Chapter Five - 1811 – 1813

Summary

On the 3^d. of Jan’y I went to a meeting at Mr. Florances, concerning the new charity school, for which above 70. boys were already recomended…

On Monday the 7^th. the school opened at the old assembly room in the Pallant,1 which was fitted up for 84 boys, & was to serve till the new room building by Gatehouse in the Pancras was ready…

On Thursday the 10^th. Miss Aspinwall, Mr. Clifton & John dined & went with us to the 3^d. public concert, whence however John was imediately sent for home on account of Sophia being taken with a fainting fit. – At this concert Mrs. Sims was again our principal singer, & Mess’rs Malsch & Kirchner augmented our instrumental band, in the course of which they played a concertante for a clarinet & bassoon. – On this day a severe frost broke up w’ch had lasted about 10. days…

On the next morning I had a game at shuttlecock with the 2 eldest Miss Godmans in their hall, when we played all 3 together in a triangle with sometimes 2 shuttlecocks going together, which exercise I afterw’ds frequently used to step in & partake of with them. In the even’g John came in to play some trios with Henry & me.

On Monday the 14^th. Henry dined with his brother, both of whom however came in at ½ past 7. to meet Mess’rs Clifton Cudmore & R Michell, with whom we played some of Mozart's sestetto symphonies & a long but famous Quintetto of Beethoven in E flat…

On Wed’y the 23^d. Mr. Clifton & John spent the ev’g with Henry & I […] after which we played some of Mozarts & other quartettos, of which Mr. C. & I alternately took the 1^st. fiddle & tenor.

On Thursday the 24^th. we all went to the third private concert, after w’ch Henry went to supper with a party at Mr. Leeves’s. The room being very thin at this concert, Mrs. M. renewed her cold which came on quite bad the next day…