MARSHAL’S COUSIN

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 17, 11 April 1927, Page 11

MARSHAL’S COUSIN

lady wolseley arrives MRS. PANKHURST’S COLLEAGUE •Why don’t you visit New Zealand?” suggested a strapping young Maori soldier to Lady Wolseley, wife of Sir Charles Wolseley, Bart, and cousin of the famous Marshal, Lord Wolseley. Ever since those far-off war days, when she assisted at the Russell Square canteen and heard a united chorus of praise from Maori, New Zealander, and Australian of the glories of the lands beneath the Southern Seas, has Lady Wolseley determined to see these young countries of the South. UNDER SOUTHERN CROSS “And here I am," said Lady Wolseley, as she caught her first glimpse of Auckland from the deck’ of tlie Niagara this morning. Though she has visited most of the other countries of the world, this is the first time she has seen Australia anil New Zealand. Next year she hopes to return, and pay a more leisurely visit to this part of the world. As she is due back in Eng and in May, Lady Wolseley will not have much time to spare on this occasion. A glimpse at Kotorua, and a brief stay in Wellington will have to suffice for the time being. “One cannot sight-see and pay social calls; at the same time," she says, “and this trip is for the purpose of seeing something <*f your beautiful country." New Zealand has a special interest for Lady Wolseley, as the Wolseley sheep-shearing machine was invented by a cousin of her husband (and a brother of the late Lord Wolseley). “I wan. to see it working on a big scale if possible," she confessed. In pre-war days Lady Wolseley joined the pioneering band of women headed by Mrs. Pankhurst, and assisted in the campaign which ultimately led to a certain number of her sex being granted the franchise.

WHY NOT A BRITISHER? Though she believes that Lady Astor admirably carries out her duties, it is a matter of regret to Lady W*olseley that the honour of being the first woman M.P. in England did not fall to either an Englishwoman or a Scots“l am Inclined to believe that if Lady Astor had not her fortune behind her she would never have achieved that distinction, which goes to show that money plays just as important a part in England as in other countries,” she observed. Lady Wolseley’s really great interest these days is Wolseley, her beautiful old ivy-clad Staffordshire home. Even before the time of Stephen a Wolseley resided in it —preserved still is theLatin inscribed parchment of that reign which gave this family the right to erect battlements on the old house —and since those days it has been handed down from fa.ther to son.

Who has heard of <i stream running through the kitchen? Pure, bubbling drinking water flows through the ample kitchen at Wolseley, in which, incidentally whole bullocks were roasted in the old days. It is preesrved as it was centuries ago. OLD ENGLISH HOME Deer leaps in the chase, a right conceded by England’s early kings, and something more modern, a Grinling Gibbons stairway, are other attractions at Wolseley. Lady Wolseley is somewhat modest anent her home. "It is not altogether a show pla.ce," she says, “but it Is very old and very beautiful, and of course has so very many associations for my family." The baronetcy of Sir Charles Michael Wolseley was created in 1628. He is the ninth to hula the title. He succeeded in 1854, and married Lady Wolseley in 3 883. Attached to the Ninth Lancers during part of the Afghan War. Sir Charles was decorated for his services at Sherpur and Kabul.

Their heir is Lieut. Edric Charles Joseph Wolseley, who was educated for the diplomatic service, and served "’ith distinction during the Great War ■with the Staffordshire Yeomanry.