Lewis Carroll’s Diaries

Diary entries by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson on this date 150 years ago. Run by @kateblyn.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Oct 24, 1872: Wrote out, and sent to Gwendolen Cecil, the rules of a mental game I invented a short time ago, which I call “Numerical Croquet.”

No more diary kept until… [Dec 26, 1872]

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Oct 21, 1872: By early train to the Shrub Hill Station, and thence to Oxford for breakfast. Bosanquet called in the afternoon, and was much interested in what I told him Wilfred wants to get invented, a machine which will map an estate by being drawn round it.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Oct 20, 1872: Christening of “Edith Alice,” the godmothers are Fanny and Mrs. Donkin. … Left by evening train for Worcester. Stopped at Foregate Station and put up at the “Star.”

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Oct 19, 1872: To “The Moor” again.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Oct 14, 1872: To Oxford by the 6 a.m.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Oct 13, 1872: Went with Uncle Hassard up to town by the evening train. Put up at Great Western.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Oct 12, 1872: Funeral of my dear Aunt, attended by Uncle Skeffington and Fletcher, Uncle Hassard, Skeffington, and myself.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Oct. 11, 1872: Oxford to Hastings, and put up at the “Castle” Hotel.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Aug 28, 1872: found my way to "Halbrake House." Mr. and Mrs. Conder were away, and the children just setting off with their nurse to Battersea Park. I got Lizzie, Kate, and Eric, to turn with me and show me the house, and afterwards walked with them to the Park.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

(3/3) The children went to bed some time before I left, and just before leaving I paid them a visit, with Mr. Conder, and saw some asleep, Lizzie and Kate still awake, all making pictures I should much have liked to photograph.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Aug 27, 1872: During our stay at Bognor I made several very pleasant friends. First, Mr. and Mrs. J. Conder and family, from Halbrake House, Wandsworth. The children are Lizzie, Kate, Eric, Nellie, Johnnie, and a baby. (1/3)

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

(2/3) We met the family constantly, and had many pleasant trips on the water with them. The last I saw of the children was on Monday night, the 19th when I went and spent the evening.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Aug 1, 1872: At work all day. I hope to leave on Saturday morning till October. Would that the change might bring a real change of life and habits! O God, make me more truly Thine, for Thy dear Son's sake! Amen.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Jul 31, 1872: Left for Ch. Ch. at 11.24. At Reading I fell in with the Bradley children, on their way to Henley, except Daisy, who was going to Leamington, alone, and whom I escorted as far as Oxford.

At work all the rest of the day, settling etc.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Jul 30, 1872: Left Guildford at 7.29, picked up Elizabeth at Witley, on my way to look for lodgings at Bognor. We first went to Chichester and called on Dr. Hook, who was very hearty and kind and introduced us to Mrs. Cecil Hook, just back from her wedding tour.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Jul 29, 1872: I went over to Hambledon to see Skeffington who is invalided, and has Elizabeth and Margaret over there to nurse him, and offered to treat him and two sisters to a week at the seaside.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Jul 28, 1872: Walked in the afternoon to Newland's Corner with a young Mr. Hamilton, a friend of Edwin's from Chichester.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Jul 27, 1872: Left Ch. Ch. 11.55 and reached Sunningdale soon after 2 … In the course of the afternoon a Miss Cave called with her niece, Beatrice Miles, a very pretty and engaging child of about 10 … I taught the children "Croquet Castles" and "Sixes and Sevens."

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Jul 25, 1872: Photographed Mr. Combe and Cyril. Did also one of Julia, seated reading, and one of Mrs. Arnold.

[Lewis Carroll’s Diaries @DodgsonDiaries]

Jul 24, 1872: Photographed Holman Hunt and his little boy Cyril.

[Portrait of Holman Hunt—not by Dodgson—ca. 1865]