PRINCESS MARY’S BABY

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1923, Page 4

PRINCESS MARY’S BABY

C’H RISTENING CERE MON V. LONDON, March 2G. With a good deal of simplicity but in a ceremony enriched with dignity and beauty too, Princess Mary’s son was christened in the quaint and historic parish church of St Mary tlie Virgin, Goldsborottgh, at noon to-day.' He was born at Chesterfield House, W., oil February 7. “He cried champion,” said a proud Yorksliireman. ’T am glad lie did, too, for we call that lucky in Yorkshire!” According to that the Lascclles baby should be a very fortunate person, for except for two brief intervals lie bellowed lustily during the whole baptismal service. Those intervals, strikingly and rather movingly, too, were when the Archbishop of York, Dr Cosmo Gordon l.ang, asked that the child should ho named and the Queen Look the boy in her arms and sooke his names, GEORGE HENRY HUBERT. Her grandson immediately stopped crying and lay quiet in her arms and those of -the Archbishop until the water Mas sprinkled on his head. lie raised his voice again then and did not cease until, at the close of the ceremony, Dr Lang said to the congregation, "In order that with full heart we may singly and collectively commend hint to the love of God, let there lie silence kept for one moment.” For the second time, almost as it the words had a meaning for him also, the hoy was quiet. Ry 7.30 a.in. a crowd had begun to assemble, and thenceforward a stream of bicycles, motor-cycles, motor-cars, and motor-coaches from all parts of Yorkshire never ceased until by noon 300 motor vdiicles and hundreds of cycles were parked in fields. The crowd watched amusedly the church clock figures jumping intervals of lb minutes, and listened to the three hells pealing, as the very same hells have pealed since 1107. The tiny church filled with ticketholders, among them the villagers, while fur-coated and richly dressed women and wealthy men waited among the crowd. At 10.37 the royal party entered their peas, and at 10. Jo M.r Mann, a carpenter, began the National Anthem on the small two-man-ual organ. Pieces of palm ucre the church's only do oration. "Loving Shepherd of Thy Sheen," chosen as a children's hymn by the Queen, and "Ride on! ride on in majesty,” and "All Glorv, Land, ami Honour” were the hymns.

Iho two lessons of the day were road by Viscount Luscolles find the rector, the Rev A. 11. Kolk. Ry 11.30 the nurse was walking tthuitl with the baby at Lhe back of the church, and shortly before noon site took him into the baptism. At that time also entered the Archbishop and ins chaplain, the Rev C. AV. Chasid de Roinville. THE 00DRARENTS.

It. was a distinguished group that gathered round the plain old font 111 line church Inner. |lie fold wherein ji l.csc.'ll-.'s himself was christened. Nearest the congregation stood lYtni Mary, with Lord La--ceih-s on ltd' left. To her rigid were the King and Queen. Their first grandson, wearing an historic christening gown. believed to lie that used at King Edward A ll’s baptism, lay in the arms of his nurse, between i la-ir Majesties. 'J’o the right and opposite I’rinoO's Alary stood the Archbishop, in robes of while and scarlet, with the crosier beside him. Standing close by were tin 1 other god-parents, for, in addition to the King and Queen, the sponsors Mere the Countess of Hureu'ood and Col. LnncF’ox, Al.lh, .Secretary of Mines, whom Lord La see lies succeeded as Master o| the Rramhaiii Moor lltiid.

I?. glides these there v.ere lour sponsors by proxt 1 --Qliioett Alexandra, re

pro - ruled by the Countess of lluretvood ; I.:u[y Ibifviua Ramsay, by Lady Alan Trefi'sis. l.ady-iii-Waitiiig; the Mail of llatvivood. by Major the Hon Eduard Lascelles : and Gen. Sir George Higginson, the oldest living Grenadier Guards ollicer—- lie is 03—by I’rince George. ARCHBISHOP'S AVORDS.

The arrangements wore marked by simplicity. No llowers decorated lhe font, am! the water was brought from the vicarage tan in a copper vessel, as it is brought for every village boy, ami poured into the zinc basin. The King and Queen looked down fondly at the hoy as the ordinary baptismal service proceeded. iVfore he wns handed to the Archbishop the hoy's fine lace gown was Liken off. lowards the close of tile service Dr Lang, speaking with some feeling in

bis clear, resonant voice, said: This congregation truly represents the loyalty, chivalry, and good will of this neighbourhood and the Church. This dear child is endeared by his birth not on 1 v to his parent-, and grand-parents, but also in this great country, the whole nation, and the Empire. Finally, lie stooped over the hoy and said: “God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost bless thee, dear child, and keep thee, now

and always.” The baptismal service concluded with the hymn;

In token that thou shall not fear Christ Crucified to own. Wo print the Cross upon thee here. And stamp ther; His alone. THE QUEEN. I.a ter the baby’s name was entered i the church register among tiio

mimes of other Goldsborougli boys amt girls, and the King and Queen and the Archbishop signed the register. Outside the old grey church the sun,

which inside was throwing ruby and violet shafts of light from the fine stained-glass windows on to the warm grey floor, was throwing into relief the Boy Scouts’ blue and green flag. It sparkled on the harness and buttons of mounted and foot police, flashed into the lenses of cameras and. kinema machines, and lighted up the colours and features of a crowd of a thousand or more who were perched on walls and among trees and who lined Hie village street several deco for £OO yards. It was through this living avenue of clapping men and handkerchiefwaving women that the royal party walked from the church. But first they traversed a “Child's Guard of Honour” made up of forty or fifty children, some only a yard high, drawn up on the greensward on either side of tho church path. First came the Queen, smiling with pleasure and looking beautiful and stately in a grey velvet cloak with bands of moleskin and wearing a fuchsia toque with flowers. By her side walked Lord Lascelles: next came Princess Alary in a grey frock and lace bat, ami wearing a short sable coat, a slight flush as of mingled pride and shyness suffusing her cheeks and making her a picture of young English womanhood. With her walked the King. Next came the nurse, carrying the baby, possibly asleep after his exertions, and then the rec-tor in Jits robes, the Archbishop’s chaplain, carrying the crosier, flashing as it caught the sun, the Archbishop in canonical robes and purple hat, and then Prince George, with Viscountess "Boyne (Viscount Lasc-elles's sister), , aml'a 'group of others. AVAR MEMORIAL PAUSE. This happy procession walked slowly up the whole village street, while the crowd murmured its delight and

cheered ratlior softly. Near tlio war memorial the royal party paused ioi three or four minutes, while Princess Mary and her mother lifted the boy’s veil and spoke to him, and his nurse jogged him up and down. Then the Queen and Lord Lascelles led the party back between people cheering, now more heartily, to the entrance to Goldsborough Hall, where the King and Queen both chatted for a minute or two with Lady Evelyn Collins, in charge of the Girl Guides and “Brownies,” who had a front place. Besides those already mentioned, the luncheon party included Mrs Maurice Lascelles, Canon and Mrs Hartley, Mr and Mrs Xigel Fitzroy, Capt. Sir Bryan Godfrey-Fnusett, and Mrs LaneFox. Four christening cakes were on view, one weighing about- 'loolb. and all of most artistic design. Princess Mary cut one of these for the party "lid the others will be distributed to relatives and friends. Puring the afternoon the four actual sponsors—the King and Queen, the Countess of llnrewood, and Col. Lane-Fox— planted commemorative lime trees in the Hall grounds.