Monday March 22nd

My ÔÇ£professionalÔÇØ reputation was at stake this morning. Father came in first hour after Abbey and told me young Wright, the Clerk of the Works wished to see me. The Dean had sent him to me about some inscription in the Cloister which was to be re-cut. The reason of this was that some years ago about 1903-4 the Dean asked Hine-Haycock to make a list of all those buried in the Cloisters. Hine turned the job on to me and for a time I worked away aided by C. E . Shearman who drew plans etc. Then Shearman left abruptly and since then the matter has hung round my neck and I have hardly touched the thing. However, today I went round and looked wise and tried to make out the inscription and told Wright I probably had it in my lists. I then searched up Library and found the grave to be a Mrs Catherine Smalbroke, the wife of a sometime Bishop of Lichfield (1760something). I thus saved my reputation and copied the dates etc. I find young Wright also found out most of the details but now we have enough to go upon. The net result is a sudden activity on my part and a renewal of interest so that I worked at it up Library this morning.