A Rare Survivor
A rare and fragile survivor of the Duke of Wellington's interment at Saint Pauls Cathedral on 18th November 1852. I have seen a number of funeral invites, but have yet to see another one of these mourning dress tickets. This is for one of the Duke's Physicians (Dr Charles J.B. Williams M.D. F.R.S.). Dr Williams was summoned to Walmer Castle (by another of the Dukes doctors...Dr Hulke) on the day the Duke passed away (14 sep 1852). In his own memoirs, Dr Williams describes arriving soon after the Duke had pased away, but goes on to talk of himself and Dr Hulke jointly attributing the cause of the Dukes death as "...the consequences of the violent convulsive attack, brought on by an over-distended stomach...". Dr Williams joined Dr Hulke and another of the Dukes physicians, Dr Ferguson, travelling in a mourning coach, as part of the grand funeral procession, just ahead of the Dukes coffin.
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