William Gravell was born in Indiana on 13 August 1840 to John (1804-1876) and Sarah Gravell (1807-1889). William had a twin sister Elizabeth and a brother Thomas (b. 1848). Between 1850 and 1860 the Gravell family moved to Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania. After the enactment of the Conscription Act prior to the first draft in July 1863, William Gravell left the United States and sailed to London, England where he lived for four years. In England he met his paternal uncles and aunts: Thomas Gravell (b. 1798), a gilder and framer; William Gravell (1796-1866), a watchmaker; and his two unmarried aunts, Mary and Sarah Gravell. During William Gravell's four- year stay he lived with his cousin Thomas Gravell (son of Uncle Thomas Gravell), cousin Thomas's wife Betsy, and their son Walter in New Cross, London, England. William acquired a job at Causton & Sons, Printers in the warehouse. In the summer of 1866 William's sister, Elizabeth Gravell, arrived in London and lived there for a year. William and Elizabeth Gravell returned to the United States in August 1867. Shortly after the death of his father in 1876, William married Adelaide Vogel. The couple had two children William H. Gravell and Arthur F. Gravell. Sister Elizabeth married George Berry and had two sons. William Gravell died in Philadelphia in 1929. This leather-bound, ruled diary was kept from 14 July 1863 to 31 August 1867 by William Gravell during his four-year stay in London, England to escape the draft of the Civil War. Gravell traveled from Upper Darby Township, near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to New York where after being swindled; he eventually boarded a cargo ship named Plymouth Rock bound for London. Gravell writes daily about his life on board the ship, including his sea sickness, storms, other passengers, amusements, rations, and his acquaintance with a sailor from Philadelphia. Shortly after celebrating his twenty-third birthday on 13 August, William arrives in London, England. He meets his Uncle Thomas, a gilder and framer, and then meets his Uncle William, a watchmaker. Uncle William provides William with "the document which made me a soldier in the U.S. service for the space of three years." William lives with his cousin Thomas, acquires a job at Causton & Sons Printers in a warehouse where he works from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. William's entries in the diary appear weekly, recording events, excursions, holidays, and family gatherings. William describes the yearly tours of the Crystal Palace at Easter time, Guy Fawkes's Day, Christmas, and Boxing Day. He records the passing of his birthdays. William describes going to lectures, museums, plays, pantomimes, recording the titles and theatres. William writes about attending service on Sundays at St. Paul's Cathedral, dinners with his extended family, and games they play, such as Whist. He writes of the walks he takes with his cousin Thomas or Mr. Jewell to Black Heath, Greenwich, and London Bridge Park. At times William becomes depressed and writes of his dislike of London weather and his search for friends. In the summer of 1866, after the death of his Uncle William, Elizabeth, William's sister arrives unexpectedly. William and his sister spend much time together during the year she is there. In May of 1867 William's parents send tickets for his and Elizabeth's passage from Liverpool to Philadelphia. The pair leave in July, arriving in Philadelphia on 31 August 1867, the last entry in the diary. There are two inscriptions on the first leaf: "Minnie presented Aug. 22nd 1878" and "Watch Jacque Roulet Locle No. 28483." Some lines regarding William's departure for London to avoid the draft have been crossed out in pencil. After the last entry the rest of the diary is blank.
Letter; Etting, Samuel; Beit Yisrael Sephardi Community; Baltimore, Maryland, United States; London, United Kingdom; 1858 January 29
Subject:
Correspondence; Rabbis; Religious communities
Description:
Letter from H. Guedalla of London, to Rabbi Samuel Etting of the Beit Yisrael Sephardi Community in Baltimore, regarding the attempted establishment of a Sephardi Jewish Community in Baltimore; Baltimore, MD; London, UK
Personal Name:
Etting, Samuel
Corporate Name:
Beit Yisrael Sephardi Community
Date:
1858-01-29
Language:
English
Rights:
http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?
Collection:
Arnold and Deanne Kaplan Collection of Early American Judaica (University of Pennsylvania)
Document; Franks, Moses (1718-1789); London, United Kingdom; Québec, Canada; 1765 August 2
Description:
Manuscript draft contract between the British Treasury and Sir Samuel Fludyer, Adam Drummond and Moses Franks for provisioning British troops in Québec as suggested by General Thomas Gage. Signed by Fludyer, Drummond, and Franks. Docketed in manuscript "proposal."
Personal Name:
Franks, Moses (1718-1789)
Date:
1765-08-02
Language:
English
Rights:
http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?
Collection:
Arnold and Deanne Kaplan Collection of Early American Judaica (University of Pennsylvania)
Periodical; Gentleman's Magazine; London, United Kingdom; 1753 June 1
Description:
Commentary on the recently passed "Jews Bill." The Jewish Naturalization Act of 1753 was an act of the Parliament of Great Britain, which received royal assent on the 7th of July 1753, but was repealed in 1754 due to widespread opposition to its provisions
Corporate Name:
Gentleman's Magazine
Date:
1753-06-01
Language:
English
Rights:
http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?
Collection:
Arnold and Deanne Kaplan Collection of Early American Judaica (University of Pennsylvania)
Letter from Simon to Mayer Sulzberger regarding his travel plans and complaining of how dreary London is and his preference for Paris; Paris, France; London, England
Personal Name:
Sulzberger, Mayer
Date:
1880-07-19
Language:
English
Rights:
http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?
Collection:
Arnold and Deanne Kaplan Collection of Early American Judaica (University of Pennsylvania)
Map; Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge; London, United Kingdom; 1821 March 17
Description:
Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. London, England, Map of the world as known to the ancients showing the dispersion of the descendents of Noah
An Act to permit persons professing the Jewish religion, to be naturalized by Parliament; and for other purposes therin mentioned. [London : printed by Thomas Baskett; and by the assigns of Robert Baskett, 1753]. Public General Acts. 1753. 26 Geo.II.c.26. ESTC N52871
Date:
1753
Language:
English
Rights:
http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?
Collection:
Arnold and Deanne Kaplan Collection of Early American Judaica (University of Pennsylvania)
