1883 - John Sweeney Diary

John Sweeney intermittently kept a personal diary (hand written in an old exercise book) between the years of 1881 and 1883. It was passed onto his daughter Mary Carrucan) who in turn passed it onto her son Jack. Jack passed it onto his sister Betty (Erickson) who in turn passed it onto her son Tim Erickson. It is currently being looked after by Tim. It documents the sort of subsistence farming which framed the lives of the early Eltham settlers. The diet was one of cutting wood, ploughing, planting or digging up potatoes, taking produce or wood to Melbourne to sell and the various special occasions when someone visited or the family visited someone.