Can you help me find a diary from my childhood?

July 17, 2008 6:56 AM

When I was a child in the 80s, one of my relatives in the UK used to send me a beautiful diary each year. I would love to know if it is still being published.

I remember that the diary had some poems, short stories, and religious quotations. The cover always had cottage garden flowers on the front, and it was a hardback. It may have been called something like "The day book of..." (not my name, the author's). I would be interested to get a hold of either old copies from the 80s or a new one if it's still being published.

posted by wingless_angel to writing & language (10 comments total)

I think there was a diary based on the Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady. Possibly made by WH Smiths. But as this range was based on a book and film of the same name, it's hard to find using google.
posted by Helga-woo at 7:30 AM on July 17

I said Smith's, I meant Marks and Spencers.
posted by Helga-woo at 7:46 AM on July 17

Yeah "The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady" was pretty big diary-wise here in the UK in the 80s. Is this the one you mean?
posted by rongorongo at 8:47 AM on July 17

I don't think that's it - it was a regular annual diary that just happened to have all the other stories, pictures, etc in it as well.
posted by wingless_angel at 9:11 AM on July 17

Could well be Patience Strong's Thoughts for Everyday or Through the Year with Patience Strong. If not those particular volumes maybe one of an avalanche of others.
posted by Dr.Pill at 3:10 PM on July 17

Yeah, I think I didn't explain myself well earlier (I was posting from work and trying to be surreptitious). The Edwardian Lady had/has a whole pile of spin off products, including actual, proper diaries for you to use.
posted by Helga-woo at 4:17 PM on July 17

I have a very vague memory of my mother owning something like the books you describe. I remember a deep-blue dust jacket, the titles written (in yellowish print?) above a picture of a wooden barrow filled with flowers. I remember the book being called something like "A Book of Days", or "A Year of Days" - some phrase which didbn't make immediate sense to a six-year-old. I'm at work and don't have time to search, but does that sound like what you're after?
posted by bunglin jones at 12:06 AM on July 18

That could be possibly it, bunglin jones.

Will also look into the Edwardian Lady line, thanks Helga-woo
posted by wingless_angel at 12:28 AM on July 18

Well, my whole "Year of Days" thing was way off, it seems. What I was remembering was The Friendship Book of Francis Gay
posted by bunglin jones at 12:37 AM on July 18

That's it Bunglin Jones, you are genius! Thank you so much
posted by wingless_angel at 5:50 AM on July 19