WHEN THE KING SAW HULME

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 96, 27 April 1929, Page 29

WHEN THE KING SAW HULME

STORY OF A WAR-TIME

EXPERIENCE

An extract from the reminiscences of Mr: Edwin T. 'Woodhall, late of the special branch at Scotland Yard, published in a recent issue of the "Graphic," describes an incognito visit to the Hulme district of Manchester by King George one night late in the Great War. ' ' Extracts from the. article- are— The King's special train had been shunted into the siding of a wayside station just,outside Manchester. It was late in the; war, and as detective specially attached to guard Hiss Majesty I was with him on his journeys to munition works around the country." On this particular night I was called to the King, whom I found sitting in the saloon- in his train, wearing a navy blue serge • suit and a black tie —he never forgot the mourning thousands. '•' ."Woodhall,",he said, "I want you to accompany me, into the city. lam using no motor-car —any visit is s-trictly incognito. I.'am ready to start now. ■Walk'with ■■me, and under no circumstances address me by title. Call, me Mr. Smith." After describing how tliey had coffee in a Market street cafe, the memoir continues: Back once more in the streets of Manchester, the King said, "Where is Hulme, Woodliall? I want to see Hulme." Presently, along the road —a dismal, drab road wliere all the houses opened right on .to. the street and every house looked alike—wo came to where there was a' string- of" bunting across the road. The King paused near a doorway.: ' "What are those flags out for, Woodhall?" he asked. > Just then someone passed, and the King, stepping back to let the man go by, for the pavement was narrow, accidentally pushed against the door. It was not quite closed, .and at the gentle pressure it opened an inch or two. Inside a party was evidently in progress ;>a piano was .going and voices were singing. ' A man, elderly and jovial, cbmo to tho door in his shirt; sleeves. , . : . "That, you, Bill?" he asked. Ihe King stepped back. "No," he replied, and made to move

off. ■• ■ „t , "Beg pardon," said the ; nmn, "but I was expecting'old Bill Ashworth with his fiddle. 'Who are you, anyway?. Are you friends of Jack's?" :. i'l wonder what the flags were_ out for," volunteered the King. . ".Oho! I can tellthee that! " said the man. "The flags are out to celebrate my lad Jack'a homecoming. He won the p.C.M>and we're having a bit 6i a jollification. Like to corno in and have -ti supo£beer?\Come on in, misters! The good-hearted Lancastrian would take no "refusal, and with a smile the; King stepped forward. We entered a room which was, I thought, full to overflowing already. A girl was playing the piano. Around the room was a happy gathering. There was'a sergeant, a corporal, and three privates, one of .whom had a pretty, neatly dressed girl or. his knee.- Four'other girls^ were sitting around., A buxom old lady in a 'black dress and a spotless, white apron was-smiling, happily. . There was not a vestige of^ embarrassment in any quarter.: •' We were just two strangers to be welcomed at the great feast to celebrate a private soldier's decoration. „ ''■■■'_ "Let me take your coats," said the lady of the house. "It's baking hot in here, and we've got to be careful about opening windows in case tho specials come and complain about the lights." The King thanked her, and off came his heavy overcoat. Everybody nodded him a pleasant good evening, and by the time he was ready to sit down,' one' of the girJs—a blonde, blue-eyed lass, wearing a neat navy skirt and a white silk blouse —had appeared with a glass jug of foaming ale. "That's the stuff to give 'era!" declared the host, and made to pour out •two glasses. ' "Thank you very much," said' the King; "but I don't take beer—not just now; But thank" you very much." „ The Kingf accepted a cup. of coffee and-some, sandwiches. ■'•■ ' .. ,The girl at the piano was just about to start playing again, in response to. urgent calls, when there was a slight

commotion, and tho door opened. Standing in the doorway was a. laughing-eyed broadly smiling man of perhaps fifty to sixty years, his reddish features surmounted by a shock of white hair, lie reminded me of Mr. Asquith. "Ha! ha!" laughed our host dc; lightcdly. • "Here, comes Old Bill. Come .on, Bill come on, old soldier, here wo all are, and there's two gents here waiting to hear you , play the old fiddle." . :. "Well, well," he said, looking at the King, "How do, sir? I don't know who you are——" , ' ."These gentlemen are joining in the party," explained our host. "I found them outside when I was looking for thee." . "Anyway, I'm right glad to meet thee, sir," said Jovial Bill. Then he said, "Lad, tha' needs but wear a general's uniform and a string o' medals, and anybody'd take thee for the King!" Everybody laughed/and not least the King himself. Good-byes wero said, and we came away. They never knew who was their guest that night! . . . • It was a wonderful evening. Jack, the D.C.M., never know who was the anonymous "giver of a piano as a wedding gift.. ' ■