skip to content

Darwin Correspondence Project

From Charlotte Maria Cooper Darwin   25 January [1868]1

Creskeld, | Otley.

Jany. 25th.

Dear Mr. Darwin,

Judging by my own feelings as a Parent,2 I feel sure you will excuse my troubling you with a few lines to express the pleasure and pride we feel in seeing the nam⁠⟨⁠e⁠⟩⁠ of one of your son⁠⟨⁠s⁠⟩⁠ as second Wrangler at Cambridge—3

Mr. Darwin4 begs to unite with me in Congratulations to yourself & Mrs. Darwin, and we so much regret, that you did not tell us of your ⁠⟨⁠bo⁠⟩⁠y’s being at school at Clapham, as it is not so very far from us, and we should have had such pleasure in shewing him any attention.5

We are still in our old house, & intend to remain, until the smoke of the manufacturing district, drives us away, & I trust neither you, nor any of your family, will ever pass our way, without letting us know.

With very kind regards, believe me | Yrs. sincerely | Charlotte M C Darwin

Footnotes

The year is established by the reference to George Howard Darwin’s examination (see n. 3, below).
Charlotte had eight children (Darwin pedigree).
George Howard Darwin was second in the mathematical honours examination at Cambridge; the position was known as ‘second wrangler’ (Cambridge University calendar 1868).
George attended Clapham Grammar School from 1856 to 1864 (CD’s Classed account books (Down House MS)). Charlotte’s family had two residences, Creskeld Hall in Yorkshire, and Elston Hall in Nottinghamshire. There is a Clapham in Yorkshire, but Horace and Leonard Darwin were at school in Clapham, London.

Bibliography

Cambridge University calendar: The Cambridge University calendar. Cambridge: W. Page [and others]. 1796–1950.

Darwin pedigree: Pedigree of the family of Darwin. Compiled by H. Farnham Burke. N.p.: privately printed. 1888. [Reprinted in facsimile in Darwin pedigrees, by Richard Broke Freeman. London: printed for the author. 1984.]

Summary

Expresses her pleasure at seeing George Darwin’s name as Second Wrangler.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-5799
From
Charlotte Maria Cooper Darwin
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
Otley
Source of text
DAR 99: 34–5
Physical description
ALS 4pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5799,” accessed on 19 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5799.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 16

letter