JDH provides Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer with the address of Edward Delmar Morgan & asks him to send brochures & an Aponogeton to Edward de Regel there. There is a large party with JDH at Tortwort [Court], incl: Froude & daughter, Martin Theodore & wife, Lord & Lady Somers, Lord Aberdeen & daughter, Mr & Mrs York of Pendock, J Shaw Lefevre & his wife who is Lord Ducie's daughter, Alfred Denison brother of the late Speaker, Mrs Stewart or Stuart. When he returns JDH will arrange to send some Dahlias to Lady Ducie. JDH asks Thiselton-Dyer to send him some leaves of Parrottia [Parrotia persica or Persian ironwood]. He notes that Ducie & Somers are both mad about their gardens & trees. JDH adds in a post script that he saw [Brian Harvey Houghton] Hodgson at the train station, he was going to Chippenham & looked very ill with gout. In a further post script JDH adds that he has visited Hodgson & he looked better.
Transcript
Tortworth*1
Dec[embe]r 2/[18]78
Dear Dyer*2
Mr [Edward] Delmar Morgan's address is 15 Roland Gardens N.W. -- Kindly put the two brochures up into one parcel & direct them to [Edward] de Regel care of Mr D. Morgan -- Also send the Aponogeton
We have a huge party here. We came down with Froude & his dau[ghte]r & Martin (Theodore) & his wife. Here also are L[or]d & Lady Somers, L[or]d Aberdeen & his dau[ghte]r -- Mr & Mrs York (neighbours of Pendock) -- J. Shaw Lefevre & his wife (L[or]d Ds daughter) Mr Alfred Denison (brother of the
Tortworth*1
Dec[embe]r 2/[18]78
Dear Dyer*2
Mr [Edward] Delmar Morgan's address is 15 Roland Gardens N.W. -- Kindly put the two brochures up into one parcel & direct them to [Edward] de Regel care of Mr D. Morgan -- Also send the Aponogeton
We have a huge party here. We came down with Froude & his dau[ghte]r & Martin (Theodore) & his wife. Here also are L[or]d & Lady Somers, L[or]d Aberdeen & his dau[ghte]r -- Mr & Mrs York (neighbours of Pendock) -- J. Shaw Lefevre & his wife (L[or]d Ds daughter) Mr Alfred Denison (brother of the
late Speaker & of Sir W. Denison & who was P.S. [Private Secretary?] to both. -- Mrs Stewart (or Stuart) who everybody knows knows, & sundries.
I forgot in time to ask Smith for the Dahlia roots (single) for Lady Ducie, but it will do when I get back --
Please send me a few good colored[sic] Parrottia[sic] leaves in a letter or box -- L[or]d D[ucie]. is mad about his garden & trees as is L[or]d Somers.
Ever aff[ectionatel]y y[our]s | J. D. Hooker[signature]
P.S. I saw Hodgson at the station
he was to take the next train for Chippenham -- I thought he looked in a very critical state. Scarlet with watery eyes & complaining of suppressed gout. I am very anxious about him -- I shall go over tomorrow or the day after.
P.P.S. This was too late for yesterdays post -- We have today been over to Hodgson's & found him remarkably well but complaining of suppressed gout in the head.
Parcel of books
3 plants Aponogeton*3
1. Tortworth Court. Mansion South Gloucestershire with an extensive arboretum owned by the Ducie family.
2. Sir William Turner Thiselton--Dyer (1843--1928). British botanist and third Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1885--1905). He succeeded Joseph Hooker in the role after serving as his Assistant Director for ten years. He previously held professorships at the Royal Agricultural College Cirencester, Royal College of Science for Ireland and Royal Horticultural Society. He married Hooker's eldest daughter Harriet in 1877.
3. The wording on page 4 appears to be written in a different hand.
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