Edith Barkley's Diary

Edith Barkley’s Diary 1860 November ? Written by her in tiny hand-writing in a small notepad so what follows is very imperfect.

Edith Perkins 1836-1919 married 1859 (the year before this diary was written) George Andrew 1826-1913. They were first cousins with grandparents Charles William Barkley and Frances nee Trevor in common. Edith was the daughter of Jane Perkins and George the son of Rev John Charles Barkley. George worked in the Balkans with his brother John Trevor Barkley 1825-1882 and later also with another brother Henry (Harry in the diary) 1837-1903. John was married to Jane Stanley 1826-1907 who features in the diary. So at the time of this diary, their ages were about – John 35, George 34, Edith 24, Jane 34, Harry 23.

During the few months of the diary (probably November 1860 to March 1861), George, Edith, John and Jane lived somewhere near Varna, probably Kustendjie, Turkey where their son is recorded elsewhere as having been born (now Constanta, Romania) on the Black Sea working and trying to get contracts to work on building a railway.

There are several references in the earlier part of the diary to “Baby” which may have been Jane’s daughter Constance who we have as being born in 1861 in which case either the diary is from November 1861-March 1862 or Constance was born a year earlier than we have. Constance was the future Lady Constance Parker who carried out a lot of research on the family in due course.

Edith (without having made any previous reference to her condition!) suddenly recorded that she gave birth to a boy on 24^th January and later she refers to having had a previous birth. As there is no other reference to that, it sounds as if that baby had died. The baby born on 24^th January was Henry Yarker Barkley 1861-1895.

START OF DIARY, ASSUMED 1860

19^th Nov .G [her husband, George Andrew Barkley 1826-1913, sometimes shown a G which could be confused with J or John or Jane]. much better tho’ still rheumatic. Went down to the Office. Fine and mild.

20^th G. rode down to the Office. Very fine, must arrange to see Mrs? Burns? Saw ? out; then went to Jane’s for a few moments, Middleton? Very ill again. Mr Campion? Came in the evening.

21^st Heard from Mr Lister? That the French boat was not yet in to Varna so we have no hope of the post. Went for a walk with G. who is almost well again.

22^nd Letter from Mr Butt. Mr Lawley? Came to call and then Sinac?. G. went out coursing with him and was much disquieted. Saw one hare and lost it in a hole. Mr Lawley? ? ? everybody. Miss Cullen came to call and was very very interesting. I went for a walk in the compound. Cold wind but very fine. G. came in half frozen.

23^rd Quite fine in all day working. Post came in the evening, a letter from Uncle to G with one from F to me for me. One from Iseley? And another from Mr Lister. Papers from home, Illustrated and Punch from Dolly, much pleased and charmed to get something to read. Not well at all, wrote to Fan and G. to Bob a short note.

24^th G. went ? and then came home and read all day. I worked all day at my ?oss? Very fine and mild.

25^th Beautiful day like Sunday. ? Walked in the afternoon down the point for the first time since the 10^th June. Much astonished with all the changes down there, saw the carriages and ?station

26^th Beautiful day. George went out coursing and never saw a single hare. I walked in the compound and went to the Culenes? And was not much pleased them all. Excitement, a mouse found in the wash house asleep. G turned him out.

27^th Lovely day and very warm, took a nice long walk with G over the country? And read letters and papers. In the evening the new servant came, left England on the 10^th with the ?s

28^th Beautifully fine great ? of the new servant who seems more stupid that can be believed, I feel a good deal depressed about her. Went for a beautiful walk with G like summer. S. Wind.

29^th Still beautiful. Alice awfully dirty and stupid. I went for a very nice walk quite hot. Took all the dogs, when we came home we found the post had come, one letter from Mamma and M?y, none from Melton [Melton Parva where John Charles Barkley was the vicar] “In?s, Illust. And Punch? From Dolly very welcome. Wrote to Jane about the servant and to N?y, by Mr Campion?. Paid Bertha her wages and ? money

30^TH Beautiful day and quite hot. Bertha went to B. R? and came back the same night we? found out the whole scheme. Seliac? And Mde Bisilesle? Having intrigued with her to keep her ? Seliac service and ? it as to cheat us out of the money. Very angry. G wrote two letters and Seliac? In answer ? of the propal? ? G very indignant – with Seliac?

1^st Very warm went for a walk over the country turned colder and raining and looks like a change. Answer from Seliac?

2^nd Sunday. Raining and foggy. Steamer in from Constantinople?. Her ?son came. G? has heard very good news from Bucharest of government employment. 2 letters from Mr Liddell who quite takes G view of Seliac?. G in great spirits and mean to go to Bucharest. In all day. G sent Siliac a final note short and not sweet by any means.

3^rd Snow came in the night and blowing a gale from the N.W. very cold and wretched. A very impertinent letter from Seliac? Denying nothing? Herker? To birthday. In all day.

4^th Fine day and no letter. I made Alice wash an awful ? and spectacle altogether. Wind cold.

5^th Fine and mild beautiful day. George’s birthday went for a walk with the dogs and enjoyed it much. Letters came, one from Mamma [Mamma was Jane Perkins nee Barkley 1796-1884]. A great deal about this wretched Alice, in whom coincidentally she has been greatly deceived for she is awfully stupid and idle.

6^th. Very mild and fine a great struggle with the ?, the girl worse than ever. Went for a beautiful walk with George.

7^th Very mild but foggy. Mrs Curtis? Has arrived and is staying in the hotel. Came to see us in the afternoon

8^th Went to see Mrs Burse? wretched foggy day and damp. Mrs B better.

9^th Beautiful day like summer. Had service at the Hotel, a tolerable congregation, very nice service, very thankful Seriac? To lunch and then for a walk to the big mound, not tired and feel very well.

10^th G busy all day with John [Edith’s brother in law, elder brother of her husband, John Trevor Barkley 1825-1882 m, Jane Stanley 1826-1907] who leaves for Bucharest tomorrow. Very mild. John came in to say goodbye. Sent my letter to Mama also ? at Alice by ?

11th Up to see John off, he went at 10 AM George busy all day, lovely weather. Washing went off a little better with wash house???

12^th Wrote to Harry [probably Henry Charles Barkley 1837-1903 – he would have been about 23 at the time. He was the younger brother of Edith’s husband George and John. Henry worked with those brothers on the Varna railway and wrote several books] a long letter. Have to send the letters now on Wednesday. D. Stanley [perhaps related to brother in law John’s wife Jane nee Stanley, dau of Edward Stanley MP of Ponsonby Hall] came over.

13^th Very mild. Went for a walk over the country, lovely day. Mr Civeti’s? Jane and D. Stanley to dinner, went off well. I like Mr C. very much.

14^th Very fine, went for a walk. Letters came late. Only one from J? Hickley to G. none from Melton and none from home. Papers from ? only.

15^th Raining and very dirty, snowed in the night of 15^th. One letter from Octavia [Either Octavia nee Shuter, husband of Edith’s brother Edward Mosely Perkins or Edith’s sister Octavia Perkins 1831-1914] all well there. D Stanley in to tea.

16^th Sunday. Service again at the Hotel, not many people as last Sunday. Jane not there. ? dreadful. Twice to church. The weather not quite fine again. Poor O’Brien very ill.

17^th Jane’s birthday. George busy all day. Mr Filton ill.

Working all day. Heavy rain

18^th Mild but rainy. Struggle with Alice about the washing.

19^th Beautiful fine day quite mild. Wrote letters. Alice a great nuisance.

20^th Beautiful day, my birthday. Went for a nice long walk. Telegram from John but no news.

21st George very busy in all day. Steamer in but no post.

22^nd One letter from ?Fan and ?ly and frightful struggle with Alice about cleaning. Went for a very nice walk and to see Jane.

23^rd Sunday. A great storm in the night from the S. East which damaged the pier a little but not seriously, G went out directly after breakfast to ? after. Cold and raw in all day.

24^th Very cold, found the snow on the ground and freezing hard all day. Another awful struggle with the washing, Alice worse than ever. The tree looks very sweet. Baby and Emily to dinner and afterwards the tree lighted, the Baby’s delight beyond all description and the tree very pretty. Baby stayed til 9

25th. A partial thaw and quite mild again, went over to see Jane and stayed sometime, the Baby quite well. D Stanley M? Chadwick and M? Gilton? To dinner quite successful but not too exciting. Lighted the tree.

26^th Fine and mild, wrote letters to Dolly, Emily? And Mrs Kiepirie?. Alice very troublesome.

27^th Quite mild and fine. No Austrian boat as expected. Alice ill and so plenty to do, went for a short walk with G but felt too tired to stay out long. Ironed? A good deal. Poor O’Brien died.

28^th. Alice up and about again. G. up early and went down before breakfast, came back for second breakfast with me. Poor O’Brien buried. Pouring wet day but not very cold.

29^th. Very foggy and damp. Great difficulty with Alice again about cleaning. Towards night began to snow and the wind got up from the West.

30^th. Frightful wind and very cold snowing all day. IG went over to see Jane and then me. Very cold and wretched.

31^st Less wind but very bitter and cold. The line stopped from snow

PROBABLY JANUARY 1861

1^st ? intensely cold great struggle as usual with the washing, feel quite in despair about Alice. Went to see Jane for a little time.

2^nd Quite fine but very cold. Got the clothes hung out at last. G. not yet arrived. Letter from Harry (George’s brother) of the ? Capital latter?

3^rd Very bright and fine but intensely cold. 16 degrees of frost. Mrs Burn? Came to see me and sat a long time chatting. Poor Bennett dying in great misery. G to see him twice and to see Jane.

4^th Blowing from the north, a regular gate and snowing fast, intensely cold. Telegram from John from Buggev? Hope to see him today not certain on account of the line being stopped. No letters for weeks.

5^th Poor Bennett died last night. Very cold but ?. John not come yet. Jane came to see me. Letters and papers came. Letter from Mama and one from F.B from Birtley. Baby to dinner and had her tree lighted again rather wearing. G sent Nicola? To B. Reeise?

6^th Sunday. Very cold but not so severe I think as yesterday. Chadwick arrived from B. Reeise? no news of John. Danube full of ice. Ham stolen by a dog and several other things.

7^th ? ? John came back in the night and had to get in at the window. He has succeeded well altogether with Contracts but has suffered much from cold. Great danger in crossing the Danube from the ice. D. Stanley ? for ?

8^th Still thawing and an awful mess everywhere. John with a dreadful cold. Did not see him. Alice washing and stupid ?

9^th Quite mild comparatively speaking. Got the little stove in G’s room fixed of which Jane most thankful. Wrote letters one home and one to Mlle?. The post came and brought me one letter from home. Papers etc came.

10^th Quite mild and fine went over to see John and G came in and sat a long time.

11^th Fine ? Got the ironing finished. John better.

12^th Baby came, a very busy day and worked hard all day. Quite well thank God. John came in in the afternoon, ? better.

Sunday 13^th Frost came back very cold. Bl? In and our ? and ? everything in good order. G. ? over John’s, I stopped in all day. G had a ? with C. L Sankey?.

14^th Very cold but no wind which is a great mercy.

On the 24^th of January our Baby was born at 6 in the morning. I was not nearly as ill as last time thank God and I was really relieved when I heard it was strong healthy boy. I got much stronger and better every day and Baby throve wonderfully until about the 10^th day and my breast? Inflamed and gradually became worse and worse, the pain at last being quite unbearable. I suffered frightfully and about the 17^th day it came to a head and George opened it. The pain was ? unbearable. George also was very ill and one day could not move hand or foot for ? of course Mrs Burn could not come and I had Baby to wash which caused great suffering. The cold intense some nights the thermometer was 12 degrees below zero but we hear in England it was worse.

We had great difficulty all the time for fuel and many days George had no fire at all down stairs. Middleton left on 10^th at night and I had to do for Baby myself. I was getting stronger however. My breast Gathered? Twice and was very bad. John left for Constantinople about the 28^th and went on to England. Baby throve wonderfully and got to look much nicer every day. The cold lasted until the end of February.

The beginning of March it began to get finer and warmer. Mrs Burn? Was suffering from a frightful accident. George never got ? well again. On the 4^th April John got back, the boys to our great disappointment went on to Bucharest. John never brought my parcel to my disgust. The boys sent me a beautiful muff. We ? there to have on the 21^st August. Left on the 6^th and ???. We have to return in October. John left for Bucharest on the 6^th and returned on the 18^th with a great ? against ? S?y who has been behaving just as one would have expected him to do. Dr Cullen and St? sent their bills in. Very busy packing up and putting things away. Mrs Smith? Is to live in the house whilst we are away. We paid Alice £6 for wages and £13 to take her house, she had no passport so we got Bob Stairs? To take her in for a week until one could be got from ? Constantinople.

I don’t envy Bob she behaved shamefully and was discontented of course, I am truly thankful to get rid of her, for a worst servant nor a more odious woman never entered a house. We engaged Constantine for the ?. ? with Cl. Sankey is very interesting.