A collection of pocket diaries spanning 200 years of history has gone on display in north Norfolk. 

The exhibition, called ‘Today’, will be at Aylsham Heritage Centre until October.

It has previously been shown in New York and the Orkneys.

Visitors can get a glimpse into every year from 1800 to 2000 from the perspectives of 200 different peoples’ lives.

North Norfolk News: Jayne Andrew, learning officer, and volunteer, Cam Falla, with some of the pocket diaries from 1800 to 2000, on exhibition at the Aylsham Heritage Centre. Photo: Denise Bradley. Jayne Andrew, learning officer, and volunteer, Cam Falla, with some of the pocket diaries from 1800 to 2000, on exhibition at the Aylsham Heritage Centre. Photo: Denise Bradley. (Image: Denise Bradley)

Among the entries are a boy scout recording events during the Second World War, a farmer seeing a car for the first time and all the films a teenager watches in the 1950s.

There are also first-hand accounts of an elderly woman in New England eating Thanksgiving dinner alone, and a Belgian schoolgirl on a trip to Paris in 1906 who sees the headlines announcing the earthquake in San Francisco.

Jayne Andrew, the centre's learning officer, said: "These are voices of people who could easily have been our friends, relatives and neighbours."

North Norfolk News: Pocket diaries from an exhibition called 'Today' on display at Aylsham Heritage Centre. Photo: Denise Bradley. Pocket diaries from an exhibition called 'Today' on display at Aylsham Heritage Centre. Photo: Denise Bradley. (Image: Denise Bradley)

Dylan Jonas Stone, 56, who owns the collection and lives in Cromer, started collecting the diaries in the late 1980s.

"I found the first diaries on the street in a box of old things from the 1920s and 30s," he said. 

Over the years he has added to the collection with purchases at flea markets, car boot sales and on e-Bay. 

"I thought it was nice to have a social history exhibition in a place like Aylsham because it's about normal people's lives," he said. 

North Norfolk News: An entry from one of the pocket diaries, dated 1951, saying 'swoon' and 'boy oh boy'; on exhibition at the Aylsham Heritage Centre. Photo: Denise Bradley. An entry from one of the pocket diaries, dated 1951, saying 'swoon' and 'boy oh boy'; on exhibition at the Aylsham Heritage Centre. Photo: Denise Bradley. (Image: Denise Bradley)

Alongside the diaries are information and photographs about what was happening in Aylsham at the same time. 

The centre is looking for local people who may have personal diaries that can be shared email aylshamheritage@gmail.com to get in touch.

North Norfolk News: An entry from one of the pocket diaries, dated 1948, revealing the different ladies the author was meeting with; on exhibition at the Aylsham Heritage Centre. Photo: Denise Bradley. An entry from one of the pocket diaries, dated 1948, revealing the different ladies the author was meeting with; on exhibition at the Aylsham Heritage Centre. Photo: Denise Bradley. (Image: Denise Bradley)

North Norfolk News: Aylsham Heritage Centre. Photo: Denise Bradley.Aylsham Heritage Centre. Photo: Denise Bradley. (Image: Denise Bradley)

The centre, in Aylsham Parish Church's yard, is open on Monday 10.30am to 1pm, Tuesday to Friday 10.30am to 3.30pm, and 10.30am to 1pm on the first Saturday of the month.

Entry is free.