Had it been at any other time of the year, this wo’d probably have been a very dissipated week with me [the week commencing 13 January] as I had a 4th. invitation to make one at the Sessions dinner in the assembly room, but this I felt no inclination for during the then cold weather & therefore declined, & again enjoyed the luxury of my own fireside. – On the follow’g day however I went in a chair to a musical party in the even’g at Mr. Phipps’s, in St. John's street where I met the Pilkingtons, Millers, the Dean, Mess’rs Marwood Goddard A. Bennett & my son &c. &c. when we had some instrumental as well as vocal music…

On Feb’y 4th. Mr. Huskisson sent in his resignation as M.P. for Chich’r & on the next morning Mr. Poyntz came over to canvass the electors, on the evening of which day I went to a musical party at Mr. Watkins's at which were near 45 people in one room… On this day the cold weather returned & on the next increased with much snow, on which day Sir G. Webster arrived & began canvassing, so that it seemed we were now to have a contest…

On Tuesday 11th. the Chich’r election came on, but the polling did not commence till the afternoon, owing to the length of the speeches & preliminary business & the wrangling of the council employed & when it did every voter was rigourously examined. Having made two attempts but not being able to get in from the great crowd I found it expedient to defer giving my vote…

Finding that the early part of the morning was the best time to avoid the crowd at the hall I the next morning [15 February] as soon as I had breakfasted went there at the opening of the business… Afterwards Mr. Godman & I gave our votes for Mr. Poyntz & were only questioned by the facetious Mr. Cullen (Sir Godfrey's council) as to the having fully paid up our poor rates…