The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-08-23 00:00:00

FUNERAL OF THE DUKE OF
WELLINGTON.

The mortal remains of the late Duke of Wellington
were interred in the family vault at Strathfieldsaye,
Hampshire, on Tuesday afternoon, in the presence of
a very large assemblage of all classes of society.
His Grace, by his generous acts and kindly disposi-
tion towards his poorer neighbours, together with his
great, liberality towards his tenantry, had gained the
highest esteem of all the inhabitants of Strathfield-
saye and miles around, and his sudden death caused
a feeling of widespread sorrow throughout the
district. Evidence of the great respect in which the
late Duke was held was amply furnished on Tuesday
afternoon, when the villagers thronged the churchyard
and approaches thereto, to catch a glimpse of the
mournful procession, or to witness the consignment of
the body to its last resting-place. The funeral was
simple, and quite in keeping with the unostentatious
life of the deceased nobleman. The body arrived from
Apsley House on the previous night, being conveyed
from London by the 9.15 train arriving at Reading an
hour later, whence it was taken by special train to
Mortimer Station, and from thence to Stratfieldsaye,
in a hcau-se. Arrived at the mansion the remains
were deposited in the coronation room, where they
lay in state un'il just before the funeral. This apart-
ment was entirely draped in black, and the wreaths
were arranged round the room. These emblems were
very Aumerous, and included beautiful wreaths from
the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Dowager
Duchess of Ely, the Marchioness of Tweeddale, Vis-
count Eversley, the Baroness Burdett Coutts, the
Earl of Lytton, the servants of the household, and the
tenants. The widowed duchess's wreath was most
exquisitely arranged, and bore a card on which her
grace had written, "In loving memory, from his
faithful wife, Elizabeth Wellington. The Lord watch
between me and thee when we are absent one from
another."

The cortege left the mansion precisely at half-past
one o'clock. First walked about fifty of the tenantry
on the estate, followed by the late Duke's valet
carrying the ducal coronet. A hearse with plumes,
and drawn by four horses also wearing plumes wa%
next, and then the chief mourners—Colonel Henry
Wellesley (the heir to the dukedom), and Cohnel
Arthur Wellesley—following whom were other
relatives of the family, viz., the Duke of Beaufort,
the Marquis of Tweeddale, General Sir Richard
Taylor, Lord Cowley, Mr. G. A. J. Stott, Colonel W.
H. Wellesley, and Mr. I. Trant Hamilton. Among
the other noblemen and gentlemen in the procession
were Lord Methuen, who represented her Majesty
the Queen; Gen. Sir Dighton Probyn, representing
the Prince of Wales; the Crown Prince of Germany's
representative, Viscount Eversley, Lord Raglan, Lord
Wrolseley, Lord Henry Lennox, M.P., Field-Marshal
Lord Strathnairn. Colonel Napier, Mr. Burdett-
Coutts, Admiral Wood, Sir George Russell, Mr.
Charles Calcraft, and others. The servants of the
household brought up the rear, carrying the wreaths.
On reaching the church, which is situate on the
estate, the coffin was removed from the hea,se, and
was carried into the quaint and beautiful edifice,
preceded by the officiating clergymen, the Rev. J. C.
Keate, rector of Hartley Virestpall, the Rev. H. B. J.
Munro, rector of Strathfieldsaye, and the Rev. C. H.
Griffith, rector of Stratfield Turgis.
The opening sentences of the beautiful service of
the Church of England for the burial of the dead
were read by the Rev. J. C. Keate, who also per-
formed the first part of the service. While the
mourners and others took their seats, the organist,
Mr. Strickland, of St. Mary's, Reading, played the
solemn chorale from St. Paul, "To Thee, 0 Lord, I
yield my spirit,' and at the close of the service in the
sacred edifice the village choir sang the beautiful
hymn, "Thy will be done," The psalms were sung
to a chant by Mornington, and the service in the
church concluded by a performance on the organ of
the Dead March in Saul. The musical portion of
the service was precisely the same as that used at the
funeral of the great Duke. The service outside the
church was performed by the other clergy. The
church was draped in black, and on the communion
table were placed a cross of flowers and two beautiful
miniature wreaths sent by the Duchess of Wellington.
The vault in which the body was interred also con-
tains the remains of the mother of the late duke,
those of his brother, Lord Charles Wellesley, and his
(Lord Charles's) son. The outer coffin, in which the
body of the late duke was enclosed, was covered in
crimson velvet with gilt fittings. At the head of the
lid was the ducal coronet, and at the foot the Star and
Garter. On the plate the inscription read as follows:
"Lieut.-General the Most Noble, Sir Arthur Richard
Wellesley, K.G., P.C., Duke and Marquis of Wel-
lington, Viscount Wellington of Wellington, Viscount
Talavera Baron Douro of Wellesley, Earl and Baron
of Mornington, Viscount Wellesley of Dangan
Castle, Prince of Waterloo, Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo
and Grandee of the first Class in Spain, Duke of
Vittoria, Marquis of Torres Vedras, Count of
Timieira, Lord-Lieutenant of Middlesex, &c. Borr
3rd February, 1807; died 13th August, 1884."