324
NOTES AND QUERIES. [11 s. XL APRIL 24, 1915.
to three years' imprisonment, the marriage being
annulled by a special Act of Parliament. Some
years after his release, Wakefield emigrated to
Australia, and played an important part in the
development of that country and New Zealand ;
he also accompanied Lord Durham to Canada in
1838, and is credited with being largely responsible
for the famous ' Report on the Affairs of British
North America.'
On May 7th, 1836, Prince Carlo Ferdinando Borbone, younger brother of the notorious King Ferdinand II. of the Two Sicilies, was married at Gretna Hall to Penelope Caroline Smyth of Water- ford, Ireland. The history of this couple is extraordinary. Having been expelled from Naples, they fled to Rome, and were married there ; they then went to Madrid, where the Prince's sister was Queen-Regent, and in the vain hope of appeasing her, they were married there a second time, afterwards going to Paris. Why they also went through the ceremony at Gretna is not known, but possibly an English friend told them that some such step was necessary for their union to be legal in England. However, on going to London they were coldly received by Society, which they endeavoured to placate by going through a fourth ceremony at St. George's, Hanover Square.
Among the most interesting of the other marriages, the certificates of which are present, are those of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, grandson of the dramatist, to Maria Grant, daughter and heiress of Lieut. -General Sir Colquhoun Grant of Frampton, Dorsetshire, which took place on May 17th, 1835 ; of Capt. Francis Lovell to Lady Rose Caroline Mary Somerset, daughter of the seventh Duke of Beaufort, on Oct. 4th, 1836 ; of Lord Drumlanrig, afterwards seventh Marquess of Queensberry, to Miss Caroline Clayton, daughter of General Sir W. R. Clayton of Marden Park, Surrey, an elopement remarkable for the fact that, instead of using the traditional postchaise, the lovers made the journey to Gretna on horseback (this marriagetook place on May 25th, 1840) ; and, finally, of Capt. Charles Parke Ibbetson to Lady Adela Corisande Maud Villiers, daughter of the Earl of Jersey, on Nov. 6th, 1845. In making a runaway match Lady Adela Avas following the example of her grandmother, Miss Sarah Child, daughter of the founder of Child's Bank, who was married at Gretna Green to Lord Westmoreland. The story of their pursuit by the angry banker, who only gave up the chase after one of the horses in his coach had been shot by his prospective son-in-law, is one of the most famous in the annals of Gretna Green.
Enough has, perhaps, been said to show the romantic interest, as well as the legal importance, of the collection, but it may be mentioned in conclusion that the authenticity of the certificates is unquestionable, and that they have several times been accepted as evidence in Courts of Law. They were also exhibited at the Scottish Exhibition in Glasgow in 1911.
I am at liberty to state that the owner of the above interesting collection is Mr. James Maclean. He purchased the certifi- cates in 1911 from Miss Armstrong (since deceased) ; she was a granddaughter of John Linton. Mr. Maclean is himself related to John Linton. Charles Thurnam of
Carlisle issued a print with a picture of
John Linton's inn, and a postchaise drawn,
up. John Linton's name appears over the
inn door. A. L. HUMPHBEYS.
187, Piccadilly, W.
[A supplementary reply to follow.]
COL. THE HON. COSMO GORDON (11 S.
xi. 131, 174, 196, 270). The trouble between
Gordon and Thomas arose out of the latter's
adversely criticizing Gordon's non-appear-
ance at a certain point in the battle of Spring-
field. Gordon had really been wounded ;
but Thomas practically accused him of
skulking. Gordon had his accuser court -
martialled at New York, 16-26 Sept., 1780 r
only to see him acquitted. Gordon in turn
was court -martialled two years later for
" neglect of duty before the enemy," and he,
too, was acquitted. When they returned
to England, Gordon challenged Thomas to a
duel, and mortally wounded him in the ring
of Hyde Park, 4 Sept., 1783. I may say
that the two courts martial make very com-
plicated reading. J. M. BULLOCH.
123, Pall Mall, S.W.
THE " FLASH " or THE BOYAL WELSH FUSILIERS : QUEUES IN THE ARMY ABOL- ISHED (US. ix. 488 ; x. 15). In The Times, 28 July, 1908, s.v. " From The Times of 1808, Thursday, July 28," is the following- General Order :
" " HORSE GUARDS, July 20, 1808.
"The Commander in Chief directs it to be notified, that in consequence of the state of pre- paration for immediate service, in which the whole army is at present held, his MAJESTY has been graciously pleased to dispense with the use of queues, until further orders.
"His ROYAL HIGHNESS desires the Command- ing Officers of the Regiments will take care that the men's hair is cut close to their necks in the neatest and most uniform manner, and that their heads are kept perfectly clean, by combing, brushing, and frequently washing them, for the latter essential purpose;* it is his MAJESTY s pleasure that a small sponge shall hereafter be added to each man's regimental necessaries.
" By order of his Royal Highness, the Com- mander in Chief,
"HARRY CALVERT, Adjutant-General."
In The Times of 31 July, 1908, the follow- ing appeared :
"QUEUES IN THE ARMY. Sir Edmund Verney writes :' Referring to the general order issued by my grandfather, Sir Harry Calvert, m 1808, abolishing the queues in the Army, and republished in your issue of the 28th inst., it may interest your
- Probably the comma after "washing them"'
and the semicolon after "purpose" should be- transposed.
