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Darwin Correspondence Project

To ?   [after June 1868]1

I received an excellent character of J. A.2 from a Lady residing at Reigate.—3 He has lived with me for the last six months footman, & leaves my service at his own request, as he prefers the situation of a porter.— During the time he has lived with me, he has been perfectly sober & honest, & has invariably shown himself in every way obliging to a remarkable degree.— [He is active & busy] & [enjoys] good health.

Footnotes

The date is established by the entries in CD’s account books for James Archer (see n. 2, below).
James Archer was employed as a manservant at Down House in 1868; payments to Archer are listed in CD’s Account books–cash account and Classed accounts (Down House MSS) for April and June 1868.
The letter of reference has not been found. The ‘lady’ may be Frances Farrer, wife of Thomas Henry Farrer of Abinger Hall, Reigate, Surrey, and a relative of Fanny Wedgwood.

Summary

Testimonial for James Archer, who leaves CD’s service after six months.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-5747
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
Unidentified
Sent from
unstated
Source of text
DAR 96: 54
Physical description
ADraft 2pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5747,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5747.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 16

letter