Reference
LL19/2
Title
Diary of Mary Ann Brooks of Flitwick contains a) General reflections about keeping a diary and role in self improvement of writer, b) Pedigree of Hatfield family (Mary Ann's mother family), including coloured drawing of Coat of Arms, c) Diary itself including following:
Date free text
1839-1848
Production date
From: 1840 To: 1848
Scope and Content
Mary Ann was five years at Perceval House and left school at the Christmas Holidays 1838. Played on organ at Kempston Church.
21 January 1840.
At this time George and William were at Pearse's at Westoning and John H. Brooks at Rugby School.
'Queen's head letters stamp issued and generally used.' 7 May 1840.
Picnic at Houghton (House) ruins. 30 July 1840.
Carriage accident 6 January 1841. John Hayter doing portraits of the Wilts and Mrs Grimeshawe. 11 January 1841.
Flooding at Bedford caused by thaw. 13 January 1841.
Operation on her mother by T. Chapman, Dr Witt present. 8 February 1841.
Scilla roots arrived from Blackheath. 20 March 1841.
Heard Manning preach. Ascension Day 1841.
George confirmed at Toddington. 23 June 1841.
Father and J.H.Brooks dine at Ampthill to meet Lord Alford and Mr Astell 'who gave dear Johnny a Cavalry Commission in India'. 24 June 1841.
Bedfordshire election 7 July 1841.
Visit to Bromham Church 23 July 1841.
Pavenham 'Church being repaired with old oak' 'the house being rebuilt'. 26 July 1841.
Visit to Turvey Church. 27 July 1841.
Visit to Moravian Chapel, Bedford. Lists books she has read in 1841. 17 October 1841.
Walked in the Arboretum (Flitwick). 6 May 1841.
Went to see some magnificent Calecolarias at Wrest. 1 June 1842.
Colonel Seymour's garden at Woburn 'a beautiful specimen of a garden in a small space.' Visit to Howards Iron Foundry in the High Street, Bedford. 22 September 1842.
Gets allowance of £40 per annum from her father for the first time. 15 October 1842.
Johnny received Commission from Mr Astell for the Bengal Artillery. 27 November 1842.
'Uncle Whitehurst lost the living of Millbrook, being this day given to Mr Symthe, Baron Parke's nephew.' 13 January 1843.
Brother J.H. Brooks (John Hatfield Brooks) leaves for India. 1 February 1843.
Mr Saunders walked over to lunch, criticized Miss Rawes intended husband, Mr Cobbold. 12 June 1843.
'Purchased with Mr Williams approbation an altar cloth and Corporal for our church.' 11 July 1843.
Given a blossom of the tulip tree at Woburn by Fordes, the gardener. 5 August 1843.
Visit to Cockayne Hatley Church, dine with Mr Cust. 14 August 1843.
Visit to Old Warden Church ' recently fitted in old oak'. Same day, 14 August 1843.
Death of Mrs Thomas Chapman - ill since her marriage. 16 August 1843.
Papa busy altering the Hot House. 18 August 1843.
Visit to Ealing Park to visit Mrs Lawrence - famous garden (near present Northfield Avenue). 27 September 1843.
Heard that Carry Colburn was going to disgrace herself by marrying Mr Higgins of the Swan at Bedford.
29 November 1843.
Willie received Sacrament for the first time. 31 December 1843.
Laurel cut down at top of the Avenue. 1 January 1844.
Willie started studying at Mr Williams; death of Mary Covington from consumption. 2 January 1844.
Criticism of Mr Dawson's Sermon on Charity and his idea of an offertory every other Sunday for the Poor because rich as well as poor feeling impoverished. 7 January 1844.
Mentions improvements to Mr Lockwood's house, preparatory to his marriage. 19 January 1844.
Detailed description of visit to Cambridge. 21 January 1844.
Archdeacon Hale's ball at opening of his new house (? at Newport Pagnell). 15 February 1844.
Auction of furniture of Mr Davis's house at Ampthill. 19 February 1844.
Mr Green told the Ghost story of the village of Steppingley. 26 February 1844.
Mary Ann held her working school for the first time (Flitwick). 1 March 1844.
Mrs Swales came to live in the village from Kempston (hereafter details of her family). 6 March 1844.
Death of Miss Trevors' gardener Philipps. 18 March 1844.
Walked to Shepherd's nursery garden from Turvey. 2 April 1844.
'Called on Mrs Lewis, Mrs Cooper walked with Caroline C. to see their new house building.' 6 June 1844.
Mary Ann did not go the school because of smallpox being in the village. 9 June 1844.
Rose absent because of his father's death at Glynde. 11 June 1844.
Mary Ann read letter from Peter Trotter to Johnson's grandson in London 'the first we heard of him since they left England, written in bad spirits with regard to the Country (New Zealand) and employment. 14 June 1844.
Large crowd near Bedford because King of Saxony expected to pass on his way to the North. 21 June 1844.
Mary Ann bought two ferns at St. Paul's Nursery Garden, Chestnut. 9 July 1844.
Visited Mrs Cooper who had only come to the new house the day before. 13 August 1844.
Saw Pilgrims new house near Milbrook. 29 August 1844.
Went to Silsoe to see prizes given to Cottagers. 25 September 1844.
Making things for poor people - bought 4 yards of lace from Mrs Addams for 4s 6d. 2 October 1844.
Went to see Mrs Smith's show of Millinery at Bedford. 29 October 1844.
Mary Ann and their mother 'had our new gardens transplanted our flowers.' 25 November 1844.
Ice house fitted. 11 December 1844.
Called at Mr Dawson's new house. 19 December 1844.
Visit to Chester and Liverpool (describes Liverpool Exchange and Crewe Hall 1661.) 22 February 1845.
Love affair with Gerrard Perryn, her cousin. Feb-March 1845 and 26 May 1845.
Heard of death of Mr Latour, suddenly at Paris. 13 April 1845.
Sat in the Arboretum. 23 April 1845.
Tingrith Church being restored. 1 May 1845.
Handsome communion 'service' given by Mrs Brooks, Bible given to school children (gift of George Brooks). 4 May 1845.
Visit to 'Mr and Mrs Ward and Laura and college friend of Papa's, Mr Green, MP for Lancaster (had stayed with Sir Robert Inglis). 13 May 1845.
Learnt that Beard had sold the living. 15 May 1845.
Copied Mama's genealogy. 20 May 1845.
Ampthill Union Workhouse 'kept in beautiful order.' 2 July 1845.
George and William Brooks went to a cricket match at Ampthill Park. 15 August 1845.
Carriage accident. 29 October 1845.
Earth being dug for station at Crawley (Ridgmont). 13 December 1845.
Heard John Hatfield Brooks Lieutenant. 27 December 1845.
Delhi Gazette details of Battles of Ferezephar, Moodkie. 24 February 1846.
Heard of John Hatfield Brooks's Regiment involvement in Battle of Ferezephar, as above. 8 March 1846.
Resume of Punjab campaign 1845-1846 especially involvement of 1st Regiment of Light Cavalry under entry of 4 April 1846.
William Brooks had a cricket party. 10 September 1846.
Opening of railroad put off. 19 October 1846.
Margaret? (possibly Boldero) and Mary Ann Brooks went to 'take the brasses' and sketch Marston Moretaine Church. 11 November 1846.
Opening of Bedford and Bletchley Line. 18 November 1846.
George Brooks admitted Proctor of Doctors Commons. 19 November 1846.
Planted some things in our new garden. 26 February 1847.
Election of Lord Charles Russell as MP in place of Mr Astell, deceased. 30 March 1847.
T. Tanqueray came to practise his Cornet. 3 April 1847.
Mary Ann Brooks drove her mother for the first time in the little carriage. 28 June 1847.
Played Lawn Billiards. 30 June 1847.
Consecration of St. Cuthberts Church, Bedford. 8 Jul 1847.
Cricket Match. 27 July 1847.
Cricket in the evening and music. 2 August 1847.
Election of MPs for Bedfordshire. 5 August 1847.
Visit to North Wales and Cheshire. September 1847.
Swales got into his house by the Farm. 2 November 1847.
Mr Chapman's 75th birthday. 9 December 1849.
Copied Hatfield genealogy for George Brooks. 15 December 1847.
Engagement of Augusta Newland to Mr Bush. 31 December 1847.
Visit of Bentinck, some one George had met on his tour of Switzerland. 8 January 1848.
First illness (bled and 10 leeches and blisters by Tom Chapman). 5 February - 9 May 1848.
Note at end of diary by John Hatfield Brooks; '1848. On September 19th my beloved sister was released from her sufferings, and entered into rest, aged 26 years.'
Numerous sheets cut out at back of diary.
Covering dated for whole diary: 28 January 1839 - 30 July 1848.
[Note in diary - generally Mary Ann's interest in Social Work in village, Botany and Sketching; numerous lists of people she met and fairly frequent visits to London including sightseeing. Compare with Diary of John Thomas Brooks, B.H.R.S. should have been published in 1987.]
Level of description
item