Joseph Hoare Beale journals

Summary

Creator: Beale, Joseph Hoare, -1848
Date(s): 1796-1848
Call Number: MSS 0097, Item 0002
Language: Materials entirely in English.
Abstract: The Joseph Hoare Beale journals, 1796-1848, consist of nine volumes kept by a world traveler of the late eighteenth to late nineteenth-centuries. Beale, who may have been of Irish origin and served as secretary to Lord Thomas Pitt in Ceylon before traveling to America, recorded weather observations, activities, and expenses in the five "daily weather diaries." He also produced a holograph of Sir Thomas Moore's "Sacred Melodies."
Physical Description: 9 volumes 25 cm
Source: Purchase, 1957.
Processing: Processed and encoded by Evan Echols, January 2007. Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Biographical and Historical Notes

Joseph Hoare Beale (d. 1848) may have hailed from Ireland, where many of his journal entries were recorded. In 1796 he served as secretary to Thomas Pitt, 2nd Lord Camelford, in Ceylon. He later moved to the United States, residing first in New York City, then Harrison, New York, where he died in 1848.

In 1796 Beale witnessed the takeover of Colombo, Ceylon (later Sri Lanka), by British forces while in the employ of Thomas Pitt, 2nd Lord Camelford, as a secretary. In his journal he describes the inhabitants, flora, and fauna of the island. He also documents his trip from Ceylon to England during which he sailed to Suez on a ship of the British East India Company, traveled overland across Egypt to the Mediterranean, and sailed back to the British Isles stopping in various ports along the way.

From 1799 to his death in 1848, Beale recorded his observations of the weather in a series of diaries. He measured wind direction, temperature, and gave brief comments on the conditions of the day. His observations began in Cork, Ireland, in 1799. From 1811 to 1816 the observations were taken from Limerick, Ireland, where it is assumed he was residing. In 1816 Beale left for the United States and recorded weather conditions during his trip. His observations were taken in New York City from 1816-1830. In 1835 Beale moved to Harrison, New York, where he lived until his death in 1848.

Sources

Biographical information derived from the collection.

Scope and Content Note

The Joseph Hoare Beale journals, 1796-1848, consist of nine volumes kept by a world traveler of the late eighteenth to late nineteenth centuries. Beale, who may have been of Irish origin and served as secretary to Lord Thomas Pitt in Ceylon before traveling to America, recorded weather observations, activities, and expenses in the five "daily weather diaries." In several cases, Beale also recorded when he wrote letters or received correspondence. The volumes also include two recipe books and a holograph of Sir Thomas Moore's "Sacred Melodies."

This small collection includes two recipe books, the first regarding the construction of a galvanic trough (which was used in early experiments with electricity) and observations of chemical experiments, as well as recipes for soap, ink, milk powder, and medicinal remedies. The second book contains recipes for cakes, jams, syrups, breads, and cordials. There is one journal documenting his travels from Ceylon, through Egypt, returning to England through the Mediterranean. The first volume of the journals includes an account dated October 2, 1804, of the sickness and death of "Brother Joshua," as well as brief accounts of "personal expences" and "house expences."

One notebook contains an undated holograph of Sir Thomas Moore's "Sacred Melodies" from an unidentified printed source. The volume is inscribed to Ruth Nicholson.

Publication Note

University of Delaware. Library. Self works : diaries, scrapbooks, and other autobiographical efforts : catalog of an exhibition, August 19, 1997-December 18, 1997 : guide to selected sources. Newark, Del. : Special Collections, Hugh M. Morris Library, University of Delaware Library, 1997.

Using these materials

Shelving Summary

  • Item 0002: Shelved in SPEC MSS 0097

Access Information

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

MSS 0097, Item 0002, Joseph Hoare Beale journals, Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Newark, Delaware.

Related Materials in this Repository

This item forms part of MSS 0097 Diaries, Journals, and Ships' Logs collection.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, http://library.udel.edu/spec/askspec/

Container List

Diary of the Weather, circa 1799 January 1 Volume 1

Includes house expenses, personal expenses, and some recipes. Includes the card and seal of Joseph Nicholson and a note to his niece.

Construction of the galvanic through [sic], undated Volume 2
Journal of travels from Celyon, in company with Lord Camelford, to Suez, and by land through Egypt, returning to England through the Mediterranean with various island stops, 1796 Volume 3

This journal documents the suicide of Capt. Drummond of the 19th Dragoons. It also includes a reed from New Zealand dated 1844.

Recipes for cakes, jams, syrups, breads, cordials, etc, undated Volume 4
Diary of the Weather, 1811 September 23-1830 December 31 Volume 5
Diary of the Weather, 1832 January 1-1838 December 31 Volume 6
Diary of the Weather, 1839 January 1-1847 April 30 Volume 7
Diary of the Weather, 1847 May 1-1848 December 13 Volume 8
Joseph Hoare Beale holograph notebook of Sir Thomas Moore's "Sacred Melodies", undated Volume 9

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