46 
OBIT UAH Y. 
hospitable house, first in Weilclose Square, and latterly at Clapham RLe, was the most 
frequented metropolitan resort of naturalists from all quarters of the globe of any since 
Sir Joseph Banks’s day. His unpretending entertainments were frequent, for many 
years periodic, and often weekly. On these occasions his many scientific friends flocked 
to see himself, his live plants, and the specimens, instruments, and preparations he had 
collected to entertain and instruct them; and on such occasions it was that many a 
country and colonial naturalist was introduced for the first, and too often the last time 
in his iife, to some of the most eminent naturalists of Europe. 
“ Of the value of that contrivance, which justly bears his name, the Ward’s case, it is 
impossible to speak too strongly ; and I feel safe in saying that a large proportion of 
the most valuable economic and other tropical plants now cultivated in England would, 
but for these cases, not yet have been introduced. It is true that cases similar to his 
were previously in use, and I well remember such, fitted with panes of talc or mother- 
of-pearl, being sent by Wallich from Calcutta to England many years ago, but these 
were used rather as sun-shades, and protections against rain and salt water, than as 
Ward’s cases are ; and the principles upon which cases for the transport of living plants 
should be constructed, and the rationale of the treatment which the plants in them should 
receive, were alike the fruits of Mr. Ward’s scientific knowledge, and were both deve¬ 
loped and put in practice by him. Of even more consequence than this was his appli¬ 
cation of these cases to the purposes of town gardening, whereby he has afforded to the 
denizens of this Metropolis, old and young, rich and poor, far greater, higher, and purer 
pleasures than all artists, house-decorators, furniture-makers, and cockney dealers put 
together have contributed; for a primrose placed in flower at Christmas under a bell- 
glass in a London drawing-room will charm when a Raphael does not, and charya none 
the less when a Raphael charms also. 
“In the memory of those that knew him, Mr. Ward will live as a type of a genial, 
upright, and most, amiable man, an accomplished practitioner, and an enthusiastic lover 
of nature in all its aspects.” 
ODDEN HAMBROOK. 
On the 8th inst., after a few days’ illness, Mr. Odden Hambrook, chemist, Dover, in the 
eighty-fourth year of his age, universally respected. 
Never was more truthful comment on departed worth. Commencing business some 
sixty years ago, when the only vendor of medicine in Dover -was an old woman, a che¬ 
mist’s shop was a novelty. The first day’s receipts amounted to one penny, the second 
day the amount rose to three-halfpence,—“encouraging! (thought the ydung chemist), 
here is an advance of 50 per cent.” Next day, however, fell off to nothing. Notwith¬ 
standing these small beginnings, this father of the trade in the ancient town and port of 
Dover lived to see upwards of thirty chemists’ shops flourish around him. 
The life of Odden Hambrook was one of remarkable activity. United with no ordi¬ 
nary share of benevolence,—as any one might judge who regarded that elevated coronal 
development, and the beaming countenance of its possessor,—so much confidence was 
placed in the discretion and good feeling of our respected friend, that many wealthy 
persons were accustomed to entrust him with large sums of money, to be distributed, 
according to his judgment, among the deserving, necessitous poor, and he kept a regular 
ledger account of moneys received and expended, with a marginal commentary on every 
case. Up to a very recent period Mr. Hambrook had attended to business, remarking 
only a short time since to the writer of this notice, “ Nothing pleases me better than 
to be usefully employed as long as I am able.” 
In religious principles Mr. Hambrook was a Wesleyan, and for many years exercised 
his talent as local preacher; in politics, a moderate conservative ; in habits, eminently one 
of the old school. He was averse to increasing the number of chemists, and took very 
few apprentices, most of whom he survived. His nephew, Mr. John Mummery, dentist, 
was one of his pupils, but left the business many years since for the more lucrative 
profession. 
In taking leave of Mr. Hambrook, one feels that another link connecting the past with 
the present is severed. His company was always agreeable, and his discourse instructive. 
Let us hope that the young men of the present day will earn for themselves as good and 
enduring a fame. 
