Author: C. MAUDE NEWCOMB
Title: 1877 Paris Travel Diary of Maine Teen Who Would Later Become a Member of the Thursday Club
Description: Biddeford Maine Me, Paris, France, 1877. Flexible leather. On offer is a fine handwritten journal dating from 1877, describing a trip taken by an American teen to Paris. The journal was written by C. Maude Newcomb, who lived in Biddeford, Maine. Newcomb was born in January, 1861. She passed away in January, 1937 at the age of 61. Newcomb was a member of the Thursday Club of Biddeford, Maine. Our informal research has not turned up any additional information about her. In 1877, Newcomb left her home in Maine to travel with her father, mother and her sisters to Europe. Her father appears to have been quite successful. They went first to Boston where they boarded the steamer City of Lawrence for New York from where they sailed to Scotland, making landfall at Greenock. From there, her journey to France began by train. What follows is an excellent description of the many things she saw and experienced. This would have been an entirely different world from what she was used to in Maine. The following excerpts can give some idea of the flavour of her journal: “Westminster Abbey had a great many old things of note – among them the Coronation chair in which all the kings and queens for 600 years have been crowned. Saw tombs of Gen Wolffe, Addison, Thos Campbell…” [Apr 21]. “Thursday we went to St. Cloud where there was the largest fete we’ve ever seen. Passed Sevres on the way. Saw the castle ruins and the waterworks. There were circuses at the fete and the women were dressed in tights and acted terribly silly. Everything was very Frenchy…” [May 15]. “Went into the Catacombs. Had torches and descended 93 steps and then went along slippery and muddy alleys and arrived at last at the bones...From there we went to the foundling hospital. It is very clean and neat and has a great many children of all ages...Went to the Observatoire but were not admitted…” [May 16]. She ends with a note saying that she left her journal in their hotel room when they returned to the United States. It was found by a friend who wrote a very charming note in it. In later years, Newcombe was a member of the Thursday Club of Biddeford, Maine. For an urban geographer, this is a wonderful look at these two major cities (London & Paris) in the later 19th century, through the eyes of a young person. The journal is replete with place names, descriptions and mentions of people she encountered. It is an excellent travel journal from a time when such travel is long gone. Measuring 4.75 inches by 3.0 inches, this journal contains 108 unnumbered pages. The book is 95% complete. The leather cover is in good condition with only a few wear marks. There is some slight age discolouration on the insides of the cover and on some pages. The binding is intact and the pages are in good condition. The handwriting is legible. Written for the most part in pencil, the writing is readable but light. ; Manuscripts; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; 108 pages; Signed by Author. Very Good with no dust jacket .

Keywords: Diaries Abroad Angst