Diary 1887 - July
1 Saturday A coded sentence, followed by: Came home from Loe’s dance at 1 o’clock this morning. We heard the church bells ring. Went for a jolly skate up the canal with the Loes, met Lynch & had a talk with him, he was staying here for a few days.
2 Sunday. Went for a jolly skate up the canal.
3 Monday Went skating up the canal.
4 Tuesday Had a small dance in the evening, the Allens, Loes & their cousins & Minnie came. We took down the gas in the front room down stairs; left off about ½ past 12. Went off very well.
5 Wednesday Met Leslie Angelsmith down in the town, he had come with his wife & child & company to act at the Drill Hall next week. Had a long talk with him. 6 Thursday Went skating.
7 Friday Went skating in the morning. Went on putting up the wirework in the pigeons’ place which was broken down by the snow on Bank Holiday. There was 17 ins of snow on level ground up our garden.
8 Saturday Finished putting up the pigeons’ house and let them all out. Leslie Angelsmith came in to tea & stayed for an hour or two.
10 Monday Arthur & Papa went to Stanlake Park to take an inventory & stayed there till Friday. Arthur came home for Wednesday night. (A short coded entry follows).
11 Tuesday Charles Paice came down from Hammersmith in the afternoon. Went to the Down Grange in the morning with Will Allen. John P wrote in to say they were going to thresh but they did not.
12 Wednesday Went to the Basin at Hackwood skating in the morning. Took Venus with me. Out to Portsmouth’s in the afternoon, went out shooting. I shot several small birds. Mort Lear fell in the duck pond up to his neck Went to Leslie Norman Angelsmith’s performance ”The New Magdalene” at the Drill Hall. He sent us tickets for this night.
13 Thursday Minnie, Blanche, Charles & I went to the Drill Hall in the evening to “Naval Engagements”, Leslie’s wife acted. It was awfully good. 14 Friday Went to the Broadwater skating in the morning. As I was coming away Leslie Angelsmith came down. I lent him my skates, which he brought back in the afternoon. His daughter’s name is “Ivy”. Went to the canal skating again. Went to “Naval Engagements” again at the Drill Hall.
15 Saturday In the morning went to Portsmouth’s to see a rick threshed, took Venus & killed a heap of rats. I had dinner at Portsmouth’s & went home soon after & took Blanche & Minnie skating up the canal. We had a splendid skate. An awfully cold day.
16 Sunday Went for a fine skate up the canal in the afternoon.
17 Monday Went to Winchfield by train & walked to Dogmersfield Park. Had a splendid skate. The ice was like glass & over a foot thick. Walked on to Odiham, had tea at the “George”, walked to Hook station & back by train.
18 Tuesday It thawed dreadfully & the ice was not fit to skate on; we went to the canal to see & then went over Basing ruins.
19 Wednesday Charles & I drove over to Mr Clift’s at Sherborne for a dress for Minnie & stayed there to dinner & drove Mr Clift in. In the afternoon cleaned out pigeons’ house & found the fantails had laid & killed two young carriers. Took my watch to be cleaned for the 1st time to Mr Porter’s. Sherborne: JBM is inconsistent with his spelling. It is usually appears as Sherbourne
20 Thursday Went to Reading with Charles Paice. Saw the new statue of a lion in the Forbury Gardens, the museum & went over Huntley & Palmer’s biscuit factory; ordered a bushel of pigeons’ food at Gammon’s & paid for it 5/-. We went on up to Hammersmith. The Maiwand Lion war memorial erected in 1886.
21 Friday Went to Olympia, the new Agricultural Hall at S Kensington (the largest hall in England, opened the day after Christmas Day) & saw the “Hippodrome”. It was very good. Edith, Julia & Charles went with me. Edith and Julia: Charles’ sisters
22 Saturday Went to the “Forty Thieves” at Drury Lane in the afternoon, enjoyed it immensely. The 1st time I had been to Drury Lane.
23 Sunday Went to Chiswick Church in the morning.
24 Monday Charles & I walked across Barnes Common & through Richmond Park to Richmond & came back by train. Went to the Zoological Gardens in the afternoon & into Uncle William’s to tea & back by ‘bus. Finished reading the “The King’s Own” by Marryat. Very good tale.
25 Tuesday Went to Whiteleys in the morning & saw Jamie. In the afternoon went to Richmond Park to see “George’s v University College” rugby match for the cup. Univ Coll won by 2 goals to 0. Met Percy Johnson there.
26 Wednesday Bought this book for 10d. Went to the Japanese village in the afternoon & saw the performance there. It was very good. Went from there to Bloomsbury to tea & back from Charing +. Edith Paice’s
25th birthday. This book: Pettitt’s Scribbling Octavo Diary for 1887. Interleaved Blotting
27 Thursday Went for a long walk out by the Willesden canal with Charles. In the evening went to a concert at the Vestry Hall at Turnham Green with Edith, Julia & Charlie & Mr Duggin.
28 Friday Came up to Uncle William’s at Bloomsbury in the afternoon to stay. Went with Uncle & Aunt to “Harbour Lights” at the Adelphi Theatre in the evening. Enjoyed it immensely.
29 Saturday Went to the British Museum & saw the Egyptian Mummies. In the aft. went to Barnes by train with Uncle & walked thro’ Richmond Park to Richmond; went to Mr Esse’s to tea & supper.
30 Sunday Went to Mr Bird’s at Wimbledon to spend the day.
31 Monday Went over the library in the British Museum with Charles Paice. Wonderful. Walked up to the city & went into St Paul’s Cathedral, heard part of the service in the afternoon. In the eve. went to “Faust” & saw Irving act. It was splendid. Was weighed at the Distillery: 10 stone. FEBRUARY




