The San Francisco call., 1905-08-28
PEOPLE
ARE HIS GUESTS
Taplow Court, the Home of
Noted English Sportsman,
Fayorite Haunt of King
Special Dispaech TO The can:

LONDON. Aug. 27.-Taplow Court the
fine country residence Of w. H. GrenfelI.
is by all odds the most famous week
end house in Great Britain. Here will
lie" Grenfell, as the wealthy sportsman
is known among his intimates, has enter
tained practically all the clever and dis
tinguished people in society. but perhaps
the residence is most notable as the ia
vorite- Saturday to- Monday resort OF
that connoisseur of agreeable entertain
ment-King Edward VII.
Since the King became a convert to the
modern fashionable custom of weekend
migrations from town during the summer
season he has paid more flying visits to
Taplow Court than to any other of the
legion of country residences that are
freely placed a his disposal. Standing in
fine park on the brow of an eminence
at Maidenhead, commanding fine view
of the Thames, Windsor Castle and the
picturesque country round about, it is an
ideal spot for a royal holiday. AS far
back as the days Of King Harold last of
the Saxon Kings, il was the site of a
nobleman's seat. In later days it has
been the home of the Earls of Orkney,
OF Cork and Orrey, the Lords Hanson
and Fitzmaurice and Viscount Kirkwall.
1t was from the estate of the latter that
the property was purchased by the pres
erit owner. The place is rich in historic
associati tions. It served .as the prison of
Elizabeth during the reign of her sister,
bloody Queen Mary and in the park
is a 1ourishing oak which was planted by
Queen Elizabett's own hands. The house
has been reconstructed from the old
manor, which was built in the sixteenth
century. and subsequent additions within
and without have brought It thoroughly
up-to-date.
Attractive as is the place itself it is
chiefly the delight he finds in the society
of it's host and hostess that takes his
Majesty so frequently TO it. Mr.. Grenfell
is one of those good fellows as the
vague but expressive phrase goes, whom
the King likes better than any other type
of man. Though sprung from the great
banking family of Grenfells. he has de-
voted himself to sport rather than TO
finance, content. as far as the latter goes,
with the big income he gets from his in
telests III the firm He is the beau ideal
of English athleticism, and has managed
10 cram a great deal into his fifty years
of life At Harrow he played in the
eleyer. and then he went up to Baliol, and
not only rowed in the Oxford eight for
two years. but was also the first string
for Oxford in the three miles at the
university sports, and was president of
both the athletic and the boat clubs.
Thereafter he developed into mighty
1irnrod In India and the Rockies, climbed
the. high Alps and swan twice across
Niagara below the falls. 49,. - - : Z z
Perhaps his most remarkable exploit
WAS has row across the channel as. stroke.
of an eight. Every man in the crew was
provided with q Jam pot and when the
water broke over the sides of the boat
the eight pots were diligently piled to
bail IL out The journey was fatiguing
but successful.
Grenfen displayed something of the
same versatility in politics. He began as
private secretary to the late Sir William
Harceurt and first stood for the royal
borough of Windsor as a Liberal. Now
he sits as a Conservative for High
Wycombe and is an ardent believer in
chamberlain's scheme of tariff reform.
He has written about many things. from
master. TO the less appreciated science of
binetallism- He is equally popular in
social, political and athletic circles.
Mrs. Grenfell., who is co-heiress to the
Barony of Butler. was known as "the
beautiful Miss Fame" before her mar
riage. and is one of the most intellectual
members Of the world of fashi6n, taking
an equal Interest IN literature and in art
Her success as country house hostess
has passed into a preverb Any one who
has to entertain the King for the first
time always Appliesfto Mrs Willfe"s for
points. She and her husband are the
most good natured couple In society So
frequently has their handsome mansion
been loaned TO newly welded folk that 1t
has been nicknamed Honeymoon Hall"