The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-10-15 00:00:00

A •!NOIq.E" Minß.

The death of the Earl of Dysart (says the Courg
Jouraal) discloses another curious illustration of the
eccentricities of wealth. The deceased nobleman, who
might have shone in society and made a name to be
remembered and revered, led the life of a recluse,
seldom seeing the members of his family, except his
brother, Mr. Tollemache. Although he possessed a
splendid historical residence, known as" Ham House,"
In Surrey, not far from Hampt at Court, and also a
fine place in Lincolnshire, he buried himself In a
couple of dingy rooms in a mean house in Norfolk.
street. one of the many short thoroughfares that run
from the Strand to the Thames- He had, In fact, two
houses in the same street-34 and 12 They are
situate at opposite aides of the street, and when he
wanted • change of air or scene he moved from Si to
12. and rice ryas. For many years he has never gone
Into the open air even at night. He did not belong to
any club, as men in his prition generally do, and he
took no interest In public affairs. Nearly CO years ago
he married an Irish lady, by whom he had one son,
the well-known Lord Huntingtower. This son gave
him a great deal of trouble, and eventually the Karl
declined to assist him, or contribute in any way to his
turf amusement and extravagance. The Counter of
Dysart eventually left her husband, and he agree I to
make her a provision of five thousand • year ; but her
trustees were eventually compelled to take legal pro.
medium to compel the fulfilment of the contract.
Lady Dysart trifled Lord Huntingtower • good deal,
and,aftet he became bankrupt. made him an allowance.
He subsequently married (an Irish lady, too) and aban-
doned his racing proclivities. He took • modest estab-
lishment at St. John's wood, and, oddly enough,
developed the penurious habit of hie father. Out
of the sum which his mother allowed him he managed
to save something, after presiding for the wants of
his family and the education of his children. His
father, however, would never see him, although he
was his only son, and the heir of settled estates said
to be of the value of £10,030 a year. The eldest son of
the well-Imown Luc! Huntingtower (a youth of
nineteen) now succeeds to the title and enormous
possessions of the late earl. The windows of the
residence of the late earl in Norfolketreet have not
been cleaned for years. It has no curtains and the
furniture is worn and shabby. The only windows
which the earl would ever allow to be cleaned were
those of the front parlours. He was in the habit of
wearing an old dressing-grown, which was his principal
garment, and it is questionable whether, if summoned
by any process of law to appear in publie, he could
have found clothes to put on. His houses in Norfolk-
street are remarkable for the manner in which they
are painted_ All the woodwork except the hall doors,
is pointed white, but the doors are a very dark brown,
end unvarnished. He used occasionally to Invite
three or four people to dinner, bat when they arrived
his old housekeeper was instructed to say that his
lordship could not receive them He allowed
his name to appear in the "London Directory," Btu'
Book, or other works of reference, and his servalta
were directed to refuse any information about him.
So lived aad ao died, at the ripe age of eighty-three,
the Right Hon. Lionel William John Tollemache,
sixth Earl of Dysart and Baron Huntingtower, the
owner of a hundred thousand a year, and • fabulous
amount in Consols. His yonibiulsucoemor has • great
future to store foe hint. 'What will be do with it ,