LORD FIFE'S GREAT GRANDMOTHER.

Manawatu Herald, 13 September 1889, Page 3

LORD FIFE'S GREAT GRANDMOTHER.

The great grandmother of Lord Fife (who is about to marry the Princes? Louiso), was an actress by the name of Mrs Jordan. A glance ■at h©r career, now that her memory has revived in connection with the jßoyai betrothal, will be interesting. $he was Irish, and, like Ritfcy Clire

and Maria Popo, was born in Water ford. Hor name was Dorothy Bland In 1777, when she was about sweel 1 6, she made her debut on the Dublin stage as Phoebe in " As You Like it." In 1782 she went to England and got an engagement from Tato Wilkinson, who at that time was managing a theatre at Leeds. 1 ate says in his chatty reminiscences that when he asked her what was her "line," whether tvigedy, comedy or opera — she at once leplied with a saucy shake of her pretty ringlets, " Them all," and indeed she was not long in giving proof that there Avas no exaggeration in the assertion. It was at the suggestion of Tate Wilkinson that Miss Bland adt.ptfld the name of Mrs Jordan. For, said he to her, "You have just crossed the waters of the Jordan — the Irish t hannel." Sho wan the unmarried mother of 1.3 children. Threo of them - the first — claimed as father a gentleman named Ford, whom she picked up in the provinces, and the rem aining 10 owned their being to the Duke of Clarence, subsequently

William IV. She made the acquaintance of the latter in 1790 while fulfilling an engagement at Covent Garden J heatre. They lived together for twenty years, and by #U accounts enjoyed any amount of domestic bliss. The separation took place in 1811. The Duke brutally toid her that they were to be strang- : ers henceforth, and he gave her no explanation for the change of his , feelings. A n allow ance, which iooks | handsome enough, was settled on her . by her royal master, but of course the country had to pay it. She got per annum ou agreement to leave the stage— £2loo for the education of her tour daughters (one of whom was the grandmother of the Earl of Fife) and a house and carriage for their accommodation; £1509 for herself, and £800 to enable her to make provision for the three children of Ford. The Duke looked after the sons, and on his succession to the throne made one of them Earl of Munster. It does not appear that these allowances Were continued very long. It is said that Mrs Jordan died in 1816 in very straightened circumstances, in a miserable apartment of a lodginghouse at Ft Cloud, in France.