The date range and year are conjectured from CD’s absence from Down in May 1876, and from the estimate of how long the renovation of the pantry would take; the earliest date the letter could have been written was the day of CD’s departure, and the cut off date of 28 May 1876 would allow for a reply and twelve days for the work to be done before CD’s return (see nn. 2 and 3, below). CD was also away in May in 1878, 1879, and 1880, but the appointment of a new butler in 1876 makes this the most likely year.

There was a substantial pantry in the east corner of Down House (Atkins 1974, p. 23). Jackson might have been asking for the work to be done in 1876 because he had recently taken over as butler (Browne 2002, p. 459), and the pantry would have been his domain.

CD was away from 24 May to 10 June 1876 (‘Journal’ (Appendix II)).