A Gentlemanly Tour on the Fringes of Europe

Abstract

In 1837, 22-year-old William Hartigan Barrington (1815–72) made a five-month tour of northern Europe. His detailed diaries describe his encounters with the people and cultures of Scandinavia and Russia, and his interest in a range of topics considered suitable for an educated young gentleman, including systems of government, the arts, manufacturing and commerce, infrastructure, and the poor and poor relief. His tours were expected to provide certain educational and socio-cultural benefits, while his interests in industry, infrastructure and poverty reflect the general concerns of many of his peers. This article considers Barrington's observations and experiences as part of a process of gentlemanly self-fashioning, foreign travel and philanthropy as elite exercises, and Irish perceptions of Scandinavia and Russia, in the 1830s.