Extract from Thomas Marchant's Diary

The 3rd January 1714 Munday. A windy day and snow’d hard towards night. Deliver'd 4 bushels barly to Whiteman’s Green. My Wife and I and Mr John Hart and Willy din’d at Danny with Mr Healy. Mr Richard Whitpaine and his wife Mary, Mr Bill and Mrs Whitfield and the French man. Mr Whitpaine came not ‘till towards night. We staid late and drank too much. I shot a rook in Tully’s coppice in the morning. Mr Beaumont came in the afternoon but went away before supper. He wore my hat home instead of his own and I sent for him the next morning. Gave my gardener a shilling.

The 10th May 1727 Wednesday. A showry day. Begun clean the home close. Shut up the Bank’s cow’s calf. This day or tomorrow is my Wife’s birthday, she being 48 years old. (Ed: By this time Thomas had been married 27 years!).

The 19th May 1727 Fryday. A gloomy morning, fine afternoon. Mr William Martin, Mr Picknall, his daughter Molly and I and John Pelham went to Portsmouth. Saw all the stores and the fortifications and went on board the Royal William a first rate Man of War being as large as any in the Navy and a very fine sight as I think. Return’d to Chichester in the evning. Din’d at the Two Fighting Cocks in Portsmouth. (Ed: The Royal William was launched in 1719 and was of very advanced design as the framing was charred to prevent rot. Equipped with 104 guns the vessel remained in commission until 1813).

The 13th October 1727 Fryday. A fine day. I din’d at Mr Price’s with Mr Cannon of Tillington. Plough’d and sow’d. Sent Thomas Elvey to Brighton on the young mare for a Let Pass but the son of a bitch made an other excuse so that he sent him home again without it.

(Ed: And next day BY POST…….)

The 14th October 1727 Saturday. A fine day. Plough’d and sow’d. Mr William Martin came to dinner. Mr Waller sent a Let Pass per post.

The 1st November 1727 Wednesday. A gloomy day. Went to see Danny Sandfield pond fisht but they could not get the water out. I went to Danny with Mr Beard etc, Stephen Bine there and bought all Mr Henry Campion’s barly (except what he had bought before) at a guinea per quarter. I got drunk, fie upon ’t. Elliot Wood’s man brought the ewes to Lox and had home one of the cowes I sold him.

The 8th April 1728 Munday. A fine day. Thomas Elvey and Marrian Edwards return’d from Oxford and brought the dismal news that Jack Marchant died a Fryday night last about eleven aclock. (Ed: This was his son!)