The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-06-12 00:00:00

FUNERAL OF THE LATE SIR R, J.
CLIFTON, M.P.

The funeral of the late Si; it. Clifton was celebrated
on klonday, at Clifton, under somewhat remarkable
circumstances. It is estimated that not fewer than
30,000 people were present. The singular local popu-
larity that attar heti ti the deceased baronet during the
last few years of his life had expressed itself in nearly
, very possible way in the interval since his death.
Blinds were drawn in hundreds id humble homes in Not-
tingham ; large numbers of people, having no personal
connection whatever with the decenocl, went into
mourning; the poorest made a sacrifice to buy a
printed memorial 1.1 his death. The remains " lay in
state" at iliftr,n.liall on part if Satorotty and Sundae,
where they were vi”ited hy from 10,000 to 15,100 per-
sons. On Nlonday the singul ir manifest ition ,if pithily
regret C thninated in a demonstration which would have
been i keeping with. the burial of a great state:quar.
Comodering that the number of persons present was so
large, the decorum exhibited was very praimworthy.

It is reported that the late baronet's life was insured
for a quarter of a million, policies having been effected
with the principal office M the country. There ap-
pears still to be some ti ulit as to who is to succeed to
the estates. It in said that Mr. Markham and Mr.
Bruce (ordains of the deceased) have consulted legal
authorities as to their claims, arid that a decisitor has
been given in favour of Mr. Markham. Lady Clifton
is amply provided or, and it is pr hauls' she will also
receive a third of the rent-roll of the estates. The
toll •wirtg anecdote of the late baronet is told in Not-
tingham : • •
In the near 1554 Sir Robert was in Paris, and he there be-
came accidentally ammainted with a profmsed divinatdr if
tis future, or fortuue-teller—not one of the low tribe of
card palmers, but a man moving in a good position anti
of competent means. This Parities soothsayer 116,1 a
great reply ation in his art, and It appears that he eter-
cdied his 6111 A upon Sir R inert [spontaneously after
dining with the latter one day. Oil th it occasion he
told the late iiwrier of Clifton that. though he was un-
aware of the fact, he (the baronat) hail great mineral
wealth under his estate •, but the prognosticator went 011 to
warn Sir It ihert that whenever lie got to coal he soitnil also
get to the end it ids own career. The fortunr-leller further
•ani Usa Sir R ibert was frequently emliarraasell by pecu-
niary ti lflOultiea. hu he assured hips that if he would Sc 7,-pt
pa red hag which the fortune tell r offered him, C ary It
always wi h hint, and Voli at i whenever he wis in financial
trouble. lie would lind means et extricating himself from his
perplexity.
The person who relates this remarkable reminiscence
added that Sir Itiibert carried this red bog with him
up to his imit illness, and that he had frequently de-
clared that whertevrr he was under a pressure arid
gazed upon his talimsan he felt nerved to reoewed
enero. and experenceil an instinctive conviction that
tie should surmount his embarreassuut.