Entertaining Girls at Twickenham Farm

Twickenham farm stood on the west side of Yonge Street north of Elgin Mills. From 1836 to 1843 it was home to the Larratt and Mary Smith family. One of their children, Larratt Smith, Jr., left to study law in Toronto, but kept diary records of his weekend and holiday visits to the home farm:

A Summer Weekend

Saturday 2nd [July 1840]. Mary,Adelaide, & Miss Irving went into the woods & swung all morning on a tree while I mended the leaky water puncheon, helped to plant broccoli & picked gooseberries. After dinner I saddled Fop but Adelaide tumbled off & Miss Irving would not ride. Music in the evening & singing.

Sunday 3rd. After church we walked in the fields to see the horses & I played the fool with the girls.

Monday 4th. Elizabeth Boyd came over, I put up the tent & had great fun all morning. Then after dinner I harnessed Fop & Mask and we all piled into the lumber wagon & drove down to a party at Parsons farm where we sang songs & danced. I waltzed with Miss Irving to the music of "Forget me Not" & "Have Yesterday" till 1 in the morning.

Tuesday 5th. Raining hard all morning. I was having such great fun fooling with the girls on the verandah I nearly missed the stage coach which came by at 10 o'clock. The stage was so full I was obliged to ride outside. Got into town about 2 p.m.

Mary Larratt Smith,Young Mr. Smith of Upper Canada(Toronto:University of Toronto Press,1980),p. 64

A Winter Holiday

Wednesday 29th [December 1841]. This morning I drove Miss Irving over to Boyd's farm to borrow a few things for our party tomorrow. Coming home I took us on a sleigh ride through the field but just as we neared our gate, the mare was thrown down & the sleigh upset in a snow bank. Miss Irving a little cross this evening, no waltzing. I went out & skated on Mr. Boyd's pond with John Boyd.

Friday 31st. Our party last night was not as large as usual, as the Thornes,Barries, & Parsons were all unwell with bad colds, Acland's wife had hurt her hand, & Mrs. Cockburn could not be prevailed upon to let the girls come. However the Gappers,Sharpes,Boyds,Pollywog Stewart & his wife, all came, everyone danced & all seemed satisfied with the supper. The party broke up soon after 1 as it began to snow very hard.

Mary Larratt Smith,Young Mr. Smith of Upper Canada(Toronto:University of Toronto Press,1980),p. 73