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You are here: Home>Herts history>Diaries and Letters>Hertfordshire Voices>The Diaries of Arthur Peck of Hertford, 1860-1861

The Diaries of Arthur Peck of Hertford, 1860-1861

Arthur Peck was a Hertford stonemason, born in 1838. He worked for the family business and later took it over, most prominently creating the monument to the anti-slavery campaigner, Thomas Clarkson.

His diary, however, records four years in the early 1860s, when Arthur was in his 20s and still working for his father.  He meticulously recorded each day: besides his own work and recreation, entries included weather reports, the movements of family members and detailed accounts of the many chapel meetings he attended, as well as notable local events.

In many cases, the intriguing glimpses into Arthur’s life make us wish for more details.  He spent time almost every day with a girl known only as DB – possibly Betsy Denmark, whom he later married – and hints at rows with his father and siblings, although they generally seem a close family. In spite of the terse summaries, though, we can see what life was like for a young working man in Victorian Hertford.

A longer and more detailed article about Arthur Peck may be found here.

Please click below to read and listen to the extracts from Arthur's diary as we add them throughout 2011.

  • The Diaries of Arthur Peck, March 1860
    The Diaries of Arthur Peck, March 1860
    Audio footage of extracts from Arthur's diary
  • The Diaries of Arthur Peck, April 1860
    The Diaries of Arthur Peck, April 1860
    Audio footage of extracts from Arthur's diary
  • The Diaries of Arthur Peck, June 1860
    The Diaries of Arthur Peck, June 1860
    Audio footage of extracts from Arthur's diary
  • The Diaries of Arthur Peck, July 1860
    The Diaries of Arthur Peck, July 1860
    Audio footage of extracts from Arthur's diary
  • The Diaries of Arthur Peck, October 1860/1862
    The Diaries of Arthur Peck, October 1860/1862
    Audio footage of extracts from Arthur's diary
  • The Diaries of Arthur Peck, January 1861
    The Diaries of Arthur Peck, January 1861
    Audio footage of extracts from Arthur's diary
  • The Diaries of Arthur Peck, August 1861
    The Diaries of Arthur Peck, August 1861
    Audio footage of extracts from Arthur's diary
  • The Diaries of Arthur Peck, November 1861
    The Diaries of Arthur Peck, November 1861
    Audio footage of extracts from Arthur's diary
  • The Diaries of Arthur Peck, February 1862
    The Diaries of Arthur Peck, February 1862
    Audio footage of extracts from Arthur's diary
  • The Diaries of Arthur Peck, May 1862
    The Diaries of Arthur Peck, May 1862
    Audio footage of extracts from Arthur's diary
  • The Diaries of Arthur Peck, December 1862/1863
    The Diaries of Arthur Peck, December 1862/1863
    Audio footage of extracts from Arthur's diary
  • The Diaries of Arthur Peck, September 1863
    The Diaries of Arthur Peck, September 1863
    Audio footage of extracts from Arthur's diary
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