HOME Picture page History pages The church site Our founder The British School The first pastorate Annual Report 1859 Annual Report 1860 Rebuilding 1866-7 Morning worship 1873 Pew rents Roll of ministers Three prominent members Abraham Slade's Journal Twickenham in 1898 F.W.Pearce 1866-1928 Slade advert

Twickenham United Reformed Church

Local History: The Journal of Abraham Slade 1817-1903

Introduction and Prologue 1856-57 1858-59
1860-61 1862-67 1868-80 1881-86 1887-1903

- 1862

Jan. 4th. ...My Brother Tom came to see us on the 23 of Dec. and returned on the 27th. per Great Western. Mrs and Mr Hunter from Richmond dined with us on Christmas day and we spent the afternoon and evening at home very comfortable.
This last year has been an eventful one; the death of Prince Albert just at Christmas has made things very dull... My house that I am building will be furnished by Lady day if well...

11th. We have an unusual mild winter. I am building Batcombe Lodge near Popes Grove (now 57 Popes Avenue) - We have had good weather and I hope to get it finished to let by March, and if all is well to begin another house - but I say if the Lord will, I will.

26th. I am at this time sorely tried. This year has commenced with sore trials - What is commonly called bad luck has attended nearly all my labours - losses of various kinds, beside no business doing in the selling department and were it not for the hope and trust and confidence I place in my heavenly Father I should not be able to stand up against it as well as I do. My building is progressing very favourably and hope I shall be successsful to let it when finished...

Feb. 24th. Nearly another month is past... I see the last report speaks of bad luck &tc - but I am apt to complain to soon... Business is better and I have no reason to complain, and why should I. Batcombe Lodge is nearly completed and I am commenced yesterday 22nd. with another Villa to be called Longleat Villa (now 59 Popes Avenue) after the celebrated seat of the Marquis of Bath in Somersetshire...

March 29th. ...I am progressing with my house called Longleat Villa, whilst Batcombe Lodge is not let. The weather has been so wet. It has rained nearly all through the month...

June 1st. My Book has been laid aside for sometime - But I have again to refer to the goodness of God, for I have finished Batcomb Lodge and got it let at a cost of about 370£ and Longleat Villa is nearly finished. I hope in a month to have it completed... I have now taken a Bible Class of young lads from 3 to 4 every sabbath afternoon... I began last sabbath with 3 and to day I had 5.

22nd. The weather is very cold. Snow has fallen to great depth in the north during the last week. Trade is rather brisk at presant.

July 5th. ...Went last Tuesday down to Cookham with a load of goods and was oblidged to wear my overcoat. It was so cold, more like November... Religion is at a very low ebb in Twickenham, but it always has been so ever since I have known it, which is now over 14 years. Strong Church - but no vital religion. I pray that the Church of England may soon be purged of her heresys, and till then I shall always remain a dissenter.

Aug. 23rd. ...Trade is revived. I have been down to the country. Went to a tea meeting at Upton, it being the feast, and to my surprise, on returning I found that my apprentice Fredk. Harvey had ran away and is still of I know not where. But he is a worthless fellow, and I shall not trouble about him... Longleat Villa is let for 3 years at 46 pounds per annum. My Bible Class is getting on...

Sept. 14th. Business is not very brisk. I have 3 moving jobs in hand and a job for Mr Twining's Museum (to slate the roof). But I bless God that I have a trifle coming in from my houses. But my family of 6 children are expensive...

Oct. 5. The week past has been a very busy one. We have a job on at Notting Hill for Mr Seimens, late of the Gothic House, Twickenham Common, and a job at Feltham, beside several small jobs near home. I have been working to hard this last week... I do not enjoy the robust health I did some years ago... My poor friend Hunter that is now in Australia is failed in business so I hear. I am afraid he took a wrong step in going out there. When God blesses us at home we ought not to run away from his providence.

Nov. 5. ...I think men in business seem to live half their days - the weeks are gone before we can discover their flight. Although at this time a cotton famine is raging in Lancashire whereby about 7 hundred thousand are thrown out of employ, through the American Civil War, and our poor are suffering, yet trade is pretty good about this part...

John Nash Goatly died Nov. 2nd. 1862 aged 52 years. And we buried him at Ealing old church on the 8th. This man was the only man that ever took me by the hand in business. I have found in him a friend, and in him I have lost one...

Dec. 27th. Christmas is once more over and past. I have spent it very quite at home with my family. Christmas day was as mild as may. The sun shone all day and so it is still very mild. Trade is very slack. We have some cases for Mr Twining's Museum, beyond that we have very little else at presant.

- 1863 -

... Jan. 11th. ..Thank God I have paid my last year's acccounts and find I have something handsome left to go on with. But I now toil hard for my family's sake... ...

March 8th. ...Trade is reviving. Family all well. Have taken a piece of ground next the 2nd Cross road of Mr Saunders. I intend D.V. to build 3 shops on it. ...

May 31st. ..I find the shower bath very beneficial. I recommend it in all cases of debility, especially in summer... I have began 3 shops, which trust I shall live to complete, for my dear children's sake.

July 14th. 1863. My poor dear Arthur aged 9 years : About 6 in the evening went alone to bathe in the river near Whitton, and got into a deep hole and lost his life, was brought home quite dead. Was buried in Twickenham Burial Ground on the 18th Saturday afternoon... Oh the anguish of soul it has caused his parents... ...

July 2nd. ...My Dear Wife staid with me to Sacrament of the Lord's supper - bless the Lord. ...

Oct. 4th. I have been reflecting on the uncertainty of things in this world... My Dear Father is dead, Mr Goatly, my poor boy & many others. Hunter and my 2 brothers in Australia, perhaps no more, as I have not heard from them for 5 years, my sister Miriam in America...

Oct. 6th. An earthquake occurred this morning at a quarter past 3 o'clock. It seems to have taken a south westerly direction shaking many towns and villages in its course, from Blackheath in Surry down through the counties of Berkshire, Wilts, Somerset, Devon, Gloucester & in Wales. But thank God no damage has been done either to life or property - 3 distant shocks was herd and felt by thousands of people.

7th. This morning at 1/4 past 12 o'clock, The Lord has given me another son. I have not yet christened him, but think of calling him Alfred, and may he not only be Alfred the great, but Alfred the good...

15th. I have to day bought myself a horse to take me about for I find I cannot walk so well as I used to...

- 1864 -

... Feb. 3rd. Frank Arnold arrived from Gillingham and came to work for me.

Feb. 8th. My pony has this morning run away and broke my van, and nearly killed a large cart horse. The expense to me will be nearly 11 pounds, besides bruising me and shaking my nervous system so that I have not felt right since...

27th. ...My system has been very much upset with the horse running away, beside a violent cold settled on my chest. Business is pretty good, but I am not able to see to it...

March 19th. ...Business is very good as far as the working part goes. I find I am in the hands of a set of scandal mongers all engaged in picking holes in my character and reputation, and these are the very men that I have befriended... and they are all staunch professors of religion...

May 22nd. I yesterday heard from my brother Jacob in New Zealand. I am glad he is alive and should like to hear from Isaac, and thank God, my poor mother is restored after a long illness...

July 10th. This last 2 months has been 2 busy ones. We have had almost more work than we could do. Have had sufficient for 8 men... 27. Went down and saw my mother & friends... Old Uncle William 70 years of age with some other old people danced to the Teetotlers band. Left my poor dear old mother quite well. ...

Sept. 10th. Saturday evening. My man Woollett has this evening given me a week's notice to leave me after being with me for seven years... For along time past he has been dissatisfied and has been slandering me behind my back, and has made my 2 apprentices dissatisfied. I have placed confidence in him by sending him out to my customers - which he has turned to his own account by getting my work away - and now to crown the whole, Him and Pond has taken a shop close by me and is about opening against me - What the result will be I am at a loss to say...

25 Sept. This last week has been one of toil - I have removed a good customer away from the neighbourhood (Mr Dahne from Belmont to Hampton Wick) - My man Woollett has left me - I have advertised for a workman and received several replies...

Nov. 6th. I have been very idle this last year in keeping my journal... Business is very good. Although my man Woollet has set up against me and tried to get over my customers to himself, and in many instances to successful - yet the Lord has sent me sufficient... I am very much pained at the state of religion in Twickenham - Independency is split up by dissensions - The Baptist are making no progress - The Methodist meet together to canvas and scandalise their neighbours... The Church meets and preaches and prays - the people go home and do their business and some go to the alehouse and smoke and drink and talk away an hour - But no vital religion.

Dec. 4th. For this last month I have had a great deal of trouble with my men. One that I engaged from the advertisement, although professing to be a workman was not so - another was a confirmed drunkard - but, bless God, he has sent me a man who I engaged on the 29 of Nov - and I hope he will suit me...

- 1865

Jan. 1st....I built 3 shops in Chesnut Place (corner of Staines Road) at the beginning of the year, and now I am about beginning 3 cottages at the back of them which I have saved this year...

Feb. 5th. ...Business is fair for the time of year. I am Building 3 small cottages for myself - in the Second Cross Road at the back of my shops. The weather has been very severe and all against us. Money is scarce - a commodity we cannot do without... ...

Oct. 1st. For six months I have neglected to keep any memorandum of my affairs, but not wishing to forget it altogether I will now note down a few particulars - This has been a remarkably fine summer and trade has been very brisk.
I have taken a lease of the corner piece of ground with the house called The Willows at the corner of 1st Cross Road (this was the Shaw's house - see the Church Site) for 99 years at £62.10 rent. I have built 2 houses on it and have enough land for building 2 more. The situation is good and I trust will be successful...
Frank Arnold has been working for me at 27/- per week constant place, but he has been getting on very bad, getting drunk and neglecting his work, and associating with the lowest degraded company... He was sent by me to do a job of work in the South Road, but insted of doing his work, he fastened the door and laid down on the floor and fell to sleep where I found him, and civilly told him that he ought to know better. When he set himself up and told me he would leave me and give me a bad name... Now all this was very vexing to receive from a man that I had befriended in every possible way... he left me and the next morning he got away his tools - I have made a truthful statement of the occurrance that it may be known in after years who was in fault...

Oct. 8th. My enemies cannot let me alone... Since I last wrote Bank, a carpenter, has left me - a drunken worthless fellow and he is one of the slanderers a1so... Two steady men has been recommended to me, John and Wm. Hannon, so I trust I shall be more comfortable...

28th. ...The treachery of those men who turned round on me is fallen on their own heads - not one of them is doing so well as they were with me...

Dec. 10th. This has been a year of severe trial to me. I have experianced severe trials in my business, but worse than this my men have been continually conspiring against me... Mr Jackson preached his first sermon last sabbath morning in the Independent Chapel (The first of the 3 months engagement).

Dec. 31st. ...Christmas has passed away and the weather has been very mild - Much drunkeness and riot by many people - Went to Clapham, Brixton & St Martins Lane on Boxing Day... got home safe... I have lost much of my jobbing work through the treachery of my men - Am finishing of my corner shop for Mr Goatly. It is to be a butchers let on lease for 21 years (this was at the corner of Hampton and First Cross Roads, and would be a butcher's shop until recent times) - My anticipations for the next year are but poor what with loss of customers, high wages demanded by workmen - and every thing as far as business goes looks gloomy - My only hope is in God...

- 1866

Jan. 6th. I find by my accounts that on the whole this has been a prosperous year... although I have so much opposition yet...

Oct. 21st. 8 Months is past away since I last wrote in this book... I have heard from my brother Isaac in Australia. We all thought him dead as we had not heard of him for seven years, and we have heard from my brother Jacob in New Zealand - Business with me is pretty good. I am again building 2 Villas in Popes Grove (probably Carnarvon Villas, 65 & 67 Popes Avenue) and hope to get them done by Christmas
The people are altering the Independent Chapel and I am afraid they are going to entail a heavy mortgage on it which will be a heavy drag to my neighbours as well as myself & family... When Lady Shaw died she died intestate - and 560 pounds had been lent by her at the erection of the chapel, so that her heirs made a claim for that amount... the whole of the property was sold to Mr A.Bowring of Fenchurch St London, and the people then formed a committee of 12 to carry out the repurchase of the property from Mr Bowring and among the rest my name was placed among the number (but without my sanction), and when done I did not unfortunately withdraw it.
A scheme was then set on foot by a few of the leaders of this movement to borrow six hundred pounds and pay off the debt... and to this I consented. But some few were not satisfied by this but wished for alterations in the property that would involve a very heavy outlay... amounting in all to about 2800 pounds. My name was put with another as Treasurer but my partner took every thing into his own hands and I never saw any of the books or accounts... and feel sorry ever my name was associated with a proceeding which instead of helping the cause of Christ, I am afraid will be a heavy clog to it. I would advise all my children to beware how they act in all these matters... I would hope the matter may end well and that my fears may fall to the ground.
Christmas is once more come - and I have paid a visit to my native place to see my aged Mother, 75 years - I have not been in the country at Christmas for 24 years before this year. I enjoyed myself with them and left all well.

- 1867

Jan. 11th. My Brother Jacob, 34 years of age, is come from New Zealand and staying with us. He has been gold digging and been pretty fortunate. Jan. 31st. We have this day lost our dear little Miriam this evening at 5 o'clock - I had been to town and was just home in time to see her breathe her last... She was born in April 1865...

Feb. 6th. I am this day 50 years old...

14th. The Lord has been pleased to day to give me another little treasure in heaven, a little girl which only breathed a few times and then the little Spirit left its clay to be with Jesus. May we be prepared also when the Master cometh. 17th. To day received a letter from my Brother Isaac in Australia, in which he says he is doing well.

June 21st. My Brother Jacob has left to day for Australia. Sailed from Gravesend in the Ship Kent - 1000 Tons register...

July 20th. Went by train to Upton to see my Mother & friends...

29th. Went from Upn. to Bridport by train from Witham - passd through a delightful country - was cordially received by Mr and Mrs Fry... Went out to Hope Rocks by the sea and had a bathe (twice). Returned home to Twickenham on the 3rd of Aug. Had Miss Alice Fry for our guest for one week. ...

Dec. 18th. ...My Brother Jacob is arrived in Melbourne... Cousin Ben is working in Bologne (France) - Trade dull, Clerkenwell Prison wall blown down by Fenians - Alarms on every hand of incendries, murders, earthquakes, distress and famines. Bless God all is well with me and mine.


Introduction and Prologue 1856-57 1858-59 1860-61 1862-67 1868-80 1881-86 1887-1903


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