1839 UK letter from Bristol to Sir Fred Madden British Museum London

$30.00 CAD

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Letter from a Surgeon in Bristol announcing to Sir Frederick Madden the death of Mr. Hedden of Clifton. Madden was working at the British Museum.

Madden was the leading palaeographer of his day.

Addressed to

Sir Fred. Madden K.H. Brit. Museum London

Sir,
I am sorry to convey to you the melancholy intelligence of the death of Mr. Hedden of Clifton; he died this morning, of apoplexy, after a very short illness. Mrs. Hedden, too much distressed to write herself, has requested me to make this communication.
 
... (?) wornald Surgeon
Bristol 31st march 1829

Black seal on back.

March 31st Bristol and another AP 1 red   *postmark.

4 pages, one with text.  Folded to form an envelope.

 

Sir Frederic Madden KH (1801 – 1873) was an English palaeographer.

From his childhood he displayed a flair for linguistic and antiquarian studies. In 1826 he was engaged by the British Museum to assist in the preparation of the classified catalogue of printed books, and in 1828 he became assistant keeper of manuscripts. In 1832 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. At the age of 32 he was made a knight, entitling him to the initials KH after his name, and in 1837 he succeeded Josiah Forshall as Keeper of Manuscripts. He did not get on well with his colleagues, and retired in 1866.

WIKIPEDIA