The published entries are part of a much larger document which has been passed down the generations – totalling 11 volumes of almost daily entries. But the sheer volume of entries meant that the 300 plus pages of the published work represented just a fraction of the whole. Were they to do so I might find the time to turn my attention to the nine volumes of my Great Great Grandfather’s diary! This year, very few of the entries have been published before. This time I have included a few extracts relating to family issues which demanded his attention despite the business of the festive season.

Source: The Times December 24, 2025 12:07 UTC