Ɛpsilon

WCP3899

Letter (WCP3899.3819)

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

June 14th. 1892

My dear Hooker1

I write to ask you to do a kindness which I hope & think it will be a pleasure for you to do. It is to head a memorial to the Prime Minister asking him to grant a Civil List Pension to my father-in-law William Mitten.2 I think his life-long work in botany, though in an obscure & little recognised department, [2] deserve such a recognition. He has had a life of hardwork in his business, & having three unmarried daughters3 has I am sure been able to save very little, and a moderate pension for the few remaining years of his life, — he will enter his 74th year in November next — will enable hum to obtain some much-needed relaxation, as well as adding to his mental repose.

I feel sure that if you head [3] such a memorial, and that it is supported by Mr. Thiselton Dyer,4 Mr. Carrerthen5 (an old friend of Mitten's) and any other botanists of eminence who know his work that it will have every chance of being successful.

No doubt you know all the necessary forms to be gone through, but if you wd instruct me I shall be happy to do what I can to save you any trouble in the matter.

[4] I am glad to be able to inform you that our friend Allman6 is wonderfully well, & seems to have suffered no permanent ill effect from his serious illness in the winter.

Hoping you yourself and Lady Hooker7 are quite well[.]

Believe me | yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

Sir Jos. Hooker K.C.S.I. &c.

P.S. Mitten knows nothing of this application.

A.R.W.

1
Hooker, Joseph Dalton (1817-1911). British botanist and explorer. Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 1865-85. President of the Royal Society 1873-78.
2
Mitten, William (1819-1906). Father-in-law of ARW; chemist and authority on bryophytes.
3
Mitten, Rose Elizabeth (c. 1848- ). Daughter of William Mitten; Sister-in-law of ARW; Mitten, Flora (1850-1941). Sister-in-law of ARW; daughter of William Mitten; Mitten, Bessie Jordan (1854-1936) Daughter of William Mitten; Sister-in-law of ARW.
4
Thiselton-Dyer, William Turner (1843-1928). Leading British botanist, and the third director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
5
Carruthers, William (1830-1922). Keeper of Botany at the British Museum (1871-1895), and paleobotanist. Father of John Bennett Carruthers (1869-1910).
6
Allman, George James (1812-1898). Irish zoologist and botanist.
7
Hooker (née Symonds then Jardine) Hyacinth (1842-1921). Second wife of J. D. Hooker. Also known as Lady Jardine from her first marriage to Sir William Jardine.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP3899.3819)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Seo, Veri [2013-08-13] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-08-13] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Transcription (WCP3899.4268)

[1]

PARKSTONE, DORSET.

June 14th, 1892.

My dear Hooker To Sir J.Hooker1

I write to ask you to do a kindness which I hope and think it will be a pleasure for you to do. It is to head a memorial to the Prime Minister asking him to grant a Civil List Pension to my father-in-law, William Mitten. I think his life-long work in botany, though in an obscure and little recognised department, deserves such a recognition. He has had a life of hard work in his business, and having three un-married daughters has I am sure been able to save very little, and a moderate pension for the few remaining years of his life,— he will enter his 74th year in November next — will enable him to obtain some much needed relaxation as well as adding to his mental repose.

I fell sure that if you head such a memorial, and that it is supported by Mr Thistleton Dyer, Mr Carruthers (an old friend of Mitten's) and any other botanists of eminence who know his work, that it will have every chance of being successful.

No doubt you all know all the necessary forms to be gone through, but if you will instruct me I shall be happy to do what I can to save you any trouble in the matter.

I am glad to be able to inform you that our friend Allman is wonderfully well, and seems to have suffered no permanent ill effects from his serious illness in the winter.

Believe me, Yours very truly | ALFRED R. WALLACE.

P.S. Mitten knows nothing of this application. A.R.W.

1
This is handwritten. The rest of the transcript is typed.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Transcription (WCP3899.4268)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Congerton, John [2019-12-17] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP3899,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP3899