Coolhurst Discovered

September 8, 2011 at 7:59 pm (books, europe, history, places, research) (amberley, books, coolhurst, diaries of sarah hurst, history, horsham, lady elizabeth compton, marchioness of northampton, research, scrase dickins, susan djarbi, sussex)

Come meet the Scrase Dickins family:

Maria, Marchioness of Northampton, widowed mother to:

Lady Elizabeth (née Compton) Scrase Dickins, a young lady described by her cousin Augusta as “your strength and courage have more than once led you into very imprudent situations, such as few other ladies would ever get into. You may feel like a man but remember you do not look like one. God bless you sweetest Liz.” Wife to:

Charles Scrase Dickins (or Dickens)- known as CSD  in the diaries of his cousin Charles Joshua Smith – was first a family friend, then husband to his beloved cousin Lady Elizabeth.

A great image of their children, drawn by Miss Corbaux; published in Fisher’s Drawing Room Scrap Book (1849).

For me, a thrill is to read about Horsham in an earlier diary, the delightful Diaries of Sarah Hurst, 1759-1762: Life and Love in Eighteenth Century Horsham, transcribed by Barbara Hurst and edited by Susan Djarbi (Amberley; 2009). A FASCINATING account and wonderful book. See the West Sussex Gazette review.

Read more about Coolhurst by clicking on the page “estates” (see menu on right)!