The life of Sir Clements R. Markham, K.C.B., F.R.S. ..

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Preface

It seems to me that a few words are necessary in order to vindicate my presumption in undertaking such a work as the biography of Sir Clements Markham.

Among the men of science and letters, to whom his varied work appeals, there are many better fitted than myself to do justice to the memory of so distinguished a man. Nevertheless, when invited to write his life, I gladly consented to do so, and for the following reasons : There was no one outside his family circle who was more intimately acquainted with him. A close friendship had existed between us for over sixty years, and during more than half that period his house had been my home, whenever my professional duties enabled me to reside in this country. My love and reverence for him intensified as the years rolled by, and I felt that, apart from his scientific labours and geographical achievements, there was no one more familiar with his personal charm and lovable disposition than myself. Thus I felt that I was, perhaps, in a better position than anyone else to put together a record of his eventful and extended life. This must be my apology and justification for appearing now in the role of his biographer.

My aim in the present work has been, not so much to draw attention to his merits as a man of letters and a great geographer — they are already well known to the scientific world — but to emphasise the human touch, to

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PREFACE viii

bring out, in other words, the distinctive characteristics of his personality both as a boy and as a man.

My task, on the whole, has not been an easy one, but it has been a labour of love, and one of absorbing interest, revealing, in episodes hitherto unknown to me, the unselfish springs of his generous nature, his love for the young, and, above all, his wondrous kindness and sympathy for those in trouble and distress.

I have acquired my information principally from his private journals and published works ; where these have failed, my own personal knowledge and recollection, during our long and intimate fellowship, have enabled me, in several instances, to bridge over gaps in the written records of his long life. Much information has also been kindly placed at my disposal by many mutual relations and friends.

I am deeply indebted to Mr. Leonard Huxley and Captain P. B. M. Allan for the valuable advice and assistance they have given me in preparing the work for publication, and to Mr. Cy^ril Longhurst, C.B., for compiling the excellent Index, which he was kind enough voluntarily to undertake out of the love and respect that he bore for his old friend.

A. H. M.

Contents

CHAPTER

PREFACE - ...

I. CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS -

Chapter I Childhood And School-days

In the East Riding of Yorkshire, on that small tract of land between the Rivers Ouse and Derwent (which, flowing almost parallel to each other for a distance of about seventeen miles through the Vale of York, give their name to that particular wapentake), lies the old English village of Stillingfleet . This parish, forming one of the thirteen included in the wapentake, is mentioned in Domesday Book, and the village itself has been in existence since the first Anglian occupation of the country.

Owing in a great measure to the energies of the monks of Selby and York, the present beautiful Norman church of the parish was built during the twelfth century, and was dedicated to St. Helen and St. Mary. About a hundred years after its consecration, so much had the population of the parish increased, it was found necessary to make important additions. One of the chief features of this church, and a source of some pride to the parishioners, is the beautiful old south-eastern doorway, reputed to be one of the finest specimens of ecclesiastical Norman architecture in this country.

It was to this parish, with its fine old church, that the Rev. David F. Markham was inducted as Vicar in May, 1826. He was the son of William Markham, of Becca Hall, Aberford, and the grandson of Dr. William Markham, who was Archbishop of York from 1777 to 1807.

In July, 1827, Mr. Markham received a letter from the Prime Minister, informing him that His Majesty had been graciously pleased to appoint him to a canonry of Windsor that had just become vacant.* This was of course accepted. A Windsor canonry in those days was worth from £1,000 to £1,500 a year, with a residence inside the walls of the Castle.

Shortly afterwards, in the same year, he married Catherine Frances Nannette Milner, daughter of Sir William Milner, Bart., of Nun Appleton. ' He was then twenty-seven years of age, and is described as being a strikingly handsome man, 6 feet 2 inches in height, strong and active, and of great personality; a good cricketer, and fond of all outdoor sports, especially shooting and hunting. The greater part of these recreations had at a very early stage to be abandoned,, so that he might devote more time to his parochial and other more important duties. He had also given much time to the study of medicine. He was a great reader and eager in the acquisition of knowledge ; he was a dexterous carpenter and turner, and very skilful in all work of a mechanical nature. He possessed a natural taste for painting and sketching, especially in connection with architectural designs. In addition to these accomplishments, he was an enthusiastic numismatist, and owned a valuable collection of coins, some of great antiquity, which he himself had collected.

It was here, at the old Vicarage of Stillingfleet, that Clements Markham was born, on the 20th of July, 1830, and on the following 10th of September he was baptised Clements Robert in the library at Becca.

* It may be mentioned that Dr. Markham, the late Archbishop, was private tutor to both King George IV. and King William IV. ; hence the interest taken by His Majesty in the grandson of his old tutor, to whom he invariably showed great friendship.

His childhood was an exceedingly happy one, as well it might be, for it was spent in the constant care and company of his parents and of his brothers and sisters, three of whom were born at Stillingfleet. Sometimes, however, his childish temper would get the better of him. It is related on the first occasion that he attended church, being then a little over four years of age, he became so desperately bored that he began to pinch his elder brother, who was sitting next to him, by way of relieving his feelings. This, being naturally resented by his brother, resulted in a free fight, and Clements had to be carried out of church struggling and screaming.

Clements Markham always possessed a marvellous memory. He used frequently to say that the earliest recollections of his home at Stillingfleet and the village, as he saw them in his mind’s eye in after-years, were derived from impressions received when he was not more than three years of age. He often averred that he could remember people he had met and events that had happened when he was between two and three years old, and in some rare instances before he was even two ! Of his fourth year he had distinct recollections, not only concerning important events which occurred at that period, but of other occurrences of minor importance. It is, of course, quite possible that the knowledge of some of these incidents may have been imparted to him in after-life, but he always sturdily asserted that he had a very vivid recollection of events that occurred before he had reached his fourth birthday.

As we write, there are before us notes made by himself, giving minute descriptions of his friends and the houses in which they lived, visited by him when he was between three and four years of age. He remembered the guests that were staying in the different houses, some of whom he never saw again, yet he noted down many of their peculiarities and — may we say blemishes ?

One old lady, for instance, is described as having a long neck, an eager little face, and a voice like a cockatoo ! One had a mole on her face; another was untidy in appearance ; another wore little tight curls and was fond of genealogy; another had a habit of pouting with her under-lip; another was tall, good-natured, loud-voiced, and had straw-coloured hair; and so on. The dress worn by ladies and gentlemen in those days he describes most carefully, and he gives complete descriptions of the houses to which he was taken, with the number and positions of the rooms. He even enumerates the various pictures in those houses, the positions they occupied, with the names of the artists who painted them. These little incidents are typical of the man, his marvellous memory, and illustrative of his wonderful powers of observation and description. His notes were not limited to the friends and relations he met, but extended to the servants in the various houses he visited. Their names are all enumerated, more especially those who were kind to him, and the positions they filled; whilst in some cases even their family histories are recorded. All these descriptions were the recollections of a little child, for some of the people, alluded to by him, died before he had attained his seventh birthday.

He was always fond of acting in private theatricals and charades, but especially the latter; and in the notes which he has left of his early reminiscences he gives long and detailed descriptions of charades acted at Stillingfleet and elsewhere. These include the names of the performers, the parts that were allotted to them, the costumes they wore, the scenery that was used, and every minute detail connected with the performances. It must be noted that he left Stillingfleet before he was eight years of age.

His boyhood was spent principally at home, but there were short periods at Windsor, where his father had to be in residence for two months every year. At which of these places young Clements preferred to live is a moot question. He loved his home at Stillingfleet, his garden, his associates, and everything connected with the place; but he was also very fond of Windsor, its history, and its surroundings. He loved the river on which he passed so many pleasant hours, and he delighted in the company of the Eton boys. Among the latter were several of his friends and young relatives, who, as may readily be imagined, always received a warm welcome at the Canon’s house.

During the reign of William IV. it was the custom for the Canon in residence to dine every Sunday with the King and Queen. On these occasions the guests had to appear in evening dress with knee-breeches, silk stockings, and shoes with silver buckles. When his father returned from these dinners, he invariably brought back with him some delicious bonbons, which were much appreciated by young Clements. The death of the King he felt very keenly, and he was, perhaps, more perturbed when he realised that in future there would be no more bonbons; but he was especially grieved when he was informed by one of the curates that the prayer-book would have to be altered ! This caused him intense sorrow, and, throwing himself on the sofa, he burst into tears. He was sorry for the death of the good old King, and he was grieved at the idea that there would be no more bonbons, but he was overwhelmed with despair at the thought that his religion (as he imagined) was going to be altered !

In March, 1838, Canon Markham was offered, and accepted, the rectory of Great Horkesley, near Colchester in Essex. The offer was not at first favourably entertained, nor was it accepted without some hesitation. His family were all much attached to Stillingfleet, and the Canon knew that they would not, at any rate at first, view with equanimity the substitution of the Essex home for the old one in Yorkshire. However, it was a larger and more important parish, and, as he anticipated, it would open up a wider field of usefulness to which he could devote his energies. Great was the children’s grief at having to leave their beloved Stillingfleet, endeared to them by so many happy memories. It was with heavy hearts and the shedding of many bitter tears that they bade farewell to their old home and set out to make a new one in another part of the country. Fortunately, however, grief does not last long with young children, especially when they have all the excitement and joy of seeing strange places and the making of a new home to look forward to. Their thoughts were soon engrossed in the multifarious arrangements for the comfort and happiness that they pictured would be acquired in their new domicile.

On their arrival they were delighted with everything they saw. The house was larger than the one the}' had left, the gardens were more extensive, and they set to work at once to make it as much like the old home as possible. In this they soon succeeded, but they always retained a warm corner in their hearts for the old house at Stillingfleet, where they had passed so many happy years.

The church and rectory at Great Horkesley were about four miles from Colchester, and some little distance from the straggling collection of houses and cottages that made up the parish. The rectory was surrounded by a large paddock, with glebe land and wood adjoining. Not far from the rector}' gate flowed the River Stour, which at that particular spot formed the boundary between the two counties of Essex and Suffolk. The church was not so rich in architectural interest as the one at Stillingfleet, and many alterations and additions had to be made to the house in order to accommodate the family ; but the grounds and gardens were speedily tastefully laid out under the personal superintendence of the Rector.

just as the two boys were beginning to realise the comfort and happiness of their new surroundings, the fateful question of school was broached, then discussed, and finally arranged. Clements was then eight years of age; his brother was two years his senior. It was decided that they should both be sent to a school at Cheam, which had been highly recommended to their parents. This school was conducted by the Rev. William Browne, on what he was pleased to call the Pestalozzi method. The main feature of his system consisted in never keeping the boys at their lessons for more than one hour, at the expiration of which time they were sent out to “ air their brains ” for a like period. The selection of this particular school was largely due to the fact that many of the friends and relations of the two boys were being educated there. Also it had an excellent reputation, which was certainly enhanced by results — at least in the case of these two brothers.

Clements Markham was nearly nine years old when he went to school. He travelled by coach from Colchester, but not without accident. While changing coaches in London, the string with which one of his many parcels was secured broke, and all his beautiful rice cakes (to which he was very partial) were scattered in the mud ! Some were trodden under foot by the passers-by, and many were eagerly pounced upon by the street boys and hastily devoured. This incident, coming on the top of his departure from home and all it meant to him, was the last straw, and he burst into tears.

On arrival at Cheam he complained of pains “ under his jaw,” and soon developed mumps ; so he was promptly isolated, and kept in quarantine for ten days. During the period of his confinement he amused himself by reading “ Parry’s Polar Voyages,” and this, he always maintained, was the principal cause for the great interest he subsequently took in Polar exploration.

Altogether he thoroughly enjoyed his school life at Cheam, and made many lifelong friendships. He wrote out a description of every boy (and there were over fifty in the school), including one of himself, the latter in the following words :

“ When I went to Cheam I was a good-looking, wellmade little boy of eight years and ten months, in a round jacket, turn-down collar over it, and a Tam o’ Shanter cap, black with red squares round the edge. I was always called Pope.* In my first half I had no

friends, only G as a protector; and I especially

hated D R . But we at once made friends in

the second half, became devoted to each other, and were inseparable until dearer friends came."

His special companions were his cousin William Wickham (subsequently M.P. for Petersfield) and Raglan Somerset, for both of whom he entertained the warmest feelings of love and affection. Many of his schoolmates attained distinction in after-life; among them may be mentioned E. A. Freeman, the eminent historian, and Edward Parry (son of the great Arctic explorer), who died when Bishop of Dover and Dean of Canterbury.

His pen even then was busily occupied. He wrote a full and complete description of all the masters, ushers, and other officials, connected with the school, which certainly bears the impress of accuracy. He was fond of all outdoor games, and was fairly proficient in most of them. A game of cricket he enjoyed, but always regarded it as a man’s game; and, as he had no intention of devoting his life to playing games, he took but little interest in it. Jumping was his favourite form of athletics, and he was constantly engaged in endeavouring to beat his last record at the high jump.

He was an apt pupil, and was especially interested in the study of geography and astronomy, showing very clearly thereby that “ coming events cast their shadows before.”

After three years spent at Cheam, his parents deemed it advisable to remove him to a larger and more impor-

* Presumably on account of his Christian name.

tant school, and one more in consonance with his age. It was decided, therefore, to send him to Westminster, the alma mater of many generations of the Markham family. Accordingly, he left Cheam in April, 1842. He took his departure with feelings of real regret; he had thoroughly enjoyed his school life, he liked his schoolfellows, he respected those set in authority over him, he listened whole-heartedly to all his masters taught him, and he had acquired much useful knowledge. He himself says, in connection with his life at Cheam, that it was realty a good school for learning — better, in his opinion, than any school of the present day. He knew none where history, geography, and elocution, were taught so well, or where classics and mathematics could be taught better. He thought at the time that the boys were very hard in their criticisms of Mr. Browne and some of the other masters, but he naivety observes “ that, in thinking and speaking as we did, we invariably forgot his admirable system of teaching, his good intentions, his constant thoughtfulness for us, and his liberality.” This was a generous admission for a schoolboy to make regarding the schoolmaster he was leaving. He always looked back with the greatest pleasure to the happy and profitable days he spent at Cheam, which certainty contributed towards the making of the man. His departure was much regretted by the boys, and especially by his particular friends, to whom he was sincerely attached.

Before going to Westminster he enjoyed a good long holiday. This he spent at Great Horkesley and Windsor, as well as in visiting many of his friends and relations. In addition, the time was rendered all the more pleasurable by the presence at home of some of his old schoolmates, who had been invited to stay with him. When not engaged in paying visits, or entertaining his many friends at Great Horkesley, he devoted his spare moments to literary work, and he undoubtedly earned the reputation, even at that early age, of wielding a very facile pen. After reading the adventures of Robinson Crusoe and Masterman Ready, he composed, before he left Cheam, a romance founded on those two delightful works of fiction, in which he depicted himself in the character of the hero ! This was followed by a History of England, in eight chapters, written when he was only ten years of age. He certainly brought it up to date, for it concluded with the following words: “ Queen Victoria married Albert, Prince of Saxe-Coburg. They have got one daughter, and are going to have a boy ” — a marvellous illustration of early prescience ! To this latter work he added a map of England and Wales constructed entirely by himself, showing in colour the boundaries of the various counties.

Even at that age he admits that he strongly realised the necessity of a knowledge of geography for the full comprehension of history. His father happened to be in possession of a small printing-press, which he used for printing the parish notices, etc., and he was so pleased with the result of his boy’s literary labours that he printed twenty copies of the History of England in small quarto form, had them neatly bound in leather covers, and distributed them to a few of his relations. By this act the boy’s literary ardour was so much gratified that he decided unhesitatingly upon becoming an author 1 How he adhered to this decision time has shown.

His next literary effort was the compilation of a history of different countries and peoples, which included Egypt, Abyssinia, Macedonia, The Jews, Rome, Britain, Persia, Mexico, Peru, France, Scotland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Russia, Sweden, Ireland, Lapland, Germany, Prussia, Denmark, and Turkey. Nearly all in this series were illustrated by maps drawn by himself: a truly gigantic and ambitious project for a boy of his tender years, but it was one that was successfully accomplished.

Not content with the writing of historical works, he turned his attention during the holidays to biography,

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and wrote the lives of those historical characters of all ages in whom he had been most interested. These were Sesostris, Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius, Alexander, Octavius, Edward the Black Prince, Henry V., Ferdinand and Isabella, Charles V., Solyman, Francis I., Andrew I. of Hungary, Gustavus Adolphus, Christina, Charles XII., Peter the Great, Catherine II., Alexander of Russia, Suvarrow, John Sobieski, Thaddeus, Kosciusko, Thaddeus of Warsaw, Stanislas Poniatowski, Napoleon, Wellington, and Nelson. A somewhat strange and complex assortment of heroes !

The next subject to which he turned his literary and scientific mind was a work entitled “ Astronomy and Physical Geography," which was completed in September, 1842. In the former he describes the planets, comets, and constellations, and gives an explanation of the ecliptic and signs of the zodiac. In the Physical Geography he illustrates a series of definitions and explanations of natural phenomena. A somewhat pretentious work to emanate from the brain of a boy of twelve ! Following this he wrote a book on heraldry, a subject on which in after-years he was a great authority. This work contained a summary of the different orders of knighthood existing in various countries. Unquestionably in his young days he was, as in after-life, a prolific and versatile writer.

During this time he had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Lord Ellesmere, who some years afterwards became President of the Royal Geographical Society. He was extremely kind to young Clements, the more so when he discovered that he was fond of geography and history, urging him to persevere in the study of these subjects. He related to him many engrossing tales of Arctic and Antarctic voyages, and gave him an interesting account of the geography of Central Asia ; all of which young Markham carefully listened to, and treasured in his mind.

As a child, he was much interested in natural

I 2 history, and while at Stillingfleet he and his brother formed a large collection of the butterflies, moths, beetles, and other insects, to be found in that neighbourhood. Geology, conchology, and other scientific studies, were not neglected. In fact, his thirst for knowledge regarding everything pertaining to the earth and its inhabitants was as insatiable as a boy as it was in after-years when a man.

After a somewhat long holiday, which, however, was not unprofitably spent (as may well be realised from the foregoing account of his literary labours during that period), he entered Westminster School on the 27th of May, 1842, being then nearly twelve years of age. The grief connected with his home-leaving was somewhat softened by the knowledge that his brother David, and his cousin William Wickham, and Raglan Somerset (who were with him at Cheam), would be his schoolfellows at Westminster.

On the morning of his entry he was conducted, according to custom, “ up school,” and directed to sit behind the examination-table. To a boy of his age the whole procedure was a very awe-inspiring ordeal. The vast size of the room, with its lofty and open roof; the masters and scholars around him, attired in their college caps and gowns; the Latin prayers — all filled him with awe and wonder, with which, it must be admitted, was mingled a certain amount of nervousness due to the imposing surroundings. Then his name was called in a loud and commanding voice by the Head-Master, who interrogated him as to his general knowledge. The result of this examination was that he was placed in the “ Upper School ” in the “ under fourth form.”

According to the rules and regulations of the school, a boy in the same class as that to which the new boy is appointed was selected by the usher to act as his Substance , and to him the new boy became a Shadow. It was the duty of the Substance to initiate the latter in all the ordinary details connected with his

UP SCHOOL, WESTMINSTER.

school-life, and to see that his Shadow was in possession of the necessary books and other indispensable properties required for his education. The Substance had also to explain the localities of the various places frequented by the boys outside the precincts of the school, such as the shops where bats and balls, sweets, cakes, and other articles dear to a schoolboy’s heart, were sold. It was also his duty to point out the limits that constituted “ out of bounds,” and other important details of a similar nature — such, for instance, as the hard-andfast rule laid down by the boys themselves, that none but a sixth form boy was privileged to walk on the west side of Abingdon Street. In a few days the new boy was fully initiated into all the customs and routine of the school, and consequently ceased to exist as a Shadow, reverting again to a material body. It is interesting to know that this good old regulation regarding the Substance and his Shadow still exists at Westminster. It appears to be a very excellent school custom, tending to mitigate the sorrow and loneliness felt by a boy on leaving home, and frequently results in lifelong friendships.

Markham found that the change from a private school to Westminster was greater than he had anticipated. He was surprised to find that the boys had so much liberty, and there was a different tone and better mode of life among them. He was much impressed by the beautiful vista of cloisters, and the air of mystery and antiquity that surrounded them; also by the venerable old schoolroom in which they studied, and the glorious Abbey where the boys attended service on Sundays and saints’ days. He was delighted with the proximity of the river, with the graceful “ eights ” and other craft gliding along its surface. All combined to excite his imagination, and he was wont to assert that Westminster School with all its attributes was a more wonderful and delightful place than he had ever imagined could exist even in his wildest dreams.

He became enthusiastic over the old school ; and as the days went by this enthusiasm increased, until it developed into a love and admiration for the ancient institution and everything appertaining to it, growing in intensity as time went on.

No boy could have Deen more happy and more satisfied with his lot than was Markham during those hallowed and never-to-be-forgotten days at Westminster.

During his stay he was domiciled at Mr. Benthall’s house, together with eight other boys whose ages varied from ten to seventeen years. It was the end house on the right-hand side, as Little Dean’s Yard is entered. The ground-floor with the first and second floors were appropriated to Mr. Benthall and his family, his visitors, and servants ; the nine boys were relegated to the garrets, where, however, they were very comfortable and well out of the master’s way — an important consideration. Privacy was insured by what was called “ pokering the door”; this consisted in driving a redhot poker through the floor against the door, and letting the end rest on the ceiling below. The boys in the school below the sixth form were all compelled to run whether coming up or going down school, even if they were called up for a flogging ! An excellent practice for boys, and one that has been customary in the Navy from time immemorial.

Altogether Markham thoroughly enjoyed himself at Westminster. Directly afternoon school was over everyone went to “ the Fields ” for cricket and other games, or away to the boats. Markham invariably preferred the latter. He was generally selected as coxswain, and he was very proud of his skill in taking his boat through the arches of the wooden bridge at Battersea, with the oars almost touching on either side.