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[printed letterhead] Montgomery

9^th January 1883

Dear Sir

I have seen two old schoolfellows of your late Father (at Shrewsbury;) one the Revd. R. M. White, Vicar of Churchstoke in this country, & the other my Cousin, W. C. L. Hughes of Liverpool, whom I mentioned in my previous letter; but neither can call to mind any incident of your father's life at Shrewsbury School of any especial interest. W.

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Hughes, however, recalls with pleasure, his intercourse with Mr Darwin at Buenos Ayres, when the Beagle touched there in 1833, - & his having met, at this same time, Capt. Fitzroy, Mr Bynoe, & the other officers of the ship.

I find that I was in error in saying I think Mr Darwins South American collections, or some of them, were placed in Mr Hughes charge for transmission to England.

The part was that on

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his return to Liverpool, the Head of the Megatherium (one of those, I think, which are described in the 5^th chapter of the Journal") was consigned to him for transmission to Professor Owen, and that after some difficulty he passed it through the Liverpool Custom House, free of duty, which the authorities there claimed on it!

Both M^r White, and M^r Hughes spoke of D^r Kennedy being "head boy" at

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Shrewsbury, when they and your father were school fellows there, under D^r Butler.

M^r White who mentioned two brothers, who were there at the same time, - Horatio & James Hilligen but he has since lost sight of both.

I took the liberty of sending your letter to a friend of mine, M^r J. B. Barrett, of Welshport (where he, until recently, practised as a surgeon)

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- He knew D^r R. W. Darwin well, both professionally & otherwise; but did not know your father until his return to England in the Beagle - when he met him at D^r Darwin's house, at the channel, in Shrewsbury. - If he can in any way assist in the enquiries you are making, I am sure that you will hear from him.

I regret that my enquiries have not proved more successful - & that I do not, at present, think of

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any others than those I have named, to whom to apply.

You may however rely upon it that if I should hear of any facts bearing upon your fathers early life, that may be of interest to you, I will not fail to write.

Believe me to be, dear Sir, yours faithfully

W. Minching

Francis Darwin Esq. F.R.S.