Part 4: Odd jobs - Painting again, 1898

Saturday 22nd January 1898
Been painting the cart for Dad all week. No sign of a job yet.
 
Tuesday 8th February 1898
Have been to Coney Hurst Common for Lane today with horse and van accompanied by poor little “Simon Peter”[1]. Coming home he was riding on the front board and fell off. Both wheels passed over him and killed him almost instantaneously, poor little fellow. I’m very sorry!
 
Sunday 13th February 1898
Have been doing West Grinstead Mail work since Thursday, Coppard being laid up with influenza.
 
Monday 7th March 1898
“Never rains but it pours”. Today I find myself in possession of two “starts”, one at Capel for Attwater, the other at the new Bank for Rowland. After consideration, have decided to take the first as I had first spoken to Mr A.
 
Tuesday 8th March 1898
Caught 8.23 for Capel. Found the job at Clarks Green – Vaughan Esq. Dining room, hall etc. inside an all the outside of house. Nice little job apparently. Fortunately we are to do inside first as weather is very cold and the house lays rather bleak. Bob Francis[2] (in charge), Harry Brooks[3], and Crisford[4] compose the gang. [We] make 12 hours a day [and] all lodge together.
 
Saturday 12th March 1898
Finished first week for Attwater. All right so far. Find Bob Francis a very fair foreman and good mate. Got lodgings & railway fare & 6½d as a matter of course.
 
Week ending 26th March 1898
Still at W. Vaughan Esq., Clarkes Green. Finished hall this week and very nice it looks. Woodwork all cream and dull varnish. Ceiling panelled with anaglypta and white. Frieze cream ground with an ivory effect obtained by wiping. Filling on walls a red and gold Japanese paper. We get on better than ever now. By the Lady’s orders, have coffee and vegetables with our dinner and all have tea at 5 p.m.
 
Monday 4th April 1898
W. Vaughan Esq., Clarks Green. After work we took a walk to Ockley. Coming home we sighted a piece of land by roadside that someone evidently intended to “grab” having stuck a lot of posts therein. We immediately decided to uproot them which we were doing when we were disturbed by the village policeman who took our names etc. and left us with the impression that we should hear more of it later on. Tuesday we did hear more of it – two coppers honoured our job with their presence to find out if we had given our correct names.
 
Thursday 7th April 1898
After work this afternoon we four sat down to a fair old English feed by order of Mrs Vaughan. After the supper (or dinner) passed a fairly enjoyable evening with song and bottle. Worked all day Good Friday. Home Saturday to find Mr Attwater had heard from Colonel Calvert to the effect that he did not intend to proceed further in the post matter on condition we discontinued to interfere with the rights (?) of the writer. All of us consider it a very satisfactory ending of the matter.
 
Tuesday 11th April 1898
To Clarkes Green again. Didn’t expect to come this week as we are almost finished. Thursday, quite finished to the satisfaction of Mr and Mrs Vaughan [who] gave us 5/- “to get a drink” and great praise for both our work and conduct. Am rather sorry job is finished. Shall probably miss the kind treatment we have had here. Somewhat of a surprise was in store for us (Brooks, Crisford and I) when Arthur came up with the van. We were all three put off, they practically having no work in. Still, it’s a good time to get the “push”.
 
Friday 15th April 1898
Rode to Reigate this morning (via Crawley and called at Ockendens). Had no difficulty in getting a start at Killicks for Monday next. Saturday more jobs turned up. Ockenden wrote offering a job and in the evening had word from Rowland Bros. that I could start there. Accepted the offer and reluctantly wrote to Killick at Reigate and to Ockenden. Am a bit disappointed as I would like to have a summer at Reigate.
 
Monday 18th April 1898
Started for Rowland Bros. at the new Front Entrance of Oliver Pratt York & Coy., North Street with Harry Brooks again.
 
Tuesday 26th April 1898
Finished our job in North Street and under orders for the New Bank on Carfax.
 
Wednesday 27th April 1898
Started at new L&C Bank on Carfax. Nice little job. Walls and ceilings distempered, wood stained and varnished. Well built place, don’t suppose there is another building to equal it anywhere round here.

 
Carfax with bandstand and Wheeler's Bank, Horsham, 1898, , reproduced with permission from West Sussex Past Pictures, Ref: PP.WSL/P000999, Rep: West Sussex County Council Library Service; Image credit.

• [1] The little dog Billy had been given earlier in the previous year.
• [2] Bob Francis was a painter in his late thirties, living with his wife and three teenagers in Rushams Road, Horsham (1901 English Census).
• [3] Harry Brooks was a painter and glazier, aged in his early thirties, and living with his wife and young family in St. Leonard’s Road Horsham (1901 English Census).
• [4] Probably Ernest Crisford, a 17 year old painter living with his sister and widowed mother in Upper New Street, Horsham (1901 English Census).
  
   
• Part 5: Odd jobs - More building work, 1898 and 1899
  
  

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