16 January 1846 - Friday

Went to meet Ann Fox as she came through Park Street, Camden Town, and … Place. Met her near to Davies’s flash china shop.

13 & 14 January 1846 - Tuesday & Wednesday

There is no diary entry for 13th and 14th January.

12 January 1846 - Monday

Saw Mrs Heskett, the mother of my fellow clerk, for the first time. Sorrow and trouble are depicted in her countenance, she seemeth not a stranger to misfortune.

Introduction

The diary of Nathaniel Bryceson is a rare survival. It gives a fascinating insight into the daily life of a Victorian clerk, including details of his job at the coal wharf and the diverse places he visits across London as well as numerous mentions of family ailments and his assessment of the weather. Local events, especially murders, sudden deaths of famous people and the execution of criminals, feature alongside references to major London landmarks. National politics are mentioned in the context of the Parliamentary debates on the Corn Laws and the replacement of the Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel by Lord John Russell. There is even an international dimension to the diary with references to the war between the British and the Sikhs in India.