Royal Visits

[aspallek]

Tom W isn't going to like me starting all these new Druitt threads but I keep finding material that doesn't fit elsewhere. I don't recall this having been mentioned (but then again, senility doesn't seem far off at times!). the Duke of Connaught, of course, was Prince Arthur, third son of Queen Victoria. Many interesting names on the list. "M. Druitt" appears near the bottom (for some reason it didn't get highlighted by the search engine). he apparently arrived at the same time as "Mr. Wyke Smith," who if I recall correctly is listed as one of Montague's mourners. Brother William also makes an appearance as well as, apparently, their mother (Mrs. W. Druitt) and possibly a sister. There are also Farquharsons present and Glyns (in-laws of John Henry Lonsdale) as well as "the Misses Spencer Churchill." A fun "Who's Who." (The name after WH Druitt is just "Mr. F" and the first line of the second image is indeed the next line of the article).

Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, 10 January 1881:

[aspallek]

Just noticed: "Mr. and Mrs. H. Farquharson." The future MP himself.

[aspallek]

Don't know if this is a relative of Montie's friend but it is interesting in light of Montague's eventual fate. Montie's friend seems to have been a doctor.

Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle, 7 June 1876, relating news from Chichester:



The same, 10 June 1876:

[aspallek]

Montie's friend?

Daily News, 24 December 1890:

[aspallek]

A couple of interesting things here in addition to the wife of Wyke-Smith at Wimborne. "Mrs. Carr Glyn" may be Selina Carr Glyn, the mother-in-law of John Henry Lonsdale (or certainly a relative). There is a Dr. Walter Wyke Smith in Wimborne in 1880.

There is also the mention of a "Mrs. Coote." This one is more complicated. There was mention on this thread http://forum.casebook.org/showthread.php?t=608&page=2 of a "Mr. Ball" who visited William Harvey Druitt in Bournemouth. In 1895 there was a Robert John Ball with "H.C. Coote & Ball" 37 Cursitor Street, Chancery Lane EC. There was also a "W.A. Coote" who was secretary of the "National Vigilance Association for the Repression of Criminal Vice & Public Immorality" at 267 Strand. Natalie has indicated that there was a "Mr. Ball" connected to Toynebee Hall. Ball is, of course, a common name.

Health and Home: An Illustrated Weekly Journal for Gentlewomen, 20 April 1899:

[aspallek]

In 1880, Dr. Walter Wyke Smith lived at West Borough in Wimborne Minster. There is also a "Miss Druitt" at West Borough. West Borough is off behind Westfield House, the Druitt family home. Walter would have been about 44 in 1888 and his oldest son only about 16.

Still there at West Borough in 1895.

[Robert]

Hi Andy

I remember posting some stuff about Wyke Smith but I can't find it now. If it wasn't lost in the crash, it may be on a CD Rom.

He was at one time in partnership with Monty's dad. He also took out a patent on an agricultural improvement which he invented.

Robert

[Chris George]

Don't know if this is a relative of Montie's friend but it is interesting in light of Montague's eventual fate. Montie's friend seems to have been a doctor.

Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle, 7 June 1876, relating news from Chichester:



The same, 10 June 1876:

It would appear to me that Sumner Wyke Smith's 1876 drowning suicide might have been a "model" for Montague John Druitt's 1888 suicide.

Chris

[Mayerling]

Who was Pitt - Rivers?

You will notice that there are a General and Mrs. Pitt - Rivers listed among the guests. I found the following in the 11th Edition Encyclopedia Britannica (Volume 21. p. 678):

"PITT-RIVERS, AUGUSTUS HENRY LANE - FOX (1827 - 1900), English soldier and archeologist, son of W. A. Lane - Fox, was born on the 14th of April
1827. It was not till 1880 that he assumed the name Pitt-Rivers, on inheriting the Dorsetshire and Wiltshire estates of his great uncle, the second Lord Rivers. Educated at Sandhurst, he received a commission in the Grenadier Guards in 1845, being captain 1850, lieutenant colonel 1857, colonel 1867, major-general 1877, and lieutenant-general 1882. He served in the Crimean War, and was at the Alma and the siege of Sebastopol. His talent for experimental research was utilized in investigation into improvements of the army rifle, and he was largely responsibel for starting the Hythe School of Musketry. It is not, however, for his military career, but for his work as an anthropologist and archeologist, that General Pitt-Rivers will be remembered. His interest in the evolution of teh rifle early extended itself to other weapons and instruments in the history of man, and he became a collector of articles illuminating the development of human invention. His collection became famous, and after being eshibited in 1874-75 at the Bethnal Green Museum, was presented in 1883 to the university of Oxford. When, in 1880, General Pitt-Rivers obtained possession of his great-uncle's estates - practically untouched by the excavator since they had been the battleground of the West Saxons, the Romans, and the Britons - he devoted himself in exploring them. His excavations round Rushmore resulted in valuable "finds"; he founded a local museum and published several illustrated volumes. As a scientific archaeologist he attained high rank. Oxford gave him the D.C.L. in 1886; he was president of the Anthropological Institute, and F.R.S. He married, in 1853, Alice Margaret, daughter of the second Lord Stanley of Alderley, and had a numerous family; his second daughter became in 1884 the wife of Sir John Lubbock (Lord Avebury). General Pitt-Rivers died at Rushmore on the 4th of May 1900."

Jeff

[Mayerling]

Who was the Earl of Eldon?

The most famous Earl of Eldon was the first, who was a famous (or infamous) Lord Chancellor in the reign of King George III. According to the 11th Edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica (Volume 9: Edw - Eva; p. 167) he was the first Earl's great grandson, John third Earl of Eldon (born 1846), who succeeded his father the second Earl in 1854. I found nothing else about the Earl, nor the name of his Countess.

Jeff

[Mayerling]

Other names who are curious.

I notice that the list included a Mr. Curzon, Mrs. Curzon, and the Misses Curzons. Is this George Nathaniel Curzon, future Marquis Curzon who was Viceroy of India and later Foreign Minister (the post World War I "Curzon Line"), and nearly Prime Minister in 1923? Or is it a relative?

A Ms Posonby is mentioned - a sister or relative of the Queen's personal secretary?

And...did you notice a Mr. Monro is among the guests. Is this actual a relative of Col. Monro of Scotland Yard?

Jeff

[Mayerling]

Lord and Lady Wimborne were in-laws of Lord Randolph Churchill and his wife Jennie Jerome (and thus relatives of Sir Winston Churchill). Notice the Misses Spencer Churchills mentioned with them. They were at some other social occasion that Monty attended that was the subject of one of the two prior Casebook forums, and there were several comments about them. Lord Wimborne died in 1917.

Jeff

[aspallek]

Interestingly the son of this Lord (Baron) Wimborne was Ivor Churchill Guest who was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland at the time of the 1916 Easter Rising.

Also note that Montague arrived at the same time as Wyke-Smith (or at least Wyke-Smith was the next guest to arrive). Was Montie hanging around with medical types at the time?

[aspallek]

Does anyone know how the guests would have arrived and been announced? They are listed in the article in the order of their arrival. There does not seem to be any particular rank, as if the most important guests arrived first (Lord and Lady Wimborne are near the end). Would they all have arrived near the same time or would their arrivals have been spread over the evening.

I think the most interesting thing here is that Montague (assuming he is the "M. Druitt" arrived at presumably the same time as Dr. Wyke-Smith which implies they may have had some sort of association, i.e. Montague with a medico other than his father or uncle.

[Mayerling]

Hi Andy,

After my success with Pitt - Rivers I tried to look up some other names that were unusual but with no success:

General Thring
General T. Parke
Sir John Michel
Sir John Hanhan
the Soltan - Symons
Lady Herschell

Unfortunately I could not find them in the eleventh edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

I don't know the protocol for arrivals, but I suspect that most of the guests would be coming between 10:15 P.M. and 11:00 P.M. when the dance was scheduled to begin. The supper would probably be served around 1:00 A.M.

I don't know how much credence was given to the order of the names on that newspaper account as telling if the people were arriving in that order.
It is interesting that Monty is not with the other Druitts, and with Wyke - Smith. But Monty is not far from Lord and Lady Wimborne too. Was he close to his lordship, and did he mingle occasionally with their Churchill relatives?
I somehow can't imagine that.

Best wishes,

Jeff