Letters of Engagement, 1884-1888

Laura Troubridge was a practised journal-keeper, as shown in her published journals, Life Amongst the Troubridges 1873-1884, when her sharp eye for the absurd led to a marvellous account of her life up until her engagement in 1884 to Adrian Hope. It is lucky for today's reader that the engaged couple kept up an almost daily correspondence so that we have a detailed record of how they both lived during this enforced separation. Through these near daily exchanges of news, the reader becomes an eye-witness to both public and private occasions in London and mostly Norfolk although Laura travels around England and to Ireland staying about with her innumerable relations. Adrian remains in London, mixing social occasions - some enjoyable others less so - between hunting for a job, and, once appointed as Secretary to the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children, putting all his talents towards fundraising from his richer friends and patrons.