Ɛpsilon

From Charles Parker   18 January 1864

The Mount | Shrewsbury.

Dear Uncle Charles,

You will soon see that this is a begging letter. The fact is, a school is sadly wanted at Ford and I have begun a subscription for that purpose.1 I enclose you a list of the subscribers, and write to ask if you can kindly help me a little in the matter.2 We have to buy the land, and build a mistress’ house, and school. We think £500 will be wanted.

At the same time if you have one, will you be good enough to send me your photograph. Old Mrs. Gardner of Sansaw3 asked me to get it for her book.

I am very sorry to hear how unwell you have been lately, but hope you are a little better.

I am | yr. affec: neph: | Charles Parker.

Jan. 18. 1864.

Subscriptions for the school.

Archdn. Waring4 10. 0. 0

C. Parker 20. 0. 0

Mr. Langton5 20. 0. 0

E. Darwin Esq.6 20. 0 0

Miss Darwin7 20. 0. 0

Miss Parker8 5. 0. 0

Wm. Lyon Esq.9 10. 0. 0

105. 0. 0

1
The village of Ford is in Shropshire, five miles west of Shrewsbury. Parker, CD’s nephew, was appointed to the perpetual curacy of Ford parish in 1863 (Crockford’s clerical directory). Parker’s attempt to establish the school failed; the house used as a school since 1843 was not replaced until 1873, when a national school was erected (see letter from Charles Parker, 1 July 1864, and Victoria history of the county of Shropshire, 8: 226, 327.)
2
CD’s Account book–cash account (Down House MS) records a payment on 20 January 1864 to ‘C. Parker, School £5.0.0’.
3
Probably Jane Eliza Gardner, wife of Robert Gardner of Sansaw Hall in Clive, a village north of Shrewsbury (Post Office directory of Gloucestershire, with Bath, Bristol, Herefordshire, and Shropshire 1863, 1870).
4
William Waring was the archdeacon of Shropshire, 1851–77 (Alum. Cantab.).
5
Charles Langton was the husband of CD’s sister Catherine (Freeman 1978).
7
Susan Elizabeth Darwin, CD’s sister, still lived at the family home, The Mount, in Shrewsbury (Freeman 1978).
8
Mary Susan Parker was Charles Parker’s sister (Freeman 1978).
9
William Lyon resided at Ford Hall, Ford, Shropshire (Post Office directory of Gloucestershire, with Bath, Bristol, Herefordshire, and Shropshire 1863, 1870).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-4393,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-4393