Lord William Beresford, V.C., Some Memories of a Famous Sportsman, Soldier and Wit

by Mrs. Stuart Menzies

On Saturday evening, the 30th of December, 1893, a farewell dinner was given to Lord William by a large number of his friends in the Calcutta Town Hall, prior to his departure from India, where he had spent, as he himself said, “The best years of his life.”

The hall was decorated with flags and draperies in Lord William’s racing colours, the lances of the Viceroy’s Body Guard arranged round the massive pillars of the hall, the general effect being distinctly pretty.

Mr. Charles H. Moore, one of Lord William’s oldest friends, occupied the chair, and it is thanks to his courtesy I am able to produce the facsimile of the signatures of the guests at that memorable feast, also his speech in proposing the guest of the evening my readers will see is both eloquent and earnest, and my friends tell me the delivery was most impressive, calling forth an enthusiasm rarely witnessed on such occasions.

Lord William was, I know, greatly touched, and his reply was spoken with much feeling and heartfelt appreciation for his kindly reception.

Lord William sat on Mr. Moore’s right, the two next chairs being occupied by Mr. Justice Macpherson and the Hon. General Brackenbury, while on the chairman’s left were Admiral Kennedy and Lord Brassey. The band of the Rifle Brigade played during the evening.

The following is a list of those present:—

Abbott, Mr. H. E.; Agnew, Capt. Q.; Agnew, Mr. H. de C.; Alexander, Mr. R.; Allason, Major; Allan, Mr. J. J.; Anderson, Mr. A. S.; Anderson, Mr. G. G.; Apcar, Mr. J. G.; Apostolides, Mr. E. C.; Althorp, Capt. K.; Arbuthnot, Mr. J.; Ardagh, Col. J. C., C.I.E.; Arthur, Mr. A.; Barclay, Mr. P. D.; Barlow, Mr. R.; Barnes, Mr. F. C.; Bates, Mr. R. G.; Beaver, Col. P. K. L.; Beresford, Mr. W. M.; Beverley, the Hon. Mr. Justice, C.S.; Bignell, Mr. R.; Boteler, Mr. R.; Bourdillon, the Hon. J. A., C.S.; Brackenbury, the Hon. Lieut.-General H., C.B.; Bradshaw, Surgeon-Major-General; Brassey, the Right Hon. the Lord; Brasier-Creagh, Capt., A.D.C.; Brock, Mr. C.; Brooke, Mr. W. R., C.I.E.; Buck, Sir E., C.I.E.; Buckland, Mr. C. E., C.S.; Butler, Mr. A. L.; Bythell, Capt.; Campbell, Capt. I. M., D.S.O.; Campbell, Mr. Alec; Campbell, Mr. H. P.; Chatterton, Col. F. W.; Chisholme, Major J. J. Scott; Christopher, Major; Collen, Major-General Sir E. H. H., K.C., I.E.; Cotton, the Hon. H. J. S., C.S.I.; Creagh, Mr. B. P.; Croft, the Hon. Sir A., K.C.I.E; Cubitt, Mr. J. E.; Cumberledge, Mr. F, H.; Cuningham, Mr. W. J., C.S.I.; Cunningham, Surgeon-Lieut.-Col. D. D.; Currie, Capt. J.; Curzon, the Hon. Major M.; Dangerfield, Mr. E.; Daniel, Mr. Linsay; Dickson, Mr. Geo.; Dickson, Mr. J. G.; Dods, Mr. W.; Doran, Major B. J. C.; Eddis, Mr. W. K.; Ellis, Col. S. R.; Enter, Mr. K.; Evans, the Hon. Sir Griffith, K.C.I.E.; Ezra, Mr. J. E. D.; Fenn, Surgeon-Col. E. H., C.I.E.; Galbraith, Major-General W., C.B.; Gambrie, Col. G. R.; Gamble, Mr. R. A.; Garraway, Capt. C. W.; Garth, Mr. G. L.; Garth, Mr. W.; Gladstone, Mr. A. S.; Gladstone, Mr. J. S.; Gough, Capt. C. H. H.; Gough, Mr. G.; Gregory, Mr. E. H.; Gregson, Mr. C. B.; Grimston, Capt. R. E., A.D.C.; Hadden, Mr. F. G.; Hamilton, Mr. F. S., C.S.; Hamilton, Mr. L. B.; Harbord, Capt. the Hon. C.; Hart, Mr. G. H. R.; Harvey, Surgeon-Col. R.; Henderson, Mr. G. S.; Hensman, Mr. H.; Herbert, Capt. L.; Hewett, Mr. J. P., C.S., C.I.E.; Hext, Capt. J., R.N., C.I.E.; Hills, Mr. A.; Hills, Mr. C. R.; Hodgson, Mr. G. C.; Holmes, Mr. W., C.S.; Hope, Mr. G. W.; Hunt, Col. J. L.; Irving, Mr. W. O. Bell; James, Mr. S. Harvey, C.S.; Jardine, Sir William, Bart.; Jarrett, Col. H. S.; Jenkins, Capt. A. E.; Johnstone, Mr. C. Lawrie; Jourdain, Mr. C. B.; Kennedy, H. E., Rear-Admiral George; King, Brigade-Surgeon-Lieut.-Col. G., C.I.E.; King, Mr. D. W.; Kirk, Mr. H. A.; Kooch Behar, H. H. the Maharajah of, G.C.I.E.; Lambert, the Hon. Sir John, K.C.I.E.; Lance, Brigadier-General F., C.B.; Latimer, Mr. F. W.; Lethbridge, Brigade-Surgeon-Lieut.-Col.; Lister, Capt. G. C., A.D.C.; Ludlow, Col.; Lumsden, Mr. D. M.; Luson, Mr. H.; Lyall, Mr. A. A.; Lyall the Hon. Mr. D. R., C.S.I., C.S.; Lyall, Mr. R. A.; Mackensie, Mr. D. F.; Mackellor, Mr. G. B.; Macleod, Mr. J. J.; Macnair, Mr. G. B.; Macpherson, the Hon. Justice W., C.S.; Maitland, Col.; McInnes, Mr. H. H.; McLeod, Mr. C. C.; Mehta, Mr. R. D.; Miley, Col. J. A.; Mills, Mr. G.; Milton, Lord, A.D.C.; Moore, Mr. C. H.; Muir, Mr. A. K.; Muir, Sir John, Bart.; Myers, Mr. Dudley B.; Norman, Mr. A. F.; Norris, the Hon. Justice, Q.C.; Overend, Mr. T. B. G.; Paget, Mr. H. E. C.; Paris, Mr. G. B.; Pattison, Mr. F. E.; Paul, Col. St.; Peacock, Mr. F. B.; Perinan, Mr. F. W.; Peterson, Mr. C. D.; Patrie, Mr. J. M.; Playfair, the Hon. Mr. P.; Pollen, Capt. S. H., A.D.C.; Prickett, Mr. L. G.; Prinsep, the Hon. Mr. Justice H. T., C.S.; Pritchard, the Hon. Sir C., K.C.I.E., C.S.I.; Ralli, Mr. John A.; Ralli, Mr. T. D.; Rawlinson, Mr. A. T.; Raye, Brigade-Surgeon D.; Rodocanachi, Mr. J.; Ross, Mr. R. M.; Rustornjee, Mr. H. M.; Sanders, Surgeon-Major R. C.; Saunders, Mr. J. O’B.; Schiller, Mr. F. C.; Shakespeare, Mr. F.; Simson, Mr. A.; Simson, Mr. A. F.; Stedman, General E., C.B.; Steel, Mr. Robert; Stewart, Mr. F. G.; Stewart, Mr. C. D.; Stewart, Mr. J. L.; Stewart, Mr. J. R.; Stuart, Mr. Harry; Targett, Mr. W. H.; Temple, Mr. G.; Thomas, Mr. J. P.; Thomas, Mr. L. R.; Thomas, Mr. R. E. S.; Thomas, Mr. W. L.; Thuillier, Col. H. R.; Toomay, Mr. J. A.; Trail, Mr. T.; Tremearne, Mr. Shirley; Turnbull, Mr. R., C.I.E.; Turner, Capt. J. G.; Upton, Mr. R. L.; Vincent, Mr. Claude; Walker, Major-General A.; Waller, Mr. R. R.; Ward, Mr. G.; West, Mr. J. D.; Wilkins, Mr. C. A., C.S.; Williams, Capt. G. A.

In rising to propose the health of the Viceroy and Lady Lansdowne, Mr. Moore was very warmly received. He said:—

“Gentlemen,—We have a rigid rule here to-night to confine our speeches to two, but I must break it so far as to ask you to drink to the health of the Viceroy and Lady Lansdowne—(cheers). I am sure I am interpreting your sentiments right in thinking you will do it with enthusiasm. They have won the hearts of us all, and their approaching departure carries with it a feeling of actual personal loss arising from the affection and esteem they have so universally inspired; he, because he is straight, loyal and true, and she, because in every respect she is perfectly charming.”

“The toast was drunk with the greatest enthusiasm, the whole company standing,” to quote the words from the account given to me.