Robinson Duckworth

The Reverend Robinson Duckworth was buried on 23rd September 1911 in the Quire of Westminster Abbey, near the stall he occupied. His small gravestone reads:

Robinson Duckworth CVO, DD. Canon 1875, Sub-Dean 1895. 1834-1911.

On 9th May 1988 a small oval stained glass window to him was unveiled in the dark cloister (on the way to Little Cloister). This was made by Francis Skeat and is based on Duckworth's book plate. The main figure is St Francis surrounded by birds in an Italian landscape. The initials RD appear with his coat of arms and crest of a black duck on a wheatsheaf and motto Perseverentia. This inscription reads:

Robinson Duckworth D.D. C.V.O. M.A. Oxon 4 Dec 1834-20 Sept 1911. For thirty six years Canon of Westminster, Sub Dean 16th Jan 1895 for sixteen years

He was the second son of Robinson Duckworth of Huddersfield and his wife Elizabeth (Forbes). His brother was Sir Dyce Duckworth. He was educated at Liverpool and Oxford and was assistant master at Marlborough College. While he was at Oxford he helped to row Alice Liddell and her sister (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". Robinson was immortalized as the Duck in the Jury Box and the Duck in the Pool of Tears in the book. For a while he tutored Prince Leopold, son of Queen Victoria and was appointed one of her chaplains and also chaplain to the Princess of Wales. He accompanied the young royals on a tour of India. Later he was also chaplain to Edward VII. He succeeded Charles Kingsley as Canon of Westminster and was also vicar of St Mark's church, Hamilton Terrace in London. He died unmarried.