The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-05-23 00:00:00

DEATH OF MR. POOLE.

A good many readers will probably wonder who the Mr.
Poole, whose death is just announced was. Well, he was
the Prince of Wales's tailor, and a London correspondent
thus chats about the great man just deceased When
you entered the long one-storied building in Saville row,
that formed the anti-chamber of Poole's temple of art, you
were received by one of a series of young gentlemen
perfectly dressed, with the solemn air of no many curates
in diaruse. If your rank or introduction justified the
attention, you were intioduced to the great chief in his
study, where, for the favoured inner circle, cigan of
priceless value and hock and other wines of the most
delirious luncheon character were always close at hand.
In the temple itself, arranged with the art of the South
Rensiturton Museum, were specimens dell that was most
tempting and costly in the accessories of coetume. To
be measured or to "try on " your garments, there were
wonderful little bovideirs, luxurious in velvet chain and
costly car Pet& You were received with &solemn courtesy
that was quite Louis Quatorse. If, on certain days, you
looked around you might see boxes directed to Russian.
Austrian, and Hungarian princes, counts, barons, and
noble names all over the continent In the time of the
French empire it was the fashion of the imperial Court to
be dressed by Poole. While Louis Napoleon was in his
firat exile, only • prince by courtesy, Mr. Poole was one of
the few believers in his star, and gave him unlimited
credit The Zeiperor, with all his faults, was a man who
never forgot • service of this kind, and sent for the
autocrat of Saville-row as anon as he became autocrat of
France. To • certain class—especially a hunting elan—
of our aristocracy and plutocracy the place became • sort
of luncheon, lounge, and gossip shop. Hunting clothes
were one of the specialities of the place, and during the
life of the celebrated steeplechase inekey, Jim Mason,
he and the tailor gave the law t• the hunting world a
!nation. A Saville-row hunting cost was • costly affair,
but worth all the money. Ur. Poole was one of the
parties in • celebrated dialos, which was first told by
the other party—the late Lad Southampton, a great
anortaman,• rooster of foxboundaof a aaturnine,not to soy
ill-tempered, character, who used constantly to frequent
Saville-row, and make the great sailor the silent recipient
of his perpetual dincontents. The Marquis of Hastings,
who invited everybody to Donnington.park, had Mr.
Poole down there to meet • party of trainer*, lecbria
betting men, de. " Poole," said the peer on his
return, "how did you find the shooting party at Don-
nington r "Oh, very luxurious, my lord, very luxurious;
but rather mixed." "Rather mixed ! Confound it,
Poole," replied the angry Lord Southampton "Yen
would have had them all tailors." The fashion of this
fashionable tradesman was kept up by the magnificence
of his domestic life. At his villa on the Thames, a boat
and watermen in costume attended the pleasure of his
friends until he setups deem Lunch. He drove to town
In • mail phaeton, with • pair of 600 guinea steppers
before him, and a couple of black-coated, leather-
breeched, top-booted grooms lolling behind him. His
stud cost thousands, and there were a variety of carriages
to match. He was a tall, clean.shavol, well.looking man,
with nothing to say for himself except what he had heard
the day before from a baron, an earl, a duke, or perhaps •
Royal Highness. The announcement of his death will
have struck terror into the bosoms of hundreds of
well-dresael (eleven who paid • little, owed • great
deal, and never thought of being under the cruel horrors
of executors."