A PRINCE’S PLAYMATE

Southland Times, Issue 18825, 19 May 1920, Page 6

A PRINCE’S PLAYMATE

RECOLLECTIONS OF A LOCAL RESIDENT. Probably there urc few people residing in New Zealand who have had a more intimate association with royalty than Mr E. 11. Whitmore, and yet but for a fortunate circumstance he might have lost all recollection of his early life when as a boy he often used to play with the late King Edward, then Prince of Wales. Yesterday afternoon a Southland Times reporter called on Mr Whitmore, who has been carrying on business in Esk street for many years past, and had an interesting talk with him on his early experiences. “I was quite a little fellow when I first met Queen Victoria,” said Mr Whitmore. “It was in 1854 when I was at Aldershot and the Queen came down to inspect the Royal Artillery stationed there. My father was in charge of the camp workshop, and in this way I came to know many of the officers and soldiers, who used to make a favourite of me. When the Queen came down the Colonel said that he was going to introduce me to her, and I remember I cried and tried to dooge away. One of the soldiers caught hold of me, however, and soon I was alongside the Colonel, who gave me half-a-crown to stop crying and introduced me to the Queen. A little while afterwards I was in my father’s workshop when the Queen came to inspect the horses and she stopped to tall-: to me and questioned me about my mother and father. She then told Prince Edward to tun away and play with me. The Queen was a motherly old soul, and it was not uncommon to see her sitting on the doorstep in the married women's quarters nursing a baby. You’ve heard the story about the Queen and the orange haven’t you?” On receiving a reply in the negative, Mr Wtutmoro related how on one occasion when Prince Edward took an orange away from another boy, she gave him a sound thrashing in tho street. Continuing his story, Mr Whitmore stated that whenever the Queen came to Aldershot after that she used to seek him out aud leave tho Prince in his company while she visited the married women. After a time he went to London, where he received his education, aud on several occasions he met tho Prince. In the police there were special detectives set apart to protect the Prince and to see that lie came to no harm. “I happened to know one or two of these,” said Mr Whitmore, “and I sometimes accompanied them. Occasionally tho newspapers would publish a false story, and the police would point it out to me. We used to get a lot of fun out of these incidents and have a quiet laugh over the mistakes. In ’Ol I went, to Liverpool, where I joined the Ist Lancashire Volunteer Regiment, but a year later I joined the Ist London Engineers. In ’63 I accompanied the Prince’s guard of honour to Princess Alexandra when she came to London, and in ’O4 I accompanied him as one of the guard of honour when Garibaldi visited Loudon. I saw all the men going to the Crimea when they used to train on Cobham Common and in the square in front of the barracks in St. James’ Park. They went away a fine body of men, but I saw them come back in tatters—a broken regiment. I was also present when the Queen presented the medals to the returned soldiers and will never forget it.” “I came out to New Zealand in the Surat in 1873,” continued Mr Whitmore, “but the ship was wrecked at Chasland's Mistake, and for 25 years I lost my memory. I came out for the purpose of establishing a manufacturing business, but I did not know even that, aud all recollection of my early life had passed from me. I was frequently asked to join the volunteers in Invercargill, but I had forgotten that I had once been a soldier. One day, however, I was watching some manoeuvres on Queen’s Park, and was invited to attend the social in the evening. I accepted the invitation and at the social someone sung “The Young Recruit,” a song which was a great favourite with the troops at Aldershot. As he sang it my memory’ gradually returned and visions of my early life passed before me.” “It was a good thing that you accepted that invitation,” suggested the reporter. “It was,” agreed Mr Whitmore. “You know I’m still keen on soldiering, and asked to be allowed to go away to the recent war. I could have been of some use, but my’ application was refused.” “You will be glad to see the present Prince,” said the reporter. “Yes, was the reply. “In many ways he reminds me of his grandfather, and ho was a jolly good sort.” It. is Mr Whitmore’s intention to send the following letter to the Prince and to enclose with it a photograph of himself taken when he was in the Ist London

TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OP WALES. A Resume of one of the Subjects of lILs Majesty King George V., after sixtyfive years. In 1554-5 I was living at Aldershot, and was introduced to Her Majesty Queen Victoria when she used to visit the camp at the time of the Crimea War, by the Colonel of the Royal Artillery stationed there. The Royal party at that lime consisted of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, her Consort, Prince Albert, tire princess Royal, and our late King Edward VII., then Prince of Wales. On account of my Interview with the Queen, after hearing my private history, and l>eiug the same age ms the Prince, 1 was expected to meet the Royal party on their visits to Aldershot, and accompany the Prince of Wales while visiting the- camp with. Lis mother. Why I was thus privileged I cannot say, unless it was because I was a grandson of one who was closely associated with the Duke of Wellington all through the Battle of Waterloo. Anyway, I still look back to those days of my youth with pleasure, and even after the Prince had grown to manhood I always had a soft place in my heart for him. As time went on I returned to London, and lived my own life, and often wont with a bodyguard who were told off in those days to look after the welfare of the Prince, and many talcs about him that w-src published In the London Times we knew to be untrue. In 1802 I joined up with the Ist City of London Engineers (Volunteers). In 1863 wo were Guard of Honour to Princess Alexandra when she came to London; also wc were Guard of Honour to Garibaldi when he arrived in London and was met by the Duke of Sutherland in ISG4, and as a volunteer the Prince many times inspected us. I have noticed how in many ways the young Prince of Wales follows in the footsteps of his grandfather, and hope that 'as time moves on he will ascend to that high position which his beloved father now holds, much loved by all loyal Britons. In 1873 I came to New Zealand, where I have lived in peace and comfort ever since. Long live the Prince of Wales.