Ɛpsilon

From John and Emma Pender   [before 23 June 1870]1

His Royal Highness

The Prince of Wales.

Mr. & Mrs. Pender

request the honor of

Mr. Charles Darwin’s

Company on the Evening of

Thursday the 23rd. June at 10 o’c⁠⟨⁠lock⁠⟩⁠2

Invitation card

CD annotations

Recto: ‘Keep’ blue crayon circled blue crayon
Verso: ‘Keep’ blue crayon circled blue crayon; ‘Size of *page, Heading & type [above del ‘Wood-Blocks’] | Descent of Man3 | for Photographs & folding Plates’ pencil
1
The date is established by the day and month mentioned in the invitation and by the year of the Penders’ party to celebrate the opening of the telegraph link with India, 1870 (see ODNB s.v. Pender, John).
2
CD had met the prince of Wales (Albert Edward, later Edward VII) at a Royal Society of London soirée on 28 April 1866 (Emma Darwin (1915), 2: 184–5; Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)). The party at the Penders’ London house was to celebrate the opening of a telegraphic link with India, which had been achieved under John Pender’s supervision. About 700 people attended, including the prince of Wales. The Darwins did not arrive in London until 24 June.
3
CD’s notes are evidently to do with the publication of Descent.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-7240F,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-7240F