| Administrative History | George Henry Strutt (1826-1895) was the great grandson of the famous Jedediah Stutt of Belper. By the time these travel journals were written, the Strutts were a wealthy family and George Henry's generation was the first to enjoy the fruits of prosperity in foreign travel. Previous family members had mostly stayed in England. These journals, written between 1844 and 1893, describe the routes taken and sights seen, chiefly in France, Germany, Austria and Italy. Tours were major expeditions, each lasting several months, and the Strutts were often at the mercy of their courier, responsible for seeing to their luggage, arranging transport, finding accommodation and choosing safe routes. George Henry describes the tribulations he endured with one courier, an Italian from Trent called Michael, who managed to lose luggage and forget to book hotels in advance. Leisure activities recorded in the journals include walks and climbs in the mountains and trips to the theatre and opera. The weather is a constant topic and there are also comments, with a map, on extreme events such as an earthquake in the Alps. |
| Custodial History | These diaries were donated to Derbyshire Record Office in April 2006. |