August 1861
[Needs prettifying]
Thursday 1st August
Sat on the beach. Took a walk to steep hill & home by the beach. In the afternoon wrote to Gertrude & on Margaret. Had tea at 5 & in the evening walks to bone church by the cliffs & then to lock & home by road. Surtees walked to Sandown & back, he saw Mrs Grove & was home soon after 9 o/c.
Friday 2nd August
After breakfast went to have my first bailiff, we afterwards walked to St Lawrence & went inside the little church, it is so pretty. It began to rain so we went into a cottage for shelter, we had to remain there about an hour. We were home about ½ past 2 o/c. after dinner I wrote to Nelly. In the evening Surtees & I went on the parade.
Saturday 3rd August
Surtees’s birthday. We walked to Shanklin Chine & were not back till past 2 o/c. after dinner went into the town with Surtees & bought some photographs.
Sunday 4th August
In the morning we went to Ventnor church.
File 063:
In the afternoon I read & in the evening we went to Bonchurch Church which is very pretty & came home by the zigzag road.
Monday 5th August
Had my second bath & afterwards we walked across the Downs to the Worsley Monument[1]. I wrote to Harriette Bird & Blanche ??? in the evening we went on the Esplanade & the band played.
Tuesday 6th August
Sat on the beach & red for a short time. We went for a walk on the Downs & home by the beach & the rocks. In the afternoon I wrote to Miss Appleby & in the evening we went on the Esplanade. Surtees & I stayed there till past 9 o/c.
Wednesday 7th August
Heard from Gertrude. We took a walk to Luccombe Chine & home by the landslip & Bonechurch. In the evening we went on the parade & the band played.
Thursday 8th August
Isabella’s birthday. Wet day, we hardly got out at all.
Friday 9th August
Had my third warm bath. Sat on the Esplanade & had “The Old Man’s Bone[?]” in the afternoon we walked along the cliffs & looked for fossils; we did not find many. On the Esplanade in the evening till nearly 9 o/c.
Saturday 10th August
Took a walk by the road to Luccombe & home my the landslip & Bonechurch. In the afternoon went to the library & got “Little Dorrit”[2]. Came down to the beach & read.
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Heard from Isabella & Maggie. Stayed indoors all the evening, as it rained.
Sunday 11th August
In the morning we went to Bonchurch & in the afternoon Surtees & I went to St Lawrence’s, Mr Levingstone preached. We had tea at 5 o/c. Read until 8 o/c & then sat on the Esplanade.
Monday 12th August
Took the walk to Luccombe & home by the landslip. In the afternoon sat on the beach & read. In the evening sat on the Esplanade until past 9 o/c.
Tuesday 13th August
Had a warm bath. Sat on the beach & red “little Dorrit”. We went into the town to the St Boniface library. I heard from Jane this morning telling me she was married. The wedding took place on the 8th. She wrote to me from Ryde. In the afternoon we sat on the beach & in the evening went on the Esplanade, the band played.
Wednesday 14th August
(Poor dear Mummy’s [Murray’s ?] birthday!)
In the morning heard from Nelly. I sat on the beach by myself & read. Whilst we were at lunch the bar trims came & they asked us to go back with them to Ryde. Papa, Surtees, Mrs Bartram & Walter started for Freshwater. We left soon after 4 o/c. We arrived at Ryde at ½ past 6. In the evening we went on the Pier.
Thursday 15th August
Rained till about 12 o/c. when Isabella,Laurie & self went out. We saw Jane & Mr ??? just going out so we went up & spoke to them. Jane came
File 065:
Back into their lodgings with us. I was introduced to Mr ??? we went out & shopped. Came home to dinner at 2 o/c. in the afternoon we went on the pier & the band played. In the evening we drank tea at the ???. We went home at 10.20. Spent such a very happy evening; Mr ??? is such a nice person.
Friday 16th August
Wet morning. We went out at 12 to see Jane. In the afternoon we went on the pier it was the Regatta. Jane & Mr ??? came there. They drank tea atClinade[?] cottage. We had a game at cards.
Saturday 17th August
(Dear Tourer’s[?] birthday) lovely day. We went to see Jane. At ½ past 12 o/c. Walter, Laurie, Jane, Mr V, Isabella & self started for a sale; we went past Osborne, it was delightful. In the afternoon we went to say goodbye to Jane & left in the coach at 4 o/c. Walter came with us, we had a very nice journey across the island outside the coach, we arrived home at ½ past 6 o/c. Papa etc. were out. They came in a little after 7 o/c – after a very long walk to Arreton, etc. In the evening we sat on the Parade.
Sunday 18th August
In the morning we went to Bonchurch & in the afternoon ??? Lawrence & home by the cliffs. In the evening we sat on the beach.
Monday 19th August
Had a warm bath, then sat on the beach till dinner time. In the afternoon we took a walk
File 066:
To the landslip & nutted[?]. In the evening the band played.
Tuesday 20th August
Heard from Jane. Set on the beach & red. The afternoon the??? All came over & we went to steep hill and sat down on the cliffs. They then went to the Royal hotel & at ½ past left for Ryde. In the evening we went on the Parade.
Wednesday 21st August
Heard from Charlie. Surtees & Walter left for Ryde. We went into the town & sat on the beach for the remainder of the morning. In the afternoon we went & sat on the cliffs until tea time. In the evening we sat on the Esplanade & the band played.
Thursday 22nd August
In the morning I sat on the beach& read “Little Dorrit”. In the afternoon we walked to St Boniface Down.
Friday 23rd August
In the morning I wrote to E. Warre. We walked to ?????? by the road & home by the cliffs. Sat on the beach to read in the afternoon.
Saturday 24th August
Had a bath. Went into the town & then on the beach. In the afternoon sat on the beach.
Sunday 25th August
In the morning went to Bonchurch Mr Case[?] preached. In the evening went again to Bonchurch.
Monday 26th August
In the morning sat on the beach in the afternoon ditto.
Tuesday 27th August
Sat on the beach & in the afternoon went into the town. Surtees came home from Ryde by the coach.
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Wednesday 28th August
Sat on the beach in the morning & in the afternoon stayed at home. In the evening we went for a walk to St Lawrence’s & home by the cliffs.
Thursday 29th August
Dear little Georgie’s birthday. In the morning sat on the beach & in the afternoon went into the town & bought some stereoscopic views. In the evening we went on the Esplanade.
Friday 30th August
We walked to Sandown by the Sands then walked back as far as Shanklin & took a fly home. In the evening on the Esplanade as usual.
Saturday 31st August
We took a very hot walk in the morning, stayed at home in the afternoon.
[1] http://www.isle-of-wight-memorials.org.uk/others/wroxallworsley.htm
[2] A novel by Charles Dickens, originally published in serial form between 1855 and 1857.
