A Portion of the Journal Kept by Thomas Raikes, Esq., from 1831-1847: Comprising Reminiscences of Social and Political Life in London and Paris During that PeriodDiarist Thomas Raikes (1777-1848) was an Old Etonian whose social world included some of the most influential people of his day. Raikes was no politician - he had an established reputation as a 'dandy' - and he spent much of his time in gentlemen's clubs in London, especially the Carlton and White's. He was ostensibly employed by his father, a merchant and later governor of the Bank of England, and was married with four children. His reputation as a man about town was confirmed by the posthumous publication of these diary extracts, in four volumes from 1856 to 1857; they focus on his time abroad, mostly in Paris. Volume 1 covers the period from January 1832 to autumn 1834, a time of dramatic events in Britain and elsewhere, including the adoption of the Reform Act, uncertainty in Europe over Belgium and the abolition of slavery in the West Indies. |
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affairs Alvanley ambassador Antwerp appears army arrived Belgian question Belgium cabinet Carlist Chambers cholera circumstances citadel court daughter death died dined dinner dread Duchesse Duke Dutch Earl England English Europe favour feeling foreign France France and England French Friday Glengall going Government House of Commons House of Lords Ireland King of Holland King's Lady last night late letter London Lord Althorpe Lord Durham Lord Goderich Lord Grey Lord Palmerston Louis XIV Louis XVIII Louis-Philippe Madame married Matuscewitz meeting ment ministers ministry Monday morning Napoleon nation never o'clock object opinion palace Paris Parliament party Peel peers political Portugal present Prince Queen received refused reply resigned revolution Russia Saturday says seems sent society Spain speech Sunday talents Talleyrand Thomas Raikes Thursday tion to-day took Tory town treaty troops Tuesday Venloo Wednesday Whigs wish yesterday