It is a labour of love documenting a life full of privilege and promise.
From the grounds of a Norfolk estate to the lavish parties hosted by a Maharajah, the intricately illustrated journals of Hilda Zigomala are a passage through time – reminiscent of TV's Downton Abbey series.
Over 31 years she uses words, pencil drawings, watercolours, saved memorabilia and photography to detail her colourful life in high society.
And this Thursday, the Norfolk Record Office will host an evening of discovery as 14 of the 15 journals – coined 'my book' – are on show to the public.
The lengthy memoirs begin with the 20-year-old as a buoyant newlywed in 1889 and ends with her as a grieving mother after her beloved son John's death, aged just 21, in 1919.
Throughout the fascinating scrapbook-style archives, Mrs Zigomala, the daughter of Charles and Augusta North of Rougham Hall, near Castle Acre, shares her work-free life of travelling the world, attending balls with royalty and carefree country days spent hunting, fishing and socialising with friends.
She was married at St Mary's Church, Rougham, and writes the first proper entry while on honeymoon with her husband, Major Pandia John Zigomala, who was known as Jack.
The talented artist catalogues happy stays in Norfolk.
In one entry she writes: 'It's just what I enjoy and I do so love the outdoors country life after the containment of London.
'The simple life out of doors – although it's still rather cold. Seeing everything coming out and all the young ducks, chickens, goslings and lambs are an endless delight to me.'
And in another about the wild parties with gold-encrusted champagne bottles, she says:
'I must say I like getting, so to speak, wound up to go for a fortnight as hard as ever you like, although of course the reaction afterwards is awful, but all enjoyment must be paid for all the world over.'
But after what she describes as days filled with 'sunshine' her world comes crashing down with the death of her only child in the aftermath of the First World War.
She ends the final journal with an emotive three page 'envoi' more commonly used in poetry.
She writes: 'These 15 volumes of my book contain a more or less detailed account of our life from the time I married little more than a girl in 1889 till the time that everything in this life ended for me when our boy was killed in Russia, August 24, 1919.
'At first my books were begun for the fun of things but gradually they became a labour of love into which hours of my life were put and as our boy grew up it became a saying between us he must never do anything that he would not wish me to put in the book, he took such pride and interest in them all God knows he nobly lived up to this ideal.'
Emily Balsdon, 24, has been working on the journals for the Record Office based at County Hall. She said: 'Hilda shows an exuberance for life. These journals are so artistic and visual.
'When you're flicking through them you feel like she is really coming alive.'
The event, which will include a talk from the education and outreach officer at the Record Office, Victoria Draper, is free and will run from 5pm to 6.30pm.
Have you discovered a heritage gem? Contact newsdesk@archant.co.uk
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