Item 3 - Letter from W. K. Clifford to Mary F. Clifford

1 folded sheet, 1 single sheet

Trinity College, Cambridge.—Thanks her for a parcel; is sorry about the Valentines. Is annoyed that the press has been informed of his lectureship at Downing. The man who won a heat in the sports the other day was not himself, but Clifford of Trinity Hall. Has had a letter from Nimmo and been to a concert at Grantchester.

(Dated Friday. The press announcement referred to appeared in the Pall Mall Gazette on 19 Feb.)

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Transcript

Coll: SS: Trin Cantab
Friday

My dear Mama

The parcel you sent me came quite safely yesterday, and I thank you very much for it indeed. It is too good of you to take all this trouble about my things, and to make a list of them for me. I will try very hard to be careful and keep them straight in future. Also I must thank you for the cake and the butter, which was a most grateful change from the College butter. The cat licked up some of this last from a plate this morning and it made her sick. I am awfully sorry about the Valentines; I sent one to Miss Jerrard in Aberdeen with only one stamp on, which was certainly heavier than either of those which came to Exeter; but she is sure to have taken it in, for she always gets a lot and is very glad to have them. That ass Bamber has heard of my Downing lecture somewhere and sent it to the Pall Mall; which is a great nuisance, as the arrangement was only a private one between me and Pike, and he may not like it. {1} I expect to get paid about £20 a term, but there was nothing said about that. The man who won a heat in the Sports the other day was Clifford of Trinity Hall; who also got a second class Political Economy certificate, an honour to which I have not yet attained and do not ardently aspire. {2} Nobody up here is surprised at any absurdity which is printed as University Intelligence, but I am afraid people in the country are given to believe in it.

I hope poor little Edie is better. How everybody seems to have sore-throat. I heard from Nimmo the other day about three lines: he said he was very jolly and that old Cole was a Brick. I went to a small concert in the schoolroom at Grantchester on Tuesday; it was very nice indeed, and I went back with Hudson of John’s (who shewed you the library and chapel there) to supper at the Nimmos’ {3} afterwards. With best love to all the little ones, and consoling kisses to Edie, believe me to remain

Your most affectionate son
+W. K. Clifford.

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One of the sheets is of the same kind as CLIF A1/2.

{1} The following announcement appeared in the Pall Mall Gazette on 19 February 1867 (p. 6): ‘Mr. William Kingdon Clifford, B.A., Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge, Second Wrangler, and Second Smith’s Prizeman, 1867, has been appointed Mathematical Lecturer at Downing College.’

{2} William Clifford (later Phelps) of Trinity Hall was examined for an ordinary BA degree in Easter term, 1867 (Cambridge University Calendar, 1868, p. 184). Before they were admitted to examination for their degrees, candidates for the ordinary BA had to attend the lectures of one or more specified professors for a term at least, and to obtain a certificate of having passed a corresponding examination. The Professor of Political Economy was one of the specified professors. Certificate examinations were held termly. Those for Lent Term 1867 were held on 28 January, and the results were announced on 2 February (Cambridge University Calendar, 1866, pp. xxxiii, 23 ff.).

{3} The Nimmos lived at Mill House, Grantchester. See the Census, 1871.