2 March From GDP/28 Ida May Berry Ida May Berry (1884-1959) lived in West Didsbury, near Manchester when she wrote this diary. She was heavily involved in her local Methodist chapel, and attended many meetings there. 2 March 1905 We went to the Devotional. Mr. Saunders gave a beautiful paper on “suffering” we did enjoy the meeting.
24 February From GDP/1 AM AM was born in 1937 and grew up in Cumbria. She kept a detailed diary during her teenage years and her early twenties, covering her final years at school, and her first job doing secretarial work in Edinburgh. Sunday 24 February 1957 After lunch to-day, when Miss Rose’s [the diarist’s landlady] friend phoned to ask if she was in, I went into her room. A thrill of fear ran through me + something without me told me she was dead. Just lying there, so still that one could not breathe for fear of breaking the [...]
The Oldest Diary in the Collection Thanks to a chance acquisition, the collection of the Great Diary Project now covers a period of almost 300 years. In a recent donation to Bishopgate Institute, we discovered a pair of small, unprepossessing volumes, which contain an account of someone’s religious activities in the years 1735 and 1736. In minute handwriting, the writer documents a number of sermons he or she attended during those years. Meticulously recorded for each sermon are the date, location, preacher, text(s), and arguments. Most of the sermons were preached by Peter Goodwin, minister at the non-conformist chapel at [...]
12 February From GDP/8 John Leeson John Leeson (1803-1865) owned and rented out property in London. In his diaries, he regularly recorded a mixture of his business dealings, family news, and politics. 12 February 1853 Parliament met – Lord Aberdeen leader in the Lords & Lord J Russell in the Commons. Charlotte [the diarist’s wife] called on Mrs. Beasley with her rents – is still ill, the abscess discharges very much & she takes but little nourishment. Napoleon the 3rd Emperor of France married a young French Countess – we are strengthening the National Defences, in case he should invade [...]
2 February From GDP/8 John Leeson John Leeson (1803-1865) owned and rented out property in London. In his diaries, he regularly recorded a mixture of his business dealings, family news, and politics. Here, amid the usual mixture of the diarist’s home life and international affairs – in this instance the run-up to the American Civil War. 2 February 1861 An accident on the Southampton Railway – nr Guildford – Dr. Baly of Queen Ann St. Physician to Queen Victoria – who was in the train – thrown out & killed. Earl of Guildford died at Waldershare 88 yrs age – [...]
30 January From GDP/29 DS DS was born in Cardiff in 1918. During the Second World War she served in the forces. She kept a diary for a short while during the War. In this excerpt, she receives a proposal. 30 January 1944 B came home Cycled to Penarth, then had tea at home. He proposed to me.
From GDP/1 AM AM was born in 1937 and grew up in Cumbria. She kept a detailed diary during her teenage years and her early twenties, covering her final years at school, and her first job doing secretarial work in Edinburgh. Here she describes a dance she attended when she was 16. 5 December 1953 When I woke up this morning, I was honestly surprised to find that I had survived the night! Old Champagne C left immediately after he’d had his morning tea – never even waited for his breakfast. The party was great fun + the cocktail a [...]
‘Twenty-five pages nearly completed! I wonder if this diary is worth the few minutes I spend on it daily. I believe I have some faint hope that years and years ahead my daughter will find some interest in it, as I have found in a few odd notes which my father wrote many years ago (on his trip through France, Switzerland and Italy). Always I have been fascinated by the small details of the life lived by people of the last generation or two. So very much has changed that its [sic] more easy to imagine life as the Romans [...]
From GDP/27 Rev. D (Digby) B In this excerpt, he writes about the passage of a new Church of England Prayer Book through the House of Lords. The proposal was later defeated in the Commons. 15 December 1927 Snow, but did not rest. The set P.Bk. passed the Lords yesterday – 241 for 88 against – much better than I had expected & I think most people. Today the Commons vote. The most dangerous parts passed & in HoC all in [illegible] but the opp: we may be [illegible] than we anticipated &be endorsed by many abstentions. 29 December 1927 [...]
Happy New Year 2013 From GDP/1 AM AM was born in 1937 and grew up in Cumbria. She kept a detailed diary during her teenage years and her early twenties, covering her final years at school, and her first job doing secretarial work in Edinburgh. This is the final entry in her diary, covering her 21st birthday. Friday 3 January 1958 I had a quite out of this world [21st] birthday + gathered around me all the people I love best. There were dozens of cards, telegrams + parcels to open + I had some heavenly presents. Special note for [...]