Gem From The Archive

Louise Smith from the Carlisle Archive Centre shares recollections and photographs from a forgotten era

Journals from a Cumberland country house, 1908–13

Anyone who has watched Downton Abbey will have been struck by the glamour of life in a country house in Edwardian Britain – a period that often resembles an idyll before the horrors of the First World War. One wealthy family – the LacyThompsons of Farlam Hall in Cumberland – created a set of journals that offer a memorable window into the era. We spoke to Louise Smith, archivist at the Carlisle Archive Centre, to find out more.

Who Were The LacyThompson Family?

Charles Lacy-Thompson (1857–1920) was the son of a wealthy Cumberland family who lived at Farlam Hall. He was a well-established member of the local gentry, a justice of the peace, deputy lieutenant and high sheriff of Cumberland. Sadly his health deteriorated, as a consequence of a colliery disaster on the estate in 1908. He died in 1920, aged 63.

Charles and his wife Caroline had three children: Violet, Rosemary and Tom. The couple were keen to improve the lives of the workers on their estate and people in the wider community, and they were very well respected.

The journals often paint touching portraits of local characters and employees. Caroline, like many ladies in her position, did a lot of work for the community, supporting local organisations and events, including buying the village hall for the community in Hallbankgate.

Can You Tell Us More About The Journals?

The Farlam Hall Journals cover 1908–1913 and are edited by Caroline with many contributions from Tom and Rosemary. Entries are often illustrated with photographs, postcards and occasionally drawings, which add an exciting extra dimension to the volumes.

The entries are a chronicle of family life and activity, and generally very upbeat in tone. There are lively accounts of outings by motor car, tennis parties, dances, concerts and plays, shooting meets, golf competitions, cricket matches and boating, as well as reports of travel to Scotland and overseas. References are made to favourite family pets and working animals, and there are playful features such as the catalogue of items added to the family ‘museum’, poetry by a family friend, and ghost stories. Alongside these lighter elements, the journals reflect the commitment of both Charles and Caroline to the social and civic concerns of the local community.

The first volume of the journals, beginning in January 1908, contains a poignant account of the Roachburn Pit Disaster on the estate, with photographs of the affected site. It was this event that led to the eventual decline in the family business, as the collieries became less viable. In Volume 2 the nature of Caroline’s charitable work can be seen through an account of a day in the country arranged for poor children, who were child patients of the Queen’s Nurses in Carlisle. Caroline was also concerned for the welfare of the children of the estate workers, and created ‘The Curiosity Club’, arranged on Scouting lines, to provide entertainment and instruction throughout the winter months.

Charles became involved in local politics, supporting Conservative election candidate Claude Lowther. Volume 7 reports on party meetings and includes photos of the gatherings.

Tom’s contributions relate largely to his life at Charterhouse School, in particular the sports in which he was involved. Rosemary writes of life on the estate at Farlam and the many social engagements and leisure activities locally. There are

occasional entries on events of national significance, including a report of the death of Edward VII in May 1910 that is accompanied by many illustrations of the funeral procession. She also writes of culture and of travel. Extracts are taken from her diaries about trips to Lamlash on the

Isle of Arran and an extended visit to Norway.

Why Did You Choose The Journals?

The journals represent a fascinating insight into upper-class family life in the years immediately before the First World War. Bolstered by the confidence of the age, upper-class society enjoyed enormous wealth and privilege and the opportunities that these afforded. But only too soon were the far-reaching consequences of the 1914– 1918 conflict to be felt, resulting in fundamental changes to the social order and the onset of industrial decline. Although the journals are typical of the time and interesting for this reason, they are very personal and reveal the intimate details of family life, often entertaining and sometimes very sad, as is true of family life generally.

What Else Do You Have In Your Archives?

Carlisle Archive Centre forms part of the wider

Cumbria County Council Archive Service and cares for the wide range of records typical of local authority archives. These include records of the county and district authorities, records of landowning families (such as the LacyThompson collection, which covers 1706– 1973), church records, local business and industry, official and public bodies, clubs and organisations, solicitor’s firms, and any records that reflect the collective memory of the former County of Cumberland.

‘The journals are a fascinating insight into upper-class family life’