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WCP – Wallace’s later years

In June this year, I began a fascinating project of exploring Wallace’s letters. I aim to unearth forgotten writers and correct misidentifications. Wallace’s letters not only shed light on his contributions to natural history but also offer a window into the social and scientific milieu of his time.

When Wallace reached another significant milestone in his life — his 90th birthday, he received many letters from people from all walks of life — lives he had touched in one way or another. Some writers played crucial roles in shaping the discourse around Wallace’s life and work, yet their contributions can easily fade into obscurity. By adding context and detail, I also hope to enhance the Wallace scholarship by reviving the voices of those who influenced or interacted with him. Here are just three letters I personally appreciate.

  • A couple who ran a lodging house in Devon where Wallace and Annie stayed in the summer of 1894 wrote to wish him happy birthday and they recollected, “the kind way in which both you & your wife spoke of our Lodgings.” (WCP567)
  • Frank Page, the Mayor of Hertford sent a telegram to congratulate Wallace on his 90th birthday. He received a reply from Wallace. Sadly, Page who served in First battalion Hertfordshire Regiment was killed in action at St. Julien in 1917. He was 39. (Link)

Wallace spent his early life and education in Hertford. These formative years, between 1828 to 1837, were lived under challenging circumstances. Wallace writes, “My next recollections are of the town of Hertford, where we lived for eight or nine years, and where I had the whole of my school education. We had a small house, the first of a row of four at the beginning of St. Andrews Street, and I must have been a little more than six years old when I first remember myself in this house, which had a very narrow yard at the back, and a dwarf wall, perhaps five feet high, between us and the adjoining house.“ (My Life, p. 32)

The following letter was from Annie Loftus Lowcock (WCP549). In searching for more details on Annie, I first came across “Lowcock Hong Kong”. The page is maintained by Joshua Lowcock. I filled up an online form to ask if he is related in any way to Annie. I was delighted to receive a reply a few hours later. Joshua and Annie are indeed related though not closely. Joshua was thrilled to see the letter. He also found in his own archive a Red Cross WW1 volunteer card belonging to Annie (used here with permission). The home address on the card is identical to the one on the letter thus confirming her identity. As Wallace did answer Annie’s letter, we are hoping the letter can be found.

Annie’s letter*:

[1] [in ARW’s hand] Answd [Answered]

West Cottage

Wimbledon Common

Jan 15th 1913.

Dear Sir,

Will you allow a stranger to congratulate you on the completion of your ninetieth year? You are no stranger to me, for as long ago as 1875 I had the pleasure of studying your book on the Malay Archipelago1 and using it as guidebook when going from Singapore to Australia by the Torres Strait Route. I cannot tell you how [2] that Book interested me and my husband2 in the islands & volcanos as we passed them, for we were only 3 days out of sight of land the whole way to Albany.3

On Jan 8th of this year I read the article “Ninety Years of Science”4 and it brought back the memory of those happy days & made me long to tell you of the enjoyment you have given [3] to others and I rejoiced to think you had been spared to continue your valuable works — I hope therefore you will forgive the liberty I have taken in writing to you.

I am, dear Sir

yours faithfully –

Annie Loftus Lowcock5

*first transcribed by Nicole M. Sarvis in 2014. All the notes are mine.

NOTES

  1. Wallace, A. R. 1869. The Malay Archipelago: The land of the orang-utan, and the bird of paradise. A narrative of travel, with studies of man and nature. London: Macmillan and Co. 2 vols.
  2. Lowcock, Henry W. (1837-1901). Businessman with Gibb, Livingston & Co., a trading firm.
  3. Refers to Albany, Western Australia. (With thanks to Joshua Lowcock, through personal communication.)
  4. Anon. 1913. [An interview] Ninety Years of Science. Morning Post (8 January): 9.
  5. Lowcock (née Russell) Annie Loftus (1849?-1932).  Born in County Wicklow, Ireland. (Link) In 1915, she volunteered with the Red Cross and was awarded “VWW Badge”
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