We are sharing a monthly look at the farm diary of John Foss, written from his dairy farm in Kingston Russell in 1851.
March 1851
In March, the weather starts cold, but soon gives way to rain and mild temperatures, with some stormy days at the end of the month. The farm begins to plant and sow crops such as potatoes and carrots.
Winter sniffles
The cold weather seems to be getting to the Fosses. On Monday 3rd, the whole family is seemingly unwell:
“Emma very ill in bed with a raish about her, Susey not very well, Fanny a bad cold, Wm the tooth… Cooper not well bad cold, thankful to day I am well”
Unfortunately, John’s luck doesn’t last, as by the next day he writes: “I have a very bad finger”. Emma and Susan are still unwell, and their servant Cooper has pain in his stomach”. John continues to mention his finger for the next few days (perhaps as a sympathy ploy?) until Thursday, when “Emma and Susan and my finger is better”.
Unfortunate accidents
On the 8th, John hears of his brother Samuel’s “sad accident” – he fell whilst carrying a “bag of flower” for a neighbour and broke his knee cap. The next day John heads down to Coryates, just outside Portisham, to see Samuel:
“found him in bed very ill his legs very much bruised and and swoln and his right knee dreadfully hurt”.
Samuel seems calm about his injuries, but John has a more pessimistic view: “I hope it will do well but fearing he will be a cripple”.
Some good news comes on Friday 21st, when John’s brother-in-law James Vine called into Pitcombe from Coryates: “Samuel is much better going on very well”.
Local drama
Much like any community, the people of rural Dorset loved a gossip. It seems that a local lady, Mrs Isaac, has opinions about the quality of the Fosses meat, reportedly telling a neighbour that “they Kill nothing but what the butcher would not bye [sic] and very young”. John is of the opinion that “Mrs Isaac have busyed herself rather too much for my liking” Indeed, he writes that “she has tried to Poisoned peoples minds towards us” and she “advised people to be aware of buying our Butter because it was not [weighed]”! John finishes his day by writing:
“Cannot think she is one to be depended on for just dealings because she is possessed of so bad … and wicked mind towards us.”
More from the “Mrs Litchfield affair”
Following on from last month’s saga, Mrs Litchfield returns from London on the 7pm train on Saturday the 22nd. John receives a letter letting him know of her plans the day before, and writes: “[she] want me to stay at Dorchester for her … don’t know what to do to stay so late” – perhaps he killed some time at the pub?
Mrs Litchfield brings word that Mr Litchfield may not be returning from London for three months, but when John takes her to the station at the end of the month he writes that “Mr L. do not think of returning again”.
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Interested in learning more about John Foss? Explore the other months of his 1851 from the list below: