Litchfield, Henrietta Emma née Darwin, 1843-1927 (editor of Darwin Papers)

Person

Staff Only

Dates

Existence: 1843 - 1927

Biography

Henrietta “Etty” Darwin was the eldest of Charles Darwin’s daughters to reach adulthood. She married Richard Buckley Litchfield in 1871. She was a valued editor to her father as well as companion and correspondent to both of her parents. Henrietta played a significant role in the continuing memorialization of both of her parents: she edited passages of The Autobiography of Charles Darwin (1887), as well as a collection of her mother’s private papers which were published as Emma Darwin, Wife of Charles Darwin: A Century of Letters (1904).

Although Henrietta was not afforded the formal schooling provided to her brothers, her keen editorial eye was sought after by her father for his scientific writing, particularly his 1871 work, The Descent of Man. In this Henrietta provided far more than grammatical assistance; Darwin asked her to help clarify and enliven his work. Though far less recognised by Victorian society for her intellectual worth than her father or brothers, Henrietta was an essential lynchpin in the Darwin circle, and helped anchor both the scientific and domestic activities of her family.

Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:

Fonds

Darwin Archive

Fonds

Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS DAR

Scope and Contents The Darwin archive comprises the personal and scientific working papers of Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882), together with correspondence and papers of many members of the wider Darwin family. Darwin’s scientific papers include his significant corpus of work on species, evolution and natural selection, and papers relating to the voyage of HMS Beagle, 1831-6. This material consists of: experimental and theoretical notebooks; draft essays; loose notes and scraps of notes, generally...

Dates: [1662- 1980s], bulk 19th century

Conditions Governing Access: Some material in the Darwin archive is not available because it is unfit for production and access to some very fragile material may only be possible with support from specialist conservation staff. Please see descriptions for further details.

Found in: Cambridge University Library

Item

Letter from Henrietta Emma Darwin to Mary Anne Ruck, Before 31 August 1871

Item

Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS DAR 274/11

Scope and Contents

Single letter from Henrietta Emma Darwin to Mary Anne Ruck (1822-1905) née Matthews, mother of Amy Richenda Ruck (1850-1876), first wife of Francis Darwin. The letter is undated but is presumed to have been written before Henrietta's mrriage to Richard Buckley Litchfield on 31 August 1871. In the letter Henrietta sends her apologies for cancelling an appointment with a 'Sir Roger'.

Dates: Before 31 August 1871

Conditions Governing Access: From the Fonds: Some material in the Darwin archive is not available because it is unfit for production and access to some very fragile material may only be possible with support from specialist conservation staff. Please see descriptions for further details.

Found in: Cambridge University Library / Darwin Archive / Sir Francis Darwin: letters to Charles Darwin and Darwin family letters

File

Letters from Francis Darwin to his sister, Henrietta Emma Darwin, [1865-1869]

File

Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS DAR 274/2

Scope and Contents

A collection of eight letters from Francis to Henrietta (1843-1927). None of the letters are dated but two are sent from Clapham Grammar School where Francis was a pupil until 1866 and it is thought the reminder were written by Francis when he was a student at Cambridge from 1866 to 1870. The letters give news from school and university.

Dates: [1865-1869]