RUNAWAY MARRIAGES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3762, 28 March 1907, Page 4

RUNAWAY MARRIAGES.

The death of the Marchioness of Hastings calls attention to a remarkable change in our social manners. Her marriage in 1861 to her first husband was the last great runaway match of English society. Nowadays elopements are unknown. Formerly they were an episode in almost every great family. The classical instance is that of Eord Westmoreland and Miss Child, the heiress of Osterley and of the bank in Fleet Street. The Earl had dined with Mr Child on the day of the adventure, and had asked him what advice he would give to a young man whose suit was refused by the lady’s parents. ‘‘Take her to Gretna Green,” said Mr Child. The Earl forthwith followed this counsel to the letter, but in a sense not intended. Eady Westmoreland died some ten years later, and therefore did not live to see her granddaughter, Lady Adela Villiers, elope with Captain Ibbetson, of the nth Hussars, an occurrence which was another great nine days’ wonder. Not only men of fashion were among the runaways. Eord Eldon and Eord Brougham both made Gretna Green marriages ; and stranger still, a future Archbishop of Canterbury (but before his ordination), Charles Manners Sutton, who was father to a Speaker of the House of Commons.