About this time I thought as I had no one but myself, I would try gentleman’s service, not that I had any particular wish to leave Worlingham, but on the whole I thought I might better my condition, so agreed to go into the service of Edmund Skepper, Esq., Maltster, at Oulton, in the capacity of a groom and gardener. The family here consisted of master, mistress, widowed daughter, and grand daughter, two female servants, myself, and a lad living out to attend to cows, fowls, pigs, &c. The family professed to serve the Lord, the house-hold were summoned to morning devotion before breakfast: a short piece being read and prayer offered; also evenings before retiring to rest, bible reading and prayer: sermon and prayer on Sunday evenings. The services at the parish church were held alternately morning and afternoon, the other part we generally attended the church at Lowestoft, where we heard good Mr. Cunningham, or his curate, Mr. Hankinson, or Mr. Hawtry, of Pakefield; there was also a religious service held at a cottage near, conducted by Mr. Skepper, jun., who resided near with his family. At times I was permitted to attend those evening services, but that gentleman was not permitted to stay here but 42 years, he was attacked with violent typus fever during the summer of 1837, and was carried off after a short illness, leaving a widow with four sons and two daughters to mourn their loss. I wrote a few verses on the occasion of his funeral, this is a specimen. Oh messenger, how keen thy blow, Our worthy friend thou hast laid low: Yet we rejoice our reason’s just, In Jesus’ blood he placed his trust. I did not reside with this gentleman’s father at the time of his death, he having died the previous year, 1836, the mother having died in 1835. How quickly we are gone! I must beg to make a retrograde movement here, and go back to the duties devolving on me as gardener: the winter rolled on and spring approached, preparations were needed, there was in the garden a forcing pit, such an one I had never before seen, I sought and obtained the advice and assistance of Richard Sturman, he directed me how to proceed; acting under his advice we had a satisfactory supply of cucumbers, melons, and other garden produce.