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Title(s):
Harrogate diary.
Published/Created:
Harrogate, England, 1824, July 28-September 8.
Physical Description:
1 v. (29 p.) ; 33 cm.
Holdings:
Rare Books and Manuscripts
DA690.H32 H37 1824+
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Fund
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Copyright Status:
Copyright Not Evaluated
Classification:
Archives & Manuscripts
Notes:
In contemporary blue wrappers.
Manuscript diary kept by an unidentified young woman during a stay at Harrogate in 1824. The diary is written daily, in a single hand, in pen throughout. The diarist travels from Liverpool, with her friend Miss Gaskell, "to taste of the pure stream" at Harrogate. Her diary describes in depth the social dynamic of her Harrogate hotel, Queen's Head, which "was quite a little word in itself, with laws of government which are strictly adhered to." Her daily routine includes an early morning walk to the spa to drink a prescribed number of glasses of mineral water, after which the diarist has the remainder of the day to fill with social activity. In addition to Miss Gaskell, she makes friendships with a number of other spagoers, especially a Miss Roscoe, a fellow Liverpool native. She does considerable shopping in Harrogate, requiring the purchase of another trunk as she packs at the end of her stay. Evening entertainments include concerts, theatre, and a number of balls or dances. At one such ball the ladies retired at one, "but the gentlemen were not satisfied with such a sober hour, & staid till three on the morning making great disturbances and at once destroying any pleasure there was arising from the evening." The diarist also has time to make daytrips to nearby places, including Knaresborough ("romantic and curious looking"), York Minister, where the diarist is much impressed by the singing, and Studley ("very pretty temples and grottoes which look very picturesque").
Subject Terms:
Balls (Parties) -- Great Britain -- 19th century.
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century.
Harrogate (England) -- Description and travel.
Health resorts -- England -- Harrogate.
Hotels -- England -- Harrogate.
Mineral waters -- England -- Harrogate.
Mineral waters -- Therapeutic use -- England -- Harrogate.
North Yorkshire (England) -- Description and travel.
Form/Genre:
Diaries.
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