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I am sure a great many people have dipped into the Hall Diaries in Bromley Reference Library over the years. However, these are the main publications that have appeared based on the diaries.

In recent years local historian, Joyce Walker, has referred extensively to the Hall diaries in her histories of West Wickham, Kent. In West Wickham, Past into Present, written with P.E.Knowlden (Hollies Publications, 1986) she covers, among other things, the sisters highly vocal opposition to the building of a proposed new railway line to Brighton that would have passed very near to the village. She also quotes both of the sisters in her recently published A West Wickham Diary (Hollies Publications, 2000). However, in Vanished West Wickham (Hollies Publications, 1994), she devotes several interesting chapters to the life of the Hall family at Ravenswood. As well as transcribing several significant events in their lives, including Louisa's wedding, she recounts much of their interaction with the local community, including their involvement with the parish church and school visits.

The cover of Vanished West Wickham (above), depicts the sisters home, Ravenswood

In the 1960's three volumes appeared containing narrative based upon various years of the sisters diaries. The first, written by O.A.Sherrard, was called Two Victorian Girls (Frederick Muller Limited, 1966) and was based on the sisters diaries in the 1840's. I have found this volume useful to point me to interesting periods in Emily and Ellen's life, although it does not always footnote where extracts from the diaries have come from, which can be frustrating. Two follow up volumes appeared written by A.R.Mills. The first, The Halls of Ravenswood (Frederick Muller Limited, 1967) was based on the years 1838-48, and the second, Two Victorian Ladies, was based on the years 1859 - 69. These volumes contain many interesting insights into the sisters lives, concentrating particularly on their travels and relationships.

Of course, I am also reading the diaries. My name is Kathryn Beresford, and I am undertaking research into the early years of the Hall sister's lives as part of my dissertation on notions of femininity in the 1830's and 40's. I am currently a student at University College London.

I live in West Wickham, Kent, where Emily and Ellen Hall lived for most of their lives, and for most of the years when they were writing the diaries. When Ellen died in 1911 she specified in her will that the grounds of Ravenswood should not be built upon. However, this wish could not be kept by consequent owners of the estate, and my house was built on the site of the garden (the orchard to be specific!) in 1928.

For other books and resources I have used in my reseatch, please visit links and bibliography

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