Diaries of Linley Sambourne
Linley Sambourne first experimented with writing a diary in 1871, three years before his marriage. He used a very small notebook which had space on each page for only about 20 words. He gave it up at the end of the year and did not begin again until 1882, when he and his wife embarked on diary writing together. This time he chose a much larger volume and over the next 22 years his neat legible handwriting came to fill the whole page. These diaries are not confessional or introspective, more a simple list of actions and engagements, but they give a clear picture of a man who worked hard, loved his family, had many friends with a wide range of interests, and enjoyed plenty of exercise and good living. © The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
