RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [c.1827]. [visiting card with game killed on verso]. CUL-DAR5.A48. Edited by John van Wyhe (The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed and edited by John van Wyhe 7.2025. RN1

NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR5 contains Edinburgh lecture notes, 1825-7; class cards; zoological walk to Portobello; geological notes, Shrewsbury & with Sedgwick; alluvium; Salisbury Craigs; for glacier papers, 1839-42.

"Woodhouse, Shropshire. Home of William Mostyn Owen and his children, "a beautiful mansion of white freestone". Known as The Forest, in Rednal, 13 miles northwest of Shrewsbury on the Holyhead Road. CD was often there for shooting and social occasions, both before Beagle voyage and on his return. Photograph of the house in CCD1.
Maer Hall, Maer, Staffordshire. Seven miles from Etruria and Stoke-on-Trent. Home of Josiah Wedgwood [II] (Jos). CD was a frequent visitor there in his youth especially for the shooting in partridge season, and, after his return from the Beagle voyage, for his courting. "The happiest of all Wedgwood houses". Description in Wedgwood 1980, p. 246. Parkfields was a cottage with about 100 acres which Josiah Wedgwood [II] added to the estate, borrowing from Robert Waring Darwin. 1802 Bought for £30,000. 1807 Moved in. 1808 May 2 ED born there. 1814 Josiah Wedgwood [II] thought of selling it because he was then having to live at Etruria. 1816 He was back at Maer. Emma Wedgwood at 16 made a diary entry in 1824 Jun. 19, "Susan & Charles came" and again on Dec. 18. Before their wedding, Charles went to Maer Hall and stayed for four days. 1839 Jan. 29 married ED at St. Peter's church from there. CD and ED returned on Apr. 26. 1846. Left, on death of his wife Bessy Allen. 1847 Sold. Watercolour by Charlotte Langton at Down House. Photographs of the house in CCD1 and Pattison, The Darwins of Shrewsbury, 2009, p. 81." Paul van Helvert and John van Wyhe, Darwin: A Companion, 2021.

The abbreviations for game used by Darwin appear to be Jack and Jk for Jackrabbit (a colloquial term at the time, not to be confused with the North American animal) Pa or P for pheasant or partridge and H for Hares.

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Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

File last updated 2 July, 2025