|
Date: |
|
Description: | At front:
Minute Book of the Rasen Literary Discussion Society, 10 May-19 July 1844 [Treasurer: John Norton Hewitt].
At back:
Diary of John Norton Hewitt of Middle Rasen (1810-1873), supervising the construction of the Ottoman Railway in Turkey, 7 Aug 1864-28 Aug 1865.
Summary by the donor:
"John Norton Hewitt (bp 1810, d 1873) of Middle Rasen, Lincs. Diary (1864/5) of his thoughts and experiences while working at Ephesus Pass, near Smyrna (now Izmir) with visits to Ayaslook, Arzizieh etc, as Clerk of Works and paymaster on the building of the Ottoman Railway.
Wonders why the accountant keeps two different sets of books (later discovers why) ... Misses his wife and daughters (Kate, Ditsie & Dotty). He is 53 ... Visits ruins of Ephesus ... Drinks too much brandy and vows to reform ... Attends a staged camel fight ("a brutal affair") ... Pays visits to 'Rigoletto' & 'Norma' in Smyrna ... Becomes a Freemason ... Repeatedly (and repititiously) longs to "hold my darling wife in my arms" ... Suffers a neck accident followed by a stay in hospital ... Receives letter from "Mr Martyn" who wants to marry his daughter Kate (and did) ... Changes job & becomes Tunnel Superintendent ... has a letter from "Mr T Walliss" (sic), who later ma. Dottie, asking if there would be an opening for him 'here'. He replies not ... Cholera epidemic among the workers ... Hopes to leave for Liverpool on the SS Morocco, arriving Oct 1, 1865." | Temporal: | 1844-1865 | Source: | Lincolnshire County Council | Identifier: | http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/Re... | Go to resource |
|
|