Section PTA/4/CAR - CARTER, Arthur Walter (1852-1929)

Diary and letter written by Arthur Walter Carter (1852-1929) during a visit to the Columbian World Fair in Chicago in 1893 on a group tour organised by the Polytechnic.

The diary starts on Saturday June 3rd 1893 and ends on Thursday 6th July 1893. Entries describe the sea voyage as a 2nd class passenger from Southampton to New York, sight-seeing in New York, travelling by train within America, attending a Presidential reception in Philadelphia, as well as visiting the World’s Fair in Chicago, then onwards to Niagara Falls before journeying home. There is some social commentary including class differences on board the "New York" ship, transport infrastructure in the US, temperance, the treatment of Black Americans, the slaughterhouse, Armour & Co., language differences between American and British English, Rev. Moody's mass preaching.

The diary is a black cardboard bound lined notebook comprising 118 pages of ink manuscript. Inserted into the diary are various leaflets: a pasted-in map of Chicago with notable sites, leaflet from The Polytechnic outlining the tour, the ships programme of entertainment, tickets, an extract from the out-going voyage ‘S.S. New York Gazette’, a leaflet for the Cave of the Winds at Niagara, the Saloon Passenger List for the return journey, and a leaflet for American Line Steamers. Loose are leaflets about the Pennsylvanian and New York Central Railroads as well as a map and guide of the Niagara State Reservation.

The loose leaf letter begins dated June 3rd 1893, New York, and continues to chronicle the events of the trip over 72 pages with dated notes through to Tuesday July 4th. The letter is not addressed to a named individual but is written as if to a recipient, ending abruptly (possibly indicating that later pages are missing). It appears to be written in the same hand as the diary with some duplication of phrasings. The letter is written on lined airmail paper and has been folded, but it is unclear if the letter was posted from the US.

In addition to the 1893 material, there is a biographical note about Carter, a partial transcript of the diary and notes and correspondence (c2000) which appear to refer to an intention to publish the diary.

• English