Ɛpsilon

From G. H. Darwin   [18 October 1881]1

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

Tuesday

Dear Father

The valuation of the house was erroneous   it shd. have been £2500. The house agents think they will be able to get a license from the landlord to have an auction in the house. I am leaving it all to them to do the best for you they can, tho’ of course they will communicate before accepting any offer definitely.2

I shall indeed I must defer making final arrangements about moving furniture until I know definitely all that various relatives will want to take3

I have ordered a gravestone.4

The old rubbish among the books sorted out & I will send a list before proceeding to sell.

Yours affec | G H Darwin

I have made several paymts for you

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin, [14 October 1881]. The Tuesday after 14 October was 18 October.
2
CD had inherited 6 Queen Anne Street, London, from his brother, Erasmus Alvey Darwin; George was one of his uncle’s executors and was arranging an auction of the contents (see letter from Emma Darwin to G. H. Darwin, [14 October 1881]). CD recorded receipt of £177 19s. 2d. from ‘Mr Gillow sale of Furniture at Q Anne St’ on 26 December 1881 (CD’s Account books–banking account (Down House MS)). The house was leased from the Portland Estate (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/architecture/sites/bartlett/files/chapter11_mansfield_street.pdf p. 15) and the agents were Gillow & Co. of Oxford Street (see (see letter from G. H. Darwin, 15 October 1881 and n. 5).
4
The gravestone was for E. A. Darwin (see letter from G. H. Darwin, 15 October 1881).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-13412,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-13412