Journal 1 (missing)

The earliest surviving journal (beginning 1 January 1855) is labelled as volume 2.

Volume 1 has not been located. See the Extended Introduction for further information about the disappearance of this volume.

Stuart Dodgson Collingwood (The life and letters of Lewis Carroll, T. Fisher Unwin, 1898) quotes an entry for 15 October 1853 (p. 53) and, elsewhere, he states that Carroll kept a diary from his 10th year.

It is not known what period of time is spanned by Volume 1. It is possible that the first of the numbered volumes began in his adult life, separate from his childhood diary (which, itself, could be in one or more volumes). That is to say, at some point he started on a new format, beginning with Volume 1. Alternatively, the missing volume 1 might contain all the entries from his 10th year up to 1854 and he started the in new format with the diary beginning in 1855, labelling it volume 2. This would imply that the childhhood years were only briefly recorded.

Journal 2 (LCS volume 1)

1 January 1855 to 26 September 1855.

Published by The Lewis Carroll Society as Volume 1.

Further Details and Synopsis of Journal 2

Journal 3 (missing)

The third volume has not been located. (see the Introduction for further information about the disappearance of this volume.)

This volume would have covered the period October to December 1855. Collingwood quotes an entry for 31 December 1855 (p. 64).

Account of Dodgson's Activities During the Period

Journal 4 (LCS volume 2)

1 January to 31 December 1856.

Published by the Lewis Carroll Society as Volume 2.

Further Details and Synopsis of Journal 4

Journal 5 (LCS volume 3)

1 January 1857 to 17 April 1858.

Published by the Lewis Carroll Society as Volume 3.

Further Details and Synopsis of Journal 5

Journals 6 and 7 (missing)

The sixth and seventh volumes have not been located. (see the Introduction for further information about the disappearance of these volumes.)

These would have covered the period April 1858 to May 1862.

Collingwood quotes several entries between 13 April 1859 and 20 November 1861.

Journal 8 (LCS volume 4)

9 May 1862 to 6 September 1864.

Published by the Lewis Carroll Society as Volume 4, including a collation of details of Carroll's activities during the period April 1858 to May 1862.

Further Details and Synopsis of Journal 8

Journal 9 (LCS volume 5)

13 September 1864 to 24 January 1868. The volume excludes the period 12 July to 13 September 1867 during which Carroll travelled to Russia, when he kept the separate Russian Journal. 

Published by the Lewis Carroll Society as Volume 5, including the Russian Journal.

Further Details and Synopsis of Journal 9

Journal 10 (LCS volume 6)

2 April 1868 to 31 December 1876.

Published by the Lewis Carroll Society as Volume 6.

Further Details and Synopsis of Journal 10

Journal 11 (LCS volume 7)

1 January 1877 to 30 June 1883.

Published by the Lewis Carroll Society as Volume 7.

Further details and Synopsis of Journal 11

Journal 12 (LCS volume 8)

1 July 1883 to 30 June 1892.

Published by the Lewis Carroll Society as Volume 8.

Further details and Synopsis of Journal 12

Journal 13 (LCS volume 9)

1 July 1892 to 23 December 1897.

Published by the Lewis Carroll Society as Volume 9.

Further details and Synopsis of Journal 13