Sarah Leaper's Dictionary 1821
A little curiosity, a copy of Samuel John's dictionary belonging to Sarah Leaper of Withernwick and dated 1821.
Sarah was the daughter of John Leaper, we have a will for John (Click here). The family lived at Homer House on Aldbrough Road.
Sarah died in 1863, we do not have a birth date for her but it was probably about 1800.
Click here to see a family tree of the Leaper's.
From the will and where they lived we can deduce that they were fairly prosperous by the standards of the day.
This is a time before general access to education and this book clearly shows that the Leaper's were educated, so it quite a
significant little books in what it shows about the family.
We probably tend to assume that people at this time were uneducated but clearly Sarah is a very able young lady.
This book represents a delighful glimpse into village life nearly 200 years ago.
The following pages have been written in the book by Sarah.
She seems to be quite serious, poetic and religious.
To laugh or weep without a reason
is one of the few priviliges poor sinners have
my life is as a withered tree
it is not worth preserving
the terror of his noble eyes
would awaken the dead
Let thy soul remember
what the will of Heaven ordains
is ever good for all
and if good for all, then good for one
Sarah Leaper
Withernwick 1821