Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1912-12-25
Famous People
Named Christmas

Christmas is an old fashioned Eng
lish family name, especially in Surrey
and Cambridgeshire, andlzAny people
bearing it have achieved taioe in one
direction or another.
Fer instance, there was Gerard
Christmas, the famous carver of stat
uary, who fiourished in the early part
of the seventeenth century. He de-
signed Aldersgate and carved with his
own hands the richly ornamented por-
tai of Northumberland House, a IA
niliar object to the older generation
of living Londoners.
His chief energies, however, were
directed toward ornamenting and
beautifying the ships of the royal ma
w, and the highly decorative style he
originated was continued right down
to the middle of the last century,
when iron superseded oak in the con-
struction of battleships.
At his death his two sons, John
Christmas and Matthias Christmas,
whom he had brought up to his art,
succeeded him as official carvers to
the lords of the admiralty and WORTH
ly carried ON the work he had SO well
begun.
Every one interested in coins and
coinage is familiar with the name Of
Henry Christmas, the eminent numis-
matist, who died in 1868. Besides
being a fellow of the Royal society
and of the Society OF Antiquaries, he
was for many years honorary secre
IS IN
whose publications he contributed
largely. He also wrote and published
large number of religious and his
torical works.
John William Christmas ("Jean of
the Iron Hand'O was one Of the most
famous Of the many English adven-
turers who during the French revolu-
tionary disturbances Of 1901 fought on
the losing side.
Joining the Chouans or royalist in
surgents of Brittany, he soon made
his mark and was intrusted with the
conduct Of division by George Ca
doudal, their supreme commander
Later on, when Cadoudal, disguised
with the dissensions Of his highborn
which no aristocrat was permitted to
hold command, Christmas was forced
10 resign with the rest. He was, how.
ever reinstated on his pointing out
that he was not as had all along been
supposed, of noble lineage. but was. on
the contrary, the son of a south of
England peasant.
Thence onward he acted as CadOu
dals adjutant general and did splendid
service against the royalist forces until
January, 1893, when he had the mis-
fortune to be taken prisoner. He was
shot at daybreak on the morning fol-
lowing his capture.
Noel is, of course. only another form
of the word Christmas, and of famous
Noels. both living and dead, there is a
lengthy list.
1t is, for instance. the family name
of the earls of Gainsborough, whose
history has been distinguished one
for generations past
Neel-ETilI. again, is the name OF Bar
on Berwick, famous member Of a ia
, nous old English family.
Then there is Err est Noel, who has
done more to improve the housing of
the working classes than has probably
any other man living.
Vice Admiral Sir Gerard Noel who
has been commander in chief on the
China station since 1908, has received
many decorations, including the much
coveted gold medal Of the Royal Unit
ed Service institution.
Going farther back. there was that
Henry Noel, the famous courtier OF
the reign Of Queen Elizabeth and au-
thor Of the now familiar phrase Mon
ey was made to spend His extrava-
gance knew no bounds and very much
di@pleased his royal mistress, herself
one of the most extravagant of mon
archs
CT very different type was Baptist
Wliothesloy Noel. the eminent non
cOnfCrmist divine. He was at first ed
ucated for and indicted into the
Church Of England. But the result of
the G0rhan case, which drove many
high churchmen into the fold Of Rome
sent Noel into the ranks of the Bap-
Hists
1Ac UtbllClN IPl1OuIcpu on Dec. ~,
1873, his connection with the Estab-
fshed church and was Il little later
publicly rebaptized by immersion in
John Street chapel, Hoiborn, a build
ing situated hard by the very church
wherein he had mlnistered during long
years prior to his conversion"
Thomas Noel, the poet, who died In
1861, ought TO be well known by his
Papers Drive" than which no poem
has been more widely read. recited
and quoted. The verses are however
almost universally ascribed to Hood
even by people who ought to know
better, and the real authors name
penains in consequence buried in OBJ
fivion.
Another poet named Noel, who en-.