We had one specially interesting Sunday in June 1895. Among others staying with us from Saturday to Monday were Lord and Lady George Hamilton and Sir Stafford and Lady Northcote. Mr. Arthur Balfour came down on Sunday to dine and spend the night, and he and Lord George were busy with a game of lawn tennis on the garden front of the house. Several of us were in another part of the grounds under the cedars overlooking the Lake, enjoying the fine warm afternoon.
All at once a very hot and dusty figure appeared through the little gate near the portico and revealed itself as Schomberg—commonly called “Pom”—McDonnell, then Lord Salisbury’s Private Secretary. I went to meet him, offering tea, dinner, or whatever hospitality he preferred. All he would say in breathless and very serious tones was, “Give me an egg beat up in brandy and find me Arthur Balfour.”
The desired refreshment and the statesman were produced in due course. It appeared on further inquiry that Mr. McDonnell had bicycled from Hatfield to London in search of Mr. Balfour, and not finding him in Carlton Gardens had pursued him to Osterley. Such were the exigencies of pre-motor days. The interview over, the messenger retreated as swiftly as he had come.
We were not allowed to know the message till next morning when the papers came with the thrilling announcement, “Resignation of the Government”! Mr. Balfour said to me, “I might quite well have told you, but Pom was so very determined that I should not.”
The only recipient of the secret was Lord George Hamilton.
When Mr. Balfour returned to the lawn-tennis ground he said very quietly to Lord George between the sets, “The Government have resigned”; and then continued his game as if nothing had happened.
Viscount Villiers Hon. Arthur Villiers Hon. Walter Rice Lord Dunsany
Imogen Rice Earl of Jersey
GROUP AT MIDDLETON PARK, CHRISTMAS, 1904
Col. Earl of Longford Countess of Longford Lady Margaret Rice Countess of Jersey
Lord Silchester Lady Pansy Lady Dunsany Charles Rice
Pakenham Elwyn Rice