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: Newnes, 1930. 178p. Decorative cloth. Frontispiece portrait from a photograph of the author. Publisher's very rare plain jacket, and plain to see the book has spent its life inside of the jacket, only fading where the jacket is chipped. The colourful jacket is somewhat common certainly in comparison to..... More
London: Dormeuil Freres, 1927. 40p. Blue wrappers. The six famous players are Abe Mitchell, J.H.Taylor, James Braid, George Duncan, Arnaud Massey and Jim Barnes. Part of the Percy Boomer golf library. More
London: Kegan, Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co. Ltd., 1911. 271 pp. Illustrated with golfer silhouettes throughout by E.W. Mitchell, original pictorial mustard cloth, lettered in maroon. Classic collection of columns Mr. Darwin had written for the London Evening Standard under the name "Tee Shots," plus articles contributed to Fry's Magazine..... More
Philadelphia: David MacKay, 1911. 271p. decorative cloth. Illustrated with golfer silhouettes throughout by E.W. Mitchell, original pictorial mustard cloth, lettered in maroon. Classic collection of columns Mr. Darwin had written for the London Evening Standard under the name "Tee Shots," plus articles contributed to Fry's Magazine. Unusual and scarce American..... More
London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1928. 332p. Green cloth. 1928 Illustrated with several plates from photographs, including frontispiece portrait of the author. Spine lettered in gilt. First Edition, original. Darwin's first autobiography. Pack Clouds Away. 288p, cloth. 2nd impression. December 1941, 1st was October. Classic Darwin essay's on a fide range..... More
Birkenhead: Guy Woodland, 2007. Produced for the 2007 Hoylake Open in a limited edition of 500 copies only, originally selling for £50.00 A great chance to get a copy of this great book at a affordable price which can only appreciate as the years go on. Foreword by Bernard Darwin..... More
Birkenhead: Willmer, 1933. 310p, cloth. Foreword by Bernard Darwin. Important club history, Royal Liverpool is the second oldest club in England. Significance is the report on Bobby Jones winning the 1930 Open Championship and shoting the lowest 4 round total to date 291. Short Biographies of famous Hoylake golfers, John..... More
Birkenhead: Willmer, 1933. 310p, cloth. Foreword by Bernard Darwin. Important club history, Royal Liverpool is the second oldest club in England. Significance is the report on Bobby Jones winning the 1930 Open Championship and shoting the lowest 4 round total to date 291. Short Biographies of famous Hoylake golfers, John..... More
London: John Murray, 1930. 335p. Green cloth. Rare golf detective novel by "one of the foundation writers of golf literature...Of his nearly twenty mysteries, the author wrote only one known to contain anything regarding golf" -Taylor. Murdoch writes "Mr. Hutchinson deserves more than just a few words for himself because..... More
London: Longmans, Green and Co. Ltd, 1912. 361p. decorative boards contributors; May Hezlet, Bernard Darwin, James Sherlock, A.C.M. Croombe, C.K. Hutchinson. Part of the Percy Boomer golf library. More
London: Longmans, Green and Co. Ltd, 1912. 361p. decorative boards contributors; May Hezlet, Bernard Darwin, James Sherlock, A.C.M. Croombe, C.K. Hutchinson. Part of the Percy Boomer golf library. More
London: St. Catherine Press, 1925. 313p. 1/4 cloth. Foreword by Bernard Darwin. An anthology of golfing tips, Vardon, Braid, Barnes, Darwin, Taylor... all the great names are quoted, thus adding up to a very interesting title. Reportedly by Murdoch a print run of just 880 makes this book very hard..... More
London: St. Catherine Press, 1925. 313p. 1/4 cloth. Foreword by Bernard Darwin. Anthology of golfing tips, Vardon, Braid, Barnes, Darwin, Taylor... all the great names... adding up to a very interesting title. Reportedly, by Murdoch, a print run of just 880 makes this book very hard to find almost 100..... More
Jones Jr., Robert Tyre Foreword By Bernard Darwin.
London: Chatto & Windus, 1961. 270p, cloth. Special Foreword by Bernard Darwin (note this id not in the American version) 1st UK edition. D&J J10030.More
Jones Jr., Robert Tyre Foreword By Bernard Darwin.
London: World Books Members / The Reprint Society, 1960. 270p, cloth. Special Foreword by Bernard Darwin (note this in not in the American version) This copy is dated 1960 published for the World Books Members club, and seems to pre- date the 1st UK edition published by Chatto and Windus..... More
England: Dent, 1938. 498p cloth edited by Lawless. chapters by Bernard Darwin, Henry Cotton, Robert Browning, A.H. Padgham, Eleanor Helme, O.B. Keeler, and several more. More
England: Dent, 1937. 498p cloth edited by Lawless. chapters by Bernard Darwin, Henry Cotton, Robert Browning, A.H. Padgham, Eleanor Helme, O.B. Keeler. More
London: Country Life, 1953. 196p, cloth. illustrated, foreword by Bernard Darwin. Blue dust wrapper, signed and dated in year of publication. A classic book in the library of golf mixing Locke's Golfing Life, instruction, psychology, courses and players. Locke played in his first Open in 1936 at the age of..... More
Droitwich, Worcstershire: Grant Books, 2003. 110p, decorative cloth. No. 491 of 550 regular copies.
Following Bernard Darwin's 1952 biography, this title fits well to any Braid fan. D&J M1150.More
Duluth, Minnesota: Herald Review, 1952. 119p. cloth. Limited edition printed May 1952
Acknowledgments include Bernard Darwin for helping correct the original manuscript. D&J M32530.More
London: Arthur Barker, 1939. 246pp decorative cloth. Foreword by John Beck. Contributions from the world of golf, including Bernard Darwin, Lady Heathcoat-Amory, Henry Longhurst, Guy C. Campbell, C.J.H. Tolley.... great book and often underrated. D&J M36160.More
London: Arthur Barker, 1939. 246p. Cloth. Decorative cloth. Foreword by John Beck. Contributions from the world of golf, including Bernard Darwin, Lady Heathcoat-Amory (Joyce Wethered), Henry Longhurst, Guy C. Campbell, C.J.H. Tolley.... great book, very often underrated.
Scarce and very good Dust jacket slight chips only. D&J M36160.More
Morrison, 2016. 168p. cloth 6th oldest club in England. Bernard Darwin famously described it as the "The worst course I have ever seen!" it was featureless and frequently waterlogged; the hazards included an active rifle range; and golf was only permitted there in the harsh winter months. More