The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-18
KEW PALACE.
Some Historical Notes on the Royal
 Residence soon to Be Opened to the

W
 Public.
 Although Kew Palace, which is shortly to be thrown open to the public by the desire of Her Majesty, is not an imposing building, it has a somewhat curious history, and has been so close ly identified with the life of the pres ent reigning dynasty as to be a place of historic interest. Its history reveals a phase of homely royal life which in an altered degree characterizes the present royal family. In days gone by the palace was known as the Dutch House, and seems to have been built on the site of the house known in the reign of Elizabeth as the Old Davie House, which was used as nursery for the royal children at the time that George III and his Queen lived in the Old Kew Palace opposite. It is not un- picturesque and is substantially built in the Dutch style of architecture. To explain the royal associations with Kew, we have to go back to the day of the old palace, which, under the name of White House, was in existence until the beginning of the century. In 1730 Frederick, Prince of Wales, obtained lease of that property from the Capel family, and the house was then consid- erably enlarged, decorated and re- arranged.
 1 The presence of royality brought sev- | eral distinguished residents to the neighborhood. but at that time the life of the Prince, who seemed to love the place, did not altogether please his | fathers court, and one historian nar- rates that Kew and St. James's were | then at daggers drawn" The Princes attachment for the place did not di- minish however, and it is interesting | to note that he devoted considerable attention to agricultural matters. The members of the royal family labored in the gardens themselves, and it was customary for them to press their l friends and visitors into the work of improving it. In arranging the garden the Prince had called in the services of Kent, the celebrated landscape garden CT, and in 1731 after Prince Frederick died, the Princess Dowager of Wales made further improvements, having the work superintended by Sir William Chambers. Indeed, according to E. Beresford Chancellor's History of Kew, ito this Princess was undoubtedly due l llle IlOHOE Ol ldTSSly CdITy1US lHlO Gl- feet the work begun by Lord Capel in instituting 'Physic' garden there So enthusiastic was the Princess in the matter that she planned, and in 1739 employed William Acton to carry out, the idea of an exotic garden. The pres ent Kew Gardens are, therefore, 6 per- petuation of the same idea. In 1742 the Duke of Argyle presented the Prin- cess with a fine collection of trees and shrubs that had been removed from Whitton Park, and Her Royal High ness appointed her favorite, Lord Butte, to direct all matters relating to the gardens.
 The homely old fashioned place, after the death of the Princess, in 1772, be- | came the favorite residence of her son, George H. and it is not surprising to | find that few years later he pur- chased from the Capel family the free hold of the estate so rich to him with memories of boyhood and early man. hood. Presumably the old palace was becoming to small for the require ments of the royal household, and not long after this the King began to build a castellated palace on the banks of the river, but this was regarded by contemporary opinion as a foolish pro- ject, and the "detestable building" as it was described, was demolished in 1928 by George ".
 l As already indicated when George III and his Queen lived in the old pal ace, the Dutch House was known as the Queen Lodge and also as the ''Nur- sery House." and the ground behind it was called "The Queens Garden" It was on this plot that the young Princes were initiated into the art of agriculture. They were taught to sow wheat and reap it, and not only that, but to grind it and bake the flour into bread. Indeed, Kew Palace was ty- pical English home, and the King, who adored the place, is said to have fed lived and looked like a typical English farmer. He lived for three months of the year here, and frequently visited it during the remainder of the year. It is the scene of this royal homely life
 that is to be thrown open to public in- spection. It has remained untenanted since the death of Queen Charlotte, and the custodian of it, on behalf of the
 Queen lives close by in charmingly rustic cottage. Over the doorway of this old fashioned home of royalty may