From Emma Darwin to W. D. Fox 16 May [1864]
Down Bromley | Kent.
May 16
Dear Mr Fox
This is only a business letter upon traps.1 I do wish you would send your invention to the exhibition of traps that the Society in Pall Mall is just going to have at St James’s Hall for the purpose of awarding a prize of 50£2 & it would be such a good way of making it known, supposing it should answer. I think a concourse of traps must be useful in order to compare the merits & demerits. Have you heard of this one of which I send the advertisement?3 I do not want it back—
I do hope you will have no further anxiety about throats but we have found in this part of the world that Diphtheria is not nearly so alarming a thing as it used to be. Charles has escaped sickness & on the whole goes on well. He is very much obliged to your for mentioning that way of taking chalk—4
The Secretary’s address is J. Colam Esq5 Soc. for the Prevention of Cruelty Pall Mall
I am dear Mr Fox with kindest remembrances to Mrs Fox6 | yours very sincerely | E. Darwin
I think the traps are to be on view on the from the 18th to 23rd. of May.
[Enclosure]
R. BRAILSFORD’S PATENT WIRE VERMIN TRAPS.
Having for a number of years noticed the vast increase of running vermin, without any adequate means being taken to lessen the evil, has induced me to offer to the public my Patent Wire Vermin Traps, which are proved to be far superior to any other for the destruction of foumarts, weasels, stoats, rats, &c. Their advantage consists in being light and easily moved about, in being openly constructed, so that the vermin go in without the least fear of danger. They are easily set, and may be kept in use all the year round. They may be used amongst all kinds of game or poultry, without the possibility of their doing the least injury to them, which is not the case with steel traps; also causing less cruelty to the animals caught than any other trap yet invented. And where foxes are preserved they are invaluable.7 They have been used on various preserves for some time, where they have given entire satisfaction, causing great destruction of rats, stoats, &c. (testimonials of which will be given if required), and in some instances three, four, and five rats have been caught at once in a single trap. Cash price per dozen, 2l. 16s.; larger size for cats, &c., 6s. each; for otters or other large animals (either for home or abroad), price according to size and quality.— Address RICHARD BRAILSFORD, Knowsley, Prescot, Lancashire. R. B. has on hand his celebrated Ointment for mange in dogs, Worm Powders &c., which only require one trial to prove their efficacy. Also his Check Collars for breaking dogs, and which no sportsman ought to be without.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Carr, Raymond. 1986. English fox hunting: a history. Revised paperback edition. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Summary
Urges WDF to send trap he has invented to the exhibition and competition of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Advertisement of Brailsford’s Patent Vermin Trap enclosed.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-4497
- From
- Emma Wedgwood/Emma Darwin
- To
- William Darwin Fox
- Sent from
- Down
- Postmark
- MY 16 64
- Source of text
- Christ’s College Library, Cambridge (MS 53 Fox 144)
- Physical description
- ALS 4pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 4497,” accessed on 17 August 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-4497.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 12