WELCOME TO SALLY’S DIARIES:
There are a total of 77 handwritten pages in this journal.
This is a very intriguing travel diary that represents a trip taken in 1910 with miscellaneous notes interspersed throughout the diary entries. And actually it has some intriguing notes all the way through. Even the cover makes me wonder a bit as it says, “For making one drawing from photograph. 5.50 (pounds).” And then the name at the top which I think is Aug. (Augustus?) Walker. Then there is this entry which I absolutely love and its found on the first page of this diary which reads, “Via Christoforo Colombo, a name of street in “Genova” Italy read from the car window in route to Milan, July 26, 10. No two days are alike in Italy, as to scenery I could write more if I were willing to see less.”
Now I believe the diary was written by the wife of Dr. Meeklin (not sure if I have that name right) because she mentions in the first quote below who is on the trip and then in another entry she says, “Mrs. H. and I while the Dr.’s made the tours of the hospitals, went first to Prince’s St. passing Scott’s monument….”
This first part of the diary, the trip, has 41 handwritten pages. I’ve described the second half of this journal after the following example quotes…..
1910
“Leaving London June 30, 10. Party Dr. and Mrs. Meeklin (?), Dr. and Mrs. Hood. Bound for Edinburgh, Trossachs, etc. Stopped off at York to see the cathedral with its wealth of glass windows, the 5 sisters window, the Chapter House with its circle of carved heads, no two alike. From York again a stop over to Durham with its fine cathedral, the best we have seen and the Durham castle standing on a rock foundation.” (While in Durham Scotland the ladies go out to shop while the Dr.’s visit the hospitals. Then it’s on to Loch Katrine by steamer.)
“We made for the castle in the afternoon built on the solid rock. Harry’s chapel is the smallest and oldest in Scotland. The guide pointed out the guns, a salute was fired at 10 o’clock every day but Sunday. If they fired it on Sunday it would break the Sabbath. We listened to more history than we ever hope to know. Leaving the castle four ragged Scotch boys rushed upon us and commenced in concert to repeat the points of interest.”
“July 7th, 1910. Left London via Dover to Ostend and on to Bruges. Trim little ship but nearly everybody sick on the four hours passage. I couldn’t eat, my nearest experience to sea sickness. It was nine o’clock so could only look over the place as stores were closed but found out the program for tomorrow.” (2 ½ pages describing Bruges then on to Ghent)
“July 9th, Left Bruges for Ghent where we saw the beautiful cathedral, Van Eyck paintings, old castle of 900 or 1000 century. Had the entire attention of attendant, dad and I, while being shown through the wonderful church.” (On to the Hague, Amsterdam, Isle of Harken, Cologne, Heidelberg and more)
“July 13th, On a Dutch boat find out the name late, for the Isle of Harken. A full boat. One passenger wants to know where she is going for dinner. The lady in next seat said, “We are off for all day.” Strange how people start off not knowing where they are going.”
On the 14th they are leaving Amsterdam. Then there are 8 handwritten pages with just one liners or notes as if she wrote them down to remember for later on, as if to finish her diary later. Then two more pages of longer entries with the last part of this trip ending on July 21st.
Then this is when you turn the book over you’ll find there are 36 handwritten pages the first 5 of which seem to be some kind of history on India and Japan. Then the rest of the pages have to do with the “Passion Play” she saw on March 24th, 1911; her view and description of it.
So all in all this journal has 77 handwritten pages of all kinds of notes that really need to be figure out. As you can see it’s a handmade journal, no cover and bound with a light blue silk ribbon. Each page measures about 4 1/4” x 6 1/4”.