The Portland Estates.

Manawatu Herald, 28 February 1899, Page 2

The Portland Estates.

ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE CASE. SOME AUSTRALIAN CLAIMANTS. In connection with the claim to the Portland estates, a newspaper, the 11 Weekly Dispatch," publishes a certificate of marriage of T. C. Druce with Elizabeth Crickmer, at Bury St. Edmonds in 1816 and a certificate of the baptismal register of the eldest daughter born in 1841. She became Mrs Izard, and is still alive. She had four brothers, one of whom emigrated to Australia. There are three Victorians, namely, Thomas Hollamby Druce, Charles William Druce and George Hollamby Druce, who claim to be the direct legitimate grandsons of T. C. Druce. They state that their father, George Druce, was the son of T. C. Druce by his first marriage to Elizabeth Crickmer, ass stated in the London cable ; but whether he was the eldest son or not they are not prepared to say. Their father came in the early mining days to Victoria and in the early fifties married a Mary Hollamby at Castlemaine. They state, further, that if Mrs Druce succeeds in establishing her claim to the Portland estates, they intend to step in and claim the title and the estates.