Manuscript diaries for 1794, 1797 and 1798

The financial diaries of a Frenchman (rentier) living in England, possibly displaced by the French Revolution. Diaries in French, covers in poor condition, contents good. Comprising: The Kentish Companion: or, useful Memorandum and Accompt Book, 1773 [1794]; Kearsley's Gentleman and Tradesman's Pocket Ledger, 1797; and The Daily Journal; or, Gentleman's, Merchant's and Tradesman's Complete Annual Accompt Book. Address entered in first volume: Hereford Street, London. Contents: record of income and expenditure with information about investments. The minute detail of expenditure runs from food items to toothpowder to the cost of hiring a horse or renting a room for a night or a tip for the lackey of a visited Lord (Anglesey among others). The list of his expenses during a trip to Ireland (Dublin, Limerick, Cork) is particularly interesting, but he makes a similarly well-documented trip to Holland. There is a record of income which he receives from an "R. Bligh" (probably not the lawyer who appears in DNB). (Piquantly, he has the address of "Capt Bligh, Bridport, Dorsetshire" among other addresses in the volume for 1797 but I have not been able to establish whether this was the former Captain of the "Bounty".) He gives information about his financial dealings including the purchase of annuities and of consols.