Ɛpsilon

From Robert Monsey Rolfe   28 December 1865

40, Upper Brook Street. | W.

28 Decr 1865

My dear Mr Darwin—

I was quite mortified to find from Mrs Darwins1 letter that I left Holwood2 in the Autumn without sending to the annual cheque of which you so kindly undertake the distribution—3 The fact is that it quite escaped my memory— I now enclose a cheque the rect of which you will perhaps acknowledge to me at Holwood where I hope to be this Evening—

I am afraid from your not writing yourself that you have not been very comfortable, But Mrs Darwin did not mention your health so we hope for the best—

With best wishes of the Season   Believe me, | yours very truly | Cranworth

2
Holwood House, Rolfe’s family seat, was 112 miles from Down (Freeman 1978).
3
Rolfe was a regular subscriber to the Down Friendly Club and the Down Coal and Clothing Club, of which CD was treasurer (Freeman 1978). The Down Friendly Club was a local savings and insurance society; the Coal and Clothing Club supplied parishioners with cheap coal and clothes in exchange for regular savings. In previous years, CD had distributed Rolfe’s contributions to a day school and Sunday school in Down (CD’s Account book–cash account (Down House MS)). In his Down Coal and Clothing Club account book (Down House MS), CD recorded a contribution of £2 2s. from Rolfe in 1865. On CD’s involvement in local charities, see J. R. Moore 1985, p. 466.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-4958,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-4958