Fitzherbert, Maria Anne, 1756-1837; George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830
'The Prince of Wales was, last night, at the Theatre, accompanied by
the Hon. Mr. Erskine, and the Hon. Mr. Onslow, to see the Beggar's
Opera, the principal parts of which were represented by gentlemen, and
well represented they were. Captain Ash's _Macheath_ much exceeded
many of the professional men on either of your London theatres. It was
succeeded by a well-timed address, written and spoken by Mr. Bonner,
craving the friendly attendance of the company to the future benefits
of the several performers.'[35]
We also learn by a newspaper paragraph[36] that 'the house that the
Prince of Wales has at Brighthelmstone, is that which formerly belonged
to Lord Egremont's brother, Mr. Wyndham. The Duke of Cumberland had it
last year. The house is, or ought to be, the best in the place.'
This is the house which we have seen was negotiated for the Prince by
Weltje, his clerk of the kitchen; at least, this was his nominal title,
but in reality he was the Prince's purveyor of his household, and was
much mixed up in his financial matters. Louis Weltje was a German
of obscure origin, and it is said, at one time, sold cakes in the
streets. However, he must have had something in him, and must also have
been thrifty, for in the newspapers of 1782 and 1783 we find several
mentions of Weltje's Club, and he had a famous pastry-cook's shop and
restaurant in St. James Street, and afterwards in Pall Mall. In the
satirical prints in the British Museum for 1783, drawn by Captain
Hays, is 'Mr. Weltjee's Fruit Shop, Pall Mall.' Madame Weltje, a large
woman, is seated at a horseshoe counter, on which is a variety of
fruit. In the window are displayed pines, grapes, bottles, and jars. A
manuscript note says her shop was 'next door neighbour to Mr. Neville.'
He served the Prince for some years, but was at last superseded. On
his retirement he bought a large house at Hammersmith, formerly in
the occupation of Lord Allington, the supporters of whose arms, two
talbots, decorated the gate-posts. In this house, which he bequeathed
to his brother Christopher, he died, probably of apoplexy, in 1810,
and was buried in Hammersmith Churchyard. His name still exists in the
neighbourhood in Weltje Road, which runs from the Upper Mall to King
Street West, and consists of sixty-eight houses.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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