Fonds MC 7 - Neville Diaries and Papers

Late in life, Neville mutilated the diaries and letters, apparently in an attempt to remove compromising or politically embarrassing matter. Many of the excised passages were later restored by Francis Howes. On Neville's death in 1840 his papers passed to a neighbour, Revd Francis Howes (d 1844), a Minor Canon of Norwich Cathedral. Howes transcribed the early diaries and some of the correspondence, afterwards destroying the originals. In this list, unless otherwise stated, transcripts of documents are by Howes. From Howes' son the papers passed to the antiquary Hargrave Harrison. On his death in 1896 they were purchased by L.G. Bolingbroke and from his family they came to Basil Cozens-Hardy. Sylas Neville was born in 1741, apparently in London. In 1768-1769 he came to Great Yarmouth and settled at Scratby Hall. The years 1772-1776 were spent mainly in Edinburgh where he qualified as a doctor of medicine. 1777-1780 were spent in foreign travel, mainly in Italy. On his return, after visits to London, Edinburgh etc., he settled at Norwich in 1783 and there spent the rest of his life, intending to practise medicine but in fact subsisting increasingly on charity and the proceeds of begging letters. He died in 1840.