The Diary of Sophia Macnab

by Sophia Mary Macnab

The Diary of Sophia Written at Dundurn Castle, Hamilton, 1846 Age 1372 pp. "Sophia Macnab (pronounced with a long i) was the daughter of Sir Allan Napier Macnab, a politician who eventually became Prime Minister of Canada West in the days before Canada became a Dominion. Macnab had his home built in an Italian Regency villa style which was one of the finest estates in the province. Named Dundurn, it was nicknamed Castle by the locals, has been fully restored and is a popular tourist attraction where guided tours are given year round. Sophia's diary details her daily day to day life which was spent mostly at home with occasional visits to neighbours or nearby relations, though more often than not they were the ones who were visited. 1846 was the year that Sophia's mother died from an unknown lung ailment and for 3/4s of the diary Sophia lovingly reports on "Dearest Mamma's" health. A day in the life of young Miss Macnab would usually include lessons with the tutor, sitting with Mamma, sewing, lessons with the music teacher, learning her catechism and in the evenings depending on Mamma's health gathering around her bed with her sisters and aunt or taking turns with them sitting while otherwise occupying herself sewing or writing in the diary." --Nicola Manning. "Dundurn Castle is a historic neoclassical mansion on York Boulevard in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The 18,000-square-foot (1,700 m2) house took three years and $175,000.00 to build, and was completed in 1835.[1] The seventy-two room castle featured the latest conveniences of gas lighting and running water.[1] It is currently owned by the City of Hamilton, which purchased it in 1900 for $50,000.[1] The City has spent nearly $3 million renovating the site to make 42 of the original 72 rooms open to the public.[1] The rooms have been restored to the year 1855 when its owner Sir Allan Napier MacNab, 1st Baronet, was at the height of his career. Costumed interpreters guide visitors throug...

Paperback

Published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

We toured beautiful Dundurn Castle in October and I picked up this book in the gift shop. The true account of life at Dundurn in 1846 by 13 year-old Sophia MacNab gives the reader a real glimpse into what life was like for the daughter of a wealthy aristocrat. Much of her life at that age was quite boring with days very similar to the day before it. Sophia's mother died that year, so we witness the care she gave her mother and the heartbreak when her mother died. We also see how restricted her life was with a whole list of rules to follow. While touring the castle (more of a grand manor house than a castle), I kept thinking of Downton Abbey. There was a lot more to the period than grand houses, beautiful clothes, and a whole staff to meet your every need. I found Sophia's account to be very thought provoking.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reason for Reading: I enjoy reading memoirs and diaries, plus this is local history for me and I've visited Dundurn Castle many times.

Sophia Macnab (pronounced with a long i) was the daughter of Sir Allan Napier Macnab, a politician who eventually became Prime Minister of Canada West in the days before Canada became a Dominion. Macnab had his home built in an Italian Regency villa style which was one of the finest estates in the province. Named Dundurn, it was nicknamed Castle by the locals, has been fully restored and is a popular tourist attraction where guided tours are given year round.

Sophia's diary details her daily day to day life which was spent mostly at home with occasional visits to neighbours or nearby relations, though more often than not they were the ones who were visited. 1846 was the year that Sophia's mother died from an unknown lung ailment and for 3/4s of the diary Sophia lovingly reports on "Dearest Mamma's" health. A day in the life of young Miss Macnab would usually include lessons with the tutor, sitting with Mamma, sewing, lessons with the music teacher, learning her catechism and in the evenings depending on Mamma's health gathering around her bed with her sisters and aunt or taking turns with them sitting while otherwise occupying herself sewing or writing in the diary.

While her daily life may sound drab and dull even Sophia says at one point that she shall not tell the same things over and over any more but simply put down she followed the usual "rutine", it is an amazing look into the daily workings of an affluent family in Southern Ontario. The Macnabs were a very religious family and quite unusually were able to pleasantly bring the children up in two religions at the same time. Lady Macnab was a devout Catholic, while Sir Allan was Anglican. The children went to church regularly receiving their Catholic Sacraments, but were quite at home in an Anglican church as well as also studying at home and listening to sermons when Sir Allen was at home.

Two things struck me as quite interesting. One being the amount of illness, of course Dearest Mamma's illness is continuously on Sophia's mind, but almost every other page some other member of the family is ill or it is mentioned that so-and-so they know is sick. And when a person was ill, someone must always sit with them. Ague seemed to be quite common sending people to bed all the time. Of course I had to look that up and found it to mean either a fever or a chill. The other thing I found interesting was that Sophia never, ever mentions the household servants. I've been in the kitchens and servant's floor and this house must have had quite a lot of servants about. Sophia does on occasion mention rushing to the kitchen to get something but mentions no people. Was she exposed to the servants so seldom that she barely thought of them or was she so used to them that they barely seemed like people to her, just part of the background?

I love reading this type of diary as one can get such an intimate look inside the social history of the time period, really see how people lived and thought. Plus the little innocent details tell us so much such as the era's medical practices, dietary standards, hygiene, turns of phrase, social decorum, and so much more. There are quite a few eye openers here such as Mamma's prescribed diet of oysters and four eggs a day, the inhalation of ether whenever you felt unwell, and Mamma's insistence that Sophia promise she will never dance the waltz.

Recommended for those interested in the local history, those who visit Dundurn Castle and anyone who enjoys reading children's diaries of long ago.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Hamilton, Ontario, I toured Dundurn Castle (more grand manor home-like) and I learned that the 13 year old daughter of the house wrote a diary for a year - as a suggestion by her ill mother to keep her occupied. I found a copy of the diary at a used bookstore in Dundas.

Although touted as "boring, boring, boring," I found the diary to be an interesting and a satisfying read with insight into a wealthy young girl's life in 1846 Canada. I loved reading the "rules" for her sister and Sophia to live by, doled out by a caring but mostly very ill mother.

Sophia obviously loved her parents and enjoyed her somewhat monotonous life, but what a treasure for us today -- to read about a year in the life of a tween from this time period.

[Emmeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diary of a 13 year old girl living at Dundurn Castle (really a stately home in Hamilton) and mostly presumably of interest to visitors at the castle.

This is a diary, not a novel, so it has its fair share of tedium. Entertainingly, even Sophia (pronounced with a long-i sound) comments on this, declaring she will not bother to spell out her days when they just follow the usual routine, because what's the point? And her life is certainly tedious enough in some points.

The diary covers seven months, most of which is taken up by the illness and eventual death of her mother. To my shame, I was wishing the mother would just die. The second half is more interesting: a recuperative trip to Montreal and Quebec City with her father and sisters.

It's fairly mundane, though occasionally humorous. One unexpected source of humour is the number of times sleighs and carriages and other modes of transport are overturned in the poor roads, pitching their riders out where they must lie on top of one another until help comes!

[Laurie Provost · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read if you've visited Dundurn Castle and are familiar with the home, area and history. As expected, fairly mundane yet poignant at times with a few surprises (eg the number of times the mode of transport tips over - rarely see that in period pieces). Mentions of Montreal and Quebec City spots interesting as well for those familiar. If there are future editions - would be great to have a brief synopsis of what was happening in history during that year as a refresher.

[Jade · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started in the end of 2023; but stopped reading it because I had other things to do.
Now I'm back and just speed reading. - Do I regret getting this book? No. Because it is a souvenir of the road trip I had in the fall of 2023.

But the book is hard to read because it is an 11 yo child writing it; and the spelling mistakes are horrendous.

The tour guide that said that they get their stories from this book makes me icky because how could they understand what a 11 yo child writes?

[Juliet · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a beautiful little preservation of history