Scrapbook belonging to Fr William Gleeson SJ containing poetry, observations on the weather at Milltown Park (1884-[1886]; 1892-1896), the comings and goings at Clongowes Wood College (1887-1892) and general notes. Transcribes letters written and articles from 'The Month'.

Diary includes entry dated 16 December 1902, following his one of his periodic reading of past diaries, which reflects ‘It has been a great help to me to have hit upon a subject of writing and study which is interest(in)g & useful. I have written & studied much about Bacon being Shakespeare. This has done more good than anything in the way of cheering etc., but it is not everything. I can do much for religious truth through this subject too.…This is my seventh year here…(Milltown Park)…as Superior. Present Prov(incia)l has often told me I do excellent work here & that no one else would suit so well. Wonderful. I am not an atom conceited about it. I see well that any good in me or done by me is by God’s help & that my not having any conceit is sole way of continuing’

Account by Bartholomew Esmonde SJ of his voyage from Liverpool, England to Palermo, Italy

'A Diary or Jottings, from day to day of events, especially 1 Nov. 1892 regarding the Society and, in particular, this (Irish) Province, which may prove interesting &, perhaps, even useful when The Writer shall be many years dead and gone.’ Found enclosed is a typed note (n.d., 2pp) by an unknown Jesuit (possibly Fr Fergal McGrath SJ, Irish Province Archivist 1975-1986) giving brief biographical details of Fr Murphy. Also comments on the contents of the diary, ‘Some interesting things recorded are: the initial history of all the houses of the province: the story of the setting up of Milltown as a Coll. Max.: the dispute with the Bishop of Meath (Dr Nulty) over faculties for fathers at Tullabeg: the biographies of various S.J.s (and, e.g., reference to W. Coyne, later father of Fr Eddie Coyne and to Charles Kennedy a benefactor of the province): the account of the great storm of 1890/1 and of the influenza epidemic which swept over Europe from Russia. Minutiae of the day-to-day life, customs, studies and so on, and the final account of the Provincial Congregation (June 1892) after Fr General’s (Anderledy) death are also of interest and some historical value.’ Enclosures includes extracts from diary kept in Tullabeg, 1856 (9pp).