Haywood Bibliography Note 5

Exactly three years ago today I received my copy of the Poems and Translations of Mrs Edward Caryl Fleetwood. This copy is particularly interesting because it was published in 1879 by the recently-bereaved Edward Caryl Fleetwood as a tribute to his wife.

The book contains two gift inscriptions from Mr Fleetwood and an appendix containing his two-page account of the "Sad Accident … and Sudden Death" of "Bessie" (aka Elizabeth Fleetwood née Heywood aka Eliza Heywood).

Title-page inscription:

Mrs. Dalby, Windsor Cottage
from her cousin
  E. Caryl Fleetwood
    1 Berkeley Place,
     Cheltenham
       31 Dec., 1879.

* * * * *

As I explain under Ca.9 of my Bibliography the poetic works of Eliza Heywood of Cheltenham (15 April 1808–18 November 1879; married Edward Caryl Fleetwood 15 April 1852) are regularly, though absurdly, attributed to Eliza Haywood.

Copies of Ca.9.1 Ermangrade on OCLC WorldCat appear under "Eliza Haywood" (though those in the National Union Catalog do not) and the Univerity of Pennsylvaia copy, previously correctly catalogued has been subsequently recatalogued under Haywood.

The University of South Australia copy of Ca.9.2 Poems and Translations is catalogued under Haywood, as is the Newberry Library copy, though both are inscribed by the author.

My Bibliography doesn't include the 1879 edition of the Poems and Translations/Autumn Leaves/Autumnal Leaves (Ca.9.3) and much of the information included in it by Edward Fleetwood was news to me.

Given how uncommon this book is—it seems that only one hundred and fifty copies were printed—I thought it might be worth while transcribing some of the text and publishing some photographs of it. I have also attached a pdf of the revised entry on my Haywood Bibliography, Addenda and Corrigenda page.

Printed gift plate:

[Mrs. Dalby
  Windsor Cottage]
  Accept this unpretending Volume of the last poems and Translations of my dearly beloved and lamented wife "Bessie."
Mention is made at the end of it, of the sad accident which resulted in her death. In offering this small memento, her sorrowing husband hopes, whom they knew so well in life, will in her death continue to live in the recollection of her many Friends,
  [E. Caryl Fleetwood]
    1 Berkeley Place,
      Cheltenham,
      31st Dec., 1879.

"Sad Accident (16th) to, and Sudden Death (18th) of Bessie, November, 1879."

SINGULAR AND SAD ACCIDENT.

  On the afternoon of 22nd November, 1879, at No. 1, Berkeley Place, Cheltenham, an inquest was held before E. W. Coren, Esq., coroner for the district, on the body of Mrs Elizabeth Fleetwood, (Bessie) wife of E. Caryl Fleetwood, Esq., residing at above address.—Mr. Fleetwood said: That on Sunday last, 16th Nov., inst., having just returned home from a visit to a friend Mrs. Willett Adye, saying, "Edward, see if that will do, please." He took the letter and read it, and she then turned round one of the projections which support te arch in the centre of the dining room, to place something on a shelf. She was talking to him at the time, and on her suddenly returning round the the projection towards him she quickly tripped over the parcels which were lying on the floor close to the foot of the projection, and fell violently on her left temple. He was close to her, and her maid was also present having just placed luncheon on the table, and they in a moment raised her up and placed her in a recumbent position on the sofa, deceased saying, "O! I shall never recover." He ran for Dr. Gooding who at once returned with him. The parcels had been sent the previous day from the printers, and contained 150 copies of her recent poems and translations from French, German, and Italian authors, upon which he had devoted with her many months. He and she had intended the following week to arrange for having them bound, and she anticipated much pleasure in the distribution of them among intimate friends. On his returning with the doctor they found her sitting on an easy chair, her two servants being with her. She appeared to be partially unconscious, and was uttering a few incoherent expressions. She was then placed in a recumbent position on the sofa, where she remained for some hours, he and the servants watching and attending her until 9 o'clock, when he with their aid carried her to bed.
  She did not entirely recover consciousness. An experienced nurse was at once called in. Dr. Goodling continued to attend her, and on Monday and Tuesday held consultations with Dr. Hawkins.
  He and the nurse sat up with her and everything was done which could be done for her until her death at 5p.m. on Tuesday, 18th November, 1879/
  The coronor not thinking it necessary to take the evidence of the maid and doctor (who were in attendance) the Jury returned a verdict of "Accidental Death."
Note: Her remains were interred in the Cemetery, Cheltenham, on 22nd November, 1879, the Rev. C. Tidd Pratt, A.M., Vicar of Bracknell, Berks, having kindly performed the Service.