CHAPTER LXIX
ENGLAND
[Sidenote: 1858. Jan. 1.]
After a few days between brother Edward and friend Eyre we arrived in London. Brother Stephenson, as deputy-ranger, placed the lodge in Hyde Park at my disposal, which exactly suited the poor invalid. The approaching wedding of the Princess Royal with Prince Frederick William of Prussia caused the early winter months to be unusually gay. I hardly like to mention the names of those who were kind to me under the delusion that I had taken care of their sons in China.
[Sidenote: Jan. 20.]
Was at the state ball, Buckingham Palace, previous to the royal wedding, which took place on 25th.
[Sidenote: Feb. 11.]
Dined with Her Majesty, Buckingham Palace.
[Sidenote: Feb. 12.]
Dined with Rajah Brooke.
[Sidenote: Feb. 21.]
The hunting season was now in full force. Having invested with Tilbury for the hire of a couple of horses, “Alice” and “General,” with groom, at £30 a month, he to replace lame ones; off to my nephew Edward Coke, owner of Longford in Derbyshire. Determined frost, giving me time to examine horses; both appeared well up to my weight, and good jumpers.
[Sidenote: Feb. 26.]
Wenny Coke put in an appearance. Frost continued the next ten days, making me wish Mr. Tilbury had the horses in his own keeping.
[Sidenote: Mar. 5.]
Change of wind, but none of weather.
[Sidenote: Mar. 8.]
Rode Alice to Ingestre. Kindly welcomed by my old friend Shrewsbury. Took up my quarters. Walter Talbot staying here. Fine old place this Ingestre--peacocks about.
[Sidenote: Mar. 10.]
Taken to dine with the High Sheriff, P. Williams, at Stafford.
[Sidenote: Mar. 11.]
Ditto weather. Rode General with Walter Talbot to Bifield, Lord Bagot’s. Cokes there, and Grosvenors--Lady Constance, Di Coke, very pretty.
[Sidenote: Mar. 15.]
Returned to London.
[Sidenote: Mar. 20.]
Dined with Admiral Rous, a pleasure often enjoyed. His parties were always sporting, I never missed a race within reasonable distance. My good elder brother could not understand why I was so fond of “seeing a fool in red riding after a rogue in yellow.”
[Sidenote: Mar. 27.]
Was getting into the train at Portsmouth, when my faithful old coxswain, Spurrier, stopped me with, “Think I have found Lord Gilford’s watch.” During the two minutes of the train’s starting, he explained that last evening his wife was in one of the numerous haberdasher shops in Portsea; a well-dressed woman came in and wanted a smart yacht shirt for her friend. On being shown the usual seaman’s shirt, she wanted something much smarter; her man had a gold watch and chain that he was proud of, and that Admiral Keppel had given him a cheque for £10 only a few days before. Poor women! how fast their little tongues will run.
[Illustration: _Suspicious Junks._]
The giving the cheque I perfectly remember, as well as the man I gave it to. To go back for a few months before the little affair of the Fatshan Creek. The splendid crew of the _Raleigh_ were divided into cruising boats and captured many suspicious Chinese junks, some laden with cargo; but owing to the scarcity of interpreters they were generally condemned and their property confiscated. In the end the prizes amounted to a sum of money: not much, if divided among all the ships, but a nice little bonus for the captors. On my being promoted and ordered home, the captors of strings of pice agreed that I should take charge of the money, converted from pice into sterling bills, which I was to divide, as I thought proper, among the wounded or most deserving characters invalided home. A man belonging to my wounded boat’s crew was one of the recipients.
On arriving in London I went to Lord Clanwilliam’s house in Belgrave Square and ascertained the number of the gold chronometer watch he had given to his son on leaving England. The bill, receipted, was soon found. I then had to find my friend Sir Richard Mayne, the Chief of Police. He found an intelligent detective, to whom I gave my late coxswain’s address at Portsea.
[Sidenote: April.]
Three days afterwards, leaning over the rails in Hyde Park, a suspicious-looking character, whose appearance I did not quite approve, rapped me on the shoulder and beckoned me to join him. Great was my relief when he informed me he had Lord Gilford’s watch. Getting him to accompany me to Belgrave Square, on the way he informed me that he had gone to Spurrier’s house; they went together to the shop where the girl had bought the shirt, but they had seen no more of her. Walking back, although dusk, Mrs. Spurrier spotted the girl on the opposite side of the street. The detective accidentally placed himself, in a way they have, and seeing a respectable girl asked if she had relations in the Navy--the Admiralty had sent him down to seek proper objects for employment. I need not say that in a few minutes he had the state and condition of the man with the yacht shirt. His respectable parents lived on the Isle of Wight, etc. The next day detective found his way to the parents’ house and had an interview. On his way back he met Jack in the best of spirits rolling along; after a few minutes’ talk the detective abstracted the watch saying, “No. 8471: the one I was looking for.” Two assistants crossed over from the opposite side. By this time we were at Belgrave Square. Lord Clanwilliam much pleased; also poor Lady Clanwilliam, who was an invalid, but her pleasure was followed by distress as to what would become of the poor wounded man. I proposed to her Ladyship that I should return the watch to the poor fellow and her regrets for the trouble she had given him! When I got below, the detective told me that the man would be brought up before the magistrates on the Wednesday following. If no witnesses appeared he would be discharged. A tenner from Lord Clanwilliam to the detective ended the business. Curious that a watch stolen in China, April 20, 1857, should have been recovered by a detective in Portsea in the same month of this year.
[Sidenote: April 5.]
Visit to Lord George Lennox at his “Bleak House,” Southsea. While there, was invited to the charming Goodwood for a few days.
[Sidenote: April 22.]
At United Service Club we entertained the Duke of Malakoff at dinner. The _Raleigh’s_ crew had meanwhile arrived at Chatham. The dog, Mike, in addition to his performance at Fatshan, was at the storming of Canton, where he had a scaling-ladder to himself and wore two medals. His appearance was enough to clear the battery; the Chinamen fled, except those stopped by bullets. Lord Lansdowne was fond of dogs as well as music. At his request had Mike brought up from Chatham, and he was much admired. He had been given me by Captain Michael Quin, hence his name, who was paying off while _Raleigh_ was fitting out at Plymouth. Mike was unhappy away from a ship. He was returned to Chatham, and attended working parties on shore: I had not the heart to remove him. The months April, May, and June brought me into a society to which I had been unaccustomed. Although I enjoyed it, it hardly comes within a sailor’s life.
[Sidenote: May 10.]
Attended Her Majesty’s ball.
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As the following is copied from an old engagement book and can interest near relations only, I advise my readers to skip this and try next chapter.
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[Sidenote: June 1.]
My pretty niece Annie Garnier married Colonel Edward Newdigate.
[Sidenote: June 2.]
Cheery dinner at “The Ship,” Greenwich--Admiral Milne, James Blyth, Charles Eden, and Colonel F. Campbell.
[Sidenote: June 3.]
Dined, Skinner’s Company.
[Sidenote: June 5.]
Lady Palmerston’s evening.
[Sidenote: June 6.]
Dined with Duchess of Richmond.
[Sidenote: June 7.]
Dined with Lady Downs.
[Sidenote: June 11.]
Dinner with Merchant Taylors.
[Sidenote: June 12.]
Dined with Sir John Thorolds. Evening, Duchess of Norfolk.
[Sidenote: June 15.]
70 Cranbury Park for Bibury Races, with Tom Chamberlain. Have not time to describe the place here, but in it were four beautiful pictures by Romney of Lady Hamilton. Chamberlain’s son was in the Balaklava charge. On the retreat his horse was shot under him. He quietly took the saddle off, put it on his head for a protection, and calmly walked into camp. My sister Caroline, who was staying with her father-in-law at Bishopstoke, wrote me about a pretty cottage for sale. On my arrival there I found a small sylph swinging on the entrance gate, a daughter of Mr. Peter Wells. I bought the place, with some good Italian furniture, for £1500. There was a full-length picture by Swenton of a beautiful lady, occupying one end of the dining-room: this was the mother of my young friend Zöe on the gate (now Lady Brougham and Vaux). The lady was one of a handsome family, such as artists delighted in; the background of the picture was of trees, painted at Windsor Forest.
[Sidenote: May 16.]
Dined with H.R.H. Duke of Cambridge.
[Sidenote: May 20.]
Dined with Fred Gye, lessee of the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden. At his charming house near the Thames one met a varied society--Prince Leiningen, Prince and Princess Victor of Hohenlohe, the Countess Gleichen, Meyerbeer, statesmen, authors, painters, singers, actors: it was indeed a cheery centre. After dinner we always adjourned for dessert to a glass room 120 feet long, delightfully cool in summer, flowers and plants growing; the ladies left the table to sit further away in this same room. Gye used to give me passes to the theatres. I was one night arranging baskets of flowers between banks, where fairies were supposed to be resting, when the curtain suddenly ran up faster than I could get to the wings. But though he was a stern disciplinarian “behind,” Gye forgave me.
Poor Gye’s terrible fate is fresh in my memory. He was shot accidentally while on a visit to Lord Dillon, and died near the covert side: sportsman that he was, he always wished to be buried in one. His sons have all made their mark. The eldest, whom we used to call the “Baron,” married Madame Albani and went on with operatic management. Percy is a judge. Herbert went into the Navy and served on the China station under me in 1869. Another son was in the Artillery. His daughter, Clara, I often see.
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[Sidenote: June 23.]
Dined with Lord Alfred Churchill.
[Sidenote: June 26.]
Evening, Lady Palmerston. Dinner, Sir Anthony Rothschild.
[Sidenote: June 28.]
Balls at Duchess of Hamilton’s and Lady Caroline Maxe’s.
[Sidenote: June 29.]
Dined with Sir William Middleton. Evening, Lady Pigot’s. During summer had been improving my pretty, but small place at Bishopstoke, on the bank of the river Itchen. The place suited me down to the ground. The stabling, which I rebuilt, was perfection.
[Sidenote: June 30.]
Dinner with Mr. Newdigate at Blackheath.
[Sidenote: July 1.]
Dinner at Navy Club, entertaining First Lord.
[Sidenote: July 4.]
Luncheon, Duchess of Somerset. Dined with Lord Methven.
[Sidenote: July 5.]
Dinner with Duke of Newcastle. Evening party, Duchess of Manchester.
[Sidenote: July 6.]
Review at Aldershot.
[Sidenote: July 7.]
Lady Mayoress’s reception.
[Sidenote: July 8.]
Luncheon with Ranelagh. Dinner, Lord Sandwich. Evening, Lady Jersey.
[Sidenote: July 9.]
Early dinner, Lady de Clifford. Later to Cremorne Gardens.
[Sidenote: July 10.]
Lunch, Lady Shelley.
[Sidenote: July 11.]
Dinner Admiral Walcott. Party Lady Rokeby, and ball at Duchess of Wellington’s.
[Sidenote: July 30.]
[Sidenote: Cherbourg, Aug. 5.]
Among friends I always received kind welcome on board Sir Thomas Whichcote’s schooner yacht _Enchantress_. Towards the end of the season I was with him at Cherbourg, where we had gone to witness the Naval Fêtes, and the inauguration of the new railway. Her Majesty and the Prince Consort arrived on the 4th August, accompanied by Lords of the Admiralty and a brilliant staff. Received by the Emperor Napoleon III. and Empress Eugenie. The next morning, at breakfast time, I took up the newspaper and read the sudden death on 30th July, at the Earl of Fife’s Seat, of my beloved brother-in-law, Stephenson.
To be alone in my grief, I landed and strolled by the side of the road up the hill to the high ground. As if to distract my thoughts, I met a French cavalry regiment marching up, their brass band playing “Rule Britannia.” Was off by the 4 P.M. steamer to join my poor sister Mary, who with her children was staying at Folkestone. The death had indeed been sudden, heart complaint, while sitting up in bed.
[Sidenote: Sept.]
September found me shooting with Sir Thomas Whichcote at Ashwarby in Lincolnshire.
[Sidenote: Ashwarby Park, Sept. 28.]
Beautiful day and lots of birds--wild, of course, they always are. With our four guns bagged 180 partridges, 18 hares, 1 rabbit--making 199 head. Whichcote did things well; as kind a host as man could have. A good hot luncheon. Ditto dinner. Very jolly.
[Sidenote: Sept. 29.]
Another fine day. Same party; bagged 204 partridges, 18 hares, 1 rabbit. Haunch of venison for lunch and other good things.
[Sidenote: Ashwarby, Sept. 30.]
Dirty weather with rain. Held up late, but high wind. Same party; 131 head of game. Much pleased at receiving a letter from Lord Palmerston stating he had recommended me to Her Majesty for the appointment of Groom-in-Waiting.
[Sidenote: Oct. 1.]
Better weather, but high wind. Still lots of birds. Same four guns; 200 partridges, 17 hares, 1 rabbit--218 head! Finish to four good days’ sport, to say nothing of the evening meal.
[Sidenote: Oct. 2.]
Party breaking up. Freke and I in dogcart to Lincoln. I to London.
[Sidenote: Oct. 16.]
Up from Portsmouth. Put up at Westbourne Terrace. There had been some cases of smallpox near my chambers. Wandered about. Tabooed for fear of infection.
[Sidenote: Oct. 18.]
By 11 A.M. train to Bishopstoke. Found sister Caroline and family at the Dean’s. Forgot all about the smallpox and embraced the children!
[Sidenote: Oct. 19.]
Busy rearranging Bishopstoke.
[Sidenote: Oct. 23.]
By afternoon train to Southsea. Received by George Lennox at Bleak House. Party to dinner. The good George Greys, etc.
[Sidenote: Oct. 24.]
Went over to Ryde by 12 o’clock boat. Back with George Lennox to see the Michael-Seymours before dinner.
[Sidenote: Oct. 25.]
By 11 A.M. train to Bishopstoke. Dean off again to Rooksbury. Sleep to-night in our own cottage.
[Sidenote: Oct. 27.]
By train to Southampton. Met George Lennox. Went on board _Pasha_, a Sultan’s yacht, very gaudy. On board _Ripon_, starting for Alexandria with Indian passengers. George Lennox back with me to Bishopstoke.
[Sidenote: Oct. 28.]
George Lennox off to Portsmouth, and I to Sir Francis Barings at Stratton. Found Pelhams and Nevilles. Tom Baring and wife.
[Sidenote: Oct. 29.]
Should have had some good shooting had the leaves been off the trees. Six guns; 110 head.
[Sidenote: Nov. 19.]
George Lennox and I in Gilman’s carriage to Winchester; great luncheon at the Dean’s. Party there. Lord Palmerston from Broadlands. Garniers from Rooksbury. Gilman taking us back to Bishopstoke. By train to Portsmouth. Put up at George Lennox’s.
[Sidenote: Nov. 23.]
Business at Admiralty. Dined with Rodney Mundy’s mother; nice cheery old lady.
[Sidenote: Nov. 24.]
By 4.30 train to Godstone. Found Rajah recovering from his sad paralytic stroke.
[Sidenote: Nov. 25.]
Took early leave of Brooke. Returned to Bishopstoke.
[Sidenote: Nov. 26.]
Found invitation to dine at Broadlands; unluckily for yesterday.
[Sidenote: Nov. 29.]
Colliers to dine.
[Sidenote: Nov. 30.]
By 3 P.M. train to London.
[Sidenote: Dec. 1.]
To Westbourne Terrace. Seconded resolution made by Bishop of Oxford on Gospel in China. Meeting at Willis’s Rooms. Much amused at Strand Theatre. Our Marie Wilton a little darling.
[Sidenote: Dec. 2.]
By Great Western to Berkeley Castle, to Admiral Sir Maurice Berkeley. Extraordinary old place. Not all the conveniences of modern houses, but made up for in association. Castle wall left as knocked down by Cromwell.
[Sidenote: Dec. 4.]
Mounted by Sir Maurice. Well appointed pack. Huntsmen and whips, etc., dressed in yellow velveteen. Best run of the season; I mounted on “Lord William.” Mrs. Berkeley and Mrs. A’Court to dinner.
[Sidenote: Sunday, Dec. 5.]
Afternoon, inspected twenty-seven good hunters. Hounds out for a walk. Handsome pack.
[Sidenote: Dec. 7.]
By special train. Hounds and all, horses, servants, etc., to Gloucester. Meet about five miles beyond. Mounted on Pearce’s small black horse. Good hunter.
[Sidenote: Dec. 8.]
Capital mount by Armytage on one of his “jobs” from Carey. First-rate run and I in good position throughout. Baring of Cheltenham arrived.
[Sidenote: Dec. 9.]
Baring, Armytage, and I hedgerow shooting. Sport not much. Mrs. and Miss Canning arrived; very tall. Mrs. Berkeley charming.
[Sidenote: Dec. 10.]
Shooting to-day something more like; plenty of foxes too.
[Sidenote: Dec. 11.]
Mount again on Pearce’s little black horse. Carried me right well throughout a longish day, one fall into a lane. Have greatly enjoyed my visit to Berkeley Castle.
[Sidenote: Dec. 13.]
By early train to get across to Peterboro’ and Huntingdon. On a visit to Hinchingbrook. Colonels Knox and Vyse and wife, Annie Lady Montagu, and niece Emily Leeds, etc.
[Sidenote: Dec. 14.]
Shooting order of the day. Six guns; 189 head. Duke of Manchester good shot. The charming Duchess came to dine.
[Sidenote: Dec. 15.]
Mounted by Lord Sandwich to meet Lord Fitz-William’s hounds. Fog too thick to draw a fox. Provoking--uncommon well mounted. The Manchesters left.
[Sidenote: Dec. 18.]
Up early, mounted by Lord Sandwich, to breakfast at Kimbolton. Lord Cowper there. To meet the Oakley. Did not find till late. Left to ride 22 miles home.
[Sidenote: Dec. 20.]
Mounted by Sandwich to meet the Cambridgeshire. Nasty wooded country. Foxes, but no getting away. Rode to station and returned to London by 1.30. Dined with Rokeby. Met the Manchesters.
[Sidenote: Dec. 23.]
By 3 P.M. train to Bishopstoke; lost my purse between station and home, containing £9: 10s. Horrid bore!
[Sidenote: Dec. 25.]
Spent Christmas at Bishopstoke.
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