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Webley-Parry papers series 3

Acc. 2680

Ref: WP/3/1/2

WP/3/1/2
Diary of Eliza Webley-Parry. [Dark brown notebook with marbled inside front cover]
21 January 1845 - 21 June 1851

Calendar

1845

21 January: Anna Maria and I went to Pentre met Mr. Philips, Sir John and Lady Mansel, Mr. Oliver Lloyd, Col. Brown 41st Regiment staying there. The Lancychs & Coedmores came to dinner.
22 January: Same party staying. Jordans, Mr. and Mrs. Colby and Mr. Clarke came to dinner.

23 January: Anna Maria and I went to Lancych, Mrs. Buck and Sophy there, also Mr. James and Captain Garstin 83rd Regiment, and Mr. de Winton. Proverbs and music in the evg.

24 January: Mr, Mrs, and the two Miss Collings came to dinner.

25 January: We left; Ellen came to fetch us home; we found William there, having come from St. Leonards on the 22nd.

28 January: Ellen and I went to Cardigan to sign papers about our shares in the South Wales Railway. William went to Pentre.

3 February: Mrs. and Sophy Buck came to stay.

5 February: Mrs. Lloyd Coedmore called. William Lewis came to dinner.

6 February: Mrs. and Sophy Buck went home. William went to stay at Bronwidd.

11th February: Miss Pringle came by mail to stay. Mrs. Davies of Pentre brought Susan to stay. William returned from Bronwidd.

13 February: Susan and Miss Pringle left. William went to Gellydwyll, returned on the 15th.

17 February: I went to stay at Parkygorse. William to Blaenpant.

21 February: Mrs. Buck brought me home.

1 March: William returned from Blaenpant

23 March: William upstairs with gout.

24 March: heard of poor little Agnes Davies’ death in London after Scarlet Fever and little Harry died soon after.

25 March: Anna Maria, Chatty and I went to Blaenpant; met there Captain Maydwell and Mr. Greathed of the 41st; Mr Gower and Miss Helen Stewart, Mr. F. Gower and Mr. Pritchard came to dinner.

26 March: The two Miss Collings came, also Mr. Sadlier of the 41st; the Coedmores and Mr de Winton came to dinner.

28 March: we found William quite recovered from the Gout

31 March: Maria and William Brigstocke dined with us.

2 April: William went to little Agnes’ funeral at Manordivy Church.

15 April: Anna Maria and I went to stay at Fynone, met Mr. and Mrs. and Miss and Mr. John Higgon, Miss Lucas and Mr Oliver Lloyd; Captain Maydwell and Mr Hicks of the 41st. The Coedmores and Mr. Edward Colby came to dinner.

16 April: Mr. and Mrs. Colby, Miss Higgon Anna Maria and I, Mr. Hicks and Mr. John Higgon rode to the top of Brenen Vawr; the Lancychs and Mr. Charles Colby came to dinner; music and dancing in the evening.

29 April: We went to see Powis, the Llangoedmore Schoolmistress married to John Thomas at Llangoedmore Church. Anna Maria and I went to Coedmore met the four Higgons, Mr. and Mrs. Colby, Miss Eliza Colby and Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Strady. We returned home the next day.

10 May: Miss Dodd, Anna Maria, Chatty and I went to Cardigan to Anna see the ‘African Roscius’ [Ira Aldridge, 1807-1867] perform ‘Othello’ at the Lion; a most stupid performance. The Colbys Vaughans etc. there.

27 May: A.M. and I went to Parkygorse for a few days.

7 June: in bed with measles for several days. Mr. Noott called.

21 June: Johnny Vaughan brought me a beautiful little black and tan spaniel from Cheltenham which I called Frolic.

17 July: The school meeting at Llandygwydd. Mama and Maria at it. Maria and William Brigstocke dined at Coedmore. Mr. Evans, Mrs. Sophy Buck dined at Blaenpant with my mother and I.

24 July: Ellen went to Trevorgan to meet Mademoiselle Schlesinger who came by Mail from London to be Chatty’s governess, and brought her in the evening to Pengwbert.

25 July: Mrs. and Sophy Buck spent the day with us.

9 August: Anna Maria and my mother went to Blaenpant to meet Mrs. Taddy and Miss Isobella Hoare. We heard from William of the arrival of him and his family at Havre on the 5th on the way from St. Leonards to Caen.

13 August: Mrs. Taddy and Miss Hoare called with Maria and William Brigstocke.

22 September: A. M. and I called at Llangoedmore to see Colonel Vaughan who had come home from Ceylon.

24 September: We all went to a Confirmation at Cardigan; Chatty confirmed.

27 September: The two Miss Goring Thomas came to stay; singing & acting charades in the evg.

3 October: Anne Brenchley A. M. and I went [to Blaenpant]. Sir John and Lady Mansel staying there, also the Bishop of St. David’s and Mr Melville, Sophy Buck & Augustus Brigstocke, Mr Jones & Mr Rice Lloyd Bronwidd dined & staid the night. Mr Griffith came to dinner, also William Buck who had just returned from abroad.

5 October: Mary Brenchley and I drove to Llandygwydd church to hear the Bishop preach.

13 October: William Brigstocke went to Quarter Sessions.

5 November: Maria and William Brigstocke and Colonel Mansel went to see a Ploughing Match near Alltybwla. Colonel Mansel heard by the evening post of the dying state of Mrs. John Mansel.

18 November: We heard from Charles of his arrival at Portsmouth in the Thalia.


1846

23 January: Dr. Rowlands buried at Cardigan.

12 February: Charles went to visit the Bishop at Abergwilly on his way to London.

25 February: saw in the paper that poor John Brenchley of the 31st had been killed in the battle of Moodkee in India.

18 March: Chatty and I went with Mrs. Lloyd Coedmore to the Steeple chase on ?Penbrenbwr.

7 April: heard by the post, of the arrival of Charlie at Plymouth in the Warspite on the 5th

2 September: Ellen and I left Tenby at ½ past 9, reached Pembroke at 12, went to the ‘Lion’ there, where we met Mr. Leach and Robert; they went with us to the Dockyard where we saw the Sewing Machine and the Smithery; also the ‘Encounter’ Steamer ready for launching. […] [At St David’s head] saw the ‘Bishop Rock’ on which is a lighthouse also the ‘Smalls’ on which is another. 4 men take it in turns to be there thro’ the year; one being on shore by turns. Each has £50 a year paid by the Trinity House. The Light House is built on 4 Piles of Wood, between which the sea washes through. We saw some Druidical remains at the Head; 6 circles of stones and a small cave […].

28 October: Cardigan. Arranged things for the Bazaar for the Cardigan National Schools.

10 December: Mr. Symonds (one of the Commissioners to inquire into the state of Education in Wales) came to stay.


1847

5 March: Mr Noott called to see Webb the Butler who was very ill.

6 March: My mother poorly with cold.

17 March: William arrived from France in the evening.

24 March: The General Fast Day on account of the potato scarcity.

21 April: I started [for London] by the Cardigan Mail at 5 in the morning â€" went on from Carmarthen at ½ past 10 to Gloucester; got there in 12 hours, & on by Mail Train to London; reached the Terminus soon after 4 in the morning of the 22nd, found Capt. Parkinson waiting for me & came with him to Maida Hill St. John’s Wood where he & Sophy were then living; got to bed about 5 in the morning.

5 May: I went with [Mrs. Davies & Susan] in the evening to the concert of Ancient Music at the Hanover Square rooms; Prince Albert being Director; he and the Queen, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge; Duke of Wellington etc. there. […] Dr. Mendelssohn on the organ.

1 June: We went to Charlton House […] where Sir Thomas tried to take our pictures in the Daguerrotype.

3 June: Mrs. Collins and I and Mr. Wilson drove to London, went to see the new Houses of Parliament, and the interior of the House of Lords, still unfinished […] a magnificent building. We then went shopping and to the Exhibition at the Royal Academy and of Water Colours.

8 June: [Mrs Collins] saw me off from Euston Square station […] by railroad to Bedford. I then went by coach to St Neots […]

23 June: We all went to Cothisbrooke house and then to a Confirmation by Dr Davys, Bishop of Peterborough at Britworth Church; some curious remains of old Roman brickwork visible in the church.

29 June: Drove to Maxtocke [Maxstoke] to see the ruins of the old Priory founded there in the reign of Edward 3rd for Augustine Monks.

1 July: [Drove to Kenilworth then Warwick Castle]

2 July: Railroad to Gloucester. Mail to Carmarthen Home.

30 August: Ellen went to Blaenpant to meet the Bishop of Hereford.

5 December: Admiral Pringle came to stay with us.


1848

3 March: Mr. Richard Jenkins called and Ellen and I went with him to the School about getting the land for building the new school on.

13 May: [Abergavenny]

23 May: [Lampeter and Llandovery]

29 May: [Home]

28 July: Ellen and I Chatty and Charlie went to Noyadd busy putting the house in order, preparing for William and his family’s return from Germany.

11 August: Ellen at the School, Mr. Tearle the Organizing Master of the National School being there.

27 September: Charles went to the opening of Cardigan schools.

23 October: I went to Blaenpant and from there with Maria and William Brigstocke to Carmarthen to see the opening of the Training College there.

24 October: St. Peter Church; the Bishop preached. Luncheon at the Training College and speeches made by the Bishop, Sir Thomas Phillips, Mr. Reid (the principal of the College), Colonel Trevor, the Dean of Llandaff, and Lord Emlyn.


1849

15 August: We were at church, where there were services on account of the Cholera.


1850

12 February: Ellen and I to a meeting at the Town Hall about the Deaf and Dumb institution at Aberystwyth.

12 September: [Crickhowell]

15 November: William Brigstocke went to Cardigan about a meeting against the Pope’s Bull, appointing Popish Bishops.


1851

11 January: David left Noyadd to return to his ship The Arrogant.

26 March: I left home by the Cardigan Mail to Carmarthen; thence by mail thro’ Kidwelly and Llanelly to Swansea; thence by Railroad to Chepstow; got there at ½ past 8; staid the night at the ‘Beaufort Arms’.

27 March: I left Chepstow at ½ past 10 - reached Gloster at ½ past 2, just in time for the Express Train which came to London by ½ past 5.

28 March: [I went] to the Serpentine to see the exterior of the Exhibition.

30 March: I went to St. Thomas’ District Church at Woolwich; heard the Bishop of London preach […]

12 May: Fanny & I went to the Crystal Palace.

13 May: We went to the Exhibition at the Royal Academy.

19 May: I went with the others Princess’ theatre to see the ‘Merchant of Venice’. Charles Kean admirable as Shylock.

30 May: [at Knowle House, Tonbridge Wells]

3 June: [at Canterbury Cathedral]


Diary ends 21 June 1851