Today marks six months since we started publishing Aunt Isabel’s Diary. I’ve transcribed most of the diary entries and Rosaleen has produced all the excellent photographic posts. It’s been a fun and interesting task, and not as time consuming as I feared – a few minutes a day unless Isabel introduces a character whom I need to research.
I’ve reproduced the diary faithfully, with the original punctuation i.e. all commas and few full stops. As the reader will have noticed, it is more of a log than a diary with an obsession with train times and almost nothing about feelings. Nevertheless I hope it gives an insight into the life of a relatively wealthy young lady of the time. The family ties are obviously strong – sister Nell living down the road and coming to dinner on a regular basis, and the on-going saga of Aunt Betsy and her ill health. The Lees obviously had a carefree lifestyle with plenty of travel, theatre, golf and tennis – the events of 1914 must have come as a major shock.
Although Isabel seems perfectly comfortable in the company of men, there is no sign of any romantic interest. Isabel is 27 in 1913, above the average age of marriage in those times, but didn’t actually take that step until 33 years later, when she married Don Brown at the age of 60.
I hope our few readers stay with us as we reveal Isabel’s doings for the rest of this 5 year diary.
Robert Lee
Lee Family History 