The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-01-10 00:00:00

MARRIAGE of the DUKE of ST. ALBANS.

The marriage of the Duke of St. Albans with
Grace, second daughter of Mr. Osborne, M.P., was
solemnized on Saturday (the 3rd) at Kill&loan Church,
situated in the demesne of Newtown Anner,
Clonmel.

Festive arches were erected at the main entrance
and in the avenues of the demesne, bearing such in-
scriptions as "God bless the happy pair !" "May
every blessing attend you I " " Long live our Duke
and Duchess of St. Athena!" and the suggestive one,
'Come back to Erin !" The interior of the Church
was decorated with wreaths of laurel and ivy mingled
with branches of bright holly, and around the CUM
munion table were groups of chrysanthemums and
native ferns. At the entrance a porch had been con-
structed, which was defended by a strong barrier to pre-
vent any inconvenient pressureof the people, from whom
the coming event could not be kept a secret, and who
assembled in considerable force in front of the sacred
building. At twelve o'clock the Duke of St. Albans
arrived, accompanied by his best man, Mr. Grey, and
shortly afterwards Mies Osborne entered the church
leaning on her father's arm, and followed by Mrs.
Osborne. The marriage ceremony was performed
by the Rev. Pownoll Phipps, Vicar of fbough, the
bride's cousin, assisted by the Rev. Prebendary
Neville, Rector of Stradbally, and the Rev. CS. Gioke,
I Rector of Killaloar. After the ceremony. the "Wed-
ding March "wan played and the" Ilalle!njah Chorus."
After the interchange of congratulations and the
distributit n of wedding favours among assembled
friends, the wedding party drove to Newtown Armee
On entering the hall they found awaiting their arrival a
deputation of the tenantry, who presented the bride
with a necklet of Irish pearls, having attached to it a
pendant representing the cross at Monasterboice, the
whole enclosed in a carved bog oak case, with the fol-
lowing inscription :—" Presented to her Grace the
Duchess of St. Albans on her marriage as a token of
affection and esteem by the tenantry on the Newtown
Annsr estates, 1874." The gilt was accompanied by
the following address
" With feelings of sincere aff.ction and esteem we ask
permission to tender our congratulations on your maniere.
In this our humble effort we feel our words tall to express
our great joy We can only say that we °lra the genuine
and true eentimehts of warm Irish hearts, the grateful feel-
ings of a happy and contented tenantry under the fostering
care of your beloved parents. We beg your Grace's accept-
ance of the accompanying presoak as a email token of our
respect. We ask leave to offer to the Duke of At. Albans
our hearty congratulations and sanest win that both your
grace. may live a long and happy life, and although resident
In Englani rosy of ten visit the old Irish home. With
fervent prayers that God um vouchsafe to you his choicest
blinsings, we remain, &a rigned. cn behalf of the tonants7,
—WILLIAM QUELY, TRoMOS lILNT. January, 1674."
The Duke of St. Albans said in reply :

"Gentlemen, or I would rather say kind friends, I have to
expecte to you on behalf of the lady whom I have been no
f“rtunate as to make this morning my wife her appreciation
of the very kindly feeling you have evinced tossed, her and
her thank, for the beautiful and national present you have
made her on her marriage. She will always p strur
gift among her moet valued ornaments. I than you
on my own part, for if anything is wanting to prove to
ins my great good fortune to-day I should find it in
this testimony and tribute from you who have known
her from her earliest years. I was afraid when you first
heard that a daughter of &tin had been won for an English
home you would never forgive me. I can saute you, how-
ever, that it is out of my power as it is fax from my wt.& to
alienate her heart from Ireland. Our betrothal ring was an
emerald ; she liked the atone on account of Its green colour,
and when away ahe willalways remember the beautiful home
of her childhood. In her new position she will win other
hearts and fresh esteem, tut I trust on that account she will
not lose her hold on your affection. You have loved tier as
a child; you have loved her as woman growing up among
you continue to love her as the Duchess of St Albano, and
think kindly of me for her sake. I return you our heartfelt
fulsnowledgmenta.
The tenants were much impressed by the tone of the
reply, and frequently applauded. The Duchess also
expressed her thanks. After the presentation, the
wedding party, with the membere of the deputation,
were invited to the drawing-room, where the wedding
gifts f ,rmed an imposing array.
At the wedding breakfast some toasts were given,
lord Lismore, in proposing the health of the Duke and
Duchess of St. Albans, spoke in cordial terms of the
feelings which the bride had inspired. He remarked
that it was not the first time that a Duke of St. Albans
bad come to Ireland for a wife.

. _
In returning thanks the Duke of St. Albans acknow.
ledged the kindness which he experienced in this coun-
try, and gratefully responded to the appeal, "Come
back to Erin ! which he had seen inscribed on one of

the festive arches.
Mr. Gray proposed In happy terms "The Health of
Mr. and Mrs. Osborne." Mr. Osborne replied in a char-
acteristic speech, in the course of which he observed
that the Duke of St. Albans was half an Irishman, his
mother having been an Irish woman, and now he was
completely one, as he had as his better half an Irish
wife. He expressed a hope that the Duke would
not desert the country, hut come and reside in it.
No Englishman, not even Mr. Grey, who had obtained
an insight Into Irish character, could estimate fully
the warm feelings, the kindly sentiments, and honest
worth e,f the Irish people without coming in their
midst. He alluded to the presentation by the tenantry
and the gift of a pearl ring by the labourers on the
estate as touching proAs of their goodwill
Mr. Quealy, on the part of the deputation, responded
t the toast of their health.

The itniCe and Doch—the loft Newtown Anner, and
proceeded to Shambally Cantle, Clogheen, at the invi•
tation of Lord and Lady Lismore, where they will
remain for a few days before leaving for England, en
route to Nice.