Ɛpsilon

To J. M. F. Ludlow   20 July [1877]1

July 20

Sir

I hope that the enclosed documents are properly filled up.—

Permit me to beg you earnestly to let me have an answer as soon as you can. many of the members wish to dissolve the club & to divide all the funds; & I have had great difficulty in persuading them not to do so; & if there is much delay in them receiving the bonus which the Actuary has allotted to each member, a fresh agitation for the dissolution of the Club.— will arise.2

Sir | I beg leave to remain | your ob serv | C. R. D. | One of the Trustees of the Club

Under these circumstances, I trust that you will do what you can to aid those reasonable Members of the Club

ADraftS

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to Down Friendly Club, 19 February 1877.
2
See letter to Down Friendly Club, 19 February 1877. Ludlow was the chief registrar of Friendly Societies. The members of the club had decided to receive the surplus funds of the club as a bonus, rather than dissolving the club. See also letter to J. B. Innes, 25 February [1877], and letter to ?, [before 22 May 1877?]. The documents, signed by Stephen Whitehead as secretary (or clerk), witnessed by CD, and dated 20 July 1877, are in the National Archives (TNA FS 1/232/626620). They pertained to a change in the club rules allowing the surplus to be distributed to members. There are drafts of this letter, dated 16 and 17 July, in DAR 202: 50 and 51.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 that] interl
2.1 earnestly] interl
2.1 many of the 2.2] above del ‘the’; after del ‘The Club is so prosperous that the’
2.2 dissolve … to] interl; ‘club’ above del ‘it’; ‘to’ added
2.2 all] interl
2.2 funds] above del ‘moneys’
2.3 do so;] above del ‘dissolve [‘the’ del] it’; before del ‘the Club’; ‘Club’ above del ‘it’
2.3 much] above del ‘any great’; before del ‘further’
2.3 them] above del ‘their’
2.4 bonus] added before del ‘money [below del ‘share of money’]’
2.4 to each] ‘to’ after del ‘them’
2.4 a fresh] above del ‘there will be another’
2.5 will arise.] added
3.1 beg leave] above del ‘have the’
3.1 remain] before del ‘to’
4.1 these] ‘these’ over ‘the’
4.2 of] above del ‘who are striving to prevent’
4.2 Club] after interl & del ‘members of the’; before del ‘[being dissolved]’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-11064,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-11064