New Britain herald., 1930-02-05
ELDERLY PLAYb0Y
 WINS THIRD BRIDE
Duke Of Westminster Has An. other Try at Marriage

London, Feb. 5 - The Duke ot Westminster, Ensland's elderly play
 boy and one of its richest men, is going 10 have another try at tue marital game, and this time his
 bride will be the daughter of the Kings Treasurer and Keeper of the privy Purse. She is Loelia Mary Ponsomby, whose father is sir Frederick ponsomby.
 Grosrcnor IS the family name o' the Ducal house. and the Sudden Grosvenor" is the name by which the Duke is known 10 his friends. This is because of his habit-;f there marriage engagements can be called a habit-of leapins 10 the altar after the brofcst Of courtShips.
 When he was boy fresh out If college and heir presumptive b the Dukedom, he was visiting on the estate of Colonel Cornwalhs- West. Their eldest daughter aft- erWards Princess of Plcss, one a,t- crnoon in a spirit of fun said they must have q wedding. So she threw white tablccloth over her shoulders to represent a surplirc Of a Church of England clergyman and socmnly "marricd' hsr younger sister Constance 10 tlt pushing young scion Of the house of GroSycnor.
 First Nc.l al 22
 The joke made such an impre3- sion on the boy that not long at;- the Nounscst and richest Duke. n the kingdom, he actually did 'ar- i"' the girl They had two dausl. terv.
 Eighteen years later she divorced him. In 1920 there were rumors that he was engaged 10 marry again, bJJ his secretaries strcnuously denied it However one fine morning ne slipped around to the office Of q registrar and was married on Nov. 1 "5, 1920, to Violet, daughter of the | late Sir William Nelson, . big ship owner. This marriage lasted unt,l l his second Duchess secured a d- 'orco ir June, l92J. X woman yj5- tor to inc Riviera was named az CO., respondent.
 In the past few years the Duke | has avoided London. But the other evening he attended q party and | there first met Miss ponaonlbt. The sudden Duke became an assiduous suitor Two weeks later their engagement was announced.
 The Duke IS 50 and his bride-to- be is 26, just couple Of years older than his eldest daughter.
 The old line about being bon with golden spoon in ones mouth ap.lics in full to the Duke. His nickname, Ben d'Or-"Or" gold was given him be- cause shortly before he was born his Srandfatncr's famous race horse, Ben dor. won the Derby.
 The Duke owns 3o,00o acres j.. ! Great Britain and l9,oou acres ID -bb'l 'Nllt't. 1it IS one or LOH- lon's greatest landlords. and h,s country seat, Eaton Hall, IS ono ot the show places Of England t. | est about s5,n00.000.
 In the South African war ll 'a99- 1900. q" was mentioned 1 many times in d"&patchcs and got he Queens Medal In the Worll " ar he once morc went on acti|e service, being an expert in armo:- 'd care. In France. he made ., brilliant rescue Of some fcllow-os- jcers. He Was then transferred to L9ypt In 1916 he headed ;ll nmored car expedition into the JcEcrt and rescued d whole crew 'l British sailors who were he'd prisoners by the Arabs. For thrs le won the distinguished Service Order. Though he is past middle '9e, the Duke still Is famous for lis tennis and polo, is an cnthuei- t4tlC Aachtsmdn and Wpll-hnoN1