Hayling Golf Club.
London: The Golf Clubs Association, ca 1949. 24p, green wrappers with Green text. More
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Bernard Richard Meirion Darwin, C.B. E (for services to literature and sport) was born on September 7, 1876 and died on October 18, 1961, age 85. He was the first grandchild of the famed naturalist Charles Darwin, and the only son of Francis Darwin and Amy Ruck Darwin who died shortly after Bernard’s birth. To his friends and admirers he was known as Bernardo. Eighty five years is a long life span especially for one born in the Victorian era. Incredible as it seems, his tiny heart started beating in the month young Tommy Morris died and continued beating into the dawn of Jack Nicklaus’s reign.
Bernardo was the first writer to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He was also a top-of-the-tree Amateur golfer: Captain of the Cambridge golf team; founding member of The Oxford and Cambridge Golfing Society; member of at least 28 golf clubs and captain of several including The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. Darwin played, and won, his singles match over the United States Captain
in the first Walker Cup Match. He also waged war (a true ‘Hyde’ when on the green) in 26 British Amateur Championships over five decades (his last at age 59) reaching the semi-finals twice.
Bernardo was many things to many people, some of whom couldn’t care less about golf. Contemporary eminent scholars considered Bernard Darwin to be the greatest living essayist in the English language. Although graduating from Cambridge with a Law degree, and ‘enduring too many years’ practicing as a barrister and a solicitor, he began to write in 1902 about his true love – golf. And he never stopped. His last article appeared in Golf Monthly (UK) the month he died. Most of his writings were for Country Life (UK) magazine and The Times newspaper concurrently from 1907 through 1961. But he had many other loves. Literature permeated whatever subject he was drawn to that day; witness his frequent quotes from Charles Dickens, Sir Walter Scott, Wilke Collins, Sir Arthur Conon Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, just to name a few masters. Although most of his articles, essays, and books were about golf a surprising, almost shocking, percentage were not: for example ‘Fourth Leader’ editorials in The Times, and ‘A Casual Commentary’ articles in Country Life were about subjects as diverse as cricket, elephants, public schools, children, war, foot racing, prize-fighters, railroads, gypsies, murders, zoos, circus art, etc.
He and wife Elinor (nie Monsell, from Ireland) raised their family in Downe Village, Kent, barely one mile from his childhood home, Down House. Their children inherited talent from their parents: drawing and engraving from Mama, writing and singing from Papa. Their oldest child was Ursula Francis Elinor Mommens (1908 – 2010) who became a well-known potter. Sir Robert Vere Darwin, ‘Robin’ (1910 – 1974) became an artist, educator, and Rector of the Royal College of Art. Nicola Mary Elizabeth Fenn (1916 – 1975) was a classical soprano. ‘Niccy’ was born shortly before Bernard left for Macedonia to serve as a Major in the King’s Army during ‘The Great War’.
In short, Bernard Darwin liked to admit that he was blessed to earn a living while doing the things he liked best. Bernardo and Eily rest in peace in St Mary the Virgin Churchyard in Downe.
Dick Verinder, Editor
Dormy House Press
Washington, Texas
London: The Golf Clubs Association, ca 1949. 24p, green wrappers with Green text. More
London: The Golf Clubs Association, ca 1952. 32p, beige wrappers with Red text. More
London: The Golf Clubs Association, ca. 1940. 28p. Grey Blue wrappers, blue text. Beautifully described as only Bernado can. More
London: The Golf Clubs Association, ca. 1940. 28p. Blue wrappers, blue text. Beautifully described as only Bernado can. More
London: The Golf Clubs Association, ca. 1940. 40p. Green wrappers, red text. Beautifully described as only Bernado can. More
London: The Golf Clubs Association, ca. 1950. 24p. Green wrappers, green text. Beautifully described as only Bernado can. More
London: Cassel & Company Ltd, 1952. 312p, 10¾x8, green cloth, gilt-lettered morocco spine label. First Edition. Foreword by Sir George Cunningham (Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, 1950-51). Illustrated from photographs and reproductions, some in colour, including frontispiece; 5 golf course maps in back, one..... More
London: Cassel & Company Ltd, 1952. 312p, 10¾x8, green cloth, gilt-lettered morocco spine label. First Edition. Foreword by Sir George Cunningham (Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, 1950-51). Illustrated from photographs and reproductions, some in colour, including frontispiece; 5 golf course maps in back, one..... More
London: Williams and Norgate LTD., 1926. The Story of the matches by Bernard Darwin and reminiscences of every match since 1861 by an actual player in the game. Limited edition 35/325. More
London: Souvenir Press, 1986. 240p, cloth. A selection of 50 pieces drawn from Darwin's published collections, reflecting the warm friendliness of golf that so delighted him, and the sheer enjoyment of the game that shone through all he wrote. Darwin raised the level of sports writing into true literature. Classic..... More
London: Collins, 1946. 47p, dec. cloth. Excellent Darwin treatise on golf, ancient and modern. D&J D4540. More
London: Collins, 1946. 47p, decorative cloth. Excellent Darwin treatise, ancient and modern. D&J D4540. More
England: GWR, 1947. A Century of Medical Service the story of the Great Western Railway Medical Fund Society 1847 - 1947. Hard to find Darwin Title. More
London: The Travel Association of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1946. 8pp (folder). Illustrated by Rowland Hill. Excellent condition. D&J D4660. More
London: Collins, 1948. More
London: Mills and Boon, 1922. 142p, + 16 ads.cloth. Excellent early essays culled from "The Times". Good condition for this title, all Gilt on spine and front cover intact, no fading to spine, no foxing, corners a little bumped. Former owners name, Henry Longhurst! Good copy of a rare book..... More
London: Mills and Boon, 1922. 142p, + 16 advertisments, cloth. Excellent early essays culled from "The Times". Good condition for this title, all Gilt on spine and front cover intact, no fading to spine, no foxing, corners a little bumped. Good copy of a rare book. D&J D4000. More
London: Mills and Boon, 1922. 142p, + 16 advertisements, cloth. Excellent early essays culled from "The Times". Good condition for this title, all Gilt on spine and front cover intact, no fading to spine, no foxing, corners a little bumped. Facsimile dust jacket, of the extremely rare original jacket. Good..... More
London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1926. 331 pp. green cloth, lettered in gilt, dust jacket. First Edition. Contributions by the game's best, including Hutchinson, Simpson, Low, and Darwin First edition, cheap issue with a very good dust Jacket. More
London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1926. 331 pp. green cloth. First Edition. Contributions by the game's best, golf section including Hutchinson, Simpson, Low, and Darwin. Underrated title, well worth adding to the Darwin collection. More
London: Chatto & Windus, 1947. 226p cloth. 2nd printing. First being 1944. History of one of the greatest time ever for the sport, Jones, Hagen, Sarazen, Cotton... The most significant period of growth of the game, especially Anglo American. One of the greatest titles in the whole golf bibliography. More
London: Chatto & Windus, 1947. 226p cloth. 2nd printing. First being 1944. History of one of the greatest time ever for the sport, Jones, Hagen, Sarazen, Cotton... The most significant period of growth of the game, especially Anglo American. One of the greatest titles in the whole golf bibliography. More
London: Jonathan Cape, 1925. 287p. cloth gilt text. Darwin casts his eye over Britain's leading courses fifteen years on from his original survey, published in 1910 as "The Golf Courses of the British Isles". This edition omits the courses of Ireland. Second edition. 31 colour plates (from watercolours by Harry..... More
London: Duckworth, ca. 1910. 254p, dec. cloth. Illustrated with plates (mostly in color) from paintings by Harry Rountree; printed tissue-guards, original green cloth decoratively stamped and lettered in gilt, top edge gilt, First Edition. Darwin's famous book covering the courses of Scotland, England and Ireland. The illustrations, from original water..... More