Hi there Jacqui
It’s been a while since I visited this site – got distracted by my mothers Scottish side!
I’m intrigued about the Cross Keys – that is the pub that GGG Grandpa Henry Lawrence (b. Abt 1851, Swindon)had at one point. He and his wife were originally Inn Keepers – he was also a Blacksmith & shoeing smith) at the Curriers Inn (“in the High Street, opposite the Church”).
Anyway, they had 3 children, the eldest of which was Henry Samuel (b. 1871/3). It was Henry Samuels eldest daughter, Mary (b.1895, Co. Antrim, Ireland), who left the diary.
It seems that GGG Grandpa Henry was married 3 times and had 17 children from these 3 marriages. According to the diary, 3 girls are in New Zealand.
Again, according to the diary, by 1897, GGG Grandpa Henry was getting itchy feet and wanted to move up the High Street to the Cross Keys Hotel which had a wine & spirit licence. He bought William Samuel out of the Army and, in May 1897, he took over the Curriers Arms whilst his father, Henry, moved up to the Cross Keys.
Most of the rest of the diary sheds light on life in the Curriers Arms (eg the blacksmithing & shoeing, the price of beer, the brewery agent, the Gambling Den) and also what happened to Mary when she left home, returned and met G Grandpa Albert(Little).
I don't know if any of that was of any interest to you but I'd love to hear a bit more about who your G Grandparents were and see where I can fit them in. I'm not sure how to message privately but am happy to give you my personal email address if that is permitted.
Hope to hear from you again
Regards
McDaffy