LATE KING GEORGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 March 1939, Page 9

LATE KING GEORGE

INCIDENT OF BOYHOOD. APOLOGY FOR PRANK. A resident of Chiswick, Mr John Dalton, who recently retired after 60 years of bell-ringing at his parish church, told of an occasion when the late King George V was made to apologise to his father for a prank. Mr Dalton’s father was employed as a carpenter at Chiswick House’, the /ormer residence of the Dukes of Devonshire, and the incident occurred during the time when King Edward VII, then Prince of Wales, and Princess Alexandra occupied Chiswick House. “My father was a great favourite with the Royal children,” said Mr Dalton, “and used to construct all sorts of toys for them. On this occasion he was launching a model yacht for the young Prince George in the lake which runs through the grounds. While my father was engaged in setting the rigging, Prince George crept up behind him and tipped his hat into the water. “Of course, my father treated it'as a joke, but the Prince’s mother rebuked him for •unseemly conduct’ and sent him to apologise.”