The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-06-27 00:00:00

THE CLAIMS of the PRINCESS OLIVE

The celebrated case of Carves V. the Attorney-General, in
which, it will be recollected, the plaintiff claims to be the
granddaughter of the late Puke of C 1111 l berland, came on
for hearing in the House of Lords on Monday morning.
This appeal, which has now become a revise relebre,
is from the Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes.
The plaintiff (a lady between 70 and 8(1 years of age,
who conducted her own case) claims to be the lawtul
heir to the Crown of England, as lineal descendant of
the Duke of Cumberland, the son of George the
Second, and by her petition of appeal complains of
that part of the decree of the court hi-low which
declares that Olive Serves was not the legitimate
daughter of the Duke of Cumberland, and that there
was no valid marriage between the Duke and Olive
Wilmot. In 1861 a decree of the Divorce Court was
obtained establishing the marriage of John Thomas
De Selves and Olive his wife (the appellant's parents),
and that she was the legitimate issue of such marriage.
Olive Serres, it Appears, shortly alter the death of
George 111., and being, as she then believed, the legiti-
mate daughter of the youngest brother of his Majesty,
assumed the honour, title, and dignity of a princess ,if
the bloisl 11oyal, styling herself, "Her Royal Highness
Olive, Princess of Cumberland," adopting the Royal
arms, Sm. The Princess was honourably acknowledged, it
is contende 1, by William IV. when Duke of ( larence,
and by the Dukes of Kent and Sussex, though at the
time the Duke of Cambridge did not acknowledge her,
but subsequently his Royal Highness, it appears, was
perfectly satisfied. The appellant states that in 1820
and 1821 the late Duke of Sussex paid the Princess a
visit at her residence and after inspecting certain
documents in the appellant's presence, expressed him-
self satisfied at the genuineness of the sign manual of
the king (his father) to some of those documents, an well
as that of his brother, the Duke of Kent. That Alr.
lames Bourdillort (who for many years was the con-
fidential adviser of the appellant's brother, but who is
now deceased) had many interviews with the Duke of
Clarence, when certain documents were again sub-
mitted to him for inspection, when he expressed his
satisfaction with the signatures, but for certain
reasons, which he then stated, he said he could not
approach his brother, George IV., on the subject.
In September, 1820, however, King George IV. in
council, issued his command that the certificate
which proved the marriage of the Duke of Cumber-
land and Olive, his wife, and the certificate of the
Princess Olive's birth should be authenticated. Lord
Sidmouth, then Secretary of State, informed Mr.
Bell, the princess's counsel, of his Majesty's com-
mand, and the proofs required were accordingly, with-
out loss of time, obtained and authenticated. Sub-
sequently Mr. hot house (Under Secretary of State)
wrote the following letter to Mr. Bell : "Mr. Hob-
house presents his compliments to Mr. Bell, and has
the honour to acquaint him that the petition of his
client will be taken into considerat: to-morrow.
Whitehall, January 23, 182 E" The appellant further
says that on one occasion, when all were assembled
for dinner at the residence of the Princess M
Alfred-place, Mr. Bell drove up, and on coming
into the drawing-room said he was glad the
princess had not dined, as he meant to claim
a knife and fork, having earned the same, and parti-
' --vs he had to imunicatv

well organized was the limo. _ .
m '
who came to hear front hearing, teat the cries followed each-
cularly from the good news he had to commun.,—
other in regular succession—the fugleinan near the platform which wag that the King (George IV.) had been
being a person who recently distinguished himself at St. graciously pleased to acknowledge her Highness in
James's Ball in connection w ith a pro- Irish Church IneetMg. Privy Council that day as Prines of Cumberland,
sir John Lubbock stilt stood on the d
th shout and unter-shouts front
rew of the pd latform, only leoitimate daughter of his late smcle, Henry
an as e s co g louer, air.
alderman Roe went up to the Lord Nlayor, and having mid Frederick, re --
Duke of Cumberland, and that he had
something to his lordship the latter came forward, and did all ceived olders to find a suitable residence for her until
a man could to get the worthy baronet a minute's hearing. a permanent one could be fixed upon. Also that pe-
II e might as well hive endeavoured to carry the Guildhall on cuniary means would beat once placed at her ctutumand,
hi+ shoulders and place it in the Cannon-street railway bridge. and as much expedition made in such arrangements
sir John Lubbockagain was iiwt witrepeated
Pr"— N Bih the following, among otherble as the dull forms iif office would admit of He had
ci les, aga in and opey " o
also brought a silver drinking cup, having on it the
burning "--" Down with the Pope "—" Go away. You
Jesuit "—" We won't have you, you Jesuit "--.. You are arms of the Princess, which he would take the liberty
coining here to tell us more lies, just as you of suggesting its being filled with wine, that all might
did at Blackheath "—" We won't hear you "—." Go drink long bfe, health, and prosperity to her Royal
to your mud, Sir John Gray." Sir J. Lubbock spoke Highness and the appellant, which was complied with,
to the reimrters, and good-humoureilly bore the volleK all rejoicing at the gratifying termination of Mr. Bell's
of catcalls and shouts with which he was assailed. t 'thong ; , ^ '
Bite whole proceedings n ere one of duinh show, Sir .101 in labours on behalf of his client. The evening party, it
moved the first resolution. Then Mr. Sherirf M•Attliur Caine appeared, passed most agreeably. Mr. Bell had the
forward to second the remlation, and as he gave sante household of the Princess formed on the same plan as
statistics with reference to the Church in Ireland, loud the rest of the Royal Family, and which had been
crie. of " Did the rebel Gray Mve you pair indent" met inm. written under the Instruction of Lord Sidtnouth.
Tie worthy sheriff wits not to he daunted, and on Ile went, The next day the appellant and a Mr. Dickenson
and finished his speech, amid a volley of hisses groans, cat-
calls, and all sorts of discordant noises. At this juncture a applied to different housekeepers for cards of
sipiai was hoisted in the body of the hall—a sort ibf . lacer houses adapted for the purpose required, and several
cruciform one—and as soon as it was raised :shove the heads were submitted to the Princes.. Instead, however, of
of the crowd a deafening shout anise, and simultaneously being enabled to decide upon any plans, as had been
wilh it Mr. Greig stepped Mrward and propose(' the Mllow- arranoed, Mr. Bell withdrew from the sicene altogether,
ing amendment: •• That this meeting is of opinion that i ° .•
the attack on the Irish branch of the Coned Caurch of aim totany disappeared from Alfred-place. It wan
England and Ireland endangers the supremacy of the nit until many years afterwards that Mr. Bell's widow
Crown, and the Protestant institutions of the country, (then 'Mrs. Johnson) informed her medical attendant
anti the rights of private property, and, therefore, does (Mr. Hooper) that she hail papers of the utmost im-
not meet with the approval of the citizens lif London." It ' portanee to restore relating to this matter. 'rhe
was quite evident V•at, although the mover's appearance at : appellant accordingly, with Mr. ll:Asper and his wife,
the front of the platform was heralded by tremendous h ceer- • s
jag, or rather bellowing, the " Constitutional arty"p were , waited on Mr. Johnson, who informed them that the
not perfectly trained to their work, because, although Mr. ' rettoon why Mr. Bell stopped no suddenly was his
Greig supplemented the amendment by a short speech, not a having been handsomely remunerated for his services,
wont of it could be heard, so vigorously did the friends of but he did not live long to enjoy the same. It seas the
the Establishment shout Min itows. A friend of the cause, Duke of York, said the dying lady, who had been the
however, hit upon an
mistake and the the amen
expedient which would pent Alderman revent further cause rrf the brooused arran sements not being carrisid
, save brooder uf tl . v • .. . .
Sir NV. Rose from the undeserved fate of the mover. A out, being personally atraut of the princess's conning
piece of pasteboard, having printed on it the word forward with other papers touching himself and family,
" Amendment," was passed along until it reached Sir William, . and therefore was determined to prevent any assistance
who doubled it round his chest, displaying the word to being shown by his brother, the king, or the ministry.
the meeting. There was no mistake this time. Cheer fob The princess was subsequently arrested upon a pro-
lowed cheer, funl "No Popery " chorused with "church and missory note nut in bail, and pleaded to the actitm
State." But ju-t as the All an taketed with " Amend. ' . v
ment " was acknowledging a last shout of applause ere he that—as a member of the Royal family—she was
atireased the hired howlers, Mr. Edmund Beaten, M. A., the Isrivileged from arrest. the,
legal proceedings
president of the Reform League. ritshed forward anal at- . followed, when, in the year 1822, the a pellant's
tempted to seize the placard with which the Alderman was mother, being in the rules of the Fleet, wan released
swathed. DI a moment the utmost confusion prevailed. Mr. : as Princess of Cumberland from the rules of the King's
Berees
gry and Alcollit t,i Th [s
immaa dr Willad M iam Rose were in immediate
Bench by writ from the Crown Office. In the same
and antal. e ayor thought it pthtlent to
year an unavailing effort was made in the then! reroga-
rise from his chair, and as Ile received several punches, un-
intentionally dealt, in the rills, the heavy gold chain of tire Court of Canterbury for a grant of proltste of the
office rattled as he shook and shook again. It was not a will of King George 111., lxiqueathing to Olive, Isis
regular set-to hetween any couple that took place, limit for : brother of Cumberland's daughter, the anon of £15,000.
the moment is general o.itl, ensued. Mr. Beales was The Court was moved to grant its monition, requir-
struek lw tlie Alderman. anti Mr. Beale's hat WM battered 1
in by the mover of the axitendment. V. . ing the proctor of his Majesty King George 1%. to
the platform armed with an itin !well as'r3or stick I show cause why the paper then propounded should
made a ilentonstration with either, most of them certainly I not take probate, but this was refused. The mother
acting on the defensive. Reporters pocketed their notes of the appellant died in 1834, and was buried
with amazing alacrity, and. to say truth, one ttr two ran off i in St. James's, Piccadilly, as Princess of Cum-
as fast as their legs would carry theta The tight for place— I berland, by sanction of the Home Office, and was
etween M
the front of the platform—wage Alderman ith Vllrying
eventually fortune ; •
i registered by that ti,lle. The appellant then in
br. Beales and the , d w
and both
disappeared amid a storm id groans, cheers, hisses, and proceedings in I hanory against the Duke of
uproar. A man im the platform seized the plaeard—the i Wellington as surviving executor of George the Fourth,
innocent cause of all the row—and. Hinging it into the hodY praying an account of the legacy of 1:15,000. To that
ttf the hall, struck a gentleman on the stunts with its edge, Lill the Duke of Wellington put in a general demurrer
drawing the blood at tub*. But all this time the Lord for want of equity, and the demurrer was allowed.
Nlayor, thll ough ma of the chair, was on the platform, and ,„a
app
ellant sass afterwards advised that under
in the ha w. a large force of police. Not a policeman -. °
stirred, or was ordered to stir, and, were it not for the good i the Legitimacy Declaration Act, 1858, she could only
sense of the gentlemen on the platform, who of themselves in the first instance proceed to prove herself to be the
net matters straight, the " Constitutional party" in the asdy : legitimate child of her parents, and establishing
of the hall and reserved seats would have had an opportu- such legitimacy. she would then be in a position,
nity of possessing themselves of valuable mementoes of the on further petition to the Court for Divorce and
great struggle, in the shape ttf watches and purses, which
w Ma.trimonial Causes, to establish her descent After
do not every day lie in their way. It is pleasant to kno
that Mr Beales and Sir W. Rose, when the heat of the a lapse of years a petition was presented to that
moment passed, understood each other, and that no tin' Court, and in a trial of the issues it was decreed in
pleasant feelings remain in the minds of either. 1866, "that the said Olive Serres was not the legiti-
mate dauchterof His Royal Highneas Henry Frederick
Duke of Cumberland, and that there was no valid
marriage between Inn: awl Olive W Moot." Certain
issues were, however, in favour of the petitioner. On
the motion of her 'Ala jesty's then Attorney-General
certain documents produced at the trial were ordered
to be impounded.
The appellant, who appeared in person, was about
to miter into the facts of the ease, when the Attorney-
General said that there was a preliminary objection
taken on behalf of the respondent, that as the appellant
liad not tendered a bill of exceptions to the ruling of
the learned Judge at the trial, nor moved for a new
trial, an appe:d to that House from the decision of the
Court below would not lie.
The Lord Chancellor observed that the appellant
must argue that point in the first place.
Mr,,. RyVOS a,kerl whether their Lordships refused
to hear her argue the case.
Lord Chelmsford remarked that it was very unfortu-
nate that the appellant had not allowed counsel to
argue the preliminary for her, as it was a technical
one, with which it was impossible she could be
...

INIr. Ileales bag also wiitten to say that the preceding
account, as far as regar Is himself, is not quite accurate. Ile
says—" is hell the affair of the amendment occurred, I
considered L. advisalite to protest against what appeared to
Tile to be a trick, and I pressed on towards the front of the
plAtforin for this purpose. On nearly reaching the front, I
Alderman Sir W. Rose putt out his hand, or, as some assert, '
struck ad me. to put me back and the Lord Mayor also
rattler warmly alai bodily assisted to prevent my further
advance and attempt to address the meeting. Uniler these
circumstances, rather than continue the fracas, I returned
to my former place. My hat, instead of being battered in,
received no damage whatever ; nor was ally light waged try
me, unless what I have described lie a fight. SullsmiumitlY,
forth Sir W. Rose and the Lord Mayor, who requested to see
me in the Chamberlain's office for that purpose, expressed to
me, in courteous and apologetic terms, their regret at what
had occurred on their part.".l

familiar.
The Lord Chancellor, in giving judgment, said this
was a case in which their Lordships could only express
their regret that the appellant had not put herself in
the hands of some legal adviser, because, had she done
so, even at the risk if some expense, she would have
saved herself the very considerable expense which she
had incurred in bringing the present appeal, which the
moment it was opened was stopped by a preliminary
rAije,tion which it was impossible to disregard.
The appeal Wag brought upon a matter of fact
which had been determined by a verdict of a jury, and
every one of the eight roarons contained in the al,-
pellanCs case went to show that the verdict of tho
jury upon the question submitted to them was
erroneous. As the appellant had neglected to take
the proper and ordinary legal steps to set aside that
verdict. their Lordships could not entertain the pre-
sent appeal, which must therefore be dismissed with

costs. -
Lord Cranworth, Lord Chelmsford, and Lord
rolonsay having concurred, the appeal was dismissed
with costs.