The Diary of Mary Hardy 1773-1809: Diary 1,2,3,4: The Four-Volume Set

This 25-year project to publish a little-known diarist throws new light on 18th-century country life and work. Until now only brief extracts had appeared. Through the eyes of Mary Hardy (1733-1809), the wife of a Norfolk farmer, maltster and brewer, we observe the development of the family enterprise. The Hardys and their workforce perform all the stages of production, from ploughing the land and sowing the seed to delivering the beer to the public houses. The toll on the men is immense. In her diary totalling half a million words she ranges over a wide canvas. These include family matters such as the position of women and the nurturing of children, running a household and the high turnover of maidservants, supplying public houses and the innkeepers' many problems, and the civilian response to the threat of invasion. Each page has editorial sidenotes designed to guide the reader through the text. As well as explaining any unusual words they amplify her often laconic entries. Each well-illustrated volume in the set has a detailed index. The volumes are also available singly, the individual synopses giving the scope of Mary Hardy's coverage. See more