Butler’s watch and chain.
Butler used to possess his grandfather’s gold watch and chain. He was robbed of the watch in Hyde Park one night just before starting on one of his journeys to Canada; he then bought this silver watch at Benson’s, and, if I remember right, wore it with the gold chain. He was robbed of the chain in Fetter Lane, Oct. 1893 (Memoir, II. 167). He then bought a silver chain, which, with the silver watch, passed under his will to Alfred. Alfred wore them until 1919, when the watch was declared by an expert to be beyond repair. I took it from him, giving him in exchange the watch of my brother Charlie, who had recently died.
The matchbox which Alfred gave to Butler.
When Alfred knew that I was handing Butler’s watch and chain on to St. John’s College, he said:
“And then, Sir, they had better have this matchbox which I gave him.”
I looked at it and said, “Well, but Alfred, how can that be? It is dated 1894, and he gave your matchbox to the Turk in 1895.”
“I know he did, Sir; and when he told me I was very angry and went out into Holborn and bought this one and had it engraved same as the other.”
“With the old date?”
“Yes, Sir, just the same as the one he gave to the Turk.” See the Note-Books, p. 286.