Pack Clouds Away.
London: Collins, 1941. 288p, cloth. 2nd impression. December 1941, 1st was October. Classic Darwin essay's on a fide range of subject's truly the greatest author in the world of golfing literature. D&J D6070. 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: Collins, 1941. 288p, cloth. 2nd impression. December 1941, 1st was October. Classic Darwin essay's on a fide range of subject's truly the greatest author in the world of golfing literature. D&J D6070. More
England: Ben Johnson & Co. Ltd., 1927. 153pp. Illustrated with plates from photographs, charts, tan wrappers, front cover lettering printed in orange. Second edition This edition was preceded by a clothbound & wrappered edition published in ca. 1925. D&J 4150. More
England: Souvernir Press, 1984. More
London: Chapman & Hall, 1936. 260p, dec. cloth. Fine Essays, last of a set publish from 1932 to 1936 Out of the Rough and Playing the like the other. D&J D6730. More
London: Chapman & Hall, 1936. 260p, dec. cloth. Fine Essays, last of a set publish from 1932 to 1936 Out of the Rough and Playing the like the other. D&J D6730. More
London: Newnes, 1930. 178p. Decorative cloth. Frontispiece portrait from a photograph of the author. Publisher's colour pictorial jacket, plain to see the book has spent its life inside of the jacket. D&J D6820. More
London: Newnes, 1930. 178p. Decorative cloth. Frontispiece portrait from a photograph of the author. Gifted to Percy from a pupil. Part of the Percy Boomer golf library. D&J D6820. More
London: Kegan, Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co. Ltd., 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..... More
London: Kegan, Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co. Ltd., 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..... More
London: Chatto & Windus, 1955. Darwins third of three autobiographys. D&J D7510. More
London: Chatto & Windus, 1955. 256p, cloth. Darwin's third and final autobiography. D&J D7510. More
London: Chatto & Windus, 1955. 256p. c;oth. Dust Jacket. Darwin's final autobiography. We can consider ourselves fortunate to have such a record of golf's premier journalist. D&J D7510. More
London: Chatto & Windus, 1955. 256p. Cloth. Dust Jacket. Darwin's final autobiography. We can consider ourselves fortunate to have such a record of golf's premier journalist. D&J D7510. More
London: Evans, 1951. 159p, cloth. Foreword by Darwin. D&J D14350. More
London: Evans, 1951. 159p, cloth. Foreword by Darwin. Wonderful course descriptions, starting of with Aberdovey, Bernard Darwins favourite golf course. D&J D14350. More
London: Evans, 1951. 159p, cloth. Foreword by Bernard Darwin. Selection of the authors favourite 18 courses, and what a selection! D&J D14350. More
London: Nicohals Kaye Ltd.Sportsman bookclub, 1951. 190p,. cloth. Very unusual printing of the classic. Unrecorded in any bibliography. Complete with dust jacket. Rear of dust jacket makes a note of the selection committee for the Sportsman's book club series, for golf no other than Bernard Darwin. D&J H19990. 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. D&J H29800. 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: Chatto & Windus, 1961. 270p, cloth 1st UK edition of this classic. D&J J10030. More
London: Dropmore Press, 1947. 84p. illustrated boards. Dust Jacket/slipcase. Ltd ed. 300/750 Introduction by Bernard Darwin. First printed in 1857 and again in 1862 and 1870. Superb copy, in original wrapper and scarce slipcase. D&J F2590. More
London: Dropmore Press, 1947. 84p. illustrated boards. Dust Jacket/slipcase. Ltd ed. 45/750 where the first 50 copies are special bound. This is one of those copies. Introduction by Bernard Darwin. First printed in 1857 and again in 1862 and 1870. Superb copy, in original wrapper and scarce slipcase. Compliments letter..... More
England: Dent, 1938. 498p cloth edited by Lawless, reprinted edition 1st 1937. chapters by Bernard Darwin, Henry Cotton, Robert Browning, A.H. Padgham, Eleanor Helme, O.B. Keeler, and several more. Very nice copy in a hard to find Jacket. 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...... Part of the Percy Boomer golf library. More
Dublin, Ohio: The Memorial Tournament, 2002. 176p. simulated leather. Foreword by Bernard Darwin This is a very difficult Memorial title to find. No. 226 of 250 total. Interestingly the Memorial tournament also published a second book, Golf for Women to honour Kathy Whitworth. D&J L14440. More