Gossip in the First Decade of Victoria's ReignAshton, John
History
Gossip in the First Decade of Victoria's Reign
Ashton, John
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
The Queen suffered severely from lunatics. In June a man got into the
gardens of Buckingham Palace, and, when arrested, declared he had come
there for the sole purpose of killing Her Majesty, and was duly committed
to Tothill Bridewell. Within a day or two of his release, in the middle
of October, he went to Windsor and broke three or four panes of glass in
the Castle. He was afterwards apprehended, but what became of him, I do
not know; in all probability he was sent to a lunatic asylum.
In the paper which gives the account of the above, I read, “James Bryan,
the Queen’s Scotch suitor, was in Windsor the whole of yesterday (Sunday,
13 Oct.). In the morning, he was waiting, for a considerable period, at
the door of St. George’s Chapel, leading to the Cloisters, to have a view
of the Queen, as Her Majesty and the two Princes of Saxe-Coburg, and the
Duchess of Kent left the Chapel. In the afternoon, he walked on the
Terrace, and conducted himself in his usual manner, very respectfully
bowing to the Queen, as Her Majesty passed him on the New Terrace.”—By
the above, he must have been well known.
On 29 Nov., a respectably-dressed man got over the high iron gates
leading to the Castle, a place at which there were no sentries, and
walked across the Park, to the grand entrance to the Castle. Upon seeing
the porter in attendance at the lodge, he said: “I demand entrance into
the Castle as King of England”; to which the porter replied: “Very well,
your Majesty, but be pleased to wait until I get my hat,” and then taking
him to the Castle, handed him over to the police. He turned out to be a
man named Stockledge, who was partner in an extensive wholesale business
in Manchester. He had been in two lunatic asylums, and when questioned
by the Mayor of Windsor, as to the object of his visit, said that: “he
was like all other men who wanted wives—he was looking after one,”
evidently alluding to Her Majesty. On being further questioned, he said
“he was the King of England, and was impelled by the Spirit.” He
afterwards said that “an unknown power had done it,” and that “it was the
Spirit which helped him over the gates.” Of course he _was_ mad.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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