Background
Barclay Fox was the son of Robert Were Fox Fellow of the Royal Society of Falmouth in Cornwall and Maria (born Barclay of Bury Hill, Surrey), his wife.
Barclay Fox was the son of Robert Were Fox Fellow of the Royal Society of Falmouth in Cornwall and Maria (born Barclay of Bury Hill, Surrey), his wife.
Foreign Darlington, who married the Barclay"s cousin, Juliet. Barclay"s courtship of Jane Gurney Backhouse is described in his Journal, published in 1979. In September 2008 a new edition was published with additional journal entries from 1845 to 1854.
A notable diary entry of 26 December 1842 relates one of the earliest English examples of Father Christmas acting as gift-giver: "the venerable effigies of Father Christmas with scarlet coat & cocked hat, stuck all over with presents for the guests, by his side the old year, a most dismal & haggard old beldame in a night cap and spectacles, then 1843, a promising baby asleep in a cradle".
After his death, the RCPS Committee recorded
"The Society, however, since our last meeting, has been deprived of the services of Mr. R. B. Fox, who, on all occasions, not only aided the institution by his varied and powerful intelligence but practically and laboriously assisted in carrying it on".
In his diary for 1843, Barclay gives an entertaining account of his travels in France and Italy. Barclay"s sister, Caroline Fox, also kept a journal, which was published after her death and later republished in 1972.
Barclay and Caroline have interestingly different views on the same events that they witnessed.
They were agreed on the great significance of in their lives. Barclay Fox was one of the leaders of the ultimately unsuccessful campaign to persuade the Government not to shift the servicing of Post Office Packets from Falmouth to Southampton. He was part of a deputation of Cornish worthies who met the Prime Minister on 16 June 1843 (Journal page 345).
All three gardens are now open to the public.
Barclay Fox died in Egypt on 10 March 1855 from tuberculosis. Their four sons were brought up by Barclay"s unmarried sisters, Anna Maria and Caroline, with Lovell Squire as their tutor.
They were Robert Fox (1845 – 1915), George Croker Fox (1847 – 1902), Henry Backhouse Fox (1849 – 1936) and Joseph Gurney Fox (1850 – 1912), known as "Gurney". Robert Fox married Ellen Mary Bassett.
Their son, Robert Barclay Fox (24 July 1873 – 22 April 1934), became a Conservative County Councillor and was High Sheriff of Cornwall in 1920.
Jane Hannah Fox married Horace Pym, who edited Caroline Fox"s Journal for publication. Barclay Fox"s own journal was published in 1979.