Diaries of Marion Sambourne
Mary Ann (Marion) Sambourne (1851-1914) was the daughter of Mary Ann Walker and Spencer Herapath, a successful stockbroker. Marion grew up in Kensington, in a house just round the corner from Stafford Terrace, and remained close to her family after her marriage. She married Linley Sambourne in 1874 and they had two children, Maud and Roy. As was expected of married women in the Victorian era, Marion’s life revolved around her husband and children. She was a skilful seamstress and embroiderer, was adept at running a household and had a good head for managing money. She recorded her life in her diaries which she kept from 1882 up until her death in 1914. These diaries are preserved in the museum archive and provide a remarkable insight into the life of a middle-class housewife during this period. © The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
