200 years ago today, at 6pm: the death of the world’s first modern superstar celebrity – Lord Byron. And we have a the very closest eyewitness account, in the form of a letter from his valet, William Fletcher, written from Missolonghi in Greece on 20 April 1824, addressed to Augusta Leigh, Byron’s beloved half-sister (and lover?). It begins…

I am sorry to be under the painful obligation of writing you the most disagreeable Letter, that I ever to this unfortunate moment had ever to write, not only for me or you, but the World in general…

Byron has been bed bound with fever and convulsions, and on 18th April he summoned Fletcher, “for I feel I am going”. In his delirium, he tries to give Fletcher some instructions, but none of them are clear. Here is how Fletcher narrates the rest…

I answered my Lord I am very sorry, but I have not understood one word, which I hope you will now tell me over again – My Lord – in great agitation said, “then if you have not understood me it is now too late” – & in a faltering low voice repeated, “I am truly sorry you have not understood me – but I will try to make you understand me again – but I know well it is too late now” – and in a minute’s time all was over – for my Lord was delirious & continued so, excepting now & then a single word from 4 o’clock till 6 – after which My Lord – how shall I pronounce the fatal word – my hand trembles & my tongue forbids the naming of the fatal word but my duty to the best of Lords & kindest of Masters bids me to proceed – tho it costs me tears of Blood – So it was now 6 o clock on the 18th – after that my Lord never spoke nor moved even hand or foot to 6 o clock on the 19th – when he breathed his last – without even a sigh or a groan – I was watching by him as usual, when I perceived him open his eyes – when I said to the Doctors – “Feel his pulse – for I fear him gone” – which they did & cried “it is too true” – & then he shut them never to open them again, but went without even a sigh or a groan or moving hand or foot.

So it goes.

We’ve encountered Byron here before, of course:

gethistories.com/p/nobl…

And look out for my colleague Paul’s latest ‘A history of…’ piece coming out in the next hour or so!