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Darwin Correspondence Project

To G. H. Darwin   [28 August 1881]1

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.

Sunday Evening

My dear George

If you are not pledged to Mr. Salts agents,2 as your solicitors, I think it is a very great pity that you do not employ Mr. Hacon, whom both William & I know is trustworthy.—3 Mr Salt’s agents will be complete strangers, & we have no claim or tie on them.

About 40 years ago I went to their agents, & a more odious set of men I never saw, so that I wd. have nothing more to do with them.—4 About a year ago I saw the death of Mr Salt of Shrewsbury in the newspapers, & I do not know whether there is now any Salt in the firm.—5 Of course the agents may now prove to be the most respectable people; but I shd employ Mr. Hacon for selling the house.—6

I fear that this business will give you a great deal of trouble, & it is very unfortunate William being tied by the leg—7

Your affectionate Father | Ch. Darwin

Footnotes

The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from G. H. Darwin, [29 August 1881]. In 1881, the Sunday before 29 August was 28 August.
George Moultrie Salt was partner in the firm Salt & Sons, Shrewsbury; the London agents were Paterson, Snow, & Bloxam of 25 Lincoln’s Inn Fields. George was an executor of the will of Erasmus Alvey Darwin, who died on 26 August 1881 (CD’s ‘Journal’ (Appendix II)).
In the 1840s, Salt’s London agents were Hawkins, Bloxam, & Stoker of 3 New Boswell Court, Lincoln’s Inn (Law list 1841).
William Salt, a partner in the firm Salt & Sons, died on 22 May 1881 at Shrewsbury (England & Wales, national probate calendar (index of wills and administrations), 1858–1966 (Ancestry.com, accessed 9 October 2019)).
Erasmus Alvey Darwin had lived at 6 Queen Anne Street, London.
William and Sara Darwin were about to depart for France.

Bibliography

Law list: Clarkes’ new law list; being a list of the judges and officers of the different courts of justice … and a variety of other useful matter. London: W. Clarke. 1816–40. The law list; comprising the judges and officers of the different courts of justice: counsel, special pleaders, draftsmen, conveyancers, attorneys, notaries, &c., in England and Wales … and a variety of other useful matter. London: V. & R. Stevens & G. S. Norton [and others]. 1841–1969.

Summary

Suggests that GHD employ W. M. Hacon as solicitor for selling E. A. Darwin’s house, rather than Mr Salt’s agents; he remembers that firm as full of odious people.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-13300
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
George Howard Darwin
Sent from
Down
Source of text
DAR 210.1: 107
Physical description
ALS 3pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 13300,” accessed on 11 October 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-13300.xml

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