Reference
LL20/1
Title
Diary of John Hatfield Brooks, 1st Bengal Light Cavalry. (Edited version published in 'The Diary of an Indian Cavalry Officer' by R. Morgan, book 180 BRO.)
Date free text
1852-1855
Production date
From: 1852 To: 1855
Scope and Content
Starts at Flitwick Manor.
Opening of new Sunday School at Flitwick. 10 October 1852.
Comments on wife and mother. Sophie affable ‘no matter how much sameness and dullness exist or how unpleasant her father in law’s uncertain temper may cause the dinner circle “yet Flitwick without the presence of guests is not a cheerful place.” October 1852.
Staying with his brother Willie at Bourton, Oxfordshire, George Brooks entering into partnership with Mr Rickwood, half interest in business, borrowed £400 from Bankers. Funeral of Duke of Wellington. 18 November 1852.
Reference to Bedforshire Militia being reviewed by Earl de Grey at Bedford. 3 December 1852.
Mrs Neland brought over Ashton Warner going out next year to join Bengal Cavalry.11 December 1852.
Death of Flitwick publican, Mr Brinkler. George Brooks to leave Jermyn Street for Doctors Commons after Christmas.13 December 1852.
Frequent mention of rain, including floods, October - December 1852.
John Hatfield Brooks’ second wedding anniversary gave emerald and diamond ring to wife. 23 December 1852.
20 trees down at Flitwick. 27 December 1852.
Asked to dine at Lord de Grey’s. 25 January 1853.
John Hatfield Brooks, captain. 1 February 1853.
Dennis refused by Harriet Whitehurst, who is attached to Captain Maunsell. 2 February 1853.
Percy Campion scalded severely. 5 February 1853.
Birth of Catherine Mary Frances Brooks. John Thomas Brooks plants 3 trees. 8 February 1853.
Bottle fed baby. 9 February 1853.
John Thomas Brooks tried to hand over estates to John Hatfield Brooks but John Hatfield Brooks has to go back to India to clear debt ‘on his Troop’. 13 February 1853.
Captain Maunsell and Harriet Whitehurst affair; father against them marrying. 16 February 1853.
Baby won’t breast feed. 18 February 1853.
Baby will breast feed. 20 February 1853.
Harriet Whitehurst’s 21st Birthday. 23 February 1853.
John Thomas Brooks recovered picture of his father by Woodford. 24 February 1853.
John Thomas Brooks revokes offer of estates to John Hatfield Brooks. 28 February 1853.
Death of Mr Boteler Smith of Aspley Guise. 12 March 1853.
Baptism of Catherine. 15 March 1853.
Wrote in reply to someone he had written to re photographic equipment. 22 March 1853.
Lesson in photography from William Cooper (of Toddington) - camera bad - returned next day. 25 March 1853.
Visit to Brighton staying at 146 Kings Road (4 rooms at 21 guineas a week). 29 March - 12 April 1853.
Joined by George and wife from Boulogne. 4 April 1853.
'Called on George en passant he told me of poor little Harriette’s passion for him.’ (Harriet Brooks w~s the daughter of the Reverend George Brooks). 12 April 1853.
Visit to London buying equipment, household goods for India. April 1853. Including sitting for "likenesses" by Mr Harland 33 Hunter Street, Brunswick Square): George Brooks very happy marriage now fixed for 2 July.
Visit to Woodside. May 1853. including visit to sale of thoroughbred cattle at Marjoribanks's farm at Bushey, Hertfordshire, one cow fetches '50 guineas.
Took camera to William Cooper for inspection. 18 May 1853.
John Hatfield Brooks 30th Birthday. 21 May 1853.
Catherine vaccinated. 26 May 1853.
First success at photography obtained a faint likeness of Sophie on glass. 14 June 1853.
Took 2 or 3 Collodian pictures. 18 June 1853.
Saw George's future house: 2 Nottingham Place, New Road. Louisa Pepys birthday. 2 July 1853.
Marriage of George Brooks and Louisa Pepys at Trinity Church, St.Marylebone. 5 July 1853.
Photographs taken by W. Cooper of John Thomas Brooks and his wife. 11 July 1853.
Started voyage to India. 14July 1853.
Lists names of passengers on 'Bosphorus'. July 1853.
Sketch of Island of Madeira. 22 July 1853.
Mentions John Thomas Brooks wife's 58th Birthday. 19 August 1853.
Mentions Mary Ann's birthday. 20 August 1853.
Arrives at Cape Town. 22 August 1853.
Visits relations there of Sophie. Mentions practised cricketing with Robert. 1 September 1853.
No cricket because of rain. 2 September 1853.
Sophie's birthday. 4 September 1853.
Got wax for recommencing the photography. 7 September 1853.
Bought case of dissecting instruments. 5 October 1853.
Met Mrs Maclear in Cape Town. 22 November 1853.
Went to Maclear's Observatory. 26 November 1853.
Sail from Cape Town in 'Jocelyn'. 1 December 1853.
Arrive at Mauritius. 15 December 1853.
Leave Mauritius. 16 December 1853.
(Lord Spencer Compton joins the ship).
Arrive at Madras. 1 January 1854.
Arrive at Calcutta. 6 January 1854.
Arrive Cawnpore (having travelled by Benares). 19 January 1854.
Brooks i/c 3rd Troop,new house on river bank 75 rupees a month plus 2 rooms furnished, attempted photography; failed with Collodian. February 1854.
Letter from home, Willie exchanged Cropredy for Overthorpe. 28 February 1854.
At Cawnpore.
Reached Lucknow. 5 April 1854. (Met his wife for first time in Lucknow).
Returned to Cawnpore 8 April 1854.
Applied to be a member of the Lodge of Sincerity No 552 atCawnpore. 1 May 1854.
Admitted member of Lodge Harmony No 641. 11 May 1854.
Letters told George's first child born and legacy of £800 for him from Mrs Gastling (sent May, received June 1854), applied to leave Lodge of Harmony. 25 August 1854.
Visit to Lucknow in September and October otherwise at Cawnpore, left Cawnpore for Muttra. 22 November 1854.
Arrive at Muttra. 9 December 1854.
Birth of daughter Marianne Sophie Eugenie. 29 January 1855.
Likenesses arrive from England including one of Mary Ann. 21 February 1855.
Baptism of daughter Marianne. 22 April 1855. But also referred to as little Sophie.
Visit of Robert Batten and his daughters from the Cape [Elizabeth, Sophie's sister, stayed behind - having another daughter].12 May 1855.
Visit to Agra. 24 May - 23 May 1855.
Received Grand Lodge Certificate of Masonry. 7 June 1855.
Letters: Purchase of Flitwick living for £2850, Willie to be installed as Vicar in a few weeks. John Thomas Brooks suffering from inflammation of the head. 28 June 1855.
Mention of Santhal insurrection in Bengal. 30 July and 1 August 1855.
Letter Willie started duty as Vicar of Flitwick on 17 August 1855, entry for 29 August.
Debts of men in Regiment amount to 35,000 rupees. 2 September 1855.
At Muttra with visits to Agra for rest of year Diary covers 1 October 1852- 31. December 1855.
At end of book 2 pages of Christmas cracker type jokes, last page lists birth, marriage and death details of his two brothers and their families.
Level of description
item