Diary of Anne Elizabeth Fisher, vol VIII

Written from 14 York Place [Portman Square, London], with, at back: list of books read, 1858, letters and notes written and received in 1858; list of books recommended at front. Includes pressed flowers and a letter [dated 12 Aug 1871] from Renee [no surname] to William [presumably Annie's later husband], from London. Notable entries include: (25 Jan) news of the marriage of the Princess Royal to Prince Frederick William of Prussia, including a description of the crowds and Illuminations; (1-9 Feb) return to Downing College ("alterations have been going on") for the Bachelor's Ball (2 Feb); (12 Feb) attended lecture by [Michael] Farraday at the Royal Institution on 'Static Induction'; (17 Feb) visit to St James's Palace and Chapel, still set out as for the Royal wedding, including pressed Ivy leaf, taken from the flowers in the room; (19-23 Feb) return to Downing, where they listened to the speeches at the Rent dinner in Hall from the Gallery; (25 Feb) Haymarket Theatre to see 'Much Ado About Nothing' and a pantomime of 'The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood', attended for several hours by the Royal party; (27 May) heard Charles Dickens read [The] 'Chimes' at St. Martin's Hall [destroyed by fire, 1860], with description of his 'very beautiful reading'; (3 July) after a week at St. Ibbs with the Amos family, Annie joined Mrs Amos in returning to Cambridge for the day to hear Sheldon Amos give an oration at the Senate House after being awarded the Member's University Prize for Latin Prose; (21 July) description of visit to Mr [Henry Thomas] Hope's house in Piccadilly [No. 116]. Throughout this diary, entries record the increasing frequency of visits with James Amos, often with his brother Sheldon. At this time he was engaged to Frances Snape (later his wife).