COLLECTION NAME:
Mary Hamilton Papers
Record
Image Number:
HAM24.pdf
Reference Number:
HAM/2/4
Link to Catalogue:
Series Title:
Manuscript Diaries
Parent Work Title:
Diary of Mary Hamilton
Creator:
Hamilton, Mary, 1756-1816
Creator Role:
Author
Date Created:
1783
Description:
The diary covers the period of 15 June 1783 until 22 September 1783 and records Hamilton's many visits and her various social engagements during this period. Detailing her visits to her various friends, including members of the Bas Bleu and her family and also documents the news, politics, literature and gossip of the period. Hamilton notes on a visit she made to the Duchess of Devonshire to see her 'pretty baby', of seeing the Prince of Wales who kissed her hand and of her many visits to her friends. Hamilton describes her time at the Duchess of Portland at Bulstrode where she often visited and of the Duchess's interesting collections of books, art, prints, rocks and other 'curiosities'. She also writes of attending a lecture which she found 'horrid and the Company was bad' and details her integral role in aiding her Uncle, Sir William Hamilton selling his famous 'Roman' vase to the Duchess. Hamilton details her reading which included such works as those written by her friend HannAnna Harper More and the Blair lectures and of her reading from her manuscript volumes of prose and poetry to Mrs Delany has she sat and worked. Hamilton notes that her friends also read to her from their own manuscript volumes. Lady Wake, for instance read to her on the subject of marriage and the duties of a wife. Hamilton often shared and read from the letters she received from friends such as HannAnna Harper More and Elizabeth Carter to her other friends. Carter had written to Hamilton on the subject of learned women which she showed to Lady Wake after she shown her writings on the subject of women. Hamilton writes on more general subjects of her day to day life including attending a furniture sale, of a coach accident where one of the passengers 'lost the use of their limbs' and of herself being thrown from her horse. She describes a visit to Waltham Abbey with Lady Wake and details the architecture and interior of the Abbey. Hamilton also describes a 'ball of fire' (meteor?) that her friend Mr Lambe and others saw one night. She notes of being asked for a lock of her hair from William Wake, the son of Sir William Wake, and on his constant visits and declarations of admiration for her. The diary is written in a bound volume in sheep skin. There is some brown staining and marginal markings made in red pencil.
Language Code:
eng-GB
Language:
English
Subject:
Great Britain--Social life and customs
Category of Material:
Archives
Sub-Category:
Diaries
Technique Used:
Handwriting
Medium:
Ink
Support:
Paper
Support:
Sheep skin
Time Period Covered:
18th Century CE
People Covered:
George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830
People Covered:
Hamilton, Mary, 1756-1816
People Covered:
Hamilton, William, Sir, 1730-1803
People Covered:
More, Hannah, 1745-1833
People Covered:
Devonshire, Georgiana Spencer Cavendish, Duchess of, 1757-1806
Item Height:
115 mm
Item Width:
88 mm
Current Repository:
The University of Manchester Library, U.K.
Rights Holder - Image:
The University of Manchester Library
Rights Holder - Work:
Copyright restrictions may apply
Date Captured (yyyy-mm-dd):
2013-01-21
Image Creation Technique:
Digital capture by The University of Manchester Library
Access Rights:
Date Image Added (yyyy-mm):
2013-02
Metadata Language:
eng-GB
Collection Code:
Mary Hamilton Papers