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Darwin Correspondence Project

From G. S. Ffinden   31 May 1879

Darwin. May 31— ’79

I am obliged to you for yr. letter  I am not aware that any first measurement of the land was made, & I am at a loss to a/c for the means whereby I arrived at the erroneous measurement: 1.2.191   however, since writing to you I have consulted the parish tithe map, which is an official authority, & this makes the case, as to the quantity of the land even worse. Thus with the long meadow was included the adjoining field Jumping rail the total quantity being

a. r. p.2

6: 0: 32

2. 3: 3

(deduct Jumping rail as measured by the late Mr. Abr: Smith3 )

3: 1: 29

2: 0: 0 sold by Miss W. first

1: 1: 29

⁠⟨⁠37 retained by Miss W⁠⟩⁠

1: 0: 32

a. r. p

1: 0: 32

a. r. p. (instead of. 1: 2: 9)

& this quantity at £80 p acre wld cost £96:0:0, & not £111:10 as paid to Miss W. The tithe map referred to can be inspected by you   it is at Mr. H. Osbornes4   if Miss W. is willing to abide by its measurement, I will write to the Ecc Commrs.5 to authorize the paymt. of the money £15:10:0 but if Miss W. wld. prefer to have the land measured (wh: seems to me unnecessary) I am willing to pay one half of the expense if my share wld. not exceed £[1]: but of this I am doubtful— It is clearer than ever to me now that, too much has been paid, at the rate agreed upon of £80 p acre

Footnotes

See letter to G. S. Ffinden, 31 May 1879. The dispute concerned land sold by CD’s sister-in-law, Elizabeth Wedgwood. Notes on the acquisition of vicarage property with prices paid, measurements, and calculations, are filed with Ffinden’s draft letter.
‘a. r. p.’: acres, rods (or roods), perches. Units of area: 1 perch = 30.25 square yards; 40 perches = 1 rod; 4 rods = 1 acre.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners (see letter to G. S. Ffinden, 31 May 1879 and n. 4).

Summary

The official parish tithe map shows that a greater error than at first thought was made in measuring Miss Wedgwood’s land. She was overpaid £15 10s.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-12074
From
George Sketchley Ffinden
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
unstated
Source of text
Bromley Historic Collections, Bromley Central Library (P/123/3/4)
Physical description
Draft †

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 12074,” accessed on 20 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-12074.xml

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