[[1]]
Torquay
April 17/[18]80
Dear Hyacinth
*1
Your letter I received before leaving Montys Court, but your post card has not yet
turned up!.
We arrived here yesterday at 5pm & found Bessy [Elizabeth Hooker] *2 wonderfully
well & bright. I have not known her to be so well for years. -- The weather was fine in
the morning but miserable in the afternoon & this day is cold blustery & misty, quite
according to my invariable
[[2]] experience of Torquay
Mr Bentham *3 and I got the whole herbarium off on Friday morning! in about 20
cases, in a van to go on rail to Brentford then horsed on to Kew.
We found it in great confusion, but Bentham offers to go through it & separate what
belongs to other parties.
I miss you very much -- & shall be glad to get down to Pendock *4 next
[[3]] week, but I must do the magazine first.
The irrepressible Mr Newman met the train at the station at Exeter, but I shall not go
there to see the old family haunts till I leave this, on Monday or Tuesday -- the former
I hope.
Willy Jacobson *5 is dying at Exmouth. Sir Benjamin Brodie is here. -- Bessy had our
expected arrival put in the papers, a very silly proceeding, which I must prevent
when I come again.
[[4]]I hope I shall see Gracie [Grace Ellen Hooker] *6 when I come to Pendock. I am
so glad that [1 word illeg.] is turning out affectionate.
I am not sorry that Temple is beaten it will do him good but the House has lost an
invaluable member. Unfortunately in the present state of party feelings, the value of
a member is appraised by his politics, not his future use as a man of knowledge &
experience.
With kind love to your father & mother & kisses to Joey *7.
Ever dearest H[yacinth?] | your affectionate husband | J D Hooker [Signature]
ENDNOTES
1. Lady Hyacinth Hooker, née Symonds then Jardine (1843--1921). Joseph Hooker's
second wife, they married in 1876.
2. Elizabeth Evans Lombe née Hooker (1820--1898). Joseph Hooker's sister.
3. George Bentham (1800--1884). British Botanist. Co--author, with Joseph Hooker,
of Genera Plantarum an influential work on plant taxonomy which is the foundation of
many modern systems of classification.
4.Pendock in Worcestershire was the Parish of Reverend William Samuel Symonds,
Lady Hyacinth Hooker's father, his residence was called Pendock Court.
5. Reverend William Jacobson (1803--1884). Bishop of Chester (1865--1884).
Joseph Hooker's maternal uncle, married to Hooker's aunt Eleanor Jane Jacobson
née Turner.
6. Grace Ellen Hooker (1886--1953). Joseph Hooker's daughter by his first wife
Frances Hooker née Henslow.
7. Joseph Symonds Hooker (1877--1940). Joseph Hooker's first child with his
second wife Lady Hyacinth Hooker.
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