Entitled: Diary of an Overland Journey from Bombay to England and of a Years Residence in Great Britain, this diary was written by Ardaseer Cursetjee, CE, FSA Chief Engineer and Inspector of Machinery at the Hon. East India Companys steam factory and foundry, at Bombay.

Cursetjee is now described as being of the Wadia family, the family of Master Shipbuilders from Bombay; but in the 1840s the family name had not yet been adopted and he prefaces his diary as follows. Previous to entering upon the following Diary, I wish the reader to understand that I am a Parsee, of the Lougee (footnote: The Lougee Family is the head of the Parsee caste in India and its senior members always prside over their Punchiat, or Synods. The Builder family belongs to that of the Lougee, whilst as merchants, they have enjoyed great eminence. The late head of the caste, Hormusjee Bomanjee, was concerned with the well-known irm of Forbes & Company, of Bombay, and his brother Pestonjee Bomanjee, was a partner with Bruce, Fawcett & Company, also of Bombay. The present head of the caste is Nourojee Jamsetjee, the principal naval architect in Bombay, and uncle to Mr Ardaseer Cursetjee.) well known in England, and of repute in India, where they have honourably served the British Government for upwards of a century past.

The overland journey to England started by sea from Bombay with passengers disembarking at Suez before proceeding overland to Cairo and Alexandria where another vessel would be taken to travel on to England. This shortened the sea journey around the Cape by more than a month, and this advantage contributed to the pressure for the construction of the canal later that century. Cursetjees daily diary provides interesting information about the circumstances and costs of the journey, which is summarised here.