New-York tribune., 1909-10-29
HEIRESS SOUGHT
Royal Beqnest for Mary With
mgtOn, SOme1chere an america.

copyright, 1909. by'the Brentwood Coronany,
II Mary Elizabeth Wilmington. who was
porn In October, 1873, as the only child of
S"iiies Withington's second marriage. to
SuSa'iiah Emma Brand can be found In
''4S country or Canada-she has been
sousht Tor In vain in England-she would
w wen 10 communicate with the LAWYERS
re'ch q Co.. Of Bedford Row, London. w.
- without delay. For she viii find that
she Is entitled TO pension from the Brit
iSH Nro"h OF $3.50 n year. with the accumu-
lallohs of about four decades, which men,
SION was bestowed upon her ancestor,
hlchard Penderel in perpetuity, by Charles
II lor having saved him from Cromwell's
Noundheads after his disastrous defeat at
Ihe hattle of Worcester in 1851
Charles, while fleeing from the scene Of
the conflict, hotly pursued by the enemy,
stumbled across Richard Penderel, owner
OF the farm OF Boscobel, who concealed
hiih IN one of the old oak trees of the
IafIn Charles was effectually hidden in
the now historic oak. After the Restora-
uon the King bestowed a pension of $500 a
year In perpetuity upon honest Richard
rendered." in token OF gratitude for hav-
ing hidden him in the Boscobel oak, and
for subsequently having enabled him to
ty. Richard had only one son. Thomas,
and this son had an only daughter, who
married man of the name of Thornbury.
The grandson of Mary Penderel and Thorn
bury died without male issue, but leaving
two daughters, one of them, Mary who
married Robert McLaren, and the other,
Winifred, who married William Withing
ton. The perpetual pension was divided
between the two. each receiving $3.50
year 80
One of the now living eo-annuitants Rob
ert McLaren, is an old cab driver, long
past work. who number of years ago
sold his life interest in the pension, which
does not therefore benefit him in any way.
The other moiety of the pension has re-
mained unpaid for nearly half a century
and should have gone to James Withing
ton, the descendant of Winifred Thorn
bury's marriage to William wilmington.
All trace of this James Wilmington had
been lost, and it was only with the utmost
difficulty and trouble that, after a long
search, the lawyers finally succeeded the
other day in establishing his death by
drowning in the River Avon, the certificate
OF his death being on file at Somerset
House, in London.
1t is his only child. namely, Mary Eliza
DCAAi w NlNllltlS lOH, OF w VINO is
now being sought. She would now be
thirty-six years old, and as no record of
her marriage or death can be found at
Somerset House, and as moreover, she
has been sought everywhere in vain in the
United Kingdom, it is assumed that, if
Still alive, she is somewhere in America
or in Canada, as it is known that her
father spent some time in the United
States, to which he came for the first
time in 1860 If it can be proved that this
Mary Elizabeth Wilmington is no longer
in existence, and that she left no Iegiti-
mate issue, then old McLaren as the
survivor Of the two co-annuitants. will be
entitled to the Wilmington share, as we'll
as to all the arrears, which would place
him in affiuence for the remainder of his
days.
The presumption is. however, that Mary
Elizabeth Wilmington is still alive, and it
is quite possible that if she is married in
this country the British Crown may yet
be called upon to pay a pension to an
American citizen and to his descendants
In perpetuity for the concealment Of
Charles II in the Boscobel oak from the
Roundheads after the battle of Worcester,
more than two hundred and fifty years
ago.