RECORD: Emma Darwin's diary for: 1881. CUL-DAR242[.45]. Transcribed by Christine Chua and John van Wyhe, edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua, corrections by John van Wyhe 4.2019. RN3
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with the permission of Richard Darwin Keynes. See the introduction to Emma Darwin's diaries here. All of the diaries are also available in a single file here, which has the latest corrections.
Introduction by Christine Chua:
The Darwins enjoyed a family holiday in Penrith where they rowed on lakes and wandered happily. Upon their return, they received many visitors, one of whom was Marianne North. On a windy August night, Darwin's older brother Erasmus Alvey died. The funeral took place on a bitter cold day of 1st September.
[not microfilmed]
[1881]
E D
[not microfilmed]
a new book of reference from Baine. for Effie
Little Milton for F. E. W.
Boys & girls
Elly's Choice by M. Branston
S. P. C. K. London
[title page]
Harwood's Diamond Diary with An Almanack for 1881
[on reverse:]
Crown at Penrith
Metzler 37
Gt Marlboro St
War Songs of Fr & Ger. 1/
January 1881
[1 January 1881 not microfilmed]
Sunday, 2 January 1881
Monday, 3 January 1881
Tuesday, 4 January 1881
Wednesday, 5 January 1881
Sara from London
Thursday, 6 January 1881
Friday, 7 January 1881
Saturday, 8 January 1881
W. came fr S-amptom
F Balfour
Litches came
January 1881
Sunday, 9 January 1881
Monday, 10 January 1881
W. & Sara went
Tuesday, 11 January 1881
Wednesday, 12 January 1881
Thursday, 13 January 1881
Friday, 14 January 1881
Frost
Saturday, 15 January 1881
Mr & Mrs Romanes
January 1881
Sunday, 16 January 1881
Monday, 17 January 1881
Romanes went
Tuesday, 18 January 1881
Snow storm
Wednesday, 19 January 1881
Frost 19
G. went to Dartmouth
Thursday, 20 January 1881
16 -
Friday, 21 January 1881
Saturday, 22 January 1881
Rosamond & A. Lyell -
January 1881
Sunday, 23 January 1881
Monday, 24 January 1881
Tuesday, 25 January 1881
Wednesday, 26 January 1881
Thaw
Thursday, 27 January 1881
Friday, 28 January 1881
Saturday, 29 January 1881
Litches
went out
!!
January – February 1881
Sunday, 30 January 1881
warm muggy
Monday, 31 January 1881
wrote G. H D !!!
went out
wr. Geo.
Tuesday, 1 February 1881
slight frost !!
Bessy went to London & Basset
Wednesday, 2 February 1881
Thursday, 3 February 1881
Friday, 4 February 1881
Saturday, 5 February 1881
Leo came
Frost
February 1881
Sunday, 6 February 1881
cold fine
Leo went
Monday, 7 February 1881
called on Mrs Ff
Tuesday, 8 February 1881
wrote Geo
Wednesday, 9 February 1881
fine
Thursday, 10 February 1881
wrote Caroline
Margt Shaen
Friday, 11 February 1881
Saturday, 12 February 1881
F. Galton & Marshall
February 1881
Sunday, 13 February 1881
Monday, 14 February 1881
Tuesday, 15 February 1881
Margt went
Wednesday, 16 February 1881
Thursday, 17 February 1881
Friday, 18 February 1881
Saturday, 19 February 1881
February 1881
Sunday, 20 February 1881
Monday, 21 February 1881
Tuesday, 22 February 1881
Wednesday, 23 February 1881
Thursday, 24 February 1881
at Bry St
go to No 4 –
6 [crossed]
saw Ellen
Friday, 25 February 1881
Saw F -
Saturday, 26 February 1881
Mr Blunt to lunch
February - March 1881
Sunday, 27 February 1881
R. Ritchies to lunch -
Monday, 28 February 1881
Mr Woodhouse 12 o clock
Tuesday, 1 March 1881
Do 10 -
Wednesday, 2 March 1881
Thursday, 3 March 1881
Mr W. 10 – a.m
came home
cold N. E - wind
Friday, 4 March 1881
Laura came
Saturday, 5 March 1881
March 1881
Sunday, 6 March 1881
Monday, 7 March 1881
Tuesday, 8 March 1881
Wednesday, 9 March 1881
Thursday, 10 March 1881
Friday, 11 March 1881
Saturday, 12 March 1881
Litches & Elsie B -
March 1881
Sunday, 13 March 1881
!!
Monday, 14 March 1881
!!
Litches went
Elsie B
Tuesday, 15 March 1881
!!
Laura went
Wednesday, 16 March 1881
!!
H. A. W came
walked & sat on stoney Field
Thursday, 17 March 1881
Friday, 18 March 1881
Saturday, 19 March 1881
Arthur W -
March 1881
Sunday, 20 March 1881
Monday, 21 March 1881
Arthur went
Rowland came
Tuesday, 22 March 1881
!!
Wednesday, 23 March 1881
H. A W. & Rowland went
Mr Starling came
Thursday, 24 March 1881
Friday, 25 March 1881
Saturday, 26 March 1881
March 1881
Sunday, 27 March 1881
Do
Monday, 28 March 1881
!!!
frost
Tuesday, 29 March 1881
!!
Pauline came
Bessy came
Geo. came from Plymouth
Wednesday, 30 March 1881
/ William & Sara came
March - April 1881
Thursday, 31 March 1881
Friday, 1 April 1881
Saturday, 2 April 1881
April 1881
Sunday, 3 April 1881
Do
Monday, 4 April 1881
cold high wind
Tuesday, 5 April 1881
bitter cold
Bessy went to Shaens
Wednesday, 6 April 1881
Thursday, 7 April 1881
Alice Hutch - came
Friday, 8 April 1881
Saturday, 9 April 1881
April 1881
Sunday, 10 April 1881
Monday, 11 April 1881
wind changed
warm -
Tuesday, 12 April 1881
Alice went
Rain
Wednesday, 13 April 1881
Horace & Ida
Thursday, 14 April 1881
Friday, 15 April 1881
cold again
Saturday, 16 April 1881
April 1881
Sunday, 17 April 1881
Monday, 18 April 1881
Tuesday, 19 April 1881
Hor. & Ida went
Wednesday, 20 April 1881
Thursday, 21 April 1881
Friday, 22 April 1881
Saturday, 23 April 1881
Leo. R. Ruck & wife –
wind changed
April 1881
Sunday, 24 April 1881
Fine 57 -
Monday, 25 April 1881
went -
Tuesday, 26 April 1881
Wednesday, 27 April 1881
Thursday, 28 April 1881
!! in mg –
Little Lubbock to tea
Friday, 29 April 1881
Saturday, 30 April 1881
May 1881
Sunday, 1 May 1881
Monday, 2 May 1881
Tuesday, 3 May 1881
Wednesday, 4 May 1881
Thursday, 5 May 1881
Friday, 6 May 1881
58
Saturday, 7 May 1881
!!!
Litches came
May 1881
Sunday, 8 May 1881
Monday, 9 May 1881
Tuesday, 10 May 1881
Wednesday, 11 May 1881
Thursday, 12 May 1881
Friday, 13 May 1881
Saturday, 14 May 1881
Litches L. Stephen & Miss Loch
fine
May 1881
Sunday, 15 May 1881
Monday, 16 May 1881
Litches & L. Stephen went
Tuesday, 17 May 1881
Miss Loch w.
Me went to call on Ellen
rain
Wednesday, 18 May 1881
rain
Mr & Mrs Norman
Thursday, 19 May 1881
Friday, 20 May 1881
Frankes, Richter to Lunch
Hen with them
!
Saturday, 21 May 1881
Hen. to L.H P
May 1881
all this a week later
Sunday, 22 May 1881
!!
Monday, 23 May 1881
!!!
C. v. unwell.
heart & feverish
Tuesday, 24 May 1881
Mrs Devas & Tomkins
!!!
Wednesday, 25 May 1881
!!!
Thursday, 26 May 1881
June 2
Met Leo at Buckley
Horace & Hen at Williams
Slept at Penrith
!!
Friday, 27 May 1881
3
came on to Glenred
fine mg
Saturday, 28 May 1881
4
Fine mg – walked up the hill
R.B. L came
rain
party steamed to meet him
June 1881
Sunday, 5 June 1881
June 5
cold. !!
went in boat w. Hor
!!!
Monday, 6 June 1881
6
v. cold
drove towards Penrith.
walked in evg by lake
Tuesday, 7 June 1881
7
v. cold snow on Mts
drove up Kirkston Pass.
cold
pretty storm
Wednesday, 8 June 1881
8 Thursday
drove up the Grindale Pass w. F.
cold.
gleams
Thursday, 9 June 1881
9 Wed –
in bed most of day
Friday, 10 June 1881
10
drove to see Mrs Ruck
dull day.
Saturday, 11 June 1881
11
pretty morning
calm
went on Lake & after dinner
June 1881
Sunday, 12 June 1881
C. & I B & L. crossed over & wandered on the other side
!!!
Monday, 13 June 1881
went in boat w –
- Fasker Glencoin [illeg]
Tuesday, 14 June 1881
to Gow Barrow w. F
some pretty lights
Wednesday, 15 June 1881
dull day
drove up Glencoin & seldom sun –
beaut brook
G. came
Thursday, 16 June 1881
rain most of day
Mrs Ruck came
Friday, 17 June 1881
Hen. went
rain all day till
Drove Mrs Ruck home & looked at Mrs Varty's
Saturday, 18 June 1881
rain [crossed]
Wm came
he & Ch. & drove to 3 lodgings
walked up Glendale
rain & gleams
June 1881
Sunday, 19 June 1881
went across in boat
!!!
T & I
Monday, 20 June 1881
walked up to rocks !
Tuesday, 21 June 1881
Wednesday, 22 June 1881
rain mg.
called on Mrs Ruck
walked w. her up brook
Thursday, 23 June 1881
drove to Troutbeck
v. cold
saw the island & beaut view of Borrowdale
Friday, 24 June 1881
fine
tired after Keswick
Saturday, 25 June 1881
rain rain
W. & Leo went
June 1881
Sunday, 26 June 1881
!!!
row on Lake
Monday, 27 June 1881
Tuesday, 28 June 1881
Mrs Ruck went by boat - picnic
Wednesday, 29 June 1881
rain most of day
Bessy & Ht walk
F. & I to Potterdale
June – July 1881
Thursday, 30 June 1881
rain !
storm all day
Friday, 1 July 1881
!! pm –
went to How Town in steam boat -
Saturday, 2 July 1881
rain almost all day
!! mg -
went w. Bessy to Grisedale
she to St Sunday crag -
July 1881
Sunday, 3 July 1881
Monday, 4 July 1881
Came to Penrith
Tuesday, 5 July 1881
Home v. hot
Wednesday, 6 July 1881
cold & dark
Thursday, 7 July 1881
Ditto
Friday, 8 July 1881
Saturday, 9 July 1881
Litches came!
July 1881
Sunday, 10 July 1881
B. de Constant & Dr
by mistake
!!
Monday, 11 July 1881
Litches went
!!
Tuesday, 12 July 1881
Colliers came
!!
Wednesday, 13 July 1881
Colliers [crossed]
!!
Thursday, 14 July 1881
cool & bright
School feast [2 lines crossed]
!!
Friday, 15 July 1881
Slight rain
cool -!!
Saturday, 16 July 1881
Litches
Lushingtons
Miss North
July 1881
Sunday, 17 July 1881
Monday, 18 July 1881
all went
Tuesday, 19 July 1881
Litches went
Colliers came
Wednesday, 20 July 1881
dark mg
slight rain
Thursday, 21 July 1881
School feast
Bright & cool
Friday, 22 July 1881
Slight rain
Colliers went
Saturday, 23 July 1881
July 1881
Sunday, 24 July 1881
Monday, 25 July 1881
Tuesday, 26 July 1881
Wednesday, 27 July 1881
Thursday, 28 July 1881
Horace came
Friday, 29 July 1881
Farrers came
Saturday, 30 July 1881
July – August 1881
Sunday, 31 July 1881
rain all day
!! [crossed]
Monday, 1 August 1881
Farrers went
!!
Hen came & went
Frank up from Germany to London w. H. & I.
Tuesday, 2 August 1881
Wednesday, 3 August 1881
we followed
Thursday, 4 August 1881
Friday, 5 August 1881
returned
!!!
Saturday, 6 August 1881
August 1881
[7 August – 13 August 1881 not microfilmed]
Sunday, 14 August 1881
Monday, 15 August 1881
Caroline & Sophy
Grays went
C. came
Ogles & Litches went
Tuesday, 16 August 1881
Wednesday, 17 August 1881
Margaret & children
Thursday, 18 August 1881
Friday, 19 August 1881
rain
Saturday, 20 August 1881
!!
drove w C. to Orpington
August 1881
Sunday, 21 August 1881
Monday, 22 August 1881
Caroline & Sophy to London
Eras taken ill
Tuesday, 23 August 1881
Wednesday, 24 August 1881
Thursday, 25 August 1881
Friday, 26 August 1881
high wind
died 11pm
Saturday, 27 August 1881
!!
went to Q. A St & back
Litches came
August 1881
Sunday, 28 August 1881
!!
Monday, 29 August 1881
rain
Tuesday, 30 August 1881
Wednesday, 31 August 1881
dull & foggy –
little rain
September 1881
Thursday, 1 September 1881
funeral
bitter cold
Friday, 2 September 1881
foggy – little rain
Saturday, 3 September 1881
foggy – little rain
September 1881
Sunday, 4 September 1881
went to church
Monday, 5 September 1881
rain at night
Tuesday, 6 September 1881
Wednesday, 7 September 1881
Thursday, 8 September 1881
went to Worthing
Friday, 9 September 1881
!!
Saturday, 10 September 1881
came home
rain & black
September 1881
Sunday, 11 September 1881
Monday, 12 September 1881
Tuesday, 13 September 1881
tol mg
furious rain pm
Wednesday, 14 September 1881
B. to Miss Schau
!!
Thursday, 15 September 1881
!!
Friday, 16 September 1881
!!!
Saturday, 17 September 1881
!!
September 1881
Sunday, 18 September 1881
!!
Monday, 19 September 1881
rain
Tuesday, 20 September 1881
Wednesday, 21 September 1881
Thursday, 22 September 1881
Isabel Akers came
Friday, 23 September 1881
went.
Saturday, 24 September 1881
Camilla Louisa & children
September 1881
Sunday, 25 September 1881
!!
Monday, 26 September 1881
!!!
Tuesday, 27 September 1881
!!!
Mr Pattrick came
Wednesday, 28 September 1881
!!!
Thursday, 29 September 1881
!!!
Friday, 30 September 1881
!!
Pattricks went
Joanna & Susie
Saturday, 1 October 1881
October 1881
Sunday, 2 October 1881
wrote Hen. to Padua
Monday, 3 October 1881
Joanna went
Tuesday, 4 October 1881
Wednesday, 5 October 1881
Hen. came without F.
Thursday, 6 October 1881
Fanny came
Friday, 7 October 1881
Saturday, 8 October 1881
Horace came
October 1881
Sunday, 9 October 1881
Monday, 10 October 1881
Tuesday, 11 October 1881
Susan Horner called
Wednesday, 12 October 1881
Hen. came without F.
went to London to No 6
Thursday, 13 October 1881
She followed
Friday, 14 October 1881
soft & damp
Saturday, 15 October 1881
October 1881
Sunday, 16 October 1881
Monday, 17 October 1881
F & Hensleigh went
Tuesday, 18 October 1881
Susan Horner came
cold & bright
Wednesday, 19 October 1881
went to London.
Thursday, 20 October 1881
came to Cambridge
Friday, 21 October 1881
rain all day
F. Balfour in evening
Saturday, 22 October 1881
Michael Fosters
Do & Miss Gladstone to lunch
October 1881
Sunday, 23 October 1881
Rayleighs
J. W. Clark & Miss Gladstone [7] p.m
[10] [crossed]
tea
Monday, 24 October 1881
wrote to Mrs Nash
!!
Tuesday, 25 October 1881
went to St Johns to see trees
!!
Wednesday, 26 October 1881
!!
Lunch w. G –
Lady Mayne Hughes Ward
went to [illeg]
Thursday, 27 October 1881
came home
met B. & Pauline at Cannon St
Friday, 28 October 1881
Saturday, 29 October 1881
October - November 1881
Sunday, 30 October 1881
Monday, 31 October 1881
Pauline & B. to Wales
Tuesday, 1 November 1881
Hen. & R. went home
Wednesday, 2 November 1881
Bessy went to Ireland
Thursday, 3 November 1881
Friday, 4 November 1881
Saturday, 5 November 1881
wrote to Caroline
v. warm
called on Forrest & Teesdale
Johnsons [crossed]
Leo came
November 1881
Sunday, 6 November 1881
!!! wr. Ellen T.
Litches came
Caroline & F. E W -
Monday, 7 November 1881
wrote Wm G. & Bessy
called at Keston & Mrs Fegan -
Tuesday, 8 November 1881
Litches went
wr. Fr D & Hope
Wednesday, 9 November 1881
wrote Bessy
Thursday, 10 November 1881
Friday, 11 November 1881
wr. Bessy
Hen & Geo. came
Saturday, 12 November 1881
w. Fr
Hen went
November 1881
Sunday, 13 November 1881
Monday, 14 November 1881
Tuesday, 15 November 1881
wr. B & Hen –
called on Brooks
Wednesday, 16 November 1881
wr. Caroline
Do Geo –
Do Fr W.
v. stormy but warm
Thursday, 17 November 1881
wr Harry. & F.D
& H. E. L.
Friday, 18 November 1881
called at Normans
C. very much knocked up
Bessy came home
Saturday, 19 November 1881
November 1881
Sunday, 20 November 1881
wr. F E W -
Monday, 21 November 1881
Tuesday, 22 November 1881
Wednesday, 23 November 1881
Thursday, 24 November 1881
Friday, 25 November 1881
Saturday, 26 November 1881
wr. H E. L.
violent storm
M. Shaen
Fr & B from Wales
November 1881
Sunday, 27 November 1881
Storm all day & night -
Monday, 28 November 1881
!!
M. Shaen went
Tuesday, 29 November 1881
Wednesday, 30 November 1881
!!!
December 1881
Thursday, 1 December 1881
wr. Caroline
rain
Friday, 2 December 1881
Saturday, 3 December 1881
December 1881
Sunday, 4 December 1881
Monday, 5 December 1881
Tuesday, 6 December 1881
went to London
Wednesday, 7 December 1881
Thursday, 8 December 1881
Ch. unwell till Sunday
Friday, 9 December 1881
quite warm all week
Saturday, 10 December 1881
December 1881
Sunday, 11 December 1881
Monday, 12 December 1881
saw Dr Clark
Tuesday, 13 December 1881
came to London
Wednesday, 14 December 1881
Thursday, 15 December 1881
Friday, 16 December 1881
Saturday, 17 December 1881
December 1881
Sunday, 18 December 1881
called at Huxleys
Monday, 19 December 1881
Tuesday, 20 December 1881
came from London
Wednesday, 21 December 1881
Thursday, 22 December 1881
Friday, 23 December 1881
Frost
fine
Saturday, 24 December 1881
[25 December – 31 December 1881 not microfilmed]
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 16 October, 2023