528 Obituary—Edward Charlesworth, F.G.S. 
On Mr. Charlesworth’s retirement from York, in 1858, he 
settled for a time in London, and carried on a Natural History 
and Geological Agency ; but his predilection for the Suffolk Crag 
caused him to spend much of his time in the Orford, Sutton, and 
Woodbridge districts in search of fossils. In this he was largely 
aided by his kind friends, Mr. William Colchester, F.G.S., then of 
Grundisburgh Hall, near Woodbridge, and Mr. Searles V. Wood, F.G.S., 
and his son Mr. Searles V. Wood, jun. Hncouraged and supported 
by Mr. William Reed, of York, Edward Charlesworth was, for many 
years, one of the most active buyers of fossils in London; always 
seeking to secure the best specimens and paying the highest price 
for them. In fact, he devoted himself almost solely to the purchase 
of specimens for Mr. Reed and the British Museum; and the “ Reed 
Room” in the York Museum, and the National Collection, both 
contain numerous evidences of his keen powers as a collector, especi- 
ally of the fossils of the Crag District. He was the first naturalist 
to introduce glass-topped boxes into use in museums for the pre- 
servation of delicate specimens, and he set up a manufactory of 
round glass-topped boxes on a large scale. But it must be confessed 
that he did not succeed as a man of business, owing to the absence 
of training in early life. Some of his scientific papers are most 
excellent, and, as a speaker, he was possessed of great fluency and keen 
powers of argument. He seldom appeared at a scientific meeting in 
which he did not take part in the discussion, and, if possible, divert 
it to the Suffolk Crag, the formation of flint, or some other of his 
pet theories, about which he never grew tired of collecting evidence 
and challenging inquiry among his brother geologists. 
One of his most recent papers was upon flints, and was com- 
municated to the Victoria Institute. 
Mr. Charlesworth was greatly interested in the “ Oaths Bill ”’— 
especially in reference to the swearing of children whose evidence 
had to be given in Courts of Justice—a practice he was instrumental 
in getting abolished. He also took an active part in the establishment 
of the ‘Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.” His sister, 
Miss M. L. Charlesworth, wrote the story of ‘ Ministering Children,” 
one of the most widely-circulated children’s books ever written. 
The Royal Society gives a list of 28 papers on scientific subjects, 
published by Edward “Charlesworth ; but he printed and circulated 
at his own expense an immense number of pamphlets on various 
social and other subjects, and as a correspondent he probably will 
never be surpassed for the abundance and length of his letters. 
Referring to his wonderful powers as a speaker, the Rev. William 
Vernon Harcourt (founder of the British Association) is reported 
to have said of him (‘“ York Herald,” February 7, 1857): ‘“ Mr. 
Charlesworth has shown us that he is not only intimately acquainted 
with extinct creatures, but that he has a knowledge of, and knows 
how to influence, the living creation.” 
He died at his residence at Saffron Walden, after a comparatively 
short illness, on the 28th July, at the age of eighty years. 
H. W. 
