People We Hear About

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 43, 27 October 1904, Page 10

People We Hear About

A London evening paper givesi some biographical particular of ttoe leaders of the Iriyli .Reform Association, the new organisation of landlords in Ireland, who follow Lord Dtvnra.ven rather than the Kildare StLcct Club and Lord Barrymore :— Lord Louth, who took, a prominent part, the other day in tttie formation of Uiat remarkable new movement in Ireland, the Reform Association, promoted by the progressive landlords, is one of the Plunketts who spell the name with the double ' t.' Like his kinsman Lord F'ingall, he is a Catjiclic. Lord Dunsany is a Protestant Plunkett, as is Sir Horace of that ilk. The barony of Louth was mden, an outlawry from the time of Cromwell till 1798, for tho reasion that the holders of the title fought stoutly for Charles I. and James 11. Of Me. Crosbie the writer says >-Mr. Talbot-Cros-bie, who proposed the resolution in favor of the formation of the Reform Association, has also a piquant Jacobite tradition in his family His ancestor, the Urosbie ol Ardfert— the Talbot is a recent introduction— was a member of the Jnsh Parliament of James 11., and he refused to take the oath of allegiance tio William 111. Ai latter Ctosbdo was made Earl of Glandore, and it is from the only daughter of the last oarl, who died in 184 5, that Mr. Talbot-Crosbie has derived the name and estate. Lady Herbert of Lea (says the London ' Daily Chronicle '), the latest wet inn of a jewel robibo:^, is a life-lung friend of Florence Nightingale. It was at the instance of Lord Herbert, then Mr. Sidney Herbert, au,d. at the head of the War Ollice, that Miss Nightingale organised a stall of nurses for the Crimea. Lady Herbert] worked indetatigably in forwarding the scheme, and alter the departure of Miss Nightingale for Scutari, she got together a second party of nurses and despatched, them to reinforce the first company. Lady Herbert also promoted the emigration of poor womento Canada, and was with her husband actively engaged in philanthropic work in the vicinity of Wilton House, tho family seat near Salisbury. Fifty years ago Lord and Lady, Herbert were regarded as the handsomest couple in society, and to-day Lady Herbert remains a woman of singular charm and fascination. Ajnother Londjon newspaper gives the following interesting Darticulars regarding tins venerable, philanthropic Catholic lady : Lady Herbert of Lea is the mother of the present Earl of Pem'bvroke, and is over 80. She is a daughter of the Hon. Charles Ashc a Court, and in lSlfj married the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, whose statue stands outside the War Office in memory of his tenure ot the Secretaryship. Mr. Sidney Ilertfcrt, who was the second son of the eleventh Earl of Pembroke, was raised to the peerage as Lord Herbert of Lea m 3 sen , during the hletirac of his father. He died in the satno year, ami a marned life of singular happiness has been succeeded by a long widowhood devoted to go,od wo,rKs. Cardinal Manning had been her hueiftand's oldest school and college friend, and he dewier l'bert him to her as^ ' the hoJiest man 1 ever mcit.' After her bere.nement, Lady Herbert of Lea turned to religion foi- consolation, aixl was admitted to the Catholic Clvirch, in which s-he has ever since been very active. "i he Duko of Noifolk, the premier duke of England, H noted for his unpretentious manncis and characteristic l.indnc.->ses to those about him. A ccrresiptondent who has been staying near the Duke's Sussex home states that he recently heaid many instances of tlhese tioits When he ariives by himself at Amndel railway station Pom town the Duke rarely troubles his coachman to meet him with tho carriage, but prefers to wallv up to the castle. Ills unassuming manners often mislead strangers as to his ducal lank. On one occasion he was passing through Arundel when a butcher's toy who had sustained a puncture to his bicycle demanded the Duke's assistance. 'Hi ! mister,' the lad called, ' give us a haind with this bicycle.' Without demur, the Earl-Mar<-hal went to the boy's assistance, and hold the machine while the latter repaired the pi'mV-ire At another time, the Duke (the correspondent says) w,as duving to an appointment at Littleham,nton, when he overtook an old woman laden with a bi'njdlc. Stoppmg his carriage, he invited her 1o ride witih lmn. (ilad lor a lift, and unaware of his identity, sho entered the carriage. ' Which way are you going 9> the I>uko asked her, ar.d found that her home branched oft in a diflercnt direction from, his owm after they had covered a considerable distance Therefore, getting down at the nearest point 1o his own destination, he walked the remainder of the way and sent the coachman a.nd the carriage to convey the old woman to her home !