“Saw in Chelsea ‘Leg of Beef Soup 2d per Bason’, so had a bason for dinner, which make-believe bason was nothing more than a large saucer on a high stand, with a broad thick bottom with pieces of meat like so much twine. ‘Remarks’: no more Chelsea soup. Edward Heskett, fellow clerk, made me present of a very nice mince pie. A maidservant of all work, Catherine Bird, left her situation at the wharf this evening. Left off old black trousers, otherwise they would soon left me off. Old Matthew Ward, father to the present Matthew Ward, if had lived would have completed his 96th year this day.”
The Life and Loves of a Victorian Clerk
The diary of Nathaniel Bryceson, 1846
The Life and Loves of a Victorian Clerk 
Matthew Ward snr b Jan 3rd 1750, but sadly we aren’t told where. I can’t see any burials or deaths in the London area for a Matthew Ward born in 1750 give or take a year or two. Of course we are limited by available resources online, and is possible he hailed from elsewhere.
I feel sorry for Nathaniel – what with his dreadful dinner, his issue with his black trousers, Catherine leaving Leas …. the 3rd wasn’t a good day for him. 🙂 The only shining light being Edward’s mince pie. 😉
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