Robinson Duckworth (4 December 1834 – 20 September 1911) was a British priest, who was present on the original boating expedition of 4 July 1862 during which Alice's adventures were first told by

Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet, mathematician, photographer and reluctant Anglicanism, Anglican deacon. His most notable works are ''Alice ...

(Charles Lutwidge Dodgson). He is represented by the

Duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family (biology), family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and goose, geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfam ...

in the book, a play on his last name. He officiated at the funeral of

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English Natural history#Before 1900, naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all speci ...

in 1882.

Biography

Duckworth was the second son of Robinson Duckworth Sr. of

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

and his Scottish wife Elizabeth Forbes Nicol. He was educated at the Royal Institution School in Liverpool, and later at University College, Oxford, where he took his BA in 1857. He was a member of the Oxford Choral Society and a renowned singer. He took his MA in 1859, and his BD and DD in 1879. He was an Assistant Master at Marlborough College from 1857 to 1860. From 1860 to 1876 he was a Fellow of

Trinity College, Oxford Trinity College (full name: The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope (Knight)) is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in E ...

, where, from 1866 to 1870, he was Instructor and Governor to Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, Queen Victoria's youngest son. In 1864 he was appointed Examining Chaplain to the Bishop of Peterborough. While he was at Oxford Duckworth helped to row Alice Liddell and her sisters (daughters of Dr Liddell, Dean of Christ Church) on the river, returning from a picnic. In the boat was his friend Lewis Carroll who related for the first time his story which became ''

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...

''. Robinson was immortalized as the Duck in the Jury Box and the Duck in the Pool of Tears in the book. From 1870 to 1906 Duckworth was the

incumbent The incumbent is the current holder of an office or position. In an election, the incumbent is the person holding or acting in the position that is up for election, regardless of whether they are seeking re-election. There may or may not be ...

of St. Mark's Church in Hamilton Terrace, in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

Maida Vale Maida Vale ( ) is an affluent residential district in North West London, England, north of Paddington, southwest of St John's Wood and south of Kilburn, on Edgware Road. It is part of the City of Westminster and is northwest of Charing C ...

. Duckworth was appointed

Canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the material accepted as officially written by an author or an ascribed author * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western canon, th ...

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

in 1875 and later was also appointed Sub-Dean. He was Chaplain-in-Ordinary to

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

from 1870 to 1901, for which service he was appointed a Commander of the

Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order () is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the m ...

(CVO) on 11 August 1902. He was Rural Dean for the parish of St. Marylebone from 1891 to 1905, and from 1875 to 1901 was Honorary Chaplain to the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

, whom he accompanied on his 1875-6 tour of

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. He was Chaplain-in Ordinary to

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until Death and state funeral of Edward VII, his death in 1910. The second child ...

in 1910. Robinson Duckworth was Almoner and Chaplain to the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, and Chaplain to the Civil Service Volunteers, being awarded the VD in 1901. He was a member of the Athenaeum and Grosvenor Clubs. He was elected a Member of the Worshipful Company of Musicians in January 1903. On his death in 1911 he was buried in the choir of

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

. Here a round window opposite the Abbey's entrance is dedicated to his memory. It was designed by Francis Skeat and was unveiled in 1988.Westminster Abbey
at www.westminster-abbey.org Dead link

Publications

A book entitled "''The Holy Land''" was written by The Rev Canon Duckworth, DD, CVO, Sub Dean of Westminster and Chaplain in Ordinary to the King and was published by Raphael Tuck & Sons Limited, London-Paris-New York, publishers by appointment to Their Majesties The King and

Queen Alexandra Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was List of British royal consorts, queen-consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 Januar ...

. The book was illustrated by W. J. Webb, from original drawings painted in

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

Popular culture

The character of Duckworth in the TV show '' Duck Tales'' was named after him.

Notes

External links

Photograph of memorial window
by Ted Gioia (Conceptual Fiction)
Portraits of Celebrities...
Strand Magazine Vol 9 {{DEFAULTSORT:Duckworth, Robinson 1834 births 1911 deaths People educated at the Royal Institution School Fellows of Trinity College, Oxford 19th-century English Anglican priests Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order Canons of Westminster Volunteer Force officers Burials at Westminster Abbey 19th-century British Army personnel