Part 2: Odd jobs - Sweeping chimneys, winter 1896 and 1897
Monday 3rd January 1897
Got home [from an outing to London] by 11.15 just in time for a
job. Drove F.E. Sendall to Crawley with Taylor.
Tuesday 4th January 1897
Went to Faygate with Dad. Afterwards drove Mr Lane to Roffey.
Wednesday 5th January 1897
With Dad to Beedingwood chimney sweeping.
Thursday to Saturday 7th – 9th January 1897
Very slack this end of the week. Scarce anything to do in the
sweeping line and very little with the horses. Mr Wheeler, Grocer,
has the big mare for a time, his horse having gone lame.
Unfortunately ours has given out now. I can’t help thinking Bert is
partly responsible for it. Ours makes the third gone wrong in a
very little while.
Monday 11th January 1897
Dad agreed to buy a pony of Mr Wheeler, one lately driven by Mr
Roe. Not a very grand animal but I think it is worth its price of
£4.0.0.
Week ending Saturday 16th January 1897
Still rather slack, especially with the horses. Dad bought another
one this week (a rather poor old cob). We did think the big mare
would be sent home again from Wheelers as he got another, but ours
is much better now so they are going to give her another trial.
Chimney sweeping again on Friday and Saturday. Did two on my own on
the latter day.
Chimneysweep E. Tupper, Worthing, c.
1895, reproduced with permission from West Sussex Past Pictures,
Ref: PP.WSL/N058014, Rep: West Sussex County Council Library;
Image credit.
We don’t have any photos of Billy or his father at their chimney
sweeping but they were probably equipped much like this
fellow.
Tuesday 19th January 1897
Went to Baynards and Tismans Common with Black Pony and van for Mr
Lane.
Monday 25th January 1897
Drove Mr Attwater to Field Place this morning. Afterwards, window
cleaning.
Week ending Saturday 30th January 1897
Been rather busier this week. Had one or two very fair days
sweeping. Slack with horses possibly on account of weather. Snow
and frost still hangs about.
Tuesday 2nd February 1897
Wet miserable all day long, in fact a dark day all through[1]. Went sweeping again and had to be helped
out of two jobs. All got up a bit late. Dad bad tempered (not to
me) but better this evening.
Week ending 6th February 1897
Very wet all the week. Rain continuously. Consequently the river
and streams round about are very much swollen. Have had one or two
wet journeys. On Friday Went to Oakleigh Slinfold for Watsham, a
fair trial. Went sweeping at Beedcock and other places that way.
Managed to pull in a very fair day’s pay. Dad went to Coolham for
Mr Lane and unfortunately stayed too long at the “Cock” again. Got
back rather late and a bit “on”.
Sunday 7th February 1897
Having yesterday received from Phil Taylor an offer of a start at
the Palace again and after seriously thinking the matter over,
wrote him to thank him and decline the job, at least for a time,
much as I would like to go back, I don’t think I should leave home
for Dad certainly shows no sign of improving.
Saturday 20th February 1897
Work not very brisk yet. I’ve done two very fair jobs at Miss
Parkes, Monks Gate, and Major Dibley’s but scarce anything beside
all the week. Mr Wheeler returned the mare today having had her
since Dec. 30 and paying 3/6 per week.
Week ending 27 February 1897
Much better weather this week but work has been rather slack, both
sweeping and with horses.
Thursday April 1st 1897
Up this morning at 3.30 having to be at Leonardslea by 5 a.m. to
sweep kitchen chimney.
Leonardslee House, near Lower
Beeding, c. 1910, reproduced with permission from West Sussex Past
Pictures, Ref:PP/WSL/PC005590, Rep: West Sussex County Council
Library;
Image credit.
Week ending 24 April 1897
Had plenty of work this week, both sweeping and with horses.
Consequently have had but little time to myself.
Thursday 6th May 1897
Been to Warnham Court with Dad this afternoon (chimney sweeping).
Have never been in the house before. Fine place, everything A1.
Have to go again tomorrow, also to Lady Loders, Leonardslea.
Warnham Court, South Terrace,
Warnham, C. 1910, reproduced with permission from West Sussex Past
Pictures, Ref: PP/WSL/p001167, Rep: West Sussex County Council
Library;
Image credit.
Saturday 8th May 1897
Reverend Harkness, Netherwood[2],
this morning. Did 5 chimneys.
Week ending Saturday 15th May 1897
Had a pretty good week again. Monday at New Park and Holbrook.
Tuesday to Maybanks for A.W. Richardson[3] with the mare and after to Handcross and
Nuthurst for Lane. Wednesday to Warnham Court again with Dad. Had a
very difficult job with drawing room chimney. Thursday to R. Rhode
Esq[4]., Ranfold Grange, and Friday
to Smith’s Postlands[5], Pape’s New
Lodge and Warnham Court. Think we have finished there now, for a
time anyway.
Monday 24th May 1897
This morning preliminary papers were signed by sureties re the
Crawley Mail Contract for which we tendered. Don’t know if we have
the job but I rather think so. Dad “wetting” the job
copiously.
Tuesday 25th May 1897
Drove to Rowfold Grange, Billingshurst, for Sendall Bros. and
afterwards had a turn at sweeping owing to Dad fooling about
again[6].
Wednesday 26th May 1897
This morning went to Pease Pottage for Mr Bryce (first time I’ve
been there) then to Colgate (T.L.B. Lebique Esq.) and swept five
chimneys. Got back to find Dad, who had been to Southwater, very
much “on” again.
Monday 31st May 1897
Been to Roffey Vicarage, Dunhorse and several places in the Town
sweeping. At it till 7.30 p.m.
Friday 4th June 1897
Dad after all has decided to have nothing to do with the Crawley
Mail. Have written to withdraw the tender. I must confess as to
being in doubt myself as to whether we should reap any benefit from
it at the price we put in.
Tuesday 15th June 1897
Been to Leonardslea and swept several chimneys this morning. Not so
busy now in that line. Fairly busy in horse hire.
- [1] This is a reference
to a letter he received from his sweetheart telling him their
relationship was over in response, Billy believed, to the news that
he was back to chimney sweeping. See the theme on “Billy
a-courting”.
- [2] The Rev. George
Harkness was Vicar of Shipley and in his seventies when he had his
chimney swept (1901 English Census).
- [3] Alfred Richardson
was a plumber and decorator living in Denne Road, Horsham (1901
Census).
- [4] Robert Turner
Rhode, a retired banker and farmer living with his large household
in Slinfold (1901 English Census).
- [5] Southwater.
- [6] See the theme on
"The Demon Drink".
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