| Description | The series consists of Scharf's personal diaries.
The diaries routinely include Scharf's notes and descriptions on the following:
-social appointments and visits to various institutions and private clubs
-personal expenses
-significant visitors to the Gallery
-daily routines and occupations
-everyday life and architecture in London
-weather, nature and astronomical phenomena
-private and social events in which he participated (parties, meetings, exhibitions etc) including menus and drawings of seating arrangements
-visits to country houses and summer resorts
-reflections on himself (changes in his life, health etc)
Some of the diaries also include a retrospective on the previous year: Scharf's private reflections usually listing the most important events of the preceding twelve months.
The early diaries are far less detailed: those for the years 1845-1854 include mainly details about the Scharf's pupils (names), social appointments and expenses. After 1855 they contain more information and from 1875 onwards they are very detailed.
The diaries for 1858-1860 also contain information about Scharf's activities as Secretary of the Gallery: there are no 'professional' journals for this period.
There are two separate volumes of the 1857 diary, different in size. |
| ImageCaption | Scharf's private diary, 1845 |
| Scharf's private diary, 1894 |