The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-19
Interesting to Recall Vicissitudes
of Family and Descendants
of Pendercl.
BY LA MARaulsE DE FoNrENoY.

VI SlluSi Cl.
BY LA MARaUIsE DE FONTENoY.
OW that Boscobel. the historic
" estate on the border line of
Staffordshire and Shropshire.
where Charles II. found refuge after
the battle of Worcester is advertised
for sale at auction at the end of next
month, it is of interest TO recall the
vicissitudes of the family and descen-
dants of Richard Penderel, tho owner
OF Boscobel, who concealed King
Charles from Cromwell's horsemen,
first in the branches of the celebrated
Boscobel oak, which still remains In
existence. protected by an iron railing.
and after that in Boscobel House,
where there were a number of secret
hiding plac es in tho chimncys, in the
walls, and between the floors. The
house, l may add remains very much
the same as IL was in the days OF the
Civil War.
On his restoration. Charles II. grant
cd hereditary pension of $500 "a year
to Richard Penderel, who lies buried
in London, in ST. Gles's churchyard,
Bloomsbury. The long epitaph inscribed
on the tombstone, commencing with.
Unparalleled Penderel through the
universe"
continues to describe him as "a pilot
to his royal sovereign" and winds up
with:
While Albion's chronicles of match
less fame,
Embalm the story Of Pendercls name"
Richard Pendere had but one son.
Thomas. and this son had an only
daughter who married a man of the
name of Thoriibury. The grandson of
Mary Rendered and Thornbury died
without male issue. but leaving two
daughters. one of them Mary who
married Robert Maclaren, and the
other Winifrcd, who married William
Wilmington. The perpetual pension
was divided between the two, each re-
ceiving $3.50 year.
Several years ago the restitution OF
Robert NJ. AIaclaren, an aged and
superannuated London cabdrivcr, at
tracted attention when 1t was ascer-
tanned that he was one of the dcscen-
dants of Richard Penderel, OF Bosco-
bel, and that he had sold his life in
terest In the Maclaren moicty of the
$500 hereditary pension to n man of
the name OF George Robinson. lnves-
tgation led to the discovery that all
trace had been lost for forty years
OF James Wilmington. who, until 1853,
had b EN- receiving the other moiety
of the Pcnderel pension.
Lord Northclffe and a number OF
other people interested themselves in
the old claimants case. and efforts
were made 10 induce the Treasury not
only to pay TO Maclaren the Withlng-
ton half Of the pension, but also to
turn over TO him all the arrears, COW
ering a period OF four decades. The
Treasury declined to do this without an
order from the courts. and the courts
demanded evidence of the fact that the
| Withngtons had become extinct.
Lord Northclife and his friends
thereupon inaugurated a search, OK
eventually enabled them to ascertain
that James Wilmington had been
| drowned In England, in the River
Avon. and that his only child Mary
Elizabeth Wilmington, was also dead
On the strength of this. the courts
gave judgment in favor of the old
cabdriver. Robert Maclaren, and di-
rectcd that he should receive from
thencoforth the Wilmington moiety of
the pension. and that the arrears
should also he paid to him. He was
so much excited, however. by the VIC
tory of his case, that he died before
the order of the court could be car
ricd into effect.
Further complications ensued. For
| II turned out that Robert Maclarcn had
an only son and namesake, who in
iSVV nuu icil III fihii iSOi'
| Street, Bray's Inn. London, and his
| wife and children. and had sailed for
! South Africa, in connection with the
care OF horses and supplies bound for
| the FRI nj, and had never been hoard
| OF since, all trace of him having been
| lost. 1t. therefore. became necessary
| to establish the judicial presumption
| of his death. This was finally accom-
| plished and to-day his widow ana
| children are in relative affluonce. For
| they not only have. received all the
| Wilmington areas, as we'll as the
| Withingtor annuity OF $3.50 n year.
but also the Maclaren annuity. For on
| the death of the old cabman. the life
! interest, which he had sold to George
Robinson ceased, and reverted to his
| heirs.
All honor TO the Bulgarian govern
| ncnt for the chivalrous distinction
with which 1t has treated Shukri
! Pasha. the heroic defender Of Adrian
| oplc. the long siege of which will oc-
! cupy a notable place in military his
tory. King Ferdinand. on the cap
| ture OF the city. declined to accept the
Pasha's proffcred sword insisting
that he should keep 1t, compiimcntins
him on his magnificent defense of
Adrianople. Then Shukri and his
stan, comprising seven pashas. were
sent off by special train to Sofia On
arrival there, they found a. guard or