The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-06 00:00:00

1853

Funeral of the Marchioness a

•f Londonderry,

On Saturday, the 28th ultimo, the grave closed over
all that was mortal of Frances Anne, Marchioness of
Londonderry. It is scarcely more than eight months
since the little village of Longnewton—a village inti-
mately connected with the history of the family of
Vane—presented a scene similar to that witnessed on
Saturday. We allude to the occasion of the funeral
of Lord Adolphus Vane Tempest. Cut off in the early
prime of his existence, he was buried on a bright
summer's day, in the leafy month of June, when the birds
carolled cheerfully overhead, as if mocking the grief and
sorrow that pressed on the hearts of those who followed his
remains to the grave. The death of that young noble-
man—who at one time promised to add no mean lustre
to his already illustrious family—struck deeply at the
heart of his noble mother, who had watched his public
career with peculiar feelings of delight. Eight
months ago that mother wept, as only a
loving mother can weep,, at the early death of
a favourite son ; and now the noble mourner herself is gone,
and relatives and friends grieve because she is no more. It
is sad to think that the death of Lady Londonderry was
hastened, in some degree, by the blow which smote the
family in June last in the death of Lord A. Vane Tempest.
Her ladyship's great affection for her son rendered her
grief at his death most keen and poignant; and the Mar-
chioness never recovered from the effects of that bereave-
ment. In accordance with the expressed wish of the de-
seased, the funeral was a private one. In deference to this
wish many hundreds of persons denied themselves the
melancholy privilege of attending her ladyship's burial.
Had the funeral been a public one, it is easy to imagine
what an immense concourse of persons would have been
found following in the ttack of that sad and melancholy
procession which travelled between Darlington and Long-
newka on Saturday last. Her ladyship, it will be re-
membered, died at Seaham Hall; and it was to be ex-
pected that the neighbouring town of Seaham Har-
bour—which owes its origin and prosperity to the family
of the deceased marchioness—should show, by outward
manifestations, the loss the inhabitants had sustained. Ac-
cordingly on Saturday all shops and other places of busi-
ness were closed, and business in the town, as well as at
the various collieries belonging to the late Marchioness,was
completely suspended. The flags at the-docks, at the vari-
ous public offices, and on the shipping in the docks were
half-mast high. As early as seven o'clock in the morning
the 2d Durham Artillery (Seaham Harbour), the volunteers
who were to take a part in the funeral proceedings at the
hall, mustered at the barracks, under the command of
Major Mann. Shortly before eight they proceeded, in re-
view order, to the hall, and took up a position in open
column in front. Immediately the coffin was seen to ap-
proach from the west end of the mansion, the battalion pre-
sented arms, and on the body approaching they received
it with reversed arms. Prior to this a large body of civi-
lians, numbering about three hundred, comprising the in-
fluential residents of the town and neighbour-
hood, had met in accordance with a resolution passed
at a public meeting, and proceeded to the hall to pay the
last homage of respect, arid took up their places behind the
volunteer ranks. The procession then formed, Major Mann,
Captain Dacres, Captain Smith, Captain D. Mann, Captain
Brough, and Captain Thorman, Lieut. Lindsay (of Sunder-
land), and Dr. Beatty (surgeon to the brigade), acting as
pall-bearers. The band of the brigade, playing the " Dead
March" in Saul, headed the cortege, followed by the hearse
bearing the body, which was guarded by a detachment of
volunteers on each side. Nextjin order were the officials
connected with her ladyship, then six companies of volun-
teers (about 260 in number), the residents and tradesmen
being in the rear. Mr. R. Anderson, Mr. Richard Wilson,
Mr. T. G. Shaw, and Mr. John Daglish (the deceased's
agents), followed in their private carriages. On the arrival
of the procession at the Hall Station, the volunteers wore
halted, and rested on their arms, reversed, until the body
was placed in the railway carriage, the band taking up its
position on the platform. An immense crowd of persons,
about 3,000 or 4,000, assembled in front of the hall and
along the route of the procession. On account of the great
pressure at the station, it was with some difficulty the body
could be got into the railway carriage. The train consisted
of four first-class carriages, a van, and a carriage truck.
The members of the family, with the immediate relatives
and friends of the late Marchioness, filled the four carriages.
The chief mourners were the Earl and Countess Vane, Earl
and Countess Portarlington, the Duke and Duchess of
Marlborough, Rev. F. Law and Lady Adelaide Law. The
following were also among those who occupied the car-
riages :—The Rev. A. Bethune, vicar of Seaham ; the
Rev. D. M. Cust, Incumbent of St. John's, Seaham liar•
bour ; the Rev. W. A. Scott, Incumbent of New Seaham
_ _

Mr. Shaw, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Wilson, some of the;
principal servants of the hall, and an old porter who
has been in the service of the family for forty
years, and who had been brought down from Holdernesse
House to attend the funeral. Eight of the officers of the
volunteer corps also accompanied to officiate as pall bearers.
The volunteers marched from the station headed by their
band playing through the town, and were dismissed at the
drill shed. At the north and south batteries minute guns
were fired from 1 until 2 o'clock. The train left the station
a few minutes after 9 o'clock for Sunderland, whence it

proceeded via the dock coal line to the PensherbranCh, and
so on to the main lino for Darlington. The train•reached
Darlington at ten minutes to 11 o'clock. Outside the sta-
tion a largo and eager crowd was assembled. A number
of gentlemen were awaiting the arrival of the train at
Darlington, among whom we noticed the Right Hon. J.
R. Mowbray, M.P. for the city (the hon. gentleman having
left London on the previous evening) ; the Rev. G. T.
Fox, incumbent of St. Nicholas, Durham, of which
church Lady Londonderry had the patronage; the
Rev. Edward Sneyd, late Vicar of St. Oswald's,
and one of the Minor Canons of Durham Cathedral (who
had been in almost daily attendance on her ladyship dur-
ing her illness, and in whose ministrations she took great
interest) ; William Henderson, Esq., Durham ; F. D. John-
son, Esq., Aykley Heads, Durham ; the Rev. Francis
Thompson, incumbent of St. Giles, Durham (his living
having been in the gift of Lady Londonderry, who ap-
pointed Mr. Thompson to the incumbency); Joseph Dodds,
Esq., Stockton (who for many years acted as legal adviser
to her ladyship) ; F. Mewburn, jun., Esq, Darlington, &c.,
&c. After a short delay the coffin was removed from the
railway van to the hearse ; and the mourning coaches hav-
ing received their occupants, at a quarter past 11 the cor-
tege was on its way along the road to Longnewton. In
_ .• . _

passing through Darlington, although we heard not the
toll of the passing bell, we saw the bowed and sorrowful

look of the crowds of individuals, who, thus brought into
such close proximity with the trappings of death, failed
not to show that a subdued and solemn feeling had for a
time at least taken possession of their minds. The follow-

ing is the order of procession from the Darlington station:—
First Mourning Coach—Major Mann, Captain Mann,
Captain Smith, Captain Brough.
Second Mourning Coach— Captain Thorman, Captain
Dakers, Lieutenant Lindsay, Dr. Beatty.