The Diary of Nathaniel Bryceson (Part 8)

[Steven Bryceson]

Dear all, I can't believe this will be the last week of NB's diary entries! I do hope the research and conversation continues from time to time. Thank you so much for everything you have helped me learn about my 3x great grandfather and others in his family. I am looking forward to exploring some of the churches and other places NB visited when I am on sabbatical in April-July. In putting together a list of the churches, it has occured to me that NB was working through an alphabetical list in 1846 from K - M by order of dedication eg. St Katherines - St Marys. He doesn't do it absolutely consistently but there is definately a pattern and not unlike the way my own mind works on these things: it must be inherited! NB lives on indeed!! Peace and joy, Steven.

[Ruskie]

This one adds to the confusion in the Workhouse 1861:
FOX, Ann   Pauper Widow 56 Laundress born Welwyn Hertford
RG09 piece 76 folio 115 page 17.

In order to attribute the costs of her stay, the Board of Guardians would presumably have established her origins.

This looks like it could belong to the death I found - though age is a bit out ...... "our" Ann always said she was born in Middx.

Steven. I can't believe it either. It's quite sad and frustrating - I really feel that I need to know more but there is no more. 

It is amazing that you have found a pattern in Nathaniel's church visits. Maybe breaks in the pattern were due to inclement weather with Nathaniel not wanting to venture too far in the cold/rain and choosing a church closer to home to visit that Sunday. 

I'm sure we will continue the discussion and there will be a renewed interest when the diary is published. I hope they do a good job of it and include (I think essential) old and current maps and maybe some of the vital information that has been found on this thread.

Nathaniel certainly lives on!

[dee-jay]

What an anticlimax today!  I have a horrible feeling that we're going to be left hanging each day this week .... 

[Ruskie]

I thought today's entry was quite interesting actually, filling us in a bit on how his mother is fairing. Not enough personal detail though.

I suspect you may be right dee-jay, and we might be really left unfulfilled when the diary abruptly ends ....

[Siamese Girl]

I feel so sorry for his mother - the poor woman has nearly another year to live. She must have been in dreadful pain.

Carole

[Ruskie]

I feel so sorry for his mother - the poor woman has nearly another year to live. She must have been in dreadful pain.

Carole

Yes, poor Mary. At one stage Nat told us a little about the treatment she received - I would like to know more and whether any of this helped her at all.   

[steve_gus]

I originally thought it was quite sad that Nats mother died a year or so after the diary ended, but if she was like that, what was the point of going on.

Nats entry is a bit strange. He is talking about his mother in quite a disspassionate way, and it seems as if he had not seen her in the preceeding two months to know what she was like.

Hmmm.

One other thing of note, as far as I rememember, Nats diary never deals with planning. Its basically a statement of facts of the day. He nver mentions things he is to do later in the week, or any real personal thoughts. Its essentially a self contained statement of each day. Ok a diary is a day book, but dont most people put their future thoughts and muse on the past etc.


Or is this factual 'day at a time' approach the reaon why he shows no emotion to his mother - I dont think so, there is something else there I think. Either Nat has a reason not to like his mother, or he is a bit of a git.

Still I like him and will miss him terribly. Has the diary made him live on, or die a second time?

[deb usa]

Oh, Poor Mary ..I feel so sad for her! 

Granny, if I remember, has only one tooth left and as Nat says she is 70...imagine what Mary must look like if she is looking 20 years older than her mother.

It sounds like she must have cancer, possibly breast cancer.

deb

[dee-jay]

Nat actually writes: '..... Granny looking a fresh coloured dame of 70 while mother looks extremely aged as approaching 90.'  Reading between the lines he appears to be saying that his grandmother does not look her age but his mother looks 20 years older than granny.