“Queen of Hearts”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 922, 15 March 1930, Page 21

“Queen of Hearts”

Duke's 'Tribute to Bride of 40 Years Ago 1,200 TENANTS ENTERTAINED IN UNDERGROUND BALLROOM “The best thing that ever befell mo was when the lady who is not only queen of my heart, but also the queen of all hearts wherever she goes and wherever she is known, consented to be my bride.” , 72-years-old Duke of Portland paid this notable tribute to his wife, to whom lie was married 40 years ago’ •sujs a writer in an English journal. oAA Was k ea rd by the duchess and by ’ , J tenants who were entertained a ” 111 tlle underground ballroom *Y . Abbey in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the duke’s

a{ -cession to the title and vast estates i in Nottingham, Derbyshire, Northum- ; berland, Norfolk, and Scotland. Two illuminated addresses were i ~? ven bv the tenants to the duke, and i diamond brooches to the duchess. “My Testimony” | The duke, referring to the duchess ! in liis reply, said: “In every place j where we live, and in many other j places where we do not usually reside, | she never ceases to work for the re- | ? iet o£ sickness and suffering, not only | in human beings, but in dumb animals | as well. This, my friends, is my testii many, and I have been married for 40 years. It is that her first thought m the morning, and her last thought I at night, is how much she can do to j *}elp her two-footed and four-footed | friends and neighbours. No distance I is too far for her to go ; no ease is too serious for her to attempt to save. I i am indeed lucky to have had such a beloved wife for such a loug time. I pray God, in His great mercy, to watch over her and guard her for her own I sake, for my sake, for her children’s j sake, and for the sake of her innumerI able friends and neighbours.” I The tenants cheered to the echo the duke’s tribute to his wife. As he j passed down the room, a tall, soldierly figure with grey hail-, shy smiling j women from Caithness curtsied, bluff j farmers from Northumberland raised their glasses in a toast, and small- | holders from Ayrshire and men who till the soil in the Dukeries bent stiffly, j Great precautions were taken against ! possible “gate-crashers,” and plain- ! clothes police were stationed in the hall. The Duke’s Vow The Duchess of Portland was Miss j Winifred Dallas-Yorke, of Louth, Liu- ] colnshire, and her marriage to the j duke was the outcome of a romantic chance encounter. The duke looked out of a railway compartment at a remote station, saw the future duchess standing near, and instantly deterI mined that he would never marry j anyone else. ; The duchess is renowned for her | love of birds and animals. Several I years ago she bought a horse in j Regent Street because it looked tired i aud thin.