The Bousfield Diaries: A Middle-class Family in Late Victorian Bedford, Volume 86Publication of the Bedfordshire Historical Record Society pub. by the Boydell Press, 2007 - Biography & Autobiography - 233 pages The diaries of Charlotte Bousfield, extending from 1878 to 1896, paint a vivid picture of the activities of a multi-talented Bedford family, led by a strong-minded matriarch. They were prominent in local life: Charlotte's husband Edward was an influential figure in developing agricultural machinery at the Britannia Iron Works, Bedford's successful exemplar of a modern iron foundry, and important as a factor in the town's growth, while Will, the ablest of the children, became a QC and Conservative MP, whose election campaigns are described in lively detail. Charlotte, meanwhile, was also active, both in the town and further afield: her concern for the underprivileged in the town, a practical expression of her fervent Methodist beliefs, emerges clearly in her lifelong work for the temperance cause, locally and nationally. She founded a home for 'inebriate women', which was ground-breaking for the time, and whose work she describes in fascinating detail. She was also a Poor Law Guardian, and a leading figure in the Bedford Workhouse scandal of the 1890s. Throughout, the diaries bring out some aspects of Victorian social life which are not always obvious: the dependence of the family on their servants; the ease of travelling using railways and horse-drawn transport; the frequency with which family members would spend time staying with friends and relatives. Edited here with notes and introduction, they bring the past vividly to life. |
Contents
March 1878 to January 1883 | 1 |
August 1887 to June 1896 | 163 |
Bousfield family trees Appendix 2 Whos Who in the Bousfield family | 218 |
Copyright | |
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The Bousfield Diaries: A Middle-Class Family in Late Victorian Bedford Richard Smart No preview available - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
accompanied afternoon Alpha Villa amongst arrived asked Aspley Heath Aunt Jenny barrister Bedford Bedford Modern School Bedford School Bedfordshire Blue Ribbon Bousfield Britannia Iron Bromham BWTA called CEB's Chapel Charlotte Charlotte's Church Clara Committee meeting Corn Exchange Cricklewood daughter diary entry dinner drink drove early Edward Elstow feel Florence fortnight Friars Walk Friday friends girls glad holiday hope Howard Husband invited John John's Kelly Kempston ladies leaving letter living London looking Lottie & Hattie Mattie Miss Monday morning Mother night o'clock Papa Papa's Pavenham Plate pleasure present promised returned home Saturday School seemed soon Southend Southport spent St Swithins Station stay Sunday Temperance temperance movement thankful thought Thurlow St Thursday to-day told took town train Tuesday Ventnor village walk Wednesday week whilst wife Will's wish women Xmas