The Diary of Robert Sharp of South Cave: Life in a Yorkshire Village 1812-1837 (Records of Social and Economic History, New Series)

Robert Sharp was the schoolmaster of South Cave, a market village in East Riding, from 1804 until his death in 1843. The diary proper begins in 1826 and goes on almost without interruption until 1837, just prior to the accession of Queen Victoria. It therefore covers the period between the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the Victorian era - a period that included the passing of the Reform Act of 1832. The importance of the diary lies in its intimate portrayal of village life at this time. Robert Sharp, as an educated, literate man, was involved in almost every aspect of local life, so this record is exceptionally detailed. There are also many entries concerning more national and international matters, such as the burning of the Houses of Parliament (1834). ISBN 0197261736. Hardback. Publishers price US $80.00