Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-21
GROWING A KING
Arrangements for Coronation
of George V of England.
COMMISSION BEGINS WORK
Task of Passing on Claims of Per-
sons to Participate.
CURIOUS FUNCTIONS TO FILL
Rivalry for Honor Of Carrying the
''Great Spurs of King
Richard II.
COMMISSION BEGINS WORK
CURIOUS FUNCTIONS TO FILL
BY WILLIAM T.. CERIIS.

BY WILLIAM +. CURTIS
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
A commission has been appointed in
London to consider the claims of per-
sons who wish to take part in the pageant
that will attend the coronation of their
most sacred majesties, King George V
and Queen Mary, his consort, at West
minister Abbey, June %, 1911" The
commission is presided over by his grace,
the Duke Of Norfolk, who in his quality
of earl marshal of England has charge
of the preparations and arranges all of
the details of the program.
The commission this time has a COM
paratively easy task, because most of the
claims that will be submitted were heard
and decided at the time of the coronation
of Edward VII only ten years ago, and
at a recent sitting a general rule was
adopted that IF a claim was admitted
in 19O1-O2, all that is required from the
petitioner is a short formal petition with
out appearance). stating that he is the
same petitioner, and that the petition was
allowed in the year 19O1-O2 in order that
there may be record
Presumably the reverse of this PROPOSE
tlOn also HOIuS Soo0, anu ciAlHlS lndl
were refused on their merits in 19O1-O1
will be rejected for the next coronation
unless new material facts be submitted
to sustain them.
Character of Claims.
The following will illustrate the char
acter of the claims that are presented:
The Dean and Chapter of Westminster
To instruct the king and the queen in the
rites and ceremonies of the coronation,
and to assist the Archbishop of Canter-
bury in the performance thereof. to re-
tain the robes and ornaments Of the coro-
nation in the vestry, and TO nave GER
tain allowances and fees.
The Bishop of Durham-To support his
majesty at the coronation and to have
certain privileges.
The Bishop Of Bath and Wells-To sup
port his majesty at the coronation and
have certain privileges.
The Duke Of Argyll-To carry the rod
or baton of his Office of heritable master
Of his majesty's household of Scotland.
Henry Scrymgeour Wedderburn = To
carry the royal standard of Scotland IN
the procession.
Walker trustee-To be present as hered-
itary usher of the white rod
The Earl of Shrewsbury-To carry a
white wand as symbol OF his ONCE OF
lord high steward of Ireland and to be
nation in that capacity.
Earl of Errol-To walk in the procession
as lord high constable of Scotland and to
carry silver baton.
Duke of Newcastle-To provide glove
for the kings right hand and to support
his majesty's right arm while he is hold
ing the scepter.
The barons Of the cinque ports-To
bear the canopies over the head of the
king within Westminster. and to be as
signed station therein in attendance
upon the king and queen.
The clerk OF the crown-To be allowed
to be present to record the proceedings
in the abbey and to have a suitable place
assigned to him for the performance of
that duty: that the registrar of the privy
council may be associated with him, and
that lie may be supplied with five yards
of scarlet cloth, according to ancient
usage.
The Earl of Carrington-To perform the
duties and services Of lord high chamber
lain to the king and to receive all fees,
profits, etc. belonging thereto.
Adolph G. Maskell-To exercise the du-
ties of lord great chamberlain to the
queen on her coronation and to receive
all fees, profits. ETC., belonging thereto.
Duke of kOxburghe-To bear the sacred
staff of Edward the COMPRESSOR in the pro-
cession.
The lord mayor of London-to attend
the king within Westminster Abbey
during the coronation and bear the crys-
tai mace.
James Thorne Roe de Morley-to bear
the royal standard of England in the
procession.
Lord Grey de Ruthyn, the Earl of Lou
doun and Lord Hastings have each claim
ed the right to carry the great spurs of
the king. and Lord Hastings puts in a
second claim for the right to carry the
great sword.
Denied at Edwards Coronation.
James Thorne Roe de Morley applied
for the privilege of bearing the royal
standard of England at the coronation
of Edward VII. but was denied that
honor on the ground that he had no title
to it.
The hereditary prerogative of carrying
in the procession at the ceremony of the
coronation the great golden spurs worn
by Richard II originally belonged to the
Earl of Pembroke, from which it was
taken away in 1855 and given to Lord
Grey de Ruthyn. At the coronation of
George ~ the spurs were carried by
Lord Calthorpe, and at Queen Victoria S
coronation by Lord Byron, the cousin
and heir of the poet The reasons fer the
assignment Of this honor to the gentle
man named are not given. but their heirs
all entered claims at the coronation of
King Edward, and his majesty person
ally, when informed of the dispute, Sus-
gested that the three draw lots for the
privilege. AS they refused to do so, he
instructed the commission to confer the
honor upon the Earl of Loudoun. and that
gentleman will undoubtedly be confirmed
in the right by the present commission.
There is long list of claims. including
the names of nearly all the members of
the peerage. There is a great deal of
rivalry for places in the procession and
for souvenirs of the event. which have
been granted by previous kings to their
favorite and have been inherited by the
great families of the kingdom.
Champion Will Not Challenge.
There is good deal of nonsense and
fiummery at coronations. and those VINO
have no reverence for antiquities COM
plain and criticise because so much time
and money is wasted in the recognition
of ancient rites and rituals But there is
a deep-rooted sentiment among the peo-
pie of England. which protects these
forms from those who would abolish
them. One of the most ancient customs,
however. which was omitted at the coro-
nation of Edward VII and will probably
be omitted at this time, was the public
challenge of the kings champion" an
attendant of his majesty, appointed in
the middle ages for the purpose of re-
sisting with force any attack that might
be made upon the title or the honor of
bic royal pnaStar SI,ch fbippc Wora do.