| Description | Letter from Alfred Russel Wallace and his wife Annie to their son William from Parkstone, Dorset, 15 Dec 1898 re William's news (from the USA) that he has moved to better accommodation, Alfred Russel Wallace thinks the dogs and cats there will keep away any small mammals he wants to catch; sending a paper with news of Conway's ascent of Mount Sorata in the Andes; sending Black's 'Princess of Thule' for William Greenell Wallace's birthday; 'Tommy Atkins' now in a shilling edition; the author of 'Tomorrow' (Ebenezer Howard) has sent his book describing the ideal garden city, good review in the 'Clarion' but Alfred Russel Wallace fears the plan will be suppressed by speculators; news of Tesla's experiments with wireless telegraphy, claims he will work machinery in Paris by power from Niagara; drains at house being connected, problems, cost and method described; cleverness of 'Whatnot' and 'Bezique' in the 'Clarion'; reading Dangles? 'Old Cockaigne'; detailed description of method of digging a trench, with planking diagram, Colonel Nichols says tunnels in India made with box frames (diagram); hopes William has got some skeletons by now.
Annie's postscript (unsigned) written at right angles to the text by Alfred Russel Wallace, on the last page of the first of two folios, sends William birthday and new year greetings, and news of local Christmas shopping; plants in flower; photos from Ananda in Ceylon, hopes he will return alive; sale of Ardmore (house).
Name: Wallace, Alfred Russel, 1823-1913
Wallace, Annie, née Mitten, born c.1846
Wallace, William Greenell, born 1871
Conway, Sir William Martin, 1856-1937, Baron Conway of Allington
Black, William , 1841-1898
Howard, Sir Ebenezer, knight, 1850-1928
Tesla, Nikola, 1856-1943
Nichols, ? fl 1891
Coomaraswamy, Ananda Kentish, 1877-1947
Place: Bolivia Ceylon Parkstone Dorset England USA
Notes: OLD REF Correspondence 1879-1922: WP1/19/22 |