The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-08
Lady Hanover
Dies at Ninety=Four.
Morlen Writes an Interesting Sketch
Of the Life.Work of the Great Lady.

him, ''Gofynwch am ffydd, amynedd. a
nerth mi. I'm dal don brofedgaeth
au." (Ask for faith. patience, and
strength for me: to sustain me under
temptation.)
Most Enthusiastic Woman ~ the Age.
Lady Hanover was the most enthu-
siastic Welshwoman OF modern times,
and she carried her predictions for
Things TO point that earned for her
the reputation Of being an eccentric
nationalist. She was a strong advo-
cate OF the preservation of the Welsh
language. and never tired OF urging
Weishmen not to allow their mother
tongue To become extinct. She was also
strong believer In total abstinence.
ana had the greatest faith In homeoe-
pathy. believing that the medical fra
tefnity were more a curse than a bless
ing 10 mankind. In order to remove the
facilities for drinking among the people
who surrounded her she bought up all
the public houses on her estate and con-
verted the buildings into coffee taverns.
and their names into Welsh. calling the
Nag's Head Pen Ceffyl." the Blue Bell
mouthshire residence old Welsh GUS
toms were regularly and religiously OBJ
served. Whenever guest visited tho
house she addressed her words Of wei.
come In the Welsh language. and the
visitors We're waited upon by servants
all dressed in the Welsh costume. "Old
Griffith" Lady Llanovers well-known
Welsh harpist. was familiar figure
with his triple Welsh harp. He occu-
pied the position Of harpist to her lady
ship for over forty years. and taught
the servants to play upon the instru.
ment. Hanover really partoOk Of the
nature Of a Welsh colony during her
ladyship's life. To all the servants
were attached distinctive Welsh appel
lations. usually indicating the town or
village from which they came. For in
stance. John Jones, the woodman. who
came from Carmarthen, would no
longer be known as John Jones" once
he had entered the service Of Lady
Hanover. but would be addressed by
the title of "Blaen Blodau." A young
man from Pentyrch. who acted al un-
der-agent. was always referred to by
her ladyship as "Blaen Briallu." An
other agent on the estate. who hailed
from North Wales. was called Coed
Moelfach." This practice did not stop
there. however. for two Of Lady Liam
overs favorite horses were known by
the Welsh names Of "Cymro Bach"
and "Cymro Mawr." In spite OF her
CymrO Mswr and Cymro Bach.
eccentricities--if they could be called
such-hOwever, the deceased lady had a
warm heart and charitable disposition.
food and clothing to the poor. and an
nually gave to the male who gained the
highest rumber of marks at the SUM-
day schools red shirt. which she al
ways labelled "crys coch," and to the
girl who succeeded in like manner she
presented ''cochel goch." or red cloak.
She endowed two Methodist chapels-
one at Abercarn and the other at Liam
over-notw6thstand the fact Sthat
she was ChurchwOman. and she had
day school at Hanover. In which she
always had Welsh taught. and distrib-
uted prizes to those who made the most
progress in the study of the language.
The eisteddfodau had no more staunch
supporter than the deceased, and forty
years ago or more she took prominent
part In promoting the movement which
resulted In the establishment Of the
well known Abergavenny eistedd-
fOdau. She was on the most friendly
terms with the queen and members OF
the royal family. and often had audi
ence OF her majesty. For the last
twenty years Lady Hanover had prac-
tically withdrawn from public life.
She visited her London residence once
a year. and before returning to Liam
over used to spend a fortnight's holi-
day at Bath. In all her letters ad-
dressed from London "Monmouthshire.
South Wales" as she always insisted
upon Monmouthshire being regarded as
q Welsh county.
Lady Hanover was a great patroness
Of Welsh literature. One of those who
benefited largely by her acquaintance
ship with her was "Ieuan Gwynedd."
who edited "Y Gymraes." the first
magazine for women in Wales. The
periodical failed. but Lady Hanover
stood by "Ieuan." and helped him
through his pecuniary difficulties. But.
more than that, she was an authoress
of some distinction. and published sew
eral volumes on local archaeology and
Welsh folk lore. and proved very help
full to Mr.. Wirt-Sykes when he was
writing his books on Wales. She also
edited the biography of her relative,
Mary Grenville (Mrs. Delaney, who
died in 1888. She did much to bring
Welsh music into prominence.
She was the life and soul Of the Welsh
Manuscript Society at its start and
for many years after, and took immense
interest in the preservation Of Welsh
writings. 1t was owing to this that
Lady Charlotte Guest was enabled to
get Welsh copy Of the "Mabinogion."
which she subsequently translated into
English.
A large volume Of interesting reml-
niscences could be written OF Lady
Hanover. She was always regarded
especially by those who knew her inti-
mately as possessing considerable
force as we'll as originality of character.
and though in some things she seemed
she was doing everything from her heart
and with only one object-the good of
her countrq. She kept to the last at
Hanover House and on her estates the
ancient Cymric language, manners. and
customs, as far as II was by any means
possible to do so. Her efforts In refer
ence to Welsh services in the churches
are well known. and she and her Illus
trious husband were warm supporters
of the eisteddfod half q century ago,
and some of the Abergavenny eistedd-
fods are memorable in the annals OF
Welsh history. The late Mr.. Brinley
Richards truly said once that the name
Of Lady Hanover had not only a charm
for the Welshman's ear. but fame far
wider than .he borders OF Wales.
Speaking of her labors on behalf of
Wales. the late Lord Aberdare. AZ the
National Eisteddfod at Cardiff In 1888,
said: I'VE all know with what inten-
sity of feeling Lady Hanover devoted
herself to the interests of Wales. and
how that has been felt in the cultivation
of national music. literary culture. and.
more still, in arousing a strong spirit Of
When In Cardiff at that
time she was the guest OF the Mar1uess
~ puto ord b;s Iordship got I'm a Welsh
concert in honor of the visit. to which
he also invited number Of leading
and large company Of the
families to meet the distin-
guished guest. In the midst of the pro-
ceedings Lord Butte delivered an ad.
dress, in the course Of which he said
that her ladyship was q competitor at
the eisteddfod which was held In
the Castle in 1884, and carried off the
prize for the best Welsh essay on THE
of the Welsh Language and
~ n,o,o,,.atinp of the National Cos