WOMEN'S LANGUAGE & EXPERIENCE, 1500-1940
Women's Diaries and Related Sources

Part 3: Sources from Suffolk County Record Office and Cambridge University Library

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

Part 3 of Women's Language and Experience, c1500-1940 is based on sources from Cambridge University Library and from Suffolk County Record Office. It includes 162 volumes of diaries, two volumes of correspondence, three commonplace books and 2 Ladies Pocket Journals. These describe the lives of 27 different women covering the period from 1799 through to 1943.

Reels 1-4 cover the material from Cambridge University Library.

Jane West's Tour in Wales and Ireland, 1810 begins with a description of Chester and her subsequent travels continuing through Flintshire, Denbighshire, Conway, Bangor to Holyhead, then the passage to Dublin, thence her journey to Dromore, from the coast of Antrim to Scotland, Port Patrick, Dumfries and so to Carlisle, thence through Yorkshire to Leicestershire.

There are a number of poems and other verses at the end of this volume; for instance on folio 75 there is a poem "To Glen Luce"; on folio 78 a poem "To Mrs Isted on Her Return from Ireland in 1807" and finally on the verso of folio 83, a further poem by Jane West entitled "A Farewell to Leamington, 1833".

Her diary of her tour in Wales and Ireland provides considerable detail of her travels.

The following are two brief extracts from her descriptions of the trades people in Dublin:

"A great number of labourers were employed upon the pier: an English eye could not help being struck with the difference between the sturdy, close buttoned, self-importance of an English porter, and the figures which now surrounded us: their forms slight, a sort of melancholy ferocity in their countenances: many without shoes or stockings, or hats, and all of them having some part of their garniture floating in the wind..."
On ff 31 and 32 she returns to this same theme:

"... But in our sister Kingdom there is not that gentle gradation of ranks which preserves society in one continuous chain from the prince to the beggar: when you get below the rank of gentry, the difference of inhabitants on each side of the channel is striking: The trades people at Dublin in manner and appearance, held no comparison with those I had been accustomed to see: You seldom meet well dressed women in the streets. From the window of the hotel in Frederick Street, I looked with surprise on the walking costume which most frequently passed, and it would be difficult to conceive one of less compactness and symmetry: I speak not of those who "bare footed trod the flinty pavement" reminding me of Jane Shore's penance, but of such as I should suppose were the wives of artisans, or household servants: The upper garments of these were brown great coats, loaded with a superfluity of capes, and fastened at the throat with one button: No hat, but to supply the deficiency, a double quantity of cap and border... Respecting the want of shoes and stockings, I do not think the deprivation costs so much in suffering, as it does in comfortable appearance..."

The journal compiled by Mrs Harriet Miller covers her tours on the Continent in the Alps and in Germany during 1856. The diary opens with a description of Harriet Miller and her husband, Professor W H Miller leaving Cambridge to spend a few days with their friends General and Mrs Sabine in Westminster en route to Switzerland. They arrive in London in time for the General and her husband to depart for the club dinner of the Royal Society. Mrs Sabine has just received a picture from Humboldt which represents him sitting in his study writing his Cosmos.

A sequence of twenty-four volumes provides an insight into the life and activities of Jane Margaret Bacon, 1837-1870. These diaries cover social visits, tours to Yorkshire, wages for servants, and activities in Cambridge, London and Birmingham, for instance:

Saturday 13 March 1869
"Called on Lady Hooker and Miss Palmer.
Took MaB who visited part of the Warehouse, and got a walk."

Tuesday 8 June 1869
"Annabella married. Called on Mrs Chappell, Mrs Osborne, Mrs Enfield, Mrs Phillott."

Wednesday 9 June 1869
"Burlington House."

Saturday 12 June 1869
"Called on Mrs Chappell, Mr J Chappell and Mrs D D. Lady Millicent called."

Saturday 10 July 1869
"Paid Rebecca wages and Johnson by cheque c £3.15 from me and £1 from her daughter."

Wednesday 25 August 1869
"S.J. Went on Yorkshire tour."

Although the entries are all rather brief they do, taken as a whole, provide quite a good overview of the diarist's social activities and contacts.

We also include 2 volumes of correspondence from Cambridge University Library. The first of these covers correspondence between Sarah Siddons, Mrs Pennington and Sir Thomas Lawrence for the period 1798 through to 1803.

Sarah Siddons, the actress, writes long detailed letters in very clear handwriting. On 26 July 1803 she writes to Mrs Pennington at Worcester:

"My dear Mrs Pennington
Your goodness to my dear Girl is what I expected, but I am not able to express my gratitude for it dear Soul add I still to the number of your favours by telling me every particular about her! Her accounts to Sally are too general to content so restless a creature as I... I know she went to the Ball, I hope it did no harm! This weather has prevented her riding too, tell me about her pulse, her perspirations, her cough, anything! and tell me too that your mind is at ease about your brother. I am playing every night to very full houses, but how the people can sit to see such representations is quite wonderful for anything so bad..."

The Correspondence of Maria S Grey covers the period 1829 to 1848. The letters are from her family and friends.

We also include three commonplace books. Anne Webb's spans the period 1801-1851. It contains notes, poems and some delightful sketches of the Church at Fornham and also of Fornham Parsonage and Lutterworth Church. Formally Anne Gould, she was the wife of Dr W Webb, Master of Clare College, Cambridge.

The commonplace book of Elizabeth Lyttleton c1680 includes poems, notes, essays, lists of proverbs and notes on sermons. It opens with Sir Walter Rawleiys letter to his wife after his Condemnation (3 pages). As well as her considerable notes on sermons there is "The Prayer of Luther at his death", a poem entitled "Upon a Tempest at Sea", written by her father at the Crowe Jane in Chester at his coming from Ireland; Some Arabian Proverbs; Italian and French Proverbs, a poem entitled "Elizabeth Littleton is not a little blest"; an epitaph upon Queen Elizabeth; a description of the Royal progress of King James to the house of Sir Pope Knight when his Lady was lately delivered of a daughter; a Turkish Prayer and Dr Alablasters Verses upon Dr Reynolds and his Brother.

The final commonplace book is that of Sophia Churchill, Countess of Oxford, covering the period 1777-1780. This contains poems, plays, quite a lot of writings in French, recipes, epigrams, some notes on the death of David Garrick, Notes on Reading Habits and her views on a wide range of different books.

Page 203 from this commonplace book, from a section entitled "To Miss - From Mrs -" (pages 200-209, December 1778) runs as follows:

"As a book of equal entertainment and information, Robertson's History of Charles ye 5th is unequalled. His first Volume gives the most elegant view of the State of Europe, after the subversion of the Roman power, yet published. His History of the discovery of America just come out is also well worth reading. You mentioned to me a love for Memoirs. Those of Sully are charming. The Memoires du Cardinal de Retz are also extremely curious.
Dalaymphs' History of the Revolution is interesting beyond the usual run of that species of writing. The very momentous incidents he relates are so finely painted as to draw tears from every passing Eye..."

The section of material from Cambridge University Library is completed by two Ladies Pocket Journals. The volume for 1799 provides illustrations of ladies in the fashionable dress of 1798 and the inside of Brandenburgh House Theatre at Hammersmith, the seat of His Serene Highness the Margrave of Anspach. There are printed articles on Face Painting by the Ladies, General Observations and Moral Sentences; The Folly of Affecting Acquaintance with our Superiors; essays On Uncertainty and On Good and Bad Company; New Country Dances for the Year 1799, and then in the middle of the volume, there are ruled pages for Memoranda or brief diary notes of people to see and things to do.

The volume for 1804 opens with illustrations of a Lady in the Dress of the Year 1803 and a view of Russell Square in Bloomsbury. Again there are a number of interesting printed articles. These cover the New Window Tax; House Tax; the Tax on Servants; Rules and Maxims for the Conduct of Life; an Ode to Fancy; an Ode to Humanity; an Ode to Friendship; an Essay on the Modern Christian as well as Marketing tables followed by similar memoranda and brief diary entries as per the previous volume.

The next 21 reels are devoted to material held at Suffolk Record Office. Most of the items come from the Ipswich branch with the addition of a number of smaller items from the branch at Bury St Edmunds and also the branch at Lowestoft.

Some smaller items include the Pocket Diary of Catherine Mannock of Giffords Hall, 1814-1819; The Pocket Diaries of Miss E A Gideon of Paddington, 1817-1818; the Travel Diary of Ann Gurdon, 1854, describing her tour of the Lake District and Scotland; the Pocket Diaries of Isabella Brett of Ipswich, 1867-1873; the Pocket Diary of Henrietta Gurdon, 1879 (with daily entries of about 8 lines per day, complete throughout and with names of people annotated in the right hand margin); the social and local events journal of Anna Maria Roper of Boyton Hall, 1863-1865 and the travel diary of Cecilia Hanbury covering her visit to Venice in 1903. This latter item includes a number of postcards pasted into the volume as well as detailed daily entries covering the period 20 September 1903 through to 29 October 1903.

The Travel Journals of Elizabeth Sarah White, 1858-1878, throw up some remarkable and fascinating material. Many of the Travel Journals are written on letter paper in diary form. The volume for 1873 describes her visit to Venice and Florence. The volume for 1878 describes her experiences at the Paris Exhibition. Another volume for the same year covers her visit to Normandy and Brittany. Other Travel Journals cover visits to Russia, Dresden and to Italy. Another Journal covers her stay in Oxford during June 1886. However, the best items are 3 bound volumes of about 150 folios each. These all include a tremendous amount of detail and some excellent illustrations. The first volume is entitled "The Chronicles of Lingholm, 1886". The second volume is "The Coryton Log, 1889" covering the period 2 August - 29 October 1889. The third volume is a description of the family's holiday in Cornwall, 18 August - 24 October 1890.

The Coryton Log opens with an account of their travels to Coryton Park at Axminster. Dramatis Personae (the members of the family participating in the holiday) are listed on the versos. The diary provides a very witty and readable account of the family holiday and social activities with an average of 6 folios of description per day.

The entry for Monday 23 September, 1889 begins:

"Arrived at the farm, the hampers are quickly unpacked and as two brace of birds have fallen to the guns of the gentlemen they appear satisfied with their mornings work, and make a very hearty meal. After lunch two photographs are taken of the farm and yard and Mrs Dare in her best suit dress is a prominent feature in them. The gentlemen proceed on their way with their guns and secure one more bird. The ladies pack up the hampers and as it is raining return home as fast as they can. After tea three of the party settle down to play trios. The climax of the day arrived after dinner, when Mr Gambier Parry, Mr Jassell and Eaton performed a Dumb Charade "Rain-e-ses" (seas). The last scene when Eaton appeared as a mummy and was unrolled by two lively tourists with white umbrellas, was the gem of the piece. Aunt Ellen arrived by the 9.16 train. The family played "Cat and Mouse" and another strange game depicted on the opposite page." - (the drawing depicts playing the ancient game of Blowing ye feather).

The entry for Thursday 3 October, 1889 from "The Walk" includes an entertaining news cutting:

"The above highly interesting picture has been forwarded to us this day October 8 by Miss Goschen as a suggestion for enabling walkers to be continually aware of the flight of time. This is the more ingenious as no excuse could be made for those even who complain of the presence of ladies being attended with such an absorbing interest as to make them forget their engagements. The more ladies a party contained under the above system, the less would be the chance of the time being forgotten."

The entry for Thursday 3 October continues with details of the Dance in the evening.

A complete run of the diaries of Juliet Godlee (née Seebohm) in 59 volumes cover the period 1884 right through to 1943. She was the wife of surgeon Sir Rickman John Godlee, (referred to as "John" in the diaries) who was related to Lord Lister. Early volumes cover the children's upbringing, Uncle H, her father's illness, her marriage in 1891, her husband's work, social visits and lunch and dinner parties. The first few diaries have quite short daily entries. However, by about 1890 there is much more detail on a daily basis with at least a solid paragraph being written every day right through to 1943.

The volume for 1889 begins as follows:

Tuesday January 1, 1889
"Girls Club entertainment. Perfect success."

Wednesday January 2, 1889
"My two Children arrived. Miss Bathurst to lunch."

Saturday January 5, 1889
22 Courtfield Gardens "Took my children up to Fairfield and left them. Came here by 5.12 train. Uncle H in bed with bronchitis and fever. Read to him and felt very desperate."

Friday January 18, 1889
Belgrave Private Hotel "Moved in here. Pure air, large rooms, glorious view. Breathe freely again. Mrs and Miss Peugelly called."

Saturday January 19, 1889
"Arthur Lister arrived after dinner - on business with Uncle H."

Wednesday December 11, 1889
"Studio. Uncle Henry thrown from his hotel in the Park. Brought home insensible by a lady in her carriage. Not any limbs broken, but head severely bruised. Talked and read to him - much too lively. New model man in yellow satin and wig."

Thursday December 12, 1889
"Studio in the morning. Mrs Spencer and Ethel called. Afternoon had the carriage, shopping and Committee at Bedford College. Uncle H not so well. Hardly awake all day. Browning died at Venice."

Friday December 13, 1889
"Home. Studio in the morning. Shopping on my way home. Mr Waterhouse here to dine. Club girls & practise dialogue. "All bristles"..."

Saturday December 14, 1889 "Esther and Hugh went to Lyme. Called on Nancie and Meta. Painted subject for Sir James and Christmas cards."

The following are some later extracts:

Monday November 23, 1908
"Town: to find that Father is wanting to hurry our Mrs Gould's visit and cannot hold out like this much longer. So he is to go down tomorrow prepared to operate and John has engaged nurses. Hasty packing up and arriving with Mary Bradford to take my duties and putting off others. John and I to Hitchin by train to find Father bright & angelic as ever."

Thursday July 30, 1914
"To the office as usual. Luncheon party. Dr and Mrs Millar of New Orleans,
Dr and Mrs T; Miss Rodman; Mrs Martin; Mrs Percy; Mrs Tomes - and a call on Miss Syme. Then dinner party of 16. Charles Mayos, Dr Murphy, Lunds, Dr Armstrong, Mrs McCrae, Mrs Jackson, Dr Cameron, Barlows, Makinses and Sir James Reid. John out to Committee meeting with some and I left with the rest till 10 o'clock."

There are interesting volumes describing her life during the First World War and then later, by way of comparison, the first four years of the Second World War:

Wednesday October 7, 1914
"I dentisting. Bright day outwardly fine, dark within. John heard at the War Office that the Antwerp Garrison is demoralized and sick of it all and they are going to give in and a little army is on its way from us to where it may be cut up. Call from Gracie. Amy Tomes to tea, and then Hugh on his way to Will & Gracie. John busy at the War Office. Consultation over Tetanus and other horrors amongst the wounded in the field."

John was extremely active on the Central Medical War Committee and also became chairman of the Belgian doctors and pharmacists relief fund. He served as President of the Royal College of Surgeons, 1911-1913 and as President of the Royal Society of Medicine, 1916-1918.

Monday June 17, 1940 "Horrible news of French Army laying down its arms. Spain to negotiate peace with Hitler and Mussolini. Blackest of the black days."

Wednesday June 19, 1940 "News from France excruciating. Daphne came after breakfast with Clarissa on the back of her bicycle - quite fearless. Mrs Rayden to tea and exchange of views on the situation - and what about the French Fleet?"

Thursday July 25, 1940 "News of Sinking of Lancastria at Dunkirk now "released from America" (and 1000 troops drowned) a great shock after thinking we were told everything."

Friday August 30, 1940 "Still parching wind and sun. Call from Daphne under the cherry tree; who said Tuesday's raid was at Sonning. Dr Gilfrid's young partner had witnessed bombing of a hospital and machine gunning while he was dealing with patients. The dispenser must have been a 5th Columner as he disappeared leaving the dispensary door and all its cupboards locked and they had to be broken open."

The Pocket Diary of Elizabeth Rope of Fresingfield, 1861-1871, provides brief entries on who she had letters from, what they did and who they saw. The volume for June - November 1862 is rather more interesting as it describes her visit to London and visits to the Exhibition. The final volume, a Diary of a Visit to the Channel Islands (undated) also provides much more detail. It begins:

"July 19. Started from Brighton 1/2 past two ; had a brougham to the Waterloo station. Started from there 10 minutes past three, travelled by express train to Southampton - only stopping at Basingstoke, Winchester and Bishops Stoke stations. Arrived at Southampton 1/2 past five. Walked about the town a short time - then went and had a cup of coffee. Afterwards went out again. It is a very clean town and very good shops. Had a capital view of the Isle of Wight. Went down to the Nashown (Narrows ?) about half past nine; there was a large vessel preparing to start for Alexandria in Egypt "the Bangalore" so we went and looked over it - was much amused - the cabins were magnificently filled up and there were sheep on board and places for cows and hens, a butcher's shop and hake office... went on board our steamer "The Southampton", booked our beds... had ale and a hearty supper. Sat up for an hour afterwards and then went to our berths. I slept for about two hours. Marian had no sleep, got up about 1/2 past six. I was a little ill when I commenced dressing but we went on deck and soon felt all right. We arrived at Guernsey about half past ten, landed for half an hour and had a cup of coffee and roll and butter. Arrived at Jersey about 1/2 past twelve. The tide being low was obliged to land in small boats and .... at Brooke Hotel on the Esplanade... After luncheon went for a walk around the town and through the market - a very good one. Returned home and dined at Table d'Hote at six o'clock - with thirty - only one lady besides ourselves. After dinner wrote home and then took a walk on the pier. Not an ornamental one it was made for the Nashown (Narrows ?)...."

The personal and travel diaries of Fredericia Loraine, 1878 and 1881-1893 again contain brief daily entries along with lots of observations and notes. The entry for Saturday 23 April 1892 describes Sydney's marriage to Clare Schreiber at Barham Church, the reception at Barham Hall afterwards and the afternoon entertainments. The volumes for 1888, 1889, 1890 and 1891 include charts on health and temperature as well as memoranda on the weather and her health.

The final two reels of the project comprise material from the Bury St Edmunds and Lowestoft branches of Suffolk Record Office. The most interesting items are the travel diaries of Susanna Cullum (6 volumes) including a description of her journey from Hardwick to Normanton, Yorkshire, 1799 and her journey to London, November - December 1800:

Friday 9 August: "As it rained very hard we did not get up till 8 o'clock. Breakfasted upon tea and coffee and French roles. We could not get off till 11 o'clock as it rained so hard; we however set out and with two or three showers got on very well. We saw today a hiland lad and laddie who were dressed in the Hiland dress and the lady was dressed in short petticoats without stockings and had a fine white leg indeed. We went on two miles from Grantham and we observed that our chaise horse went very lame and seemed very stiff so we stopped our horse to have a farrier look who said that it was owning to his having some gravel in his foot so he took off his shoes and found matter under one of them which he cut and it eased him. We then went on to the Newark where we dined upon currant dumpling and beef steaks and cold veal at 3 o'clock..."

We also include the Travel diaries of Susannah Arethusa (née Cullum),1822-1830. These cover her tours in Germany, France and Italy which are recorded in considerable detail with some very lovely sketches.

The journal written at Plymouth, Bristol and Torquay by Emily Hervey, 1849-1850 describes the birth of a new baby, the ill health of her husband, the new baby's ailing health and his recovery, as well as her daily struggle to bring up the children as reflected by her diary entry of 17 October 1849:
"Clifton. This morning I went to Communion. William was very unwell today, and looks ill. The cough is rather less troublesome, however, since he has kept at home. When shall we see a real amendment, and improvement in his health? Dr Symonds is here every day. We have had uncommonly cold weather and I have tried myself taking long walks into Bristol with Mina to get our Winter things together, which for five of us to manage pour faire l'economie is no trifle. Today the wind has changed and it is quite fine and mild. I walked with the brats."

Finally the Travel journal of Lady Harriet Walker describes her tour in Scotland in 1837 and the Journal of Agnes Eden of Ford House, Wangford in Suffolk, describes her tour of Brittany in 1886, visiting Dieppe, Rouen, Caen, Avranches, Dinan, Morlaix, Quimperle, Rennes and Le Mans. The second half of this volume describes her tour in Scotland during 1888-1889.

I am most grateful to Gwyn Thomas, Area Archivist of Suffolk Record Office for his help with this project. I am also grateful for Patrick Zutshi's assistance with the material from Cambridge University Library. I would also like to take this opportunity to extend our thanks to all those who gave permission for diaries deposited at Suffolk County Record Office to be included in this microfilm project.

This part of the microfilm project is accompanied by a paperback guide which provides full contents of reels information and also a detailed listing of all the diaries included in this part of the project.

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