Provenance

This item was compiled by the artist and diarist Joseph Farington (1747-1821).
Following his death, it, and a large amount of other papers were bequeathed to his younger brother Richard Atherton Farington (1755-1822). The papers then came into the possession of a nephew, William Farington (1777-1868), who bequeathed them to his son, also named William. This latter William built a house, Northwood Lodge, at Wallington in Surrey in 1885. Upon the death of his wife Cecil Frances Farington née Tyrwhitt, the property devolved upon her siblings. The papers were rediscovered at Northwood Lodge in 1921 and were purchased at auction by Lord and Lady Bathurst for serialisation in the "Morning Post" by James Grieg. In 1924, Lady Bathurst presented the volumes of the diary to King George V for inclusion in the Royal Library. Further volumes and papers were purchased by the Royal Library at auction between 1951 and 1956.