In 1740, High Farm, Pinchinthorpe (centre of photo) was owned by Ralph Ward

Ward, a Guisborian, was “once described as the richest commoner in North Yorkshire“¹‘Ralph Jackson’s Diary – Part 1: Introduction’. 2018. The Captain Cook Society (CCS) <https://www.captaincooksociety.com/home/detail/ralph-jackson-s-diary-part-1-introduction#:~:text=once%20described%20as%20the%20richest%20commoner%20in%20North%20Yorkshire> [accessed 21 January 2023] with property in Boulby, Loftus, Aislaby (Yarm), Sandsend, and Guisborough. He was related to the Pease family of Darlington and through his sister’s marriage to the Jackson family²“Guisborough Before 1900”. Edited by B.J.D. Harrison and G. Dixon. Page 118. 1982. ISBN 0 9507827 0 X..

Farming seemed to have been his main business, buying and selling cattle, sheep, and hides, as well as ‘wintering‘ cattle, but increasingly he was into money lending involving very large sums. Ward played an active role in Guisborough town life as a Justice of the Peace, Overseer of Highways and Commissioner of Land Tax³Ibid..

Ralph Ward is best known though for the diary he kept, of which the years 1754-56 survive and have been published⁴“Two Yorkshire Diaries — The diary of Arthur Jessop and Ralph Ward’s Journal.” Edited by C.E, Whiting. Cambridge University Press. 2013..

So, on this day in 1755 what was Ralph Ward up to?

Jana 21. I went in the morning to Ormsby along with John Aysley and servant T.p. there being a public sale there of Household goods where I bought 4 Fire ranges with fender, poker, Shovel & Tongs to each and 2 brushes to them all, also a dum Water⁵dumb waiter, Reading desk, with a little table and Candle stick all of mahoggany also 6 Chares for all which I paid 13: 8: 6, put up my Horse at Mr Robinson’s where I dined, he being then very ill in the Gout, his Tenant Mr·Watson was there with him, ill in the same distemper. all day fine Weather Wind So. got home in same Company before 5 in the evening, when went to the Sitting of Excise and received of the Collector £150, for which gave a Bill on Robert Core, ·Stayed till nine at Night.

• 1
  ‘Ralph Jackson’s Diary – Part 1: Introduction’. 2018. The Captain Cook Society (CCS) <https://www.captaincooksociety.com/home/detail/ralph-jackson-s-diary-part-1-introduction#:~:text=once%20described%20as%20the%20richest%20commoner%20in%20North%20Yorkshire> [accessed 21 January 2023]
• 2
  “Guisborough Before 1900”. Edited by B.J.D. Harrison and G. Dixon. Page 118. 1982. ISBN 0 9507827 0 X.
• 3
  Ibid.
• 4
  “Two Yorkshire Diaries — The diary of Arthur Jessop and Ralph Ward’s Journal.” Edited by C.E, Whiting. Cambridge University Press. 2013.
• 5
  dumb waiter