IO 
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW 
Stephen 
Duck. 
Before taking final leave of the Richmond Gardens of Queen 
Caroline, a few words may be devoted to the local worthy whose 
name is here coupled with hers. Stephen Duck was born 
in lowly circumstances, and for some years worked at 
Charlton, in Wiltshire, at a weekly wage of 4s. 6d. He 
spent what spare time he had in study and self-improvement, and 
when afterwards he came to Richmond to work in the Royal Gardens, 
the superiority of his talk and behaviour attracted Queen Caroline’s 
notice. By her favour he studied for the Church, and was ultimately 
admitted to holy orders. He acquired a certain celebrity as keeper 
of Merlin’s Cave, and as the author of a book of poems. At first 
attached to Kew Church, he was afterwards appointed to the living 
of Byfleet, near Weybridge. His ministrations at Kew, where his 
history was, of course, well known, are said to have drawn great 
crowds. Of his works a contemporary (Curll) ill-naturedly remarks 
that they had fallen to sixpence, “which is a groat more than they 
are worth.” Duck committed suicide, by drowning, at Reading in 
1756 . 
The death of the mother of George III. (Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, 
Dowager Princess of Wales), in 1772, led to many important changes. 
The King removed to his late mother’s house at Kew 
and Richmond Lodge itself was rased to the ground. 
Every vestige of this famous house has vanished now, 
but judging from contemporary plans it stood about four 
hundred yards south of the present Queen’s Cottage. Although the 
last remnants of the old antagonism between the Kew and Richmond 
establishments had passed away with the death of the old King in 
1760, it was not until twelve years afterwards that one mind con- 
trolled the two properties. At this point, therefore, it is necessary 
to turn back and bring up the history of the Kew property to the 
same date, after which the two can be treated as one. 
Demolition 
of Richmond 
Lodge. 
