Ɛpsilon

To T. Thompson1   9 October 1869

[Down]

To Mr T. Thompson, Secretary of the Westerham F. Club

Sir

Mr W. Reeves in this place has called on me as a County Magistrate to consult me on the best means of obtaining the payment which he states is due to him from the Westerham Club.—2

I can testify that the condition of his hand shows that he is unable work, & as he cannot at present write, he has asked me to address you on the subject,—before he takes any further steps.— His case seems a hard one, I am informed that some of your members still receive payment, & if this be correct it wd be difficult to justify, any one member who may have a just claim being refused.

Hoping that you will be able to satisfy W Reeves’ claim. I beg leave to remain | Sir | Your obed sert | Ch. R. Darwin Oct 9—1869

ADraftS

1
The addressee is probably Thomas Thompson, grocer, of Westerham (Post Office directory of the six home counties 1870); Westerham is about five miles from Down.
2
CD probably refers to William Reeves (b. 1834/5), but may refer to William Reeves (b. 1814/15) [or William Reeves (1809–1900) Added January 2020]. CD was a county magistrate for the Bromley division of Kent (Post Office directory of the six home counties 1870, p. 1004). CD had served as treasurer of the Down Friendly Club, a local savings and insurance society, since its establishment in 1850 (see Correspondence vol. 4, letter to J. S. Henslow, 17 January [1850] and n. 6).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 County] interl
1.2 means] after del ‘plan’
1.2 payment] after del ‘amount’
1.2 which … is] interl pencil
1.2 is] after ‘are’ pencil del pencil
2.1 condition] pencil above del pencil ‘state’
2.1 is unable] above del ‘cannot’
2.2 to address] ‘to’ over illeg
2.3 I] after del ‘&’
2.4 payment,] after del ‘their allowance’
2.4 correct] interl pencil after del pencil ‘the case’ interl
2.5 any one member] above del ‘all’
2.5 may] interl
2.5 being refused.] above del ‘not equally receiving their right.—’
3.1 W Reeves’] above del ‘his demand’
3.1 claim.] under del ‘his demand’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-6927,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-6927