long time. Thinks I, ‘If the Lord now call me to account am I ready to die?’ Although I had no fear of dying at that time. Yet we know not at what hour the Lord cometh. Death is a most certain thing. All -- all men are subject to it alike, rich and poor, old and young. The best was to prepare for death betime and make best endeavou(r)s toward gaining the true, saving faith -- the spiritual things of God and that when the last day cometh we may with joy leave this carnal body and world to be evermore happy in the realm of everlasting happiness above. Life is a very uncertaining thing in this world. We are not sure of an hour to come. Let us then make haste to repent out manyfold sins and abominations before the Lord. Let us lay aside this world’s alurement, its pleasure and deadly vanities. It is high time that we should seek the Lord and turn our thoughts from evil.”

July 5 - "David went to Lancaster and bought paper, slate pencil, watchchain, gingerbread, bread, ale and cheese colour and mailed a letter to Mary Warbrick.”

July 7 - "In my last letter (to Mary Warbrick) I told her of being weary in 2 or 3 or 4 and she must needs be tired in less than 4 years, said I, thinking I must not be too pressing for I cannot think of marrying just yet. It will be soon enough in 2 or 3 years. The cares of a family and being my own master frights me.”
"My sister was in our house last week and was talking to our folk about Molly Warbrick and said she missed getting we and that Robert Walker had given over going to her and such like stuff.”

On July 10 David had a long talk with his sister about Molly Warbrick. His sister must have been married by then to John Jackson.

Sunday, July 14, 1793. "There is a long soul-searching entry about his thoughts, sins, and regrets. Then there are more letters to Mary Warbrick, some of which he did not send.”

July 21 - "Sunday at night. I have been at the meeting today and in the afternoon I read in the Scriptures most of Saint Luke and some of Cough’s History of the Quakers and part of William Penn’s works.”

Then there is more soul searching.

In another letter to Molly he ends with, “Your Uncle Joshua is got married a long time since and has brought his bride to Catshaw. We are throng in our haytime but I take the opportunity of a rainy day to write this to you, hoping you will receive it with some little affection. Your lover and admirer - David Cragg.”

August 18 - "Thursday. On Sunday last I was at Forton Chapel in the forenoon and afternoon I was at Uncle Richard’s and at Shirehead Chapel to hear one Stuart, curate of Admarsh Chapel who does duty at Shrehead Chapel at this time. I like him moderately well. The chapel is a very old barn or shippen. I never saw such a place in my time but I learned to write in it with Mr. Goff in the year of our Lord 1780 and 1781. A month each year I was then but a lad. I remember is very well and many curious adventures and anecdotes which happened at that time. The principal scholars that I remember was: James Allet, William Clegg, Thomas Ashburn, John Curwen, Richard Bateson, my sister Margaret, Betty Crossfield, Miss Willis and many others besides.”
The church at Shirehead still stands but is not used. It was restored in 1805 and is in fair shape now.

Wednesday, August 14 - "On the 10th of this month I was at Lancaster. On the 11th I was at Garstang and on the 13th I was at Lancaster again. At Garstang I was at the Methodist Chapel. Heard a sermon preached by James Grimshaw of Forton.”
"I have never heard of Molly Warbrick this long time the 17th of June that is nearly two months since. I have written twice in that time an almost ready again but I cannot tell what to say. Yesterday I was almost vexed. Then I could have written very well but now I cannot think. If ever I get married it will be when I am vexed for I am never in the mind but at such a time.”

Thursday, August 15 - "I have today an opportunity of writing again a few lines but I have been very throng this week in making a great ladder.”

Verse about a dream.

Monday, September 9, 1793 - “Yesterday I was at the meeting and afternoon reading Barclay’s Apology.”

There are more pages of soul-searching, some more about Molly Warbrick and some troubled thoughts about the war in France.

Some books now missing.

1796

There is an account of a general election and the events surrounding same in Lancaster. It seems there were Lowther and Warren running in the election.

1797

January. There was a club formed to pay for the release of young Quakers from military duty. David didn’t like the idea but his father paid for him anyway. But, there is evidence that he did take his turn in jail for not paying church tythes. He seemed to rather enjoy it as he had the time to read and wrote two books while incarcerated: a home doctor book and a treatise on the Quaker faith.

1799

Our Journey from Wyresdale to Carlisle

"Set off on Monday morning the 18th day of April at two o'clock in the morning. When we got on to the Bletarn Hill, it began to spitter and rain and so continued harder and faster to Lancaster which we went through about 4 o'clock in the morning. The rain continued as we went through Scorton and when we reached Stene, it rained exceedingly fast; so we took shelter in a shippen door and staid there apiece. We were afraid of a rainy day and fretted that we had not brought our top coats with us. Then went forward to Bolton and it still continued to rain. After then, it was pretty fair and so through Carnforth and Burton where we called at the Wheat Sheaf and got a pint of stingo, alias ale. The worst that I ever got in my life. There we also ate some provisions we had in our pockets and then forward to Kendal. It being a very warm morning, sultry and hot. We reached Kendal at ten o’clock being eight hours from home. We called at the Globe Inn, kept by one Dixon, where we had two pints of ale and our dinner, some cold meat and butter, cheese and bread and paid 1s4d. In this town as we came in, we met Thomas Barrow from Lancaster and he thought we had come over fast and advised us to take us more time and rest at times. On Kendal streets we were hard set to walk, the pavement hurt our feet so we were lame as dogs. We stayed in Kendal about an hour then went forward down Strammon Gate and over the Kent over a good stone bridge, it was so hot that we stripped off our coats and sweat much besides. When we had gone a few miles we begun to be very thirsty and the first public house we came at we called and got a pint of ale and forward again up many brows and down many brows, a very uneasy road to travel on. The road very good but there are so many brows. About eight miles from Kendal there is a public house and it is called the Halfway House. Before we reached there, there fell a very heavy shower of rain but we was only in the edge of it, though it wet us to the skin. But if we had been a few miles forward we should have been much more wet as the shower had been heavy so that the roads were made mucky and before, they were quite dusty. Our shoes were quite dusty and grey sometime after the showers were over and the roads mucky. We called at the Halfway House and got two pints ol" ale and some cheese and bread though we were not hungry. Then we went forward, splashed over a fell, up a brow for about a mile long to Nine Mile House fort, which we expected to be a village, proved to be only one house about half a mile from the road where Jamy Lowther's possessions begin. So then we travelled over shep fells, up brows and down though not so much as before the Halfway House. On the fells me leg begun to fail me. I tied a handkerchief about it but it hurt much going down the brows. There is nothing to be seen but one fell after another between Kendal and that 15 miles. There is not, I think, fifteen houses within a half a mile from the road. There is in one place a house and some ground in Shap fell in a place to the left. We compared it to be like Brennen in a hole. We reached Shap in the afternoon and called at the Grayhound and got three pints of ale and then forward through Shap in which there is five public houses but there is not a street, but here a house and there a house. One.perhaps, close to the roadside, the next a hundred yards back, barns and gardens and then a great space with nothing. It is half a mile long from end to end and contains a hundred houses in all. We saw the pyramidical stones mentioned by travellers but they are not as large as we expected. We then went forward onto another moor and expected to find a public house at Thrimby three and a half miles from Shap but when we reached there we found no ale-house, so, were forced to budge forward. We went over the Clifton Moor to Nefton. Between Thrimby and Clifton are many noble plantations woods. Between Shap and Trinter is a new village of about 50 empty houses - all in a straight row. A door and window into each house."
“On the Clifton Moor the Duke of Cumberland overtook the rebels in the ___ and had a skirmish with them there.”
“At Clifton we got two pints of ale and so forward again, we having one of Lowther's servants with us who gave his master a very good word. Clifton is a pretty village and more like a town than Shap. So we passed the river Lowther over an arch bridge of two arches which is the far end of the Lowther dominions. On the right a fine place called the Bird's Nest, then to the Yemen river and a village which is one mile off Perith, which place we called at 7 at night, very much fatigued and got lodging at the Queen's Head, Dockery Square, near the corn market. We got plenty of ale at the Butcher's market at the Sign of the Bull and Bell. We were recommended to the Sign of the Three Crowns in Carlisle just within the English Gate kept by one Johathan Wilson. There is plenty of buther's meat in Perith Market. Beef is 5 ½ and 6 per pound. We had a good bed and good entertainment at the Queen's Head and paid there 4s2d, that is 8d per meal. Perith is a large town situated on a rising ground on the side of a small hill on which stands the ruins of an old castle which we went up to on a crooked step street. We did not learn the names of any of the streets. Out of Perith we went over Perith fell for three miles. The fields came right up to the road on the left hand and there is a good farm house and some fir trees planted above the house. On the left is a good vale of land for a long way."
"At 9 1/2 miles we came at High Herket, a very pretty village with four public houses. It is more like a town than Shap for it has a sort of street Low Herketh, a low raggling thatched village with two or three ale houses on to Carleton with one or two inns and a mill. The miller was haggard and old teeth very painful. Haraby a small village with six or eight houses on the side of the road only one house joined to the next and no public houses there So on to Carlisle. At Carleton Sam Peal in a public house wanted to know if we were makands. In the road over Perith fell when we had gone about four miles from Perith and was 14 off Carlisle there two men overtook us on horseback. They were Quakers and when they met us begun to talk to us about it being a fine day and fine travelling and such little things and affairs and they told us they thought that we should be too late for that day's meeting and we said we thought we should. They did not think of going to it that day. But he gave us to understand that it was the Quarterly meeting for Cumberland in the afternoon and the silent meeting was in the forenoon and we had understood it to be the contrary...viz: the quarterly meeting in the forenoon and the silent meeting in the afternoon. He seemed to be very sorry that we should miss the meeting and would have lent us his horse to ride a mile or two or would have taken one of us up behind him but we could not consent to either of those. We at that time thought we could have gone thither and have been soon enough. But we found that we were mistaken for we could not walk so fast as we had the day before. We were stark and stiff and our feet much battered. However we continued to walk as fast as we could until we came within about five miles of the far end and then we had only an hour to walk it in and we were nearly exhausted and much fatigued so we dropped our pace a little and went slower to the far end. As we went into Carlisle we went along a long street to the English Gate. We were accosted by a man who came out of a shop and called to us, 'Stop, I want to speak to you.' We looked back but went forward. He called again and we stopped and said, 'What--us?' And he said, 'Yes, you.' I cannot say that I liked the way of this man. However, we stopped and he asked, 'Did you not meet a man on horseback as you came along from Perith?' Then we understood what he meant. And he said the man had ordered him to keep a lookout and tell us when we came that we must go down to the Pack Horse which was about 200 yards down the English Gate. So we went as directed and saw the Three Crowns as we went down to the Pack Horse, and there we went in and got a pint of ale and something to our dinner and inquired for lodging which we might have. So then we set our shoes straight and a man took us to the meeting house. It is straight down in Rickergate and Bridge. We went in and the meeting was very full and many ministering friends from various parts of the country and David Sands from America who spoke much today. But we were an hour after the meeting begun so we lost the best part of it. However, it was a good meeting. I stayed in the place about an hour and then I being much fatigued with walking and then with sitting, I stood up and presently begun to be sick so that I was obliged to go out of the meeting and walked the streets and went to the Pack Horse and got some cold water and then went again and I had not been there ten minutes before I was sick again so we came out and got each a glass of ale at a public house near the meeting but we went no more that night but stayed in the pack Horse and travelled very little in the town that night being exceedingly fatigued. We got supper and then the man who overtook us on the road came but stayed not long he being with some acquaintances in the town. The next day we went out at the Scotsgate down to the bridge over the Eden and also out of the Irish gate over the bridge over the Cawdle and to the utmost extent of the suburbs of the city that way and also we went out at the English gate to the end and also we went in the churchyard and was at the meeting both forenoon and afternoon. David Sands preached very much amongst us. The meeting was held in true peace. We got our dinner today with one William Baxter, a grocer. The day after was at the meeting but should have dined with a Friend but could not find him at the time so we got no dinner but came out of the town without only we got a pint of ale or two. We paid at the public house where we lodged 12s8d besides some other expenses in the town. We came out of the town before three o'clock and came at the Ward House, a poor place and no ale houses therein. Five miles from Carlisle, six from Wigton, and six from Sanford. We reached Wigton at six at night and put up at the Sign of the Iron. Wigton is a pretty large town, much more than we expected. It has three long streets crossing each other. The people was called Mitchells. We slept well and got up about four in the morning and got a pint of ale and some cheese and bread and paid for all at Wigton two shillings. We set off towards Cockermouth, called at Boothel and got cheese and bread and ale. A piece further is a strip on the near side which we could not construe what it meant. On to Cockermouth we called at the sign of the Brown Cow Inn and got three pints of porter and paid nine pence and also bought two penny rolls and then forward we came. At about ten o'clock and at four miles we came to a place called Bridgefort, a small village and two public houses. On the right at a mile distance or so is a place called Broughton, a little town, then Clifton and so forward we went over some moors to Disington, a great village of one street of considerable length and several public houses. We got two pints of ale at this place and so forward to Whitehaven, a pretty large place and stands very low. We put up at Lawson's in the King's Trick far from the road on the right side. Then we ascended the next hill called Wrye, a very great height. The road was far from the top of the hill. We then descended again a worse brow than any of the others for a long way. I suppose much more than a mile. We then came to a very barren country though cultivated and some farm houses. We travelled along down to the side of a river then passed over a bridge. Then we travelled a long way and was much fatigued and very thirsty and no public houses yet. We then came to a guide post which directed to Kendal, Hawkshead, and Whitehaven. We stopped there for the post we could hardly believe as we thought it pointed the wrong way to Kendal. However, we went that way and soon found a public house and got ale and tea. The landlord told us we were 16 miles from Kendal and four from Hawkshead so we concluded to go to Kendal that night so we set forward from the house at five o'clock and came to Ambleside but we did not go into it. We turned over a bridge. Below the bridge begun the famous lake called Windemere. We came along the side of it for five miles and one half and was never 500 yards from it. It was a delightful, pleasant, scene as ever I saw in my lifetime. We travelled along till it grew dark six or seven miles from Kendal, we going through Stanley after it was dark though it seemed a pretty place. We reached Kendal just before 10 o'clock and there we got a pint of ale and our supper and went to bed where we slept well."

We travelled on day to Perith - 55 miles

From there to Carlisle - 18 miles

One mile beyond and back - 2 miles

Carlisle to Wigton - 11 miles

Wigton to Cockermouth - 18 miles

Cockermouth to Whitehave - 13 miles

Whitehaven to Kendal - 50 miles

Kendal to home - 28 miles

There follows a description of David Cragg and background information on the Quakers.

1799

At a preparative meeting at Wyresdale on the 5th May, the birth of a son, Christopher to John Kelsall of Garstang is registered.
On the 6th, David attended the monthly meeting at Lancaster as a representative along with Richard Jackson. In the meeting for discipline one Caleb Whaley was considered for drinking to excess.

“9th of the 5th month. I have been diking today. Hard work and poor pay but I was content all day.”

On the 21st there was funeral at Lancaster meeting of James Hodgen of Moorlane, formerly a Methodist, but during his illness, had become a Quaker.

26th - “ I am now in hand with reading a book called ‘Some Memoirs by John Whiting of the people called Quakers.’ which gives an account of their sufferings and imprisonments in the times of this persecutions in the years 1670 to 1699 - a book worthy of perusal.”

On the 16th June, 1799, David went to Lancaster and was so deep in thought that he was almost run down in the street. He called at Betty Wade’s on the way home to pick up a book “The George Fox Journal” which he read in the evening and by the 25th he had reached the part where George Fox was in Prison in Lancaster and Scarborough and set at liberty again and establishing monthly meetings throughout the country.

On the 27th - “Today I have been at the highway on High Cross moor. There was 12 carts and 22 men: David Cragg, Richard Cragg, Timothy Cragg, Titus Cragg, Peter Brammel, John and James Bramwell, John Thistlewood, Robert Clapham, John Roeter, Richard Smithson, John Brewer, Wm and James Birket, Joseph and Josual Kelsall, Wm Dilworth, Wm Robinson, This. Hayhurst, Joseph Smith and John Bibby. We had only four fillers in the gravel hole and filled 160 carts of gravel.”

He worked five days on this highway, all the gravel laid between the Market field head gate and five miles of stone.

“4th of 7th month, 1799 - Yesterday was the weekday meeting and I was not there. I being throng employed lowking thistles in the grain, in which there seemed to be some hurry to have it completed. The quarterly meeting is at Lancaster next week. I hope to be there.”

On the 7th of July, there was a lively preparative meeting in which there was much discussion on the query about attendance at meetings, some younger members being “more throng on toil and gaining of riches.”

I like the following entry: “8th of 7th month, 1799 - It is a very rainy day today and so I have not much outward employment and consequently I am very happy at this time for hard work to one who does not like it is very dad indeed. I have always entertained a great aversion to mowing and that time is now fast approaching. I suppose within a few days, I also suppose that grass will be pretty good to mow this year, but, however, let that be as it will, I shall not like it. I got enough before last year, and last year I had plenty again.”

On the 13th David wrote a letter to a young lady. It seems he was falling in love again.

There are many accounts of meetings and his thoughts about the state of his own soul. His father was in process of leasing land from a Thomas Bateson and he had some disputes with his brother Titus while mowing.

On the first of September David was at Wyresdale meeting where a pamphlet “The Prison Defence” was distributed “being the Quaker’s defence against a book written by George Markham, Vicar of Carleton in Yorkshire called “More Truths for the Seeker”. Also at this meeting Robert Knowle’s daughter Hannah Thompson wished to return to membership after being dismissed for marrying contrary to the rules of the Society seven years before. On the way home his brother Thomas took him to task for whistling so much.

On the 9th after a meeting at Lancaster he said “I got drinking at Betty Wade’s and came home with Lucy Goring of Quernmore and stayed there some hours.” This drinking seems was afternoon tea and he may have been trying to get a way to see Molly Goring in whom he was showing interest at that period of time.

On the 16th September, he went to Wyresdale meeting and “came home and got dinner and set off to Golgate to take passage in the packet boat to Lancaster. Titus and I went by Greenbank and over Lower Starbank fields, Helfoot Moss and the Little Crag, Lower Crag, Brenshall and across Smithgreen to Colgate Basin and was only 50 minutes. The packet not then come up, we went on the bank of the canal to the limekiln at Lodgehill and then the packet came and we got aboard near the five mile stone at Golgate. They got to Lancaster at three o’clock and went to the meeting house. They got drinking with Isaac Cross. They met William Goring’s daughters on the street. Then they went “to see John Parkinson, my old friend” and his brother Richard. They went to see “Fenton Street just beginning the first house.” They walked through the town. They met the Goring girls again which made David happy.

The next few days he and Titus were making plans to go to Manchester Quarterly meeting but harvest intervened and they were unable to go.

They were throng in shearing until the 20th of the 10th month when it rained so he and Thomas went by packet boat to Lancaster meeting. After the meeting he went to read the newspapers at the “Crooked Billet”. “The affairs in Holland in bad situation. The allies it is thought will be driven out. A desperate battle, the French victorious and took Zurich. The loss of the allies 20,000 and the general killed.” He called at Betty Wade’s and got tea. He lent her the book, “The Life of Timothy Cragg”.

On the 5th of the 11th month David rode horseback to the Lancaster meeting. It rained very hard and he got thoroughly soaked as did two others who were racing with him. He dried himself as best he could at a public house and then called at Betty Wade’s until meeting time. Thomas Kelsall reported to the meeting that Suzy Birket had a son eight years ago which his grandfather William Birket was desirous of taking and bringing up learning his trade as a hatter. The meeting could not agree to this for the Ackworth school was the only place for him.

On the 16th of November - “Yesterday I was at a sale at Catshaw, George Lambert’s of cattle, husbandry and household goods - good sale. Titus went with me and we went by Catshaw factory then up the river Greenbrook to George Lamberts. The Greenbrook is remarkable for its steep banks on both side, amazing high rocks and scars, and undaunted is the mind that can look down without fear.”