History

A Wimbledon Match

/ RGilbert

Today is opening day at Wimbledon. If my stepmom were still alive, I know I could find her sitting on the couch in front of the tv, savoring every moment. To her credit, she didn’t just like to watch tennis matches. She played tennis until she was well into her eighties. Another tennis aficionado was Prince Frederick, the Duke of York. He was the second son and the favorite of King George III. One of the men who played matches against Frederick was his good friend, Jack St. Leger, who was a lieutenant colonel in the 1st Foot Guards (now known as the Grenadier Guards).

Long before the existence of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Frederick fought a duel against Charles Lennox, the future Duke of Richmond, at Wimbledon Commons, a London park located about a mile from the site of the Wimbledon Championships. Frederick was 25-years-old, a lieutenant general, and the commander of the Coldstream Guards. Charles Lennox, at 24-years old, had recently been promoted to lieutenant colonel and was posted to Frederick’s prestigious regiment, thanks to Prime Minister William Pitt’s influence over King George. In a breach of protocol, Frederick was given no say in this, but he was gracious about it.

Charles Lennox was an arrogant young man, who frequently insulted Frederick and his older brother, George, Prince of Wales. He knew that there would be no harsh consequence for his loose tongue, because the superior ranks of these Royal Princes precluded them from challenging him to a duel. Frederick was particularly offended by the repeated insults directed towards his brother George. One night at a gentlemen’s club frequented by army officers, Jack St. Leger called out Charles Lennox for these insults and his cowardice, but Charles ignored him. Soon afterward, Frederick was telling people that Charles had failed to respond to an affront to his character. Charles demanded that Frederick reveal the name of the man who had insulted him, but Frederick replied that since Charles was present when the remark was made, he should already know who had spoken it. Frederick then said that he would waive his privilege and Charles could challenge him to a duel. Charles declined. Instead, he made an effort to find out who had reproached him. None of the soldiers would reveal Jack’s name, but Jack responded that if he had said anything offensive, Charles should challenge him to a duel, and he was ready to fight him. Instead, Charles challenged Frederick, believing that the King would intervene and prevent the confrontation. But Queen Charlotte held a grudge against Frederick and prevented anyone from telling the King about the duel until it was too late to stop it.

The duel took place at Wimbledon Common on May 27, 1789. The shot fired by Charles Lennox passed under Frederick’s ear and sheared off a lock of his hair. Frederick refused to fire his weapon, stating that he had no animosity against his opponent and was only there to satisfy him. He said that if Charles was not yet satisfied, he was free to fire again. Charles said that since Frederick would not fire, he could not possibly take another shot, so the two men left the field.

Word spread around London that Charles Lennox faced off later in the day against Jack St. Leger, but there was no truth to the rumor.

The Royal Duel

Seizing the Moment

/ RGilbert

If the news articles about Rishi Sunak becoming the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom would only add a simple graphic, we would not need to read the entire story.  At a glance, we would see which boxes are checked.  Among other bits of trivia, most of the reports point out that he is the youngest person to hold this office in 200 years.  At 42-years-old, Mr.  Sunak is eighteen years older than William Pitt the Younger was, when he became Prime Minister of Great Britain in 1783.  Like Rishi Sunak, Mr.  Pitt had been Chancellor of the Exchequer prior to his rise to the Tory leadership position.

Palace of Westminster from Victoria Tower Gardens

William Pitt was 21-years old in 1780, when he was elected to the House of Commons with the help of his friend Charles Manners, Duke of Rutland.  The Duke had connected Mr.  Pitt with a wealthy landowner, who sponsored the young man’s candidacy for a rotten borough under his control.  A rotten borough was a district that should not have been entitled to any representation in Parliament, because it had become depopulated.  These boroughs were often corrupt, because their MPs were usually beholden to powerful, self-interested patrons.

Just 20-years-old when he was elected to Parliament in 1774, Charles Manners was even younger than Mr. Pitt had been.   Representing the constituency of Cambridge University, he was known at the time as the Marquess of Granby.  He served for five years, until he became Duke of Rutland upon the death of his grandfather.  Not long after becoming Duke of Rutland, Charles Manners raised the 86th Regiment of Foot for service in the American Revolutionary War.  He asked his friend Anthony St. Leger to come out of his retirement from the military and lead it.  Colonel St. Leger, the founder of the horse racing world’s classic St. Leger Stakes, readily agreed.  He shipped out to St. Lucia with his troops, to defend an important British port against the French fleet, and returned to England in 1781, in time for the September running of the St. Leger Stakes at Doncaster.  In recognition of St. Leger’s inspiring leadership in the West Indies, King George III promoted him to Major General.

St. James’s Palace

In February 1783, Charles Manners became Lord Steward of the Household of King George and a member of the Privy Council.  The following February, Prime Minister Pitt appointed Charles to be Lord Deputy of Ireland.  Anthony St. Leger accompanied the Duke of Rutland to Dublin Castle as Major General on his staff.  

Charles was a lively, popular man.  Despite his marriage to Mary Isabella Somerset, who was considered to be the most elegant and beautiful woman of her time, Charles had a reputation for licentiousness.  He also had a love for rich food and red wine and would often forego sleep.  His fast-paced living took its toll.  At the time of his tragic death from liver disease in 1787, Charles was 33-years old, nine years younger than the age of United Kingdom’s youngest prime minister in 200 years.

Lord Rockingham’s Passion

/ RGilbert

Liz Truss made history by resigning as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on October 19, 2022, after only 44 days in office. It was 240 years ago, on July 1, 1782, when the second term of Prime Minister Charles Watson-Wentworth, Marquess of Rockingham, ended after only 96 days. The flu epidemic of 1782 took the life of 52-year-old Lord Rockingham.  He had been successfully controlling his dropsy through diet and exercise but, like many of the early fatalities of the novel corona virus pandemic in 2020, a comorbidity inhibited his ability to fight the illness.

One of the wealthiest men in England, Lord Rockingham lived near Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England, in Wentworth Woodhouse, a 300-room estate that sprawled over 225 acres. Although he was an influential politician and served in the House of Lords, his passion was raising and racing horses. He kept 200 of them in his stables at his estate.

Lord Rockingham’s friend, Colonel Anthony St. Leger, lived at the nearby Park Hill Estate in Firbeck. They shared a passion for horses. In 1776, Colonel St. Leger moved an annual two-mile race from Firbeck to a better track at Doncaster.  One of his fillies finished second behind the winner, a three-year-old filly owned by Lord Rockingham.  Two years later, Lord Rockingham suggested that the annual race be named after its founder.  To this day, the St. Leger Stakes is still run every September at Doncaster.

York Racecourse
York Racecourse

Horse racing in York, England, dates back to the Roman occupation, and the York Racecourse has been on its current site at Knavesmire since 1730. The first grandstand was built there in 1754, financed by 250 people under a subscription scheme devised by Lord Rockingham. The elegant two-story building with a rooftop viewing platform, designed by architect John Carr, was not only the first grandstand at the York Racecourse, it was the first one anywhere.  

Whistlejacket by George Stubbs at the National Gallery, London

The painting of Lord Rockingham’s Arabian thoroughbred Whistlejacket by George Stubbs was acquired in 1997 by the National Gallery in London for £11 million. It caused a sensation when it was first commissioned about 1762.  The rearing horse is depicted nearly life-size against a tan background. At the time, it was a departure from the expectation that the muscular animal would be depicted under the control of a rider against a scenic setting. It has been suggested that Lord Rockingham wanted the viewer to focus on the raw power and beauty of the horse, without any distraction. A plain colorfield was the best way to achieve this effect. Whistlejacket is now considered to be George Stubbs’ masterpiece.

June 22, 1785: A wedding in Gretna Green

/ RGilbert

In my novel A Moon Garden, there were two lovers who could not marry legally in England in 1785. This was because of the Marriage Act, passed by Parliament in 1753. For a marriage to be legally binding, the ceremony had to be conducted by a minister in a church or chapel of the Church of England. Jews and Quakers were exempt from this restriction, but Anglicans and Catholics were not. The law also set the age of consent at 21. The Act remained in effect until 1836.

It did not apply in Scotland, however. Under Scottish law, couples could wed on the spot in front of two witnesses. They only needed to declare that they were both free to marry. As a result, thousands of English couples eloped to Gretna Green, which was the village they reached as soon as they crossed the border from England into Scotland. The first building they saw was the blacksmith’s shop. The blacksmith developed a lucrative side business presiding over civil marriage ceremonies, and became known as the Anvil Priest.

The couple in A Moon Garden travelled to Gretna Green for their wedding. The blacksmith conducted a brief handfasting ceremony, then declared, “‘You have tied the knot. I pronounce you husband and wife.’” With that, the blacksmith raised a metal hammer and lowered it with great force against the anvil, producing a loud ringing sound.”

I was happy to discover a series of five narrative paintings by British historical genre painter John Arthur Lomax, depicting the anvil wedding of an anxious couple at Gretna Green. It looks just how I had envisioned it!

At Your Service by John Arthur Lomax (British, 1857-1923)
The Blacksmith’s Forge by John Arthur Lomax (British, 1857-1923)
The Blacksmith’s Forge with Love Gained and Lost by John Arthur Lomax (British, 1857-1923)
Over the Border by John Arthur Lomax (British, 1857-1923)
The Blacksmith’s Shop by John Arthur Lomax (British, 1857-1923)

An odd old book

/ RGilbert

Buying books is one of the pleasures of doing research.  Of course I use digital resources, and visit libraries and archives, but sometimes there is a book that I want to hold in my hands and refer to over and over again.  As I delved into the history of colonial America and Georgian England for background to my novel A Moon Garden, my personal library expanded a bit.  The social, industrial, and geo-political transformations of the late 18th century intrigue me, and I am currently writing the biography of a British general who lived and died during this time. My quest for books about this period continues.

Recently I acquired The Story of the London Parks by Jacob Larwood.  It was published in London and has no copyright date.  There is, however, a hand-written inscription inside the front endpaper, indicating it was a New Year’s gift to Mrs. Goodings in 1888.

It’s a beautiful book, which includes several illustrations, including some in color.  It is in remarkably good shape, thanks to the fact that it has never been read.  This is apparent, because the pages must have been printed two-up or four-up, and they were not trimmed. Many of the pages would have to be cut apart in order flip through them.  I prefer to leave the book the way it has been for over 130 years. 

My knowledge of book printing and binding techniques of the 19th century is very limited.  If anyone reading this can provide an explanation, please feel free to leave your comments.

I wonder if Mrs. Goodings’ admirer ever asked her opinion of the book.  What would she have said?

A Moon Garden – Amazon UK

Hulks in Charlestown Harbor

/ RGilbert
Des Barres, Joseph F. W. (Joseph Frederick Wallet), 1722-1824; Published 1780 (London); LOC# gm71000644

After abandoning Philadelphia to the Americans in 1778, the British shifted their focus to the South. By the middle of May 1780, they had secured a decisive victory in Charlestown, South Carolina, with the surrender of the Continental Army and Patriot militias under the command of Major General Benjamin Lincoln. Hundreds of captured colonial soldiers were held in prison hulks in the harbor.

In my debut historical novel, A Moon Garden, Joseph Buckleigh is an officer with the 33rd Regiment of Foot. At the Royal Army field headquarters just north of Charlestown, he is unexpectedly reunited with his friend, Aaron Mendes, a colonial doctor who has recently arrived to treat the sick and wounded prisoners.

Aaron’s face lit up when he saw Joseph, and he suspected his expression mirrored his friend’s. The two men embraced.

“This is unexpected, Aaron,” said Joseph. “Colonel Eades only told me a few moments ago that you are working at Greenwood. When did you arrive?”

“Just over one week ago.”

“It is commendable of you to serve the Patriots at a British facility. We have too few doctors even to attend our own soldiers, so I am certain the care given to the captured wounded is far from adequate.”

“I will refrain from commenting, Joseph. Suffice it to say that I am kept busy.”

The men went outside. Colonel Eades had already requested Joseph’s horse be made ready, and it was tied to a post next to Aaron’s bay mare. It was a cool morning on a clear day, perfect for riding.

“Charlestown Harbor is not far,” said Joseph. “When we get to the ship, you cannot board without someone to provide protection. Perhaps we may prevail upon a prison guard to accompany you, for you must realize I cannot. If there were a way to persuade you to abandon this undertaking, I would try.”

“It is not for myself that I must do this.”

Joseph felt the wind go out of himself, as though he had taken a blow to the solar plexus. Grace was the unspoken, unseen presence. It was for Grace that Aaron would visit hell to look in on the man who had seduced his sister and then bound her to himself with an eternal vow. It was for Grace that Aaron and Joseph had to assess a value to the life of a man who had abused and encumbered a woman that they each loved in their own way. Joseph untangled the reins of the chestnut Marsh Tacky stallion, put his boot in the stirrup, and mounted. “Then ride,” he said, as he took off at a gallop, not glancing back to see if Aaron had followed.

From A Moon Garden ©2020 Roxane Gilbert

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The East Webburn River in Widecombe-in-the-Moor

/ RGilbert

The East Webburn River flows through the ancient, picturesque village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor, past the Rugglestone Inn, and through the vast land holdings of the fictional family of Joseph Buckleigh, the hero of the historical novel A Moon Garden, by Roxane Gilbert. When his tour of duty in the American War for Independence comes to an end, Joseph returns to his ancestral home in Widecombe-in-the-Moor, to heal and resume his life.

Joseph’s eyes sparkled as he smiled. “I will tell you something right now that is as sincere as anything you will hear today. I am going to strip off all of my clothes and plunge my body into that very cold stream over there on the other side of the hedge. There is nothing I would like better than for my wife to get some clean clothes from my brother, and a sheet in which I may wrap myself when I come out of the water. Now, if you can present these to me in five minutes, I would be most appreciative.” With that, Joseph pulled off his shirt, dropped it on the ground, then ran in the direction of the creek.

It was not Grace who stood on the bank when Joseph finished bathing. He laughed when he saw Russell Jayne, now a captain with the Royal Army, sitting on a moss-covered rock. Russell threw him the sheet. “Good Lord, Buckleigh. What I must endure for King and country.”

From A Moon Garden ©2020 Roxane Gilbert

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St Patrick’s Day musings on the Tower of London

/ RGilbert
Church of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London
©Roxane Gilbert

Gerald Fitzgerald, 9th Earl of Kildare (1487-1534) has the dubious distinction of being the first prisoner to be buried in the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula after being incarcerated and dying in the Tower of London.

Upon his father’s death in 1513, Kildare succeeded him as Lord Deputy of Ireland. A fierce warrior, he is said to have “reduced Ireland to a quiet condition” in 1517 after storming Ulster and taking the Castle of Dungannon.

In response to accusations of mismanagement, Kildare was removed from office in 1518. He was replaced by Thomas Howard, the Earl of Surrey, followed by his brother-in-law, Piers Butler, the 8th Earl of Ormond. He was eventually reappointed Lord Deputy, but turmoil prevailed as a blood feud raged between him and Ormond.

In 1534 he travelled to London, where he was arrested, arraigned, and imprisoned at the Tower of London. Later that year he died of his grief, and was buried in the church at the Tower.

https://www.amazon.com/author/roxanegilbert

The stone walls of Dartmoor

/ RGilbert / 1 Comment
Dartmoor Lane
©Roxane Gilbert

Widecombe-in-the-Moor in Devon, England, is a village of fewer than 200 households in the middle of Dartmoor, which has been protected by National Park status since 1951. Many of the hedgerows and stone walls that divide the landscape date back hundreds of years. The walls have become natural rock gardens, covered with stonecrop, navelwort, maiden-hair ferns, and lichens.

“The edge of the gentle downward slope was anchored at its base by a giant yew tree.  From there the lane gradually rose again for about 30 yards.  Another low, decaying stone wall adjoined a weathered wooden fence, blocking the entrance to the courtyard of a two-story stone cottage set back against rolling green hills.  A decrepit stone barn stood to the east, and an overgrown garden was to the west.  Aaron dismounted his horse and opened the wide, slatted gate.  Its large rusted hinges were generously greased.  Despite a high-pitched scraping sound, it swung open with ease.”

From A Moon Garden ©2020 Roxane Gilbert

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After the Battle of Camden 1780

/ RGilbert
Battle of Camden 1780
Battle of Camden, August 16th, 1780

Despite the superior numbers of the American Patriot forces, they were resoundingly defeated by the British in the Battle of Camden in South Carolina on August 16, 1780. It was a bloody battle, with both sides suffering many killed and wounded. The Royal Army’s 33rd Regiment of Foot, in the front lines of the fighting, was particularly devastated.

“Late that night, Joseph was sitting on a patchwork quilt blanket in the garden next to the meadow behind the great house that served as Army headquarters and the Camden residence of General Cornwallis and his officers. The moon was full, and he stared out at the silhouettes of the towering pine trees beyond the redoubt, listening to the serenade of bullfrogs, as he tipped a small silver flask to his lips and felt the smooth burn of the Scotch whiskey easing down his throat. He was barefoot, in his shirt sleeves. His unbound hair, hanging loose around his collar, was tousled by a soft summer breeze.

“There was a muted click as someone opened the gate. Joseph looked over his shoulder and was surprised to see two tall men walking towards him. At 20 yards, they were too far away in the darkness for him to determine who they were. He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed, then pushed the ground with his fist and stood up.

“‘As you were, Major Buckleigh,’ said a familiar voice. It was Colonel Eades. The larger man with him was General Cornwallis. ‘As you were.’”

from A Moon Garden ©2020 Roxane Gilbert

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