The diary of a Cotswold parson, from 1820 to 1852, throws new light on to a fascinating period of English social history. It was just before the railways made travel faster, and we are astonished how well the Reverend F. E. Witts manages to commute from Upper Slaughter to Gloucester on his horse or in his carriage. He is a shrewd observer and notices how the fashionable world behaves as he passes through Cheltenham, and how the building of the town progresses. For the first time we discover that John Forbes the architect of the beautiful Pittville Pumproom was sentenced for fraud to transportation for life, even though it was subsequently commuted to a few years in prison. Witts may not savour each unique experience to the same extent as the diarist parson Kilvert did later in the century; but he had far wider and more interesting contacts. His references, for instance, to the widow of Warren Hastings, to Dr. Jenner, to the bibliophile Sir Thomas Phillipps, the philanthropist Samuel Warneford, or to Bishop Monk, enable us to form much more complete pictures of these historical figures.
Reading the diary is an enjoyable experience for anyone; but particularly for those who love Gloucestershire.
