From G. H. Darwin   [after 26 August 1881]1

New University Club, | St. James’s Street, S.W.

Dear Father

Carbonell say they have supplied a large quantity of the same Champ: to other customers & have received no complaint. They advise us to keep it & return it if any more turns out corked. They credit you with 212 bottles2

Yrs | G H Darwin

Surman has gone to Bournth. wh. looks as if Uncle Chas. wd. give him the wages he asks3

1
The date is established by the reference to Frederic William Surman’s moving to a new job following Erasmus Alvey Darwin’s death (see n. 3, below).
2
Dry champagne became fashionable as a dinner wine in Britain in the 1880s, and was also considered to be beneficial to health (see Harding 2020, p. 17). Carbonell & Co. were wine merchants at 182 Regent Street, London (Post Office London directory 1882). On 5 August 1881, CD had made a payment of £40 5s. to Carbonell & Co. (CD’s Account books–banking account (Down House MS)). CD probably ran an account with the company and the credit may have been applied to next bill.
3
Surman had been E. A. Darwin’s butler; he possibly went to work for Charles Langton following Erasmus’s death on 26 August 1881. Langton lived in Christchurch, which adjoins Bournemouth (Census returns of England and Wales 1881 (The National Archives: Public Record Office RG11/1194/120/14)).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-13309,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-13309