As a young man, the Duke paid a visit to Mount Stewart, the County Down seat of the Londonderrys.
This visit was most probably in the 1930s.
He sailed over to Ulster on the night-boat and, on arrival, was informed that the family was going yacht-sailing on Strangford Lough.
"I had always regarded Lady Londonderry as a very grand respectable person, and had seen her at Londonderry House at most formal parties.""Lord Londonderry used to get up very early in the morning and fly round and round the house at about half-past six in his aeroplane.""They also had a pipe band patrolling round the house at dawn and round the dinner table at night, where of course the hideous noise stopped all conversation.""I never did solve the tipping problem. At Woburn my grandfather had left printed notes everywhere telling guests not to tip the servants, but at Mount Stewart there was no such helpful advice, so in the end I left nothing, hoping for the best."
Met his third wife Nicole back in the seventies. She was lovely and was signing copies of her autobiography, "Nicole Nobody" .
ReplyDeleteThanks Jane. A Silver-plated Spoon is a very good read. His Grace was a gifted writer.
ReplyDelete'Dear Mary' in the Spectator often gives advice about tipping at country house parties, which I have yet to put into action!
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