GRETNA GREEN ROMANCES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 94, 20 April 1912, Page 13

GRETNA GREEN ROMANCES.

The news v that a volume of original certificates of marriages celebrated a.t Gretna Green between 1825 and 1844, signed by the contracting parties, .wae to be sold at Sotheby's la*t month, brings back vividly to the mind an almost forgotten institution. Yet many famous names figure on thee© certificates (says T.P.'b Weekly), among them those of Lord Drumlanrig (afterwards Marquis of Queensberry) and Miss Caroline Clayton, daughter of General Sir W. K. Clayton, who discarded the post-chaise of tradition for a move speedy gallop on horseback. Tho last notable union, at Gretna Green waa that of Captain Charles lbbetson and Lady Adela Maude Villiers, daughter of the Earl of Jersey. The story of .Lady Adela's grandmother, Miss Sarah Child, who also favoured the Green, and was hotly but vainly pursued by her irate paront, the founder of Child's Bank, is one of the most exoiting in tho aamala of this romantic mamage mart. With the certificates goes also a marriage register in the hand of the famous John Linton, busiest of the several obliging celebrante. In 384^ business wa« brisk. " Between 4 o'clock on Saturday morning (Martinmas Saturday)," says an authority, "and Sunday evening,, not less than forty -five couple* were married by Mi 1 . Simon Beattie, <>i the Sark Toll Bar, Gretna, besides all the business done in the same way by tho worthy ' Bishop,' Mr. John Linton. ' A story is told of Joe Paisley, .who officiated about 1791, that haying united two couples who had arrived in a desperate hurry, he afterwards found the brides had been married to tho wrong bridegrooms. " Aweel," he said, "jist sort yersel's." Perhaps the most unique case on record is that of a couple who were married in the top xoom of Gretna Hall, and, going outsidw, had so furious a quarrel that they p;roniptly returned to. the oelebratit with a. request for the knot to be untied again: After obliging them, and in a spirit of mischief, ho instructed the on© now to leave tho house by one side, and the other by the opposite, so that they should not meet again. Mistaking Ins instructions, however, they canrno face to face in tho central hall, where another celebrant, thinking to do them a, kindnm, fepeedily made thorn man and wite. Seeing in 'this the finger of Fate, they accepted tho situation and l.!Ss£kiibsk. Mit mmksh;* gecojidtgne !