New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-02
DUSKY LADY MARY GREY.
Daughter of the Earl of Stamford
and His Hottentot Countess.

Lady Mary Grey whose impending marriage Is
announced from South Africa. is. in spite Of her
membership OF that historic house OF the British
HrisOcracy which furnished queen TO the throne
IN the person OF the Inflated Lady Jane Grey
mulstto. Her mother. the third wife OF the late
and eighth Earl OF Stamford. is a coal black hot
tentot who. previous 20 marrying him IN lSsO' oe
cupied the position OF cook and lsundreSs IN MS
household Whereas Lady Mary was born SUISSE
ouent TO the marriage. there were two other chill
dren. John and Frances. both OF them born prior
thereto
The son John a mulatto. like his sister Lady
Mary Grey narrowly escaped becoming ninth Earl
Of stanford and q peer OF the realm For, accord
inr 70 the Dutch law under which he was born. al
weinberg. IN South Africa. marriage has the eject
O, making legitimate children who have had the
misfortune TO be born prior to the legalization
az the union OF their parents. Indeed. had there
been a baronetcy instead OF a peerage at stake.
;he young mulatto would inevitably have succeeded
- his fathers honors. But with peerages st is
different There the question OF legitimacy has
70 be determined by the Committee on Privileges
q the House OF Lords. independent OF what the
courts % law may decide. Thus. for instance.
the highest courts Of the realm have repeatedly
oecreed In the go years that the sons OF the
last Earl OF Banbury. who lived in the reign Of
King Charles II and King James II. legfti-
mate. having been born in lawful wedlock But
the Committee OF Privileges OF the House Of Lords
in the days OF the Stuart kings. undUy Influenced.
81 is said by enemies Of Lady Banbury decided
that her boys were not legitimate, and accord
fnely recommended that the Crown decline to
recognize them IN the line OF succession to the
honors OF their mothers husband. Whenever the
matter has been brought before the Committee Of
Privileges OF the House OF Lords It has affirmed
this decision. IL spite Of the numerous DEGREES TO
the contrary OF the high OF law. 1t is solely
owing this that Colonel William Wallngford
Knolys elder brother OF Lord Knollys. King Ed
wards private secretary. is not to-day Earl OF
Banbury. a title which. as have said above. be-
longs 70 him by right Of legal inheritance, con-
frrned by the courts OF law, but which the Crown,
owing TO the adverse acton Of the Committee Of
Privileges OF the House OF Lords. has always re-
fused 20 recognize.
II cite this case II IS to slow that the Crown
and the courts OF law DO not always agree on the
subject OF claims peerages, and, inasmuch as no
peer can take his seat IN the House OF Lords or
cast his vote in the election OF representative
peers OF Scotland and Ireland. unless he has re-
oeived either q summons from the sovereign or
has secured the lstter's instructions 10 Lyon
King al Arms Ulster King at Arms. to add ms
name the roster OF Scotch or Irish peers, 1t is
the Crown. which advised by the Committee OF
Privileges OF the House OF Lords. has the final say
The mulatto OF the eighth Earl OF Stamford Is
legitimate. according to the law OF the Briusn
colony IN which he was born. But the COMMITTEES
OF Privileges % the House OF Lords absolutely de-
olined to recognize his Legitimacy, on the ground
that he had been born out OF wedlock, and advised
the Crown against his recogniron. Consequently
the late Queen Victoria refused 70 entertain his
~la
mons TO the late ears nephew. formerly eShool-
master in the West Indies. and who is now the
ninth Earl OF Stamford.
7 nay add that Martha Countess OF Stamford
the Hottertot widow Of the eighth earl has mar
-sed again her present husband being Peter Pie
terse a Boer. She stu. however, retains her for
rer title SO that there at the present mo-
rneut three Countesses OF Stamford-namely, the
wife % the present earl, the Hottentot countess
and the widow OF the seventh earl. popularity
- fcrS and Wpr
-5nxton It is this lady who has possession Of all
the extensive property OF the earldom OF STAN
ford which on her death VIII pass 70 the present
earl who is in somewhat straitened crcum-
stan.es
Ecf.tv LADY Stamford, before her marriage, was
known On the variety stage in London as Kitty
cox She was bold esshing. fascinating and clever
but naturally unable meet the social require
rents necessary for presentation at court She be
came the rage with clubmen. who always treated
her as she demanded TO be treated. with courtesy.
rather easily and informally perhaps. at times. but
etil with courtesy that walked the line OF respect
Indeed II tine LADY Stamford won her way TO
such an extent that her home both fl town and
country was invariably filed with the most elig1-
bic OF male guests few years after her marriage
Lady Stamford rented a box at the opera from
Mitchell The great Bond-st agent for seats at the
theatre. With Characteristic pluck she INSISTED
upon having. and for good. round sum obtained,
the sIoge" adjoining the royal box For some time
Queen Victoria did not attend, and meanwhile
night BY noblemen and well known clubmen. ms
and the stylish beauty OF the countess attracted
the attention of her majesty when at length she
did visit the opera and OF course. the question
soon arose in the royal box 70 who the fair
rleich Dor might be. The Queen then learned for
TIE FIRST time the Identity Of Lady Stamford and
the reasons which had desarred her from presenta-
on II court and she at realized that il would
never do for her. the sovereign. TO appear at the
opera with lady % the antecedents OF the beau
tfful countess n the adjoining box Court officials
tried 10 arrange the dilemma with Mitchell and
with the opera management endeavoring TO get
the peeress's box removed to another part OF the
house Every effort was made TO Induce the
countess 10 give way and to consent 70 an ex-
cra-ga Neither she nor her husband. however,
vroul5 hear % such e thing. Lady Stamford as
serted that she went TO hear the opera anc 10 see
her friends and did not care one bit whether the
Queen came or remained al home Her majesty
re~1,pon abstained from visiting the opera Tor the
essfr5er OF that season. with the result that the
r-sraee-,eut suffered very serious loss. But the
story got out and had the effect Of rendering her
la5,-sriD more saucy. more dashing and more popu-
1e- -rs, ever To-day she is a woman OF over sew
e--v has settled down into great resPectabiity'
and there is little that serves 70 recall the kitty
Cox OF olden DAYS.
The refusal OF the Canadian members Of the
a..ss,sr Boundary Commission TO sign the award
an -or -r any way affect The validity or execution
NJ the latter IL may be remembered that the much
more irnporrant Alabama award OF IS'z was not
signed bv the British member OF the Geneva ATol-
t-a-ion Tribunal. Sir Alexander Cock0lrn' tnen
LORD Chief Justice o. ENGLAND and yet that
award was put into execution. with the result
= reacefll settlement % a controversy that had
tl--cz-e-ed 20 develop into chronic difficulty be-
tween this country and Great Britain
Sir Llexanuer Cockburn drew Up an elaborate