The sun., 1919-07-06

OF King Georges Household. His only
sister, Lady Alexandra Hamilton, a
goddaughter Of the Queen Mother, per-
ished when the Leinster was sub
marined in the Irish Channel last year
while on her way from Kingston to
Holyhead. The Hamiltons have al
WAYS been high in favor at court.
Thus Lord Claud's father, the late and
second Duke of Abercorn. was Chief
Of the Household OF Edward VII. until
his accession to the throne; afterward
was one OF his Lords in Waiting.
Lord Glands aunt, the late Duchess
Of Buccleuch. was Grand Mistress of
the Robes and Of the House hold OF
Queen Victoria and afterward to Queen
Alexandra. Lord Claud. who is un-
married, therefore is accustomed to
court life and on terms of intimacy
with the members OF the reigning fam
lily.
Legh-Pronounced Lee.
Captain the Hon. Piers Leigh (pro-
nounced Lee) another OF the Prince
Of Wales's equerries, is a fellow Off
Ger in the Grenadier Guards, a former
A. d. c. of the Duke Of Connaught
Il,
who. with Lady Newton. can boast
Of belonging to the somewhat restrict
ed circle of the intimate personal
friends of the King and Queen. Cap
tain Leigh Is credited with having in
herited a considerable amount of the
wit and keen sense OF humor for
which his father. Lord Newton, is SO
distinguished. Lord Newton has
sometimes been described as the La
bouchere" of the House of Lords, ow-
ing to the sparkle, the unconvention-
ality and the breeziness Of his clever
speeches. 1t was he who immortal
lied his friend Lord Rosebery by de-
scribing him as "a sort OF political
prima donna"
That he has any very lofty ideas
as to the value OF the House of Lords
would not appear from his utterances.
Once he described It as Infinitely the
most good-natured and long suffering
assembly in existence place where
the biggest bore might die without
ever discovering that he was anything
but the most acceptable speaker in
the house." while on another occasion
| ne stigmatized II as "a sort OF hybrid
between a registry Office and a debat-
ing society"
A Conservative In politics. he has
little regard for party discipline. hav-
ing always refused to sacrifice any
OF his principles or prejudices. On
one memorable occasion he apostro-
phized his then leader, the Marquis of
Lansdowne, in the House OF Lords,
In the following words:
I'VE have the most profound ad-
miration for your character, we re-
spect you as a man, as a husband, and
as a father But as regards your
orders, we propose to act in a pre-
ciscly different direction"
An Ancient and wealthy House.
Lord Newton, although only the
second peer OF his line, Is head OF
the very ancient and very wealthy
house OF Leigh. in Lancashire, which
has been in possession of its estate
OF Lyme Park since the reign OF Ed
ward ]. Indeed, the bedstead on
which Edward the Black Prince slept
when he stayed Mt Lyme, as the guest
of Sir Peter Leigh, figures among the
relics OF the place, while the bed used
in turn by Queen Elizabeth. Mary
Queen OF Scots. Charles I. and James
II. when visiting Lyme still figures
among the furniture of the mansion.
The vast and picturesque park Is one
OF the most attractive IN England,
having been left entirely to nature
for centuries, and the lIntrodden thick
cts and bracken wastes contain vast
herds OF red deer and some white
cattle. Lord Newton's name became
familiar TO the American people in
the great war through his services
as Assistant Secretary Of State for
Foreign Affairs, as Chairman OF the
Royal Commission for the relief and
exchange OF prisoners OF war, and last
but not least as the b.ographer OF
Lord Lyons. who was the representa-
tive OF Great Britain at Washington
throughout the civil war.
Young Sir Godfrey Thomas, tenth
baronet Of his line, with a beautiful old
country seat in Essex. is a new acquisi-
ton to the Princes household. He Is
very rich. his mother having been q