Over the past few months, we have been posting weekly entries from diaries in the collection. As a treat we’ve assembled a list of all the excerpts. Why not Tweet/Facebook your favourite? This way we can give you more of what you like. The date for each entry e.g 2 December 1942 is a link to a post. Click on the date to read the post. 2 December 1942 – The Bicycle Thieves. 5 December 1953 – Party party! 15 December and 29 December 1927 – Cold weather and hot politics. 20 December 1851 – How my wife gave birth [...]

19 April From GDP/8 John Leeson John Leeson (1803-1865) owned and rented out property in London. In his diaries, he regularly recorded a mixture of his business dealings, family news, and politics. Here, he relates in unusually effusive terms, his brush with danger in a run-away carriage. 20 April 1861 Mrs. Tunks spent a few days with us - & when we came home from London in a fly – the horse ran away with me alone in it from our house, he providentially stop’d at his old stable nr. Addison Road. I have much cause to be thankful to [...]

12 April From GDP/27 Ida May Berry Ida May Berry (1884-1959) lived in West Didsbury, near Manchester when she wrote this diary. Here, as her family move to a new house, she marks the end of her diary. The New Year has dawned, and my diary has come to an end. All the events chronicled here happened at Northern Grove, and as we are going to remove, there will be no need to keep a further record, as the scenes are changing. We leave the delights of the “Past” behind and hope that the Future still holds Happiness in store [...]

5 April From GDP/31 AR AR (1905-1993) grew up in Stepney. She kept a diary regularly as a young woman, and later made occasional entries when particularly significant events happened. Here, she records her son’s Bar Mitzvah and her daughter’s wedding. July 1949 An exciting year! A [the diarist’s son] got Barmitzvahed on April 24 – we had a lovely party, and he said his speech very well, without any shyness – and everything went smoothly. On July 7th – last week, G [the diarist’s daughter] got married – Its [sic] hard to realize – it seems such a little [...]