| Description | In this journal Elizabeth Taylor records her experiences staying with her siblings at Haslemere, illustrating her account with watercolour sketches and photographs. Pressed leaves and grass are also attached to one of the pages towards the back of the journal. Taylor's brothers and sisters appear to have contributed to the journal, adding their own accounts of their experiences on this holiday.
The journal provides a detailed account of the family's journey which met with many difficulties, from 'an unpleasant booking-clerk' to 'pouring & pelting' rain, a shortage of umbrellas and being taken to the wrong house. Although Elizabeth Taylor and her siblings were responsible for looking after themselves, the journal reveals that a neighbour, Miss Snelling, brought them food on occasions and assisted them with cleaning. The journal reports that on their arrival at the cottage Miss Snelling came over and made them 'a beautiful pie'.
The journal includes a great amount of detail about the Taylor family's experiences living unsupervised in the cottage, from the arrangement of the rooms and provision of food to their explorations of the countryside, excursions to see cricket matches, picnics and parties. Whilst they were staying at the cottage other members of the Taylor family including their brother Wilfrid (born 1863) and their mother and father Mary Jane Taylor and John Taylor visited them. The journal concludes with 'Closing Remarks' which include a note written by Elizabeth Taylor's brother Claude stating 'I hereby do certify that Elizabeth Mary Taylor is very proficient in the arts of plain & fancy cooking, making sauces & bottle-washing'. |
| AdminHistory | In August 1885 Elizabeth Taylor and four of her younger siblings travelled to Haslemere to stay in a cottage by themselves. Taylor was accompanied by her brothers and sisters Annie Frances (born 1868), Josephine (born 1869), Edwin Claude (born 1871) and John Augustine (born 1873). Elizabeth Taylor was the eldest in the party, aged twenty-seven, and the journal indicates that she took responsibility for her younger siblings. To amuse themselves, the family took the names of characters in William Shakespeare's pastoral comedy 'As You Like It' whilst away on their trip. Elizabeth Taylor played the part of the Duke, adapting the role to 'Duchess'. Whilst in Haslemere the Taylor family stayed in a cottage near to Dr. Jonathan Hutchinson's summer cottage in Haslemere. Elizabeth Taylor was a close friend of Hutchinson's daughter Elsie and the Taylors made numerous visits to Hutchinson's summer cottage. |