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NOVEMBER, 1896.   THE BROMLEY RECORD.

THE LATE MRS. DARWIN.

It is with much regret that we record the death of Mrs. Darwin, widow of the late Dr. Charles Darwin, the illustrious naturalist and author of "the Origin of Species", which occurred on Oct. 2nd, at her residence, Downe House, Downe, at the advanced age of eighty-eight.

Since her husband's death – which occurred in 1882 – Mrs. Darwin had regularly spent the summer months at Downe House, being always accompanied by Miss Darwin and frequently by Mrs. Litchfield, and one or other of her sons. The remaining part of each year she passed at her Cambridge house, The Grove, Huntingdon-road, where three of her sons are also resident.

Mrs. Darwin arrived at Downe, from Cambridge, at the beginning of June last – her customary time for returning – and was occasionally seen in the village being drawn in a bath-chair, though her outdoor exercise was usually confined to the grounds of Downe House, in which her husband used to take great interest. For some time Mrs. Darwin had been affected by heart spasms, and was attended by Dr. Scott, of Bromley, while quite lately Dr. Moore, of London, was also consulted. The end was, however, never thought to be so near, and the deceased lady herself sought to allay the anxiety of those around her by her assurances, but at a quarter past seven on Friday, Oct. 2nd, she peacefully passed away, in the presence of Miss Darwin, Mrs. Litchfield, and one of her sons, Major Leonard Darwin. It had been her intention to return to Cambridge on the very day on which the sad event occurred, and preparations had been made, when the end so unexpectedly came.

In accordance with the wishes of the family, the funeral, which took place at Downe, the following Wednesday, was of a strictly private nature, only the relatives and close friends being present as mourners. Among them were:- Mr. William Erasmus Darwin, Mr. George Howard Darwin, Mr. Francis Darwin, Major Leonard Darwin, Mr Horace Darwin (sons), Mrs George Darwin [Maud du Puy], Mrs Leonard Darwin [Frances Fraser 'Bee'], Hon. Mrs H. Darwin [Ida Farrer], Sir Joseph and Lady Hooker, Lord Sackville Cecil, Lady Farrer, Judge Lushington, Mr. Albert Dicey, Q.C., Mr. and Miss Massingberd, Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey Wedgwood, Mrs. and Miss H. Bonham Carter, Mr. Edward Norman, Mr. and Mrs Sutherland, Rev. C.H. Wright, Mrs. and Miss Vaughn Williams.

In addition to the carriages conveying the immediate relations and friends of the deceased lady, a number of private carriages followed. Many of the tradesmen of the village were also present, while the blinds of almost all the houses were drawn and most of the shops were closed. Many beautiful wreaths and crosses were placed upon the coffin, among the senders being the Countess Derby, R. Hills and family, her household, butler, coachman, gardener, and family, Margaret L. Swain, J. Lewis, F. Nicholls, F. Capon and L. Capon and many others.

The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. Lewis (of Downe).

The service was conducted by the Rev. G. S Fanden (the Rector). The burial took place in a vault where the late Dr. Darwin's brother is interred, the remains of the great naturalist having as our readers will recollect, found a resting place in the honoured space of Westminster Abbey.

Mrs. Darwin, whose maiden name was Emma Wedgwood, was the daughter of Dr. Darwin's uncle, Josiah Wedgwood, and grand-daughter of the founder of the well-known Etruria pottery works. She was married to Mr. Darwin, on Jan. 29th, 1839, and for three years after their marriage, they lived at 12, Upper Gower-street, London. In order to secure more quietude in which to seek a home in a country, and the secluded village of Downe was chosen. Downe House was taken and considerable improvements soon effected under Dr. Darwin's personal direction; and it was here that the famous naturalist died on April 19th, 1882. There are seven surviving children of the marriage – five sons and two daughters – and it is remarkable in what a strong degree their father's qualities of intellect have descended to them. Two of them it will be noted hold professorships at the University of Cambridge, and are fellows of the Royal Society while another has been in the Royal Engineers. The last-named has also sat in Parliament; while a fourth (Horace) is to be a Mayor of Cambridge during the ensuing year. Their names are Mr. William Erasmus Darwin, a banker of Southampton, Mr George Howard Darwin, F.R.S., Plumian Professor of Astronomy at Cambridge, Mr. Francis Darwin, F.R.S., University Reader in Botany, at Cambridge, Major Leonard Darwin (Royal Engineers, retied), late M.P. for the Litchfield division of Staffordshire. Mr. Horace Darwin, engineer, Miss Darwin and Mrs Litchfield.

Her great age naturally caused Mrs. Darwin to live a very retired life, but her cheerful disposition and invariable readiness to help others made her much beloved and esteemed by all classes. One lady, who long enjoyed a very intimate acquaintance with her, remarked that her acts of benevolence were always performed in the most unostentatious manner, and her constant thoughtfulness for others had endeared her to the hearts of all the inhabitants not only of Downe and Cudham, but of the neighbouring villages. Though not a member of the established Church, she was a liberal subscriber to the church at Downe, and on a few occasions had worshipped there, while it may be mentioned that the late Dr. Darwin's brother and Miss Wedgwood, a sister of Mrs. Darwin were buried in the churchyard. Mrs Darwin was the last of her

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generation of the Wedgwood family.

The world probably little knows of how much of the invaluable work of Dr. Darwin is due to his wife. We do not, of course, mean that any part of his actual work was performed by his estimable partner, but merely that it was due to her assiduous care and devotion and cheerful companionship that he was able during his life of constant sickness to persevere in his labours. What she was to him and he to her is best told in the following extracts from "Life and Letters of Charles Darwin," edited by his son Francis:

"No one indeed," – says this son – "except my mother knows the full amount of suffering he endured or the full amount of his wonderful patience. For all the latter years of his life she never left him for a night, and her days were so planned that all his resting hours might be shared with her. She shielded him from every avoidable annoyance and omitted nothing that might save him trouble or prevent him becoming overtired, or that might alleviate the many discomforts of his ill-health. I hesitate to speak thus freely of a thing so sacred as the life-long devotion which prompted all this constant and tender care. But it is, I repeat, a principal feature of his that for nearly forty he never knew one day of the health of ordinary men, and that thus his life was one long struggle against the weariness and strain of sickness. And this cannot be told without speaking of the one condition which enabled him to bear the strain and fight out the struggle to the end. In her presence he found his happiness, and through her his life – which might have been overshadowed by gloom- became one of constant and quiet gladness.''

Mrs. Darwin was, indeed, a true helpmate to the great naturalist, and as such it may be respectfully said that the public owes a deep dept to gratitude to her memory.

Downe House is an old-fashioned mansion with an ivy-clustered white front. It was built in the eighteenth century, in the square substantial style of the period. When Mr. Darwin came to live here he added a wing to the west side of the house, which was used partly for the accommodation of the great scientist's library, and on the opposite side is the room which served as a study, in which were written some of his most important works.

There is old-fashioned walled-in garden on the south side of the house, commanding lovely prospects over the country in the direction of Westerham. The garden front of the house, with the verandah covered with creeping plants of various kinds, is shown in the accompanying illustration.