Hooker, Sir Joseph Dalton
JHC460
Athenaeum Club, Pall Mall, London,United Kingdom
JDH/2/16 f.103
Thiselton-Dyer, Sir William Turner
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
2-12-1886
© Descendants of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
Letters to Thiselton-Dyer
The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
English
Original MS
2 page letter over 1 folio
 

JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer of his latest negotiations for securing his own pension. He has met with the Permanent Secretary of the Admiralty, Evan Mc Gregor, & with Lord George Hamilton's secretary. Their conversation will be passed on to Welby. Lord Salisbury [Robert Gascoyne-Cecil] has informed Lubbock that he will look into the matter of JDH's civil fund pension. JDH is of the opinion that he should get his Naval Pension, but not half pay, as well as the civil pension. JDH also notes that [Johann Franz] von Haast has written to him [possibly regarding an exhibit].

Transcript

in due time take my claims for a Civil Fund Pension into consideration with those of others. By far the best plan would be to restore me my Naval Pension of £200 over & above the £1100; abolishing of course the Half Pay, & then there would be no call on the Civil Fund.
E[ve]r aff[ectionately] y[our]s | J. D. Hooker[signature]

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ATHENAEUM CLUB
PALL MALL, S.W.
Dec[ember] 2 [18]/86

Dear Dyer*1
I enclose [Johann Franz] Von Haast's answer -- a very mild rejoinder.
I have just come from a long talk with the Permanent Se[cretar]y of Admiralty& L[or]d George's*2 Se[cretar]y, about the Pension business -- as to which they have no responsibility, & were not even consulted. They were most friendly & obliging & roared at the idea of putting me on Half Pay, Mr Evan McGregor*3 Permanent Se[cretar]y will see Welby about it today.
No other news but that L[or]d Salisbury*4 has written to Lubbock saying that he will with pleasure

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in due time take my claims for a Civil Fund Pension into consideration with those of others. By far the best plan would be to restore me my Naval Pension of £200 over & above the £1100; abolishing of course the Half Pay, & then there would be no call on the Civil Fund.
E[ve]r aff[ectionately] y[our]s | J. D. Hooker[signature]

ENDNOTES


1. 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.
2. Lord George Francis Hamilton (1845--1927). British Conservative Party politician of the late 19th and early 20th centuries who served as First Lord of the Admiralty and Secretary of State for India.
3. Evan McGregor (1842--1926). Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty for 23 years, from 1884 to 1907.
4. Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquis of Salisbury (1830--1903). British Conservation statesman and three-time Prime Minister.

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