PEER’S TRIBUTE

Evening Star, Issue 20137, 30 March 1929, Page 9

PEER’S TRIBUTE

ANCESTOR’S LOWLY LOVER A TRAGIC ROMANCE A forgo lie a Jove romance cf long ago. in which are hound the names ol I a peer and' a shop girl, is recalled by i the erection of a tombstone in tbo j ancient parish churchyard at Eistrcc, Herts. It has been placed there by I Lord Sandwich in memory of the de- { votion of one ol ids ancestors for a I lowly-born village girl and the tragedy which bcfeP their love. The tomb- | stone bears, in quaint cighteenth-ceii- | tury lettering, the following inscripI tion I Sacrci! to the Memory of | Martha Lay, Who died April 7. 177!), Aged ;H Years. Marlim Kay, reputed to be the fbiimldc' of a farm labourer, was horn lat KI siren in 17 hi. Sim was a remarklablv beautiful child. When about lonrj iecu she becam apprenticed in a inillij ner’s shop in Tavistock Court, Covent ; Carden—on* or tbo smnHest m-dablisli- | miMils of its kind in Hu* London of innt | dav. lie e she attracted the attention ! of" the fourth Ka of Sandwich, the First Lord o. the Admiralty in the Xortb Administration, r ihc narl took the gin from Hio shop, placed her nni dor the lies' music and singing masters ! of the day—fo. she had great natural j talent—and finally wort her heart. I ,\lthoueh there was already a Countess of Sandwich, tin earl look Martha Ray to the family scat at Hinchinbrook, Huntingdonshire, where he remained true to hi■« io tor nearly twenty years. In spite of her invidious posi- | tion, Alartha’s great natural charm and sweetness ot manner won for hci the respect of all who knew her. All would hav.i been well but appearance on the scene of one Caplain James Hackman of the GBtli hoot. Hackman a handsome and dashing young man, fell violently in love with the beautiful Tlariha, ’Whether she. encouraged bin. or not at first is uncertain, but in tin end she dismissed him. Apparently in despair,. Hackman bought himself out of the army, took holy orders, and obtained a living in j Norfolk In a sudden impulse ot freuzv ho decided to lake his own life and I that of the object of his passion. On I the fatal evening of April 7, 1779, 3liss I Ray, accompanied by friends, _ went to Covent Garden to sec ‘Love in a. village.’ Hackman followed her carnage, ( and awaited the end of the perform- | ance in the Bedford Tavern opposite. I As Martha left the theatre Hackman dashed across the road, drew a pistol, and fired'point blank at her forehead. As she fell dead Hackman drew anI other pistol, with the intention of takI ing his own life, but the shot went I wide He was captured, tried, and j banged at Tyburn. The Earl of Sandwich ordered that Martha should be laid to rest in the church at Elstree, where, as a child, she had worshipped.